My first 1/48 model.

[Marudek]

Hello!

I’d like to present my first 1/48 model airplane I made some time ago. It is IIWW Polish fighter PZL P11c from Mirage-hobby. It is the one that bravely fought against German Bf 109s & 110s. Although it couldn’t match to German fighters’ speed and armament – it still could win a dogfight for it’s incredible manoeuvrability (thanks to it's unusuall wing construction).

About the kit: I think it’s a very well detailed kit, full of engraved panel lines, correct to drawings. The kit I bought comes with small PE fret and a resin radiator. The only problem I had is the instruction drawings are not clear enough at the interior/cockpit stage. So, after assembly I could not close up the fuselage halves. But eventually I overcame the problem by stripping and redoing the interior sides.

Don’t be disappointed; this is my first kit in this scale. Painted with a brush with lack of experience on plastic kits. Anyway here it is:



Regards,

Marudek

 

[mattjack]

Hi nice work, im thinking of doing a ww2 marauder plane which the raf used in 1944 but having trouble finding a kit, any ideas?....

 

[maxidad66]

Nice one Marudek. It's a fine model brush-painted or otherwise. Unusual markings on the fuselage.

I would have liked to see the cockpit interior.

What are you working on at the moment?

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Nice model Marudek. The wing reminds me of the Lysander, which was also renowned for it's manoeuvrability and capabilities of very short take off and landing requirements.

 

[AerynPk]

That is a nice model well done for your first 1:48 scale. You have done a great Paint job on it.

 

[Marudek]

Hi guys!

I thought no one noticed my new thread. I am really glad you like it.

Mattjack: finding Marauder is no problem just click here and choose from wide range of kits and accessories.

maxidad66: these ‘unusual markings’ on the fuselage is Squadron badge. And the red/white checkerboard is Polish Air Force insignia. After all it’s a Polish construction. As far as I know the planes were also sold to Romania and Turkey (more decal options; unfortunately not available with this kit. Romanian markings are available with other kit of same scale and the same manufacturer).

When I have a chance I’ll post a picture of the interior.

At the moment I am struggling to go on with the scratch built loco I’ve started. I found I am not that much into rail models and it’s hard to finish it. I found I can’t force myself to build a model cause it would be a scrap. So the loco is waiting for better times while I finish Ju 52/3m I started some time ago.

Bunkerbarge: my mates at work said the same, but Lysander’s wing was on top of canopy. In this case pilot was sitting behind the wing. (I wonder what was the visibility like).

Now let me tell you what I don’t like about my model:

1)I shouldn’t have used that thick thread for the antenna

2)I wanted to make weighted wheels but took off a bit too much from the bottom of the main gear.

3)I didn’t let the under wing decals set properly (it was before I discovered Micro Sol).

P.S. My next projects will be better.

Regards,

Marudek

 

[Bunkerbarge]

I always used to use human hair for the antenna wires on 1/72nd aircraft. It may be a bit fine for 1/48th but I always think too thin is better than too thick!

 

[Marudek]

On the other forum they said women's tights thread is the best solution. I guess I have to nick some from my wife to see myself. Another way is stretching sprue over a flame. I'm not so sure about this one (is thickness the same on every point of the length?).

Have you ever tried to make weighted wheels yourself? On this model I simply grinded them but I'm tempted to heat up a knife and gently "squash" the bottom of some kit wheel.

Regards,

Marudek

 

[maxidad66]

Regarding stretching sprue: this first subject I wrote to Scale Model Forum about! Getting stretched sprue fine enough for 1/72 is hard. I have tried it and used it on the Bf109 and Hellcat in my gallery pics. As you can see in the Bf109 it's way out of scale, but not so bad on the Hellcat. I switched to using "invisble thread", fine monofilament used in dress-making. It's probably still too thick for 1/72, but it is looks OK to my untrained eye. By the way, if you stretch the sprue thin enough and hold it while it cools down, the bit in the centre should be fine and straight enough to use.

Regarding weighted wheels: Maybe I'm not fussy enough, but I just sand them flat on the bottom. I reckon your heated method is better - try it on some spares ones.

 

[Hogbopper]

Very nice IIWW Polish fighter PZL P11c looks great and thanks to Bunkerbarge i will have to get the lysander out again ....... lol

 

[Marudek]

Hi!

This morning I made a picture of the control panel. I like may paint and detail job on it, but another mistake is the way I glued control panel to fuselage halves. See yourself:



Though there’s only a steel frame on both sides of the cockpit, it caused the fit problem I mentioned before. I simply glued frame sides to the edge of the floor instead to the top of it. That mistake made the sub-assembly thicker and did not allow to close the fuselage halves.

Regards,

Marudek

 

[Hogbopper]

I love the control panel very nice loads of detail but as for the mistake we all do some from time to time that is modeling i guess we all are learning new things every day.

 

[Marudek]

Thanks Hogbopper. That's true I learned a lot on that kit.

Regards,

Marudek

 

[wonwinglo]

A unique machine,and nicely modelled,well done Marudeck.

 

[Marudek]

Cheers wonwinglo! I agree - it’s unusual wing construction makes this machine unique.

Regards,

Marudek

 

[Lips McGee]

Beautiful build!

For squashing wheels you can use an old iron. Just let it get warm and gently but firmly press the wheel down onto the surface of the iron.

 

[Pan_Am_Clipper_Girl]

Hi nice work, im thinking of doing a ww2 marauder plane which the raf used in 1944 but having trouble finding a kit, any ideas?....

Hi Matt. The monogram is the only one as far as I know. Lucky for you if you are still interested my Matt has converted one to british, it isn't that hard.

Nice PZL for a first 48th model it looks really great. Hope you do more! Though be careful, 48th is addictive, I only wanted a Chipmunk trainer and a JG27 109 and now I have over 200 48th kits.

Same went for my Tamiya Tiger, said to Matt that I'd only do it as a one off and now there is a ton of them. Matt thinks I have an addictive personality!

No...as if!!! *Giggles*

View attachment 16001

 

[matti_646]

Early Marauders

Hi nice work, im thinking of doing a ww2 marauder plane which the raf used in 1944 but having trouble finding a kit, any ideas?....

Hi Matt, if early marauders are your thing;

in 1/72 there is the old Monogram snap tite kit which is a B-26A. snap together , but actually rather nice. I do believe that ther ewill also be some new Early B-26 kits coming out this year, if the announcements at Nurnburg can be believed. Worth bearing in mind is that the RAF's Marauder MkIa is an early B-26B variant with the short span wing and tail surfaces, with the later engine cowling.

In 1/48th scale the only option is to (heavily ) convert the Monogram (currntl issued by Revell) kit, which is a late B. This is what I have done as shown in the pictures posted by Pan_am_clipper _girl.

In this instance the style of cowlings provided makes for one less job to do.

The hardest part, I must admit was casting copies of the Monogram pro-modeller Curtiss Helldivers spinners which looked right and I can only assume were a Curtiss product supplied with the Curtiss electric propellors.

Hope that this is some help.

Matt