PWS-26 and PWS-14, a double build of Polish WW2 advanced trainers by RPM (1/72), Techmod decals

[JWM]

I 'd lie to join with rather old (1995) kit of Polish interwar and WW2 bi-plane advanced trainer PWS (Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów ) 26. A two setter with Wright Whirlwind engine. This was a development of earlier PWS 12, 14 and 16 as well as somehow related to Avro 621, which was produced in Poland under licence as PWS 18 (with rounded wingtips).t

The PWS 26, besides Poland was widely used in Romania, where several of them (some sources gave even above 50) were sold by Germans after repairing of the  captured one in Poland (1939) and Latvia (1941). 

About the kit, the  history it is here 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/rpm-72001-pws-26--177182

The RPM company was/is rather active in Poland. They produced a number of kits, mostly re-boxes but also a own designs like Beriev Be-4/ Kor-2  

 

The PWS 26 kit  is with me from I think very beginning, roughly 30 years now in stash... The highest time to work on. 

I will give photos from a box in the next post

Regards

J-W

 

 

Edited September 27 by JWM

[Graham Boak]

Maturing nicely.  I have one too., but I think I'll have to sell it on to continuing maturing elsewhere.

[Mjwomack]

1 hour ago, JWM said:

The PWS 26 kit  is with me from I think very beginning, roughly 30 years now in stash...

Provenance guaranteed!

[JWM]

1 hour ago, Graham Boak said:

Maturing nicely.  I have one too., but I think I'll have to sell it on to continuing maturing elsewhere.

Maybe that is the better option then to do one....  The Lukgraph released a new kit of it in 1/72, 1/48, 1/32.... Mixed technology: resin large pieces and 3D printed details. https://lukgraph.pl/en_GB/p/PWS-26-early-version-172/263

However - I will try to do a model out of my seasoned like good wine, perhaps already a bit  vintage RPM kit. We will see...

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

The model is really from initial part so it looks not bad in box

Especially the quality of clear parts is better then  I was expecting. The decals are not important. 

I want to use decals fro superb maxi set for PWS 26

 

 

I am not decided yet which one I will chose. Moreover - I am no sure that it will be Polish one... The Romanian is tempting me. Romania operated them during whole WW2 and after it as well. I;ve read even that a operational combat used happened there - as light scout machine, 

From Polish light airplanes I have Romanian RWD 13, I am thinking on RWD 17 and RWD 15 also in Romanian. 

From Polish it will be RWD 8 (? - I have one Hungarian done), Bartel 4 and perhaps PWS 18, PZL 5 and RWD  5. 

 I have to think twice on this...

Regards

J-W

 

 

 

[2996 Victor]

Great subject, J-W, looking forward to watching your progress with this!

 

Cheers,

Mark

[JWM]

2 hours ago, 2996 Victor said:

Great subject, J-W, looking forward to watching your progress with this!

Thank you! 

Perhaps great subject, but for sure rather tiny airplane, It is roughly of size of Bucker 131.. . 

The moulds really looks not bad. Engraved lines. Delicate detail. Maybe it due to such early purchase, in 1995, from initial series and fresh forms...

Just have a look and you may compare if you have it in stash purchased not that long time ago: 

 

 

Regards

J-W

 

 

 

 

[JOCKNEY]

Hi Jerzy

 

An inspired choice as ever.

If you decide not to build a Polish one, its ok, everyone in the GB is sworn to secrecy so no-one in Poland can find out ! 

Good luck mate 

 

Cheers Pat

[Mjwomack]

On 8/11/2025 at 6:48 AM, JWM said:

I am not decided yet which one I will chose.

 

I'm nit surprised- that's quite the decal sheet. There is one very obvious solution to your dilemma 

[JWM]

1 minute ago, Mjwomack said:

I'm nit surprised- that's quite the decal sheet. There is one very obvious solution to your dilemma 

Giving up  is not the option here ... Perhaps an unexpected choice - a machine not provided on this decal  sheet? I was looking at the books on Polish aviation and Polish airplanes in Romania and found some other options

For example a machine with side number I think 346 in which 3 pilots (still in 2 seat  cockpit) escaped from Poland to Bulgaria in late September 1939 and crashed at landing... Or another Romanian (not "black 27") machines.... 

Something still to think about...

[Mjwomack]

I had in mind, 'all of 'em' ©️ 🤣

[JWM]

2 minutes ago, Mjwomack said:

I had in mind, 'all of 'em' ©️ 🤣

No, that is not the option as well - I have just single kit. This is not available now, if it would be I will go with this another for conversion into PWS 16 or 14 - few of them were still in use in 1939 in Poland, as learnt yesterday from those books... 

[JWM]

Hi,

I was waiting with start due to two reasons - I was about to finish two models, one is already on RFI (Savoia SM 74, Broplan vacu) and the second which is DAR 3 Garvan, scratch work (WIP exists). The second was that I told in previous posts that it could be interesting to do along with  PWS 26 one of her precursor, for example PWS 14 or PWS 16 . 

They looks like that 

PWS 14:

http://www.samolotypolskie.pl/uploads/Products/product_2229/PWS-14_rys.jpg

or here: 

 

or 

PWS 16 

 

or 

PWS 16bis

http://www.samolotypolskie.pl/uploads/Products/product_2231/PWS-16_bis_rys.jpg

 

As you see the PWS 16bis is almost identical with PWS 26 (the  difference in u/c is the most visible one) so my choice is the earlier PWS 14 (or eventally PWS 16)  to have more different stuff on the shelf. I have to study he diffefencies more deeply to do the choice... 

However I had only single PWS kit .  I complained in some posts above that PWS 26 kit  is no available any more. And suddenly   @Graham Boak sent me his copy of RPM  kit of PWS 26. So many thanks Graham for your generosity!     I will try to do good use of it making a scratch conversion to PWS 14 (or 16) in a livery from September 1939, Poland. 

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

Just for people, who interesting in PWS 26. In Bulgarian army the type got number 7062

 

I received yesterday the best reference book or tather booklet on PWS 12,14,16,18 and 26 family. 

Polish Wings No 7 written  by B.Belcarz and TJ Kopanski, printed by Stratus 

 

It will be the best help in conversion...I was waiting with start of build for it

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

I have changed title since instead of a single PWS 26 I am going to do a parallel  scratch conversion to a precursor of PWS 16 - the PWS 14. 

I was not sure if I will do PWS 16 or PWS 14, but now I decided. 

Here is comparison of PWS 14 (left) and PWS 16 (right)

 

There are differences in u/c, single of double struts on tailplane, the chord of Townend ring, the details and length of fuselage (engine is moved forward in PWS 16). 

Much more differences are with PWS 26 

http://www.samolotypolskie.pl/uploads/Products/product_2242/PWS-26_rys.jpg

 

I started with doing some work inside cockpit 

 

 

 

I have made also modification of shape of sides of fuselage becjind caockpits - in earlier PWS ot was not that rounded in sections. 

 

 

Regards

J-W

 

[AdrianMF]

Interesting and offbeat pair. That decal sheet is a labour of love.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[JWM]

I worked more on interior. The yesterday start was a bit false start - I have found that PWS 26 has a tarpaulin or canvas covering the construction (steel tubes) however the PWS 14 has not this, so the tubing of fuselage was seen inside. 

So some difference regarding the yesterday...

Upper pair of fuselage halves is that of PWS 26, lower - PWS 14. 

 

The PWS 14 has smaller tailplane

 

The engine in kit is not very nicely done, so I will try to add some more details. First I cut the ring what is a first step do do some more realistic heads of cylinders

 

Only the prototype of PWS 14 had fuel tank in central part of upper wing, then it was moved to fuselage. However the thicker central part was removed not earlier like in PWS 16 Bis

 

The ailerons have larger span

 

To be cont

J-W

 

 

[JWM]

I thinned the rear walls  of PWS 26 cowling (left, on right the original one)

 

and did some work on engines as well as PWS 14 Townend ring (base is from Po-2/CSS-13 kit) - extended 1 mm

 

 

To be cont.

Regards

J-W

 

 

[JWM]

I closed the fuselages

 

[JWM]

More progress: they are  with lower wings and tails

 

The machine preserved  in Krakow Museum of Aviation is olive green (like Humbrol 155 perhaps -

However all current publications show the color like olive brown or Polish Khaki  (as seen above in the background of models). I think I will go to olive brown, but it is against to how I am use to think on PWS 26. The PWS 14 will be all over alu dope. 

Cheers

J-W

 

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

I worked a bit on engines 

 

Drilling also  openings for exhaust pipes 

 

Then I glued (rotable) prop  and whole engine was joined with fuselage for PWS 26 

 

The PWS 14 has a more complicated mounting of cenral part of wing (there was a fuel tank there initially) 

 

to be cont

Regards

J-W

 

 

[JWM]

I tried apply color - Polish Khaki as mix of Humbrol 26 and Revel 46. 5:1. 

 

It is to brown I think,  still....

 

Both are prepared fro rigging 0 I made severl small holes ...

 

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

I glued the upper wing in PWS 14

 

Regards 

J-W 

[JWM]

I did rigings to both PWS

 

Color applied on PWS 26 is Humbrol 84. I Think it matches the expectations, it least mine, regarding the hue of original Polish "khaki" in PWS application.

Regards

J-W

 

 

[JWM]

The PWS  26 is painted with Humbrol 84 as Polish PWS Khaki

 

The propeller fallen apart so since I waned to keep it rotable I have to pull out a bit a shaft. I glued EZ line to the top of shaft and kept it pulled out while glueing back the prop on shaft... 

 

The old (some 20 years or more) Humbrol enamel was very mat and look more like a wall then an airplane, howeve when I applied the gloss varnish preparing for decals it got better look

 

To be continued

Regards

J-W