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Hobby Boss Morane-Saulnier MS.406C, Polish Air Force


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Throughout the 1930's the Polish Air Force had operated indigenous designs as good as anything produced anywhere in the world, and plans were in place to continue this trend. The PZL P.50 was an all-metal monoplane with retractable undercarriage and was intended to form the backbone of the fighter force. Unfortunately the Bristol Mercury engine installed in it was unequal to the task and the design was slow, with a poor rate of climb and service ceiling. The Poles rapidly designed the PZL P.11G as a stopgap. The was an upgraded version of the standard P.11C fighter, with a spatted undercarriage, an enclosed cockpit and the hottest version of the Mercury engine fitted. This created a fighter with roughly the same speed and firepower as a Gloster Gladiator, but having a vastly higher wing loading.

The Poles cast about for modern fighters to buy on the open market. The Curtiss P-36 was apparently well-liked but American credit terms were unfavourable and the Pol;es were concerned that their supply of the 100-octane fuel required was not secure. In the event, orders were placed for a small number of Hawker Hurricanes, and 160 Morane-Saulnier MS.406C's. No aircraft of either type were delivered but apparently MS.406 production had progressed to the point where aircraft later sold to Turkey were found to have Polish stencilling.

The MS.406C was not a great fighter. Once it entered service, no effort seemed to have been made to improve or advance the design, and by 1939, it was looking dated. Slower than a Bf-109, it was a bit sluggish and suffered with its troublesome retractable radiator and pneumatically-controlled armament. However, it was very significantly faster than the P.11C, and much more heavily armed.

I don't think that there is any question that 160 MS.406C's would have saved Poland, but I think it most likely that the Luftwaffe would have paid a much higher price for victory, especially among the Ju 87's which would have been terribly vulnerable to a faster fighter.

The Hobby Boss easy build kit is a nice one, and is dimensionally quite accurate. I built a cockpit and scratched up new guns, gunsight and pitot tube. I added extra details to the undercarriage and retractable radiator, as well as narrowing the chin intake with plastic strip and filler. The colours are Tamiya mixes and the decals a combination of kind gifts from fellow BM'ers and some leftovers from a Mistercraft PZL P.7.

Here she is, in the markings of 142. Esc of the Polish Air Force.

pole_406_18_zpsqcskiefp.jpg

pole_406_13_zpsvful4qrb.jpg

pole_406_14_zpswh1t9k7a.jpg

pole_406_17_zpsm740wa4f.jpg

pole_406_16_zpsiu0mgbjj.jpg

pole_406_15_zpsffkpbr4u.jpg

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Throughout the 1930's the Polish Air Force had operated indigenous designs as good as anything produced anywhere in the world, and plans were in place to continue this trend. The PZL P.50 was an all-metal monoplane with retractable undercarriage and was intended to form the backbone of the fighter force. Unfortunately the Bristol Mercury engine installed in it was unequal to the task and the design was slow, with a poor rate of climb and service ceiling. The Poles rapidly designed the PZL P.11G as a stopgap. The was an upgraded version of the standard P.11C fighter, with a spatted undercarriage, an enclosed cockpit and the hottest version of the Mercury engine fitted. This created a fighter with roughly the same speed and firepower as a Gloster Gladiator, but having a vastly higher wing loading.

The Poles cast about for modern fighters to buy on the open market. The Curtiss P-36 was apparently well-liked but American credit terms were unfavourable and the Pol;es were concerned that their supply of the 100-octane fuel required was not secure. In the event, orders were placed for a small number of Hawker Hurricanes, and 160 Morane-Saulnier MS.406C's. No aircraft of either type were delivered but apparently MS.406 production had progressed to the point where aircraft later sold to Turkey were found to have Polish stencilling.

The MS.406C was not a great fighter. Once it entered service, no effort seemed to have been made to improve or advance the design, and by 1939, it was looking dated. Slower than a Bf-109, it was a bit sluggish and suffered with its troublesome retractable radiator and pneumatically-controlled armament. However, it was very significantly faster than the P.11C, and much more heavily armed.

I don't think that there is any question that 160 MS.406C's would have saved Poland, but I think it most likely that the Luftwaffe would have paid a much higher price for victory, especially among the Ju 87's which would have been terribly vulnerable to a faster fighter.

The Hobby Boss easy build kit is a nice one, and is dimensionally quite accurate. I built a cockpit and scratched up new guns, gunsight and pitot tube. I added extra details to the undercarriage and retractable radiator, as well as narrowing the chin intake with plastic strip and filler. The colours are Tamiya mixes and the decals a combination of kind gifts from fellow BM'ers and some leftovers from a Mistercraft PZL P.7.

Here she is, in the markings of 142. Esc of the Polish Air Force.

pole_406_18_zpsqcskiefp.jpg

pole_406_13_zpsvful4qrb.jpg

pole_406_14_zpswh1t9k7a.jpg

pole_406_17_zpsm740wa4f.jpg

pole_406_16_zpsiu0mgbjj.jpg

pole_406_15_zpsffkpbr4u.jpg

Looks way better than my effort of the Heller version!!!! May have to seek one out to add to my growing Polish Collection! And I have got loads of decals left from a PZL 11 & 7, a Los, 2 Karas (and 2 further pzl 11's in the stash)

Edited by Savenosouls
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Nice model but unfortunately - there was not even single MS 406 in September '39 in Poland...

BTW - you might add a black or white code (a letter + 3 digits) on the bottom of wing - this was typical.

Cheers

Jerzy-Wojtek

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Nice one Mitch

Good to see others making this early fighter

Looks very smart in the Polish livery....very nice version.

I had a crack at a Hasegawa french combo in 1/72

Check it out here if you like

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235003938-172-hasegawa-morane-saolnier-ms406-friend/?hl=morane

Cheers

Bruce

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