Jednastki at the Ramparts (1/72 Arma PZL P.11c)

[Procopius]

ROBIN (Juliette Lewis): They don't care about dying, just losing. 
-- Way of the Gun (dir. Christopher McQuarrie)

 

 

Hope is the only good god present among men
The rest abandoned us and went to Olympus.
-- Theognis, Fr. 1135-6

 

 

Athenians: Hope, danger's comforter, may be indulged in by those who have abundant resources, if not without loss at all events without ruin; but its nature is to be extravagant, and those who go so far as to put their all upon the venture see it in its true colours only when they are ruined; but so long as the discovery would enable them to guard against it, it is never found wanting. Let not this be the case with you, who are weak and hang on a single turn of the scale; nor be like the vulgar, who, abandoning such security as human means may still afford, when visible hopes fail them in extremity, turn to invisible, to prophecies and oracles, and other such inventions that delude men with hopes to their destruction.

Melians: You may be sure that we are as well aware as you of the difficulty of contending against your power and fortune, unless the terms be equal. But we trust that the gods may grant us fortune as good as yours, since we are just men fighting against unjust, and that what we want in power will be made up by the alliance of the Lacedaemonians, who are bound, if only for very shame, to come to the aid of their kindred. Our confidence, therefore, after all is not so utterly irrational.

 

-- Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, XVI

 

I'll be building the PZL P.11c of Hieronim "Himek" Dudwał, who flew with 113. Eskadra Mysliwska (113 Fighter Squadron) in the Pursuit Brigade responsible for Warsaw's defence. It's just possible that in the famous photo of Polish volunteer fire-fighters watching an aerial duel above Poland's embattled capital, that "Himek" might be somewhere above them:

 

 

 Dudwał was an interesting fellow. Along with Stanislaw Skalski, he was the top-scoring Polish pilot of the September Campaign (both he and Skalski are credited with four victories, though Skalski claimed two more), and before the war he was a keen modeller as well as a fairly good amateur artist. Our own @GrzeM wrote an excellent profile of him for Arma's website.

 

Sadly, although he survived the September Campaign and escaped to France, Dudwał was killed in action aged 26, flying the obsolescent MB152 against the Germans with GCII/10 on 7 June 1940, when he was shot down probably by Leutnant Leonhard Gottmann of 7/JG3. Gottmann himself had only a few months left to live; while flying as adjutant for III/JG3, he was shot down into the Thames on 7 September 1940. We are left to imagine what Hieronim Dudwał might have accomplished had he lived long enough to fly a modern aircraft against the destroyers of his country, and what he might have contributed to the postwar world had he survived the war.

 

As an interesting side note, the two pilots who flew with Dudwał during his first combat flight of the war were Cadet Jerzy Radomski and Senior Airman Mieczysław Kaźmierczak. Kaźmierczak was shot while descending in his parachute on 6 September 1939, but Radomski escaped to France and flew with Dudwał, shooting down a Bf109 on the day the latter died, and ultimately escaped France via North Africa and Gibraltar to fight with 303 Squadron in the latter days of the Battle of Britain. He survived the war and was a flight instructor with 6 FTS until the early 1960s, ultimately retiring from the RAF as a Squadron Leader in the catering branch (!) in 1973, before passing away in 1978. 

 

Anyway, on to the kit!

 

 

 

 

The Arma kit is of course lovely, as those of you who've built any of their offerings will know. I managed to lose one of the smaller PE pieces for the cockpit, but got cracking away on the cockpit floor and seat. My understanding is that the Poles painted their aircraft with a slivery lacquer on the interiors, and so I've gone with the Hataka silver colour in their Orange Line set of paints for Polish Aircraft in the September Campaign. 

 

 

I happen to have the surprisingly useful MMP book on Polish instrument panels, which has a nice series of photos of the cockpit cribbed from the PZL P.11c manual, and the kit even has a PE part to duplicate this lever on the control column:

 

 

(I assume that's the brake?)

 

 

 

Tonight I painted the PE and laid down the interior colour, and got started on the cockpit. 

 

 

It feels good to be back.

 

 

 

[(ex)Sgtrafman]

Hi Edward

 

its great to have you back! I look forward to reading your eloquent introductions to your builds they are always educational and very interesting. I love what you done so far and I love the fact the you have a two pence piece to show scale!
Hope things are well with you and yours in these very trying times?

 

all the best buddy

 

Iain

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Good to see another build PC. 

[Hamden]

 

Nice to see you back at the bench and with an interesting subject as well.

Hope you and yours stay safe in these difficult times as well as everyone else

 

           Roger

[CedB]

What they said, with knobs on!  

 

Great intro and a great start PC - onwards!

[Stew Dapple]

Good start mate and good to see you back at it

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Procopius]

Hullo all, 

 

What a long day today was, We went grocery shopping -- always fun in this era of covid -- and we went as a family, which meant I cruised around with the boys in one shopping cart, and Mrs P bought most of the important food for meals with her own shopping cart, more or less independently. The boys had been remarkably good since coming home from Michigan on Wednesday, but nothing lasts forever, and by the time our two overladen carts rendezvoused at the checkout queue, I was ready to bash both of their heads in with a family-sized jar of spaghetti sauce. You might think there was an upper ceiling on how many distinct demands children could make when passing brightly labeled food (and in one case, some appetizing-looking dishwasher soap pods), but  you would be wrong. Finally, when we got into line, Mrs P entered an OCD spiral over a $20 bottle of cherry concentrate. "I should put it back. But I want cherry juice. But these are black cherries, not my regular ones. What if I don't like it?" In a moment of weakness I snapped "then don't buy it", which as it turns out, was the wrong answer. Mrs P in these situations merely wants to be cajoled into doing whatever it is she wanted to do in the first place, and normally that's fine, but come on. Just buy it, or don't. I would struggle to care less; indeed, my level of interest in the cherry concentrate can only be measured by very sophisticated Japanese micrometers. 

 

So we bought the cherry juice, and Mrs P didn't speak to me for most of the day. The children remained awful. There's something about small boys that compels them, gerbil-like, to sprint from one end of the house to the other, repeatedly. 

 

However, they eventually went to bed. Then, to the grotto!

 

I did a little more work on the seat and floor, mostly just adding a black enamel wash to bring out some detail:

 

 

I did the same with the fuselage halves, added the receivers for the machine guns, and the cockpit framing. 

 

 

The instrument panel is also assembled and soon should be ready to be fitted.

 

[Stew Dapple]

Looking good Edward  I like the brightly-coloured instrument dials on the P.11, it's not that visible in the picture above but I clicked on the picture and got the option to enlarge it on Flickr, it looks very nice indeed.

 

"Then don't buy it" doesn't seem to be a fitting answer under any circumstances; when I was 17 I worked on the deli counter in a supermarket and deployed said answer to a woman who was complaining that the bacon on display didn't look as nice as the previous day's bacon. She complained to my manager, but really, what was I to do? Magic up yesterday's bacon for an encore? I also got a complaint once for the 'pornographic' display I had made of the black puddings, which was a fair cop  

 

Anyway hope you got enough shopping done not to have to repeat the experience again too soon  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

55 minutes ago, Procopius said:

The children remained awful. There's something about small boys that compels them, gerbil-like, to sprint from one end of the house to the other, repeatedly. 

 

However, they eventually went to bed.

Have no fear PC... Eventually they grow up and calm down to some degree. You also become a bit numb over time so it takes way more to get to you. Then one day they're adults and you actually think to yourself I miss them like that. 

[CedB]

Looking good PC  

 

4 hours ago, Procopius said:

Mrs P in these situations merely wants to be cajoled into doing whatever it is she wanted to do in the first place, and normally that's fine, but come on. Just buy it, or don't.

Ah, another Men are from Mars etc etc.

In my experience men usually want help with a decision, women want you to support theirs.

Frustrating isn't it?

The worst conversations in our house start with "Which of these do you like best?"

A wise man once told me "I always have the last word in our house. I say 'Yes dear'"  

[alt-92]

5 hours ago, Procopius said:

In a moment of weakness I snapped "then don't buy it", which as it turns out, was the wrong answer.

[...]

So we bought the cherry juice

Soooo... you're saying that reverse psychology stuff actually works?

 

Joking aside, good to see some semblance of normalcy returning in the House of P. Oh and the internals are looking good as well.

 

[perdu]

7 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Have no fear PC... Eventually they grow up and calm down to some degree. You also become a bit numb over time so it takes way more to get to you. Then one day they're adults and you actually think to yourself I miss them like that. 

Really?

No wonder Kim sang about kids in America, really are a different species.

 

I would have it as "I remember them like that", not miss them and I only had one.

 

[Steve Coombs]

I am mildly appalled to consider that the small, pink, and surprisingly fluffy little girl who would hold on to my right index finger as I told her a bedtime story turns 21 in a week's time and is doing a teacher training degree.

[Procopius]

So when last we spoke, I'd gotten the interior ready. Today I crept downstairs while Mrs P and the boys mainlined episodes of The Mandalorian (Mrs P adores it and has her own toy Darksabre now), and threw the fuselage together.

 

 

It's crazy how well this kit fits together. I can't recall using less filler at any point in my modelling history. Talk about a mojo restorative!

 

I decided because of the breakdown of the kit, it would be best to paint in subassemblies. The model looked so good, I didn't even prime her.

 

 

At the nose you can see the very minor seam work needed after the first pass.

 

I painted and assembled the spinner and the prop:

 

 

Then glued the engine to the collector ring, and painted both silver in preparation for gussying up in the fullness of time.

 

 

I also painted the underside of the wings and the tailplanes.

 

Next on the docket is cleaning up the seams, another coat of khaki, and working the engine over. Then we should be pretty close to final assembly.

 

22 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

I also got a complaint once for the 'pornographic' display I had made of the black puddings, which was a fair cop  

 

 

My hero.

 

22 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Then one day they're adults and you actually think to yourself I miss them like that. 

 

I dunno. Though my two youngest siblings are entering their middle thirties and live with my parents, which is basically a waking nightmare for a parent, if you ask me. I hope Winston likes the Merchant Marine.

 

 

[Procopius]

18 hours ago, CedB said:

In my experience men usually want help with a decision, women want you to support theirs.

 

 

It's maddening! I want Mrs P to do whatever she wants to do (within reason), but she requires an endorsement. I certainly didn't ask for her to encourage me to buy £200 of decals and masks and etch from Hannants today, because I'm not an idiot. 

[Pete in Lincs]

Great to see you back on here and back at the modelling desk enjoying a build. 

It does look like it's going together nicely. I think the engine/collector ring is very nicely modelled.

 

On 1/9/2021 at 5:32 AM, Procopius said:

ultimately retiring from the RAF as a Squadron Leader in the catering branch (!)

Pilots are/were commissioned into the GD (General Duties) branch. So this would be Guardroom/admin/catering etc. 

Once you stop being a pilot (too old etc) in order to stay in the mob, you have to change jobs.

 

4 hours ago, Procopius said:

because I'm not an idiot. 

The jury will get back to you on that one    I'm fairly safe. I managed to get myself (mostly) banned for going shopping. Oh, and the darksabre? be afraid.....

[CedB]

Looking very good PC  

 

Great to see it's coming together so well and restoring your mojo - well deserved I'd say.

[AdrianMF]

Looks like a wonderful kit, or you are making it look easy. Or both! Glad to see you back at the bench.
 

My wife’s shopping choices were blocked last night as it turns out that IKEA don’t deliver flat pack furniture during a lockdown. I simulated sympathetic behaviour!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[rob85]

This is coming together very nicely and very quickly! Looking good.

 

your shopping experiences sound painfully similar to my own, I care very little for shopping for anything other than kits etc. I don’t really care what I eat and feel a bit of a mountain molehill situation is made about what others, including my children are given as options. My partner does not share my laid back attitude to this and gets very worked up over not having the right ‘thing’ from the particular shops she wants. It’s tiresome, and if I share my true opinion I have learnt it won’t be correct... so I’ll stick to reading her face and body language as best I can and just pray I can placate her.... I’ve also found openly laughing during situations other find stressful is considered ‘unhelpful’ no matter how funny I find it.

 

Funny thing is I work in a shop with a food hall, and I’m not asked to do a shop or sent a list to get, the easiest and least stressful option... but I’m told I don’t get the right thing, and my store isn’t good enough... I try honest.

 

Rob

[Procopius]

17 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

My wife’s shopping choices were blocked last night as it turns out that IKEA don’t deliver flat pack furniture during a lockdown. I simulated sympathetic behaviour!

A visit to an Ikea superstore is a true test of a marriage. We went once, shortly after we moved into our first house in 2012. Someday, as with our single disastrous outing in a canoe, our marriage will be strong enough to go again.

 

17 hours ago, rob85 said:

your shopping experiences sound painfully similar to my own, I care very little for shopping for anything other than kits etc. I don’t really care what I eat and feel a bit of a mountain molehill situation is made about what others, including my children are given as options.

 

I actually like food and think about it a great deal, which is why I am fat and you are not. I even like grocery shopping. I just don't like having to persuade someone to do what they already want to do. Millions of running shoes have been sold with the injunction to Just Do It, and they're words to live by. 

 

Speaking of just doing it, I finally managed a Patented Procopius Bungle (tm) today. I installed the headrest without test-fitting it first, and (after a forceful shove accompanied by a mighty oath) it split the spine of the fuselage a little.

 

 

A little work will be needed there. Perils of overconfidence!

 

Other than that, though, things are going swimmingly. The wings are all painted and on:

 

 

I also used Tamiya Clear Blue and Clear Orange to create an effect on the collector ring so subtle that it can scarcely be perceived with the naked eye, but believe you me it's there:

 

 

 

Here we are with the engine test-fitted but unglued in place:

 

 

I also painted the (teeeeeeeeeny-tiiiiiiiiny) windscreen, not shown here. But it is minute. The vinyl adhesive mask supplied with the kit worked surprisingly well. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

This is looking real good PC, Id love to do a few of the PZL fighters someday. Until then I’ll just look at the great work your doing and live with that. 

[Hamden]

 

A stunning looking PZL, the end is in site for this one now!

 

  Stay safe            Roger 

[CedB]

Nice work PC  

 

I quite like the look of that collector ring - interesting technique, thanks.

[socjo1]

15 hours ago, Procopius said:

 

 

Here we are with the engine test-fitted but unglued in place:

 

 

Hello Fellows,

I have one small remark:

part behind spinner should be painted in camo colour (khaki). Only ring should be Burnt / rust or so.

Best regards,

Michal.

PS. These "elevens" are realy very nice models! Maybe polish pre'39 camouflage is somewhat boring scheme, but emblems of squadrons are really pieces of good graphic-art.

 

Best regards,

Michal.

Edited January 12, 2021 by socjo1

[Procopius]

16 minutes ago, socjo1 said:

 

part behind spinner should be painted in camo colour (khaki). Only ring should be Burnt / rust or so.

 

 

 

Thank you! I was just looking at my Polish Air Force Through German Eyes books and coming to the same conclusion. Happily, it should still be fixable at this stage.

 

In other news, I got some work done on a model this morning, but not the PZL. I bought Winston a Heller Tempest after he expressed interest in the type, and we started putting it together today. He did most of the work.