Oxford Diecast 1/72 AC120 H.Gaub/G.Schroder A.F.U.Recon.Grp. Poland 1939 Henschel HS126
Oxford Diecast AC120 1/72nd H.Gaub/G.Schroder A.F.U.Recon.Grp. Poland 1939 Henschel HS126
The Henschel Hs 126 was a German two-seat biplane observation and close support aircraft designed by Henschel Flugzeugwerke AG and manufactured by Weser Flugzeugbau GmbH. It was the standard reconnaissance aircraft of the Luftwaffe at the start of World War II.
The Hs 126 was developed in response to a Luftwaffe requirement for a new reconnaissance aircraft to replace the outdated Heinkel He 45 and He 46. The first prototype flew in June 1936, and the aircraft entered production in 1937. It was a highly manoeuvrable aircraft with good visibility, making it well-suited for its reconnaissance role. It was also armed with two forward-firing machine guns and a movable rear-facing machine gun for self-defence.
It was used extensively by the Luftwaffe during the early stages of World War II. It was used to support the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, and it played a major role in the Blitzkrieg campaigns in Western Europe and the Balkans in 1940. The Hs 126 was also used in the North African campaign and on the Eastern Front.
As the war progressed, the Hs 126 became increasingly vulnerable to Allied fighter aircraft. It was gradually replaced by more modern aircraft, such as the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch and the Henschel Hs 129. However, the Hs 126 remained in service throughout the war, and it was still being used in some theatres in 1945.
The Hs 126 was produced in a number of variants, including the A-1 reconnaissance aircraft (as our model AC120), the B-1 light bomber, and the C-1 ground attack aircraft. A total of 1,169 Hs 126s were produced during the war.