PAV72004 Henschel Hs 129A 1/72

Kit has detailed resin parts, recessed panel lines, photo-etch details, vacu or injection-molded clear parts - canopy.
(injection-molded plastic kit). Limited edition. *****

Germany pre-series of assault aircraft.
plastic parts: 38, resin parts: 0, vacu canopy: 1, photo-etched: 38
2 version decals (Luftwaffe)

The experience of the Spanish civil War made German aviation experts rethink aircraft for close-support role. They again started to speak about an aircraft capable of attacking an enemy armour vehicles. In spring 1937 the Technische Amt of the RLM issued a requirement for a Schlachtflugzeug, specifying the use of two engines, minimal dimensions, armour protection of both cockpit and engines and a strong armament of 20mm cannon and machine guns.
The requirement was submitted to a few aircraft producers. In October 1937 Henschel Flugzeugwerke proposal designed under Dipl. Ing. Nicholause supervision was accepted. He proposed a small conventional single-seat aircraft with two Argus As 41 OA inverted-vee engines. The shape of armoured cockpit ,,bathtub" gave fuselage an unusual triangular cross section.
After mock-up was accepted the project received designation Hs 129 and building of prototype begun in October 1938. The HS 129 V-1 was flown for the first time on 20th May 1939 and shortly proved to be a poor aircraft. It had a heavy controls and insufficient climb. Risky take-offs and landigs resulted from the totally inadequate view from the cockpit. RLM ordered twelve pre-production Hs 129A-0 and sixteen production Hs 129A-1 models. Several pre-production aircraft saw limited service with the training unit in France. Hs 129A-1 series was cancelled in behalf of more powerful Hs 129B.