Henschel Hs 126A, Legion Condor 1938, 1:72 Scale Model

The Henschel Hs 126 was a German two-seat reconnaissance and observation aircraft of World War II that was derived from the Henschel Hs 122. The pilot was seated in a protected cockpit under the parasol wing and the gunner in an open rear cockpit. The prototype aircraft frame was that of a Hs 122A fitted with a Junkers engine. The Hs 126 was well received for its good short takeoff and low-speed characteristics which were needed at the time. It was put into service for a few years, but was soon superseded by the general-purpose, STOL Fieseler Fi 156 Storch and the medium-range Focke-Wulf Fw 189 "flying eye".

This model is a replica of a Henschel Hs 126A -1 of the A/88 Legion Condor flying in Spain 1938. The Condor Legion (German: Legion Condor) was a unit composed of military personnel from the air force and army of Nazi Germany, which served with the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War of July 1936 to March 1939. The Condor Legion developed methods of strategic bombing which were used widely in the Second World War shortly afterwards.

This Henschel Hs 126A  is an excellent addition to your historical model aircraft collection.

General characteristics

• Crew: Two (pilot and observer/gunner)
• Length: 10.9 m (35 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 14.5 m (47 ft 7 in)
• Height: 3.8 m (12 ft 4 in)
• Wing area: 31.6 m2 (340 ft2)
• Empty weight: 2,030 kg (4,480 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3,090 kg (6,820 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Bramo 323 9-cylinder radial engine, 625 kW (850 PS)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 356 km/h at 3,000 m (221 mph at 9,850 ft)
• Range: 998 km (620 mi)
• Service ceiling: 8,530 m (28,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 550 m/min (1,800 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 97.8 kg/m2 (20.1 lb/ft2)
• Power/mass: 0.21 kW/kg (0.13 hp/lb)

Armament

• 1 × forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine gun
• 1 × flexible 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine gun in the observer/gunner
• Up to 150 kg (330 lb) of bombs