This volume in MMP’s “Single” series covers the Avia S-199, and with the impending release of Eduard’s 1/48 kit (announced, but I have no idea of when), the timing of this publication is perfect. The idea behind this series of books (more like booklets) seems to be to get right to the point and show scale plan views, photos, profiles, etc.

Historical Background

At the end of World War I, the British Empire had to expand to take over some of the territories in the Middle East and Africa, most of which had been under the control of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Turkey had sided with the Central Powers, and the British took the regions almost by default. The big question, in both the Middle East and Africa, was how to control these areas economically. The British government assumed that they could control these diverse groups, mostly on a tribal level, using standard cavalry and infantry units operating in a police role, but they discovered that this was much more expensive than they had imagined. The areas in question, some of which are still problems today (Afghanistan, for example), were dominated by small Islamic tribes, who had no idea of how western civilization could help them move into the modern world.

The Product

This product consists of a small metal photo-etch stamping which includes detail parts for a 1/72 scale model of a Henschel HS-126, along with some resin parts, including a bomb, smoke generator, and a few other components for the cockpit interior. When I requested this item for review, I assumed that it was the new Brengun 1/72 scale model of the HS-126, but it actually turned out to be only the accessory parts, but that’s OK. No problems. Since there are already three 1/72 scale kits of the HS-126, by Airfix, Italeri, and Matchbox, and I had already built all three, I decided to build the Airfix offering, and painted it in Spanish Civil War markings, as I already had several in the usual German Luftwaffe paint schemes.