This is one I’ve wanted to build since I was a kid and read a story about the Polish pilots fighting the Luftwaffe in 1939 in these little outclassed aircraft. I was able to get this one from Mirage Hobby, and it was a fun build. I ran into trouble on the number decal on the underside, where it basically shattered. Fortunately, Tamiya NATO Black is a near-perfect match, so I was able to fix it with paint (See below).
This is one of Mirage’s older kits, I think, but it’s the only 1/48 injection-molded kit of this aircraft I’m aware of, and the boxing I got had a white metal radiator-looking part on the right side, and photoetched harness, instrument panel and other details. All in all, it was a nice little kit and fun to build.
I painted it with Model Master Field Drab and Tamiya Light Blue. The cockpit was done in Alclad White Aluminum.
Nice job. It looks great. I can understand your interest. I can’t imagine taking on a BF 109 in that aircraft. You have to be half brave & half crazy!!
Good effort; didn’t know the PZL P.11c was available in 1/48, just knew about the antique 1/72 Revell kit. The P.11c has facinated me for decades no small measure over how brave Polish pilots were battling Luftwaffe Bf.109s up till the surrender outclassed & outnumbered.
At some point “in the future” will get on with a “basic” 1939 Polish Invasion 1/72 aircraft build set with as equally antique kits ala another Revell P.11c, the awful Matchbox He 111, already have one standing in as a P-Model. One fuselage half was moulded incompletely, must effect repairs best I can, also need to get Bf-110C, Ju-87B-1 kits.
Thanks, all! This was a fun kit - a little dated, but it holds up well. Plus, like I said, if we want injected molded in 1/48, I’m pretty sure this is what you get. And it has the benefit of being reasonably priced.
Pawel - I’ve always been fascinated by the Polish pilots in WWII and what it must have been like. Of all the Allies, they fought the war the longest. I was lucky enough to visit Poland two years ago and then really wanted to build some Polish planes. I saw several books in bookstores on Polish pilots in WWII I really wanted to read, but I can’t speak Polish, so will have to search one out in English. It’s a beautiful country with excellent food and nice people, as I’m sure you know!
That’s true, I can tell you a lot of good things about Poland. I always say it’s the land of opportunities! Land of the possible! Of course we have our problems, too…
I have just finished reading the auto-biography of Jan Zumbach - if you didn’t read it yet, you should try it. Lots of modelling opportunities, too! Like that A-26 he flew in Nigeria/Biafra.
Let me tell you about one scene he describes - the CO of the fighter squadron in pre-war Warsaw wants to do a little show for his pilots. So he gathers everyone in the unit and marches to the aircraft, dressed in a long coat, full uniform, etc. Then, to everyone’s surprise he choses a check-out trainer instead of a fighter and takes off. He pulls of a perfect aerobatics display, everything cleanly and professionally executed. Then he lands and walks to his HQ completely naked - he managed to strip while pulling off the aerobatics - that’s the way Zumbach describes it.
I had a quick question. I noticed you use flickr to post images, do you use the BBcode to upload the photos? I just started using flickr and your pictures are great, so I was just wondering.
Brandon I, as usual, find your work to be exemplary. Nice save on the decal.
I’d not known about this aircraft - I’m no expert on airplanes but this one seemed to come out of nowhere for me.
I greatly admire how the Polish pilots were: 1. Brave enough to tangle with the much more modern and effecient fighters and bombers and, 2. How they were able to shoot down so many of the Luftwaffe’s - at that time - finest aircraft.
Here’s what I read on Wikipedia:
“At dawn on 1 September, Capt. Mieczysław Medwecki flying a PZL P.11c was shot down by Rottenführer (Foreman Leader) LeutnantFrank Neubert of I./StG 2 (Stuka), having the dubious honour of becoming the first aircraft shot down in the Second World War. The first Allied air victory was achieved 20 minutes later by Medwecki’s wingman, Władysław Gnyś who shot down two Dornier Do 17s with his P.11c. The PZL P.11c was also the first aircraft to successfully ram an enemy aircraft in the Second World War. The first large air battle of the War took place in the early morning of 1 September over the village of Nieporęt just north of Warsaw, when a German bomber group of about 70 Heinkel He 111 and Dornier Do 17 was intercepted by some 20 P.11 and 10 P.7 fighters, and had to abandon their mission to Warsaw.[1]”
Thanks for looking!