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I felt a little embarrassed that my completed builds for last year were less than half of those of the previous few years, one thing I have realised is that as long as I keep building kits I keep a fairly steady rate of completions up but if I stop for any length of time I tend to find it hard to get started on the next build, for all the usual reasons - laziness, pub, laziness and pub. Also laziness and the pub might have been a factor. Anyway in an attempt to avoid a repetition of the vague feelings of shame that stirred when I assessed last year's output, I shall try not to stop this year, even if it means less pub, though obviously not if it means no pub - as W. C. Fields observed* there's no point in being a damn fool about it. My attention was caught by a gift from my friend Procopius who was kind enough to send me a couple of the new Arma Hobby kits, one of which is the PZL P.7a: There are a few different versions available, this is the Expert edition which includes a fret of photo-etch, film instrument panel dials and windshield masks as well as four markings options: I quite fancy the second one with the skeletal-winged-arrow sort of a badge on the fuselage: So that's the one I'll be going with. Here are the instructions, which are clear and look pretty straightforward, and the transfers: There's also a small supplementary transfer sheet and here is the clear sprue with a choice of two types of windshield, the film IP instruments, the vinyl canopy and wheel masks and the etched fret: Here's the main sprue: The mouldings are nicely done and include a representation of the interior frames and stringers: As you can see at the left, there is a degree of flash present on some of the parts but it doesn't look problematical, just a bit of a chore to get rid of. The 'corrugations' on the wing skinning are very delicate: Panel lines are recessed and not too pronounced: For reference I have the Mushroom Models Publications book on Polish Air Force Fighter Colours: Which as well as a wealth of information on colours and markings includes a profile of the very aircraft I intend to model: Finally by way of extras I have on the way from Hannants the Attack Squadron resin Stomil wheels and propeller which I thought I might as well add since I was ordering the IBG PZL P.23B Cheers, Stew * He was talking about perseverance, not the pub when he said that, but from his reputation as having a fondness for the odd tipple now and then I feel sure he would not mind my re-purposing his quotation in this context.

Here's my second completion of the year, the new Arma Hobby PZL P.7a: The kit is the 'expert' edition which includes almost everything you could need; multiple (x5) decal options, etched parts and vinyl masks. I built mine almost out of the box but I did add the Attack Squadron resin wheels and propeller because they were nicer than the perfectly adequate kit parts and they were cheap enough for it to feel like a forgivable indulgence. The kit is nicely moulded and superbly engineered; I had no issues building it, although some of the etched parts were almost too small to see - that said there isn't that much in the way of etched parts and what there is does make a difference to the finished kit. The engine in particular is beautiful, it looks intimidating in the instructions but is actually very straightforward and effective as long as you keep an eye on the orientation of the parts and remember which way is up I did add bracing wire for the undercarriage from Albion Alloys Nickel wire, 0.2mm. The underwing and tail-surfaces were painted in Colourcoats ACLW15 RLM76 Lichtblau and the uppersurfaces and fuselage were painted in a 50/50 mix of Colourcoats ACF03 Terre D'Ombre Naturel and AFC06 Ombre Calcinée; the interior was painted Citadel Runefang Steel and the engine parts and exhausts Vallejo Metal Color Exhaust Manifold. The tyres were painted Vallejo German Grey. I used the kit transfers for the second option, White 5 of the 121. Fighter Squadron based at Crakow in 1935/6. This aircraft had a PZL P.11-type windscreen which is provided in the kit as well as the standard P.7a windshield. I had no particular reason for choosing this option beyond that I like the squadron badge on the fuselage. Thanks for your attention and apologies for the verbiage Cheers, Stew