Published from 1999 to 2001. This was a series of 60 booklets published fortnightly. Every second issue included a 1/100 scale diecast metal model of an aircraft – usually related to the subject of the booklet. The booklets were abridged versions of the original Osprey editions, with the same cover artwork but with the number of pages reduced from 96 to 64, and featured 150+ illustrations – including 12 pages of colour drawings. Later editions included subjects from the Osprey ‘Combat Aircraft’ series of unit and aircraft type histories as well as from ‘Aircraft of the Aces’. The majority of booklets concentrated on WW2 subjects but Korea, Vietnam and eventually WW1 were also included.

The diecast models were of surprisingly good quality for the price. 60 different model aircraft were available – presumably the 30 not supplied by subscription were available individually. Each model came with a set of technical specification cards that were intended to form an encyclopaedia of military aviation – these cards came on three sheets, with colour photos, colour 3-view drawings, cutaway drawings etc of the aircraft type modelled. In addition, collectors were provided with a number of single cards corresponding to aircraft not featured as models. These built-up into an inventory of the century’s most representative military aircraft. Classified according to country of origin, era, type and model, the index cards outlined the principal characteristics of each aircraft, together with technical data and details of their history.

The complete collection thus comprised 60 booklets, 60 aircraft models, 60 triple index cards related to the aircraft models and 300 single index cards. This series was also published in Spain (‘Aviones en Combat’), France (‘Les Combats du Ciel’) and the Netherlands (‘Vliegtuigen in Gevecht’) in identical format.

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