Tally Ho! 1/48 Avia S-199 Decals

Reviewed by Chris Banyai-Riepl

The newest 1/48 sheets from Tally Ho! covers one of the last Bf 109 variants to see combat, the Avia S-199. By mating Jumo engines to Bf 109 airframes, the Czech aviation firm Avia was able to produce an interim fighter that found service in both the Czech Air Force and the fledgling Israeli Air Force. This odd-looking Bf 109 variant wore several interesting schemes, several of which are presented in the sheet titled "The Mule."

Four Czech and two Israeli S-199s are presented on this sheet, with a mix of camouflage schemes. Three of the four Czech aircraft are finished in overall gray-green camouflage. The first one has a white and blue spinner and is coded black A-784 on the fuselage sides. The second Avia has a white spinner and a stenciled black UC-100 on the fuselage. The final gray-green Avia is very basic, with a hand-painted VK-01 on the fuselage sides. All three of these aircraft have white-outlined Czech roundels on the wings and tail.

The remaining Czech option on this decal sheet is finished in overall green. The instructions indicate that this color is RLM 82. The spinner is white, with a green base. Instead of white outlined roundels, this particular aircraft has blue outlined roundels, an oddity for Czech Avias. This aircraft is coded white EX-56.

Moving on to the Israeli options, the first one is finished in the Czech overall gray-green and coded D-117. The fuselage roundel on this aircraft has some writing in white scribbled on it, and there is a white/blue/white band around the rear fuselage. This aircraft also carries the 101st Squadron badge on the nose. The second Israeli Avia is camouflaged in dark earth and dark green over light gray-green. This plane, coded D-123, has a red and white striped rudder, a red spinner, and the same white/blue/white band around the rear fuselage.

To complement this sheet, Tally Ho! has also come out with a dedicated stencil sheet for the Avia S-199. This sheet is separated in two sections, one for Israeli and one for Czech Avias. This sheet provides all you will need to detail out your Avia model, no matter which country you decide upon.

These two sheets from Tally Ho! are well printed and have thin carrier film. The registration is very good and there should be no problem in application. If you have one or two Hobbycraft S-199s in your closet, this might be just the incentive needed to pull them out and build them up.