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* PZL P23 Karas


Fifer54

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Righty-oh!

Here's my (first?) attempt for this GB. It's the old Heller PZL P23 Karas, to be built as a P23B

of 55 Eskadra Liniowa, 4 Pulk Lotniczy. These are the kit's decals. It will be built OOB.

During the period 3rd-8th September 1939 this unit took part in intensive bombing missions against

armored elements of the Germans X Army Gruppe in the Radomsko-Piotrkow and Pultusk sectors of the Polish Front.

Karas001.jpg

Here are the kit's mugshots.

Karas003.jpg

Karas004.jpg

Karas002.jpg

I'm really looking forward to the start of this GB. I've built this kit before, it's a straightforward build, a nice kit of a

handsome aircraft.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Production has commenced! I've done some painting on the sprue, and started assembling the interior. I painted the

instrument panel as well, and did (for me(!)) a lovely job, but my camera, even in macro mode, won't focus close enough

to show it off,so here's a pic of the other parts. Should proceed fairly quickly to the next stage now.............

002.jpg

For a 1/72 kit of its age (late '70s?) the interior is a little gem! And it seems that Heller did their homework,

with some pretty accurate data on colour callouts, except that the tiny colour diagram doesn't really show that the fuselage

camo is a "wraparound" scheme, so that only the wings, tailplane and centre section are pale blue (similar to

Luftwaffe Hellblau) underneath with the rest in olive/khaki.

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looks like a nice kit actually. Like you said, the cockpit detail looks very good for the age of the kit. Are the panel lines raised?

nice build, comrade in arms (I'm building a Polish 'Czapla')

Will

Yes, the kit does have raised panel lines, but they are very fine, finer on the fuselage than on the wings.

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Disaster! has struck the brave personnel of the Polish Air Force. :crying: Not at the hands of the enemy,however!

My carpet monster has eaten the front glazing for the ventral gondola of the Karas! (Waited until after I'd masked it up too!) :badmood:

Our brave comrades will carry on in the face of this catastrophe and simply ignore the missing glazing!

Such a nice kit too..............

:shithappens:

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Undunted by the recent catastrophe that befell the model, it continues to take shape.

I think I'll Klear coat and decal before adding the landing gear, and detail parts........

Blitz003.jpg

From the little information I could find about the colouring, this:

Blitz004.jpg

isn't far off for the underside demarcation. Close enough for (Polish) Government work, anyway! :lol:

I hadn't noticed that unpainted area on the fin leading edge until I looked at the photos closely! Touch-up (oo-er, missus!) :devil:

required, methinks!

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Kleared(!) and ready for decals............

which will be applied this afternoon/evening!

I've got 2 off these kits now - starting the build soon - was helped out with a magazine article re colours - I'd be interested to know what colour of paint you used for the upper fuselage? I'm considering HU 155

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I've got 2 off these kits now - starting the build soon - was helped out with a magazine article re colours - I'd be interested to know what colour of paint you used for the upper fuselage? I'm considering HU 155

It was Tamiya XF-61 Dark Green, which (allegedly and unfortunately, I now realise) matches the infamous Humbrol Hu30 Dark Green..... :deadhorse:

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Hi Gaz, nice to see this in paint.

This article may help people considering what colour to paint their Polish aircraft!

http://ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2007/05/...ish_colours.htm

I'm not messing around with mixing colours on my RWD-14, simply using Humbrol 142 (uppers) and 34 (underside) because I have both in stock. Simples!

Will

Edited by Killingholme
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Does anyone know the correct aircrew configuration for the Karas (Crucian Carp - by the way) - I know there are 3 crew, Pilot +2. Presumably the prone gunner down below - but does he double as the rear gunner - or is that duty performed by the other crew member - I like to put crew in - and have a box of "poseable" revel pilots. Any ideas anyone?

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Does anyone know the correct aircrew configuration for the Karas (Crucian Carp - by the way) - I know there are 3 crew, Pilot +2. Presumably the prone gunner down below - but does he double as the rear gunner - or is that duty performed by the other crew member - I like to put crew in - and have a box of "poseable" revel pilots. Any ideas anyone?

There's a free download of the Mushroom Models book on the Karas here.

which may help, and the old Profile Publications Profile on the Karas is available also but I've lost that URL.

According to the Profile, the crew consisted of Pilot, observer, and bomb aimer/gunner. Presumably the observer also fired the dorsal rear gun.........

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyway, here's pics of progress. We're nearly there now..........

002-2.jpg

001-1.jpg

Should finish tonight or tomorrow!

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Finished! Shame about the gondola glazing, but that's as far as I can take this kit. Further pics in the

regular gallery!

New010.jpg

I do think I'll have another go at this GB, with something German probably.

I mentioned to SWMBO that I'd finished it, and that I fancied doing another model for this GB, but I didn't know if I had anything suitable.

Her reply shocked me- she said "Well, you'll have to get something, then!"

So this GB hasn'tseen the last of me!

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As you say, a shame about the gondola glazing, but still a cracking build mate. :clap2:

Now I suggest you get another kit, before she changes her mind!

Deacon

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I've ordered a little target tank (sound like Lieutenant Gruber there!) from a certain website.

It's a 1/76 and served in the Battle of France (among other places) and the model measures 2"x 1"!

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