PLZ P7 Polish national insignia

[Mike VE]

I have just completed the Aram Hobby PLZ P7 - an excellent little model. I was intrigued by the fact that the Polish national insignia squares on the wings are not placed symmetrically. On the port wing it goes quite far out while on the starboard wing it is much closer to the fuselage. I have seen this on some source photos too. The insignia on the under surface of the wings was symmetrical.

 

Can anyone explain the logic of this?

[Graham Boak]

I don't know what logic the Poles used, but similar asymmetries using colour have been used to aid misjudgement of aircraft attitudes/movement in cases of brief sightings.

[Mike VE]

Thanks Graham. That's as good an explanation as any I can think of.

[303sqn]

It was to confuse an enemy pilot. It made the aircraft look as if it was banking.

[zigster]

Not only that.

If I remember correctly, they should be out of line in "vertical" as well. Port side should be "up", and starboard "down in plan view.

[GrzeM]

5 hours ago, zigster said:

If I remember correctly, they should be out of line in "vertical" as well. Port side should be "up", and starboard "down in plan view.

It sometimes happened, but not always. Instruction of the PZL P.7a by Arma Hobby was based on the photos (I made the research for the kit).

A lot of the good quality photos are here:

http://armahobbynews.pl/blog/tag/pzl-p-7a/

 

What scheme you have chosen?

Assymetrical checkerboards placement was applied in order to confuse enemy during aiming. Many Air Forces at that time trained their pilots to open fire when the top wing national markings match the ring of the gunsight. In that case they would simply miss the fuselage.

[Mike VE]

Fascinating stuff. Thanks guys, I did scheme 1 - 123 Fighter Squadron.

[303sqn]

11 hours ago, zigster said:

Not only that.

If I remember correctly, they should be out of line in "vertical" as well. Port side should be "up", and starboard "down in plan view.

No. The chessboards were applied asymmetrically on all combat aircraft at the factory. They were in line, not one in front and one behind. The latter were applied to P.7s in the training schools. They were not applied asymmetrically. However, aircraft get transferred and it possible they might turn up elsewhere.

 

It was done so that and enemy pilot would miss the fuselage (and pilot inside) if he centred is aim between the the two markings. Also, by a trick of perspective, it could deceive the enemy pilot as to the direction the aircraft was flying. The starboard wing would appear to be higher than the port wing making it look like the aircraft was banking and turning to the left. The enemy pilot might then apply too much deflection and miss.

 

There are some examples where the chessboards under the wings were applied asymmetrically. The chessboard under the starboard wing was moved inwards (two panels) to lie next to the struts. This was probably done to accommodate the buzz code.

 

 

[JWM]

If you are surprissed about the position of national insignia on upper wing look at those Demons over Malta in time of Munich crisis

 

Cheers

J-W

[303sqn]

44 minutes ago, JWM said:

If you are surprissed about the position of national insignia on upper wing look at those Demons over Malta in time of Munich crisis

 

Cheers

J-W

The photo is of 74 Squadron Demons during trials of an experimental scheme. Taken in September 1935 at the  time of the Abyssinian Crisis. Colours were, Dark Sea Grey, Light Earth, Malta Soil, Malta Rock and Dark Green. 

[JWM]

9 minutes ago, 303sqn said:

he photo is of 74 Squadron Demons during trials of an experimental scheme. Taken in September 1935 at the  time of the Abyssinian Crisis. Colours were, Dark Sea Grey, Light Earth, Malta Soil, Malta Rock and Dark Green. 

Apparently I mixed up crisiss...Sorry  Thanks for info on colours!

J-W