# Some Luft 46: RS Models' Henschell Hs-132A



## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

The Hs-132 was a jet dive-bomber design similar in layout to the Heinkel 162 jet fighter. But the Henschell project didn't get very far before the end of the war. No complete aircraft was finished. The 132's most unique feature was that the pilot was to lie prone to make it easier to take high positive Gs on pullup from the dive. It seems that the tiny cockpit hatch was right in front of the engine intake, which wasn't going to make it an easy plane to escape from.

RS Henschel Hs132A










More pics at the link.


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## daytime dave (Jan 14, 2017)

Interesting history. Nice job.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

I like the shape of this one - looks a little sleeker than the Heinkel.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Interesting design. :cheers2:


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Another beautiful build, and nicely done. 

I always have a love/hate relationship with the Luft 46 concept (by concept I mean 'what-if' aircraft from ANY nation built under the idea that WWII continued)-because not every idea would have been fielded and obvious changes would have been made, blah blah  

For example, that pilot hatch in front of the intake. I think had that plane actually gotten to flying prototype stage that hatch would have either been moved, or supplemented with an additional hatch on the belly, or the side. For that matter, swinging up the canopy glass ala the Komet might have been a viable entryway. 

I mean, it can be argued that "that is the way the plans were drawn!!" for accuracy, but my counter-argument is "production would have altered those plans!!" 

I dunno. The design seems rather wasted for dive-bombing. 

Well, regardless of my misgivings, it's a beautiful build. Oh. Hey, John! did you put weight in the nose or does the landing gear stance not need that?


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

There's a .45 hardball slug behind the cockpit and a 9mm hardball slug in the front of the engine! Even with that, the dern thing falls on it's ass if you bump the shelf.

As for possible escape methods in a production version, the DFS 228 (for example), which also featured a prone pilot, had an ejectable nose ahead of the couch. The pilot would slide out like a Pez.
Huma DFS-228


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## Frank2056 (Mar 23, 2007)

Great job! It looks like RS is re-doing the old Huma catalog, only with better molds. I built the old Huma kit and it just barely sits level. It makes a great earthquake detector - if the Hs-132 is on its tail, the earthquake magnitude was 3.5 or greater.


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