Military Model Scene

Title:  Hispano Aviacion HA-1112

Author: Eduardo Manuel Gil Martinez

Publisher:  Kagero

ISBN:  978-83-66148-33-8

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Monograph 67 from Kagero covers an aircraft that grew in aviation enthusiasts awareness thanks largely the film 'Battle of Britain', made back in the 1960's. Essentially an Me 109 airframe but post-war fitted with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine.
An 80-page softcover book and it gives us the story of this fighter in Spanish hands. Their first ones were early Messerschmitt made examples, used during the Spanish Civil War. By the time of WW2 Spain was still recovering from the effects of their civil war and the later variants of the 109 were a natural choice. As WW2 progressed however, the issue was about the availability of engines and operating spares. The story in the book tells us about the challenges of finding suitable powerplants for the available airframes. After the war was the start of the jet age, so while other nations were looking for more jets, there were plenty of piston engines becoming available on the market. The solution turned out to be the Rolls Royce Merlin, and these were used not only on the HA1112 Buchon, but also on their He-111 bombers as well. The story goes on to tell us about their service careers, including combat in Africa and the Canary Islands. Then, following withdrawal from service in 1965 they found another career in the world of the movies and playing the role of Luftwaffe marked Me 109s in the film Battle of Britain. After that, many were sold into private hands or put into museums, and there is a list of examples which remain airworthy today, some of which continue to be used in films.
Throughout the story of the aircraft there are lots of archive photos showing the aircraft in Spanish service, and some of the jets which were flying alongside them for many years. From page 59 onwards we get a good selection of colour images of Spanish AF machines and more with them in Luftwaffe colours for filming and at air shows. The last few pages carry some excellent colour profile artwork, all of which will be very helpful and perhaps inspirational for modellers. Another very good addition to the Monograph series from Kagero, distributed here by Casemate Books.

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Distributed by Casemate Books, who kindly provided my review copy.

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Robin