Completed: 1/48 Ardpol SZD-51 Junior (kit #48-001)
This was an old project that just never seemed to get finished! I think I started this kit about 3-4 years ago. I would pick it up and work on some small part, then set it down for 4 months. Amazingly, I finally got it done. Just a fun little desk model. Pics are a little blurry 
Nice work like the cockpit detailing, esp the ‘ghost’ pilot [;)]
Nice job! I used to fly an R/C model of that particular plane with an 8’ wing span. Sweet flyer. Brought back great memories. Thanks.
Jim [cptn]
I flew in one of these up in New York and that cockpit is about that sparse, you did a good representation of what it’s like. It totally reminded me of the experience!
Great model of a Polish glider! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the replies guys. The in-flight stand was an after-thought, or I would have put a pilot in the cockpit. By the time the idea came to me, the cockpit was sealed (for the second time, as a matter of fact!). I mentioned this was a looooonnng build, which is pretty funny, given the simplicity of the kit. So yep… ghost pilot. I wasn’t going to take the canopy off and do all the work to re-profile it back on a third time. I thought about it though! LOL - perfect is the enemy of good. Maybe I’m finally learning that.
Mongoose, do you fly gliders? I earned my rating last summer. Very excited to go up again in a couple months. How did you like the SZD-51? Seems like a great first glider to own.
No, I don’t fly. I loved the ride though. I always wanted to try it and they have a soaring museum in Corning NY. they had glider rides and classes. I had a great experience. We had a hawk soaring on the opposite side of the thermal we were in. Craziest part was the landing because the nose seems to come down so steep when you are in the front like that.
Yep - we’re trained to step on the spoilers pretty hard to make the glideslope nice and steep on final approach. We can always extend the glide if there’s some spoilers out to close. It’s harder to do if they’re already closed!
If you’re in a flapped ship, the nose points down even more aggressively on final. What did you fly in? A Blanik, maybe?
Good to see a glider, you should put it in the airliner & civil section here too.
-or stick a couple of sidewinders on it. : )
Nice job btw!
I flew in the ASK-21