Polish fighters

[Guest]

Hi all,

I'm a (very) casual modeller - in other words I used to bash out the odd glue-covered Airfix Spitfire as a kid and haven't done much since.

However, I've recently been researching and writing about a fictional Polish pilot who flies in 1939-40 (and perhaps beyond, I haven't got to that part yet!), and it occurred to me that it might be cool to get hold of some kits of the planes he's flying and make a little parade/display of them. It might help with describing them in the book as well.

So far, I know he flies:

- A PZL P.11c during the Polish September campaign with either 141 or 142 Eskadra Mysliwska

- A Caudron C.714 with GC 1/145 during the Battle of France

- A Hurricane Mk.1 with 302 (Polish) Squadron RAF during the Battle of Britain.

So first of all I'm looking to track down the relevant kits, ideally with the right decals. Ideally I'd like 1/72 scale because price is a factor as is space.

Obviously Hurricanes are ten-a-penny but I can't find anyone doing decals for 302 squadron except for 1941 onward Spits. I've got hold of a PZL P.7 in 1/72 which I found at a car boot sale and it's possibly close enough visually for my purposes. But if there's a P.11c kit out there instead that would be better.

Second thing, are there any tips you lot can give me for building and painting the kits with a minimum of investment in equipment?

This is a bit of a one-off and I can't really justify buying an airbrush and lots of modelling tools, for instance. I want them to look nice - no gluey fingerprints all over the canopies - and historically accurate as much as possible but I'm happy not top bother with things like panel lines and internal cockpit detail.

Thanks for any help. I may have just located a 1/72 Caudron kit on eBay, actually, so I'll come back to you on that.

[Guest]

Hi and welcome. Following this with interest as being 50% Polish.

[stona]

You could try Hannants for generic code letters and roundels etc with which you can customise a suitable kit.

You don't need to invest in a lot of tools if you brush paint. Just the relevant paints,a matt varnish some brushes and a few tools for construction,many you may already have. A sharp knife,tweezers,some wet'n'dry ( 400 and 1500 grit should do) is about all you need for starters. Blu-Tac is great for holding little bits and cocktail sticks have more uses than I can list here.

Good luck

Cheers

Steve

[Dave W]

Revell used to do a 1/72 PZL 11C many years ago.Dont know if its still available though.

[Guest]

Hannants have 3 PZL P.11c showing. Dont know what they are like as a kit. This may help too. http://modelingmadness.com/scotts/axis/rp11cpreview.htm

[Guest]

Ooh, I'm quite tempted by those Mirage P.11s. They look lovely and detailed - a mite scary for the noob but I'm sure I'll manage. At the risk of asking a really dumb question, how big is a 1/48 aircraft of that size going to be?

[Guest]

Approx 160mm long and wingspan about 230mm

[Guest]

Another one to add to the list, I will hopefully be modelling this: WINGS PALETTE - Consolidated B-24 Liberator/PB4Y Privateer - Great Britain at some point. [Edit: or possibly this: WINGS PALETTE - Handley Page HP.56 Halifax - Great Britain]

Otherwise, we'll see where the story takes me, but I'm envisaging my intrepid pilot being shot down over France on a fighter sweep in 1941, escaping into Vichy France where, with the aid of friends he made during the Battle of France, he escapes to join the British forces in North Africa and flies with them through the desert and into Italy. So, a 302 squadron Spitfire, possibly a Vichy fighter that he escapes in, then some RAF Desert aircraft.

At some point he'll be injured sufficiently to stop him flying fighters, but still go airborne in bombers (though not necessarily as a pilot) and end up in 1586 Special Duties flight, going against orders to fly supplies to the Warsaw Rising in said Liberator

I really ought to stop making models and actually write the damn thing. I've drafted as far as the end of the Battle of Britain so far, and I'm working on the Second draft in theory.