INTERMEDIATE BUILD
It’s a build of discovery for Dean Large as he encounters an unusual subject in IBG’s large-scale PZL P.11c.
You can imagine the scene – PZL designer Zygmunt Puławski has spent ages working in a gloomy Polish design office in 1929 to come up with a blueprint for a fighter plane. A pilot looks at it and says: “Sorry, but that wing is going to be right in my line of vision there.” The designer heaves a sigh, and cranks the centre part of the wing downwards into a gull form, and says: “Is that better?”
The pilot scratches his chin and says: “Hmm…that engine cowling looks like it’d be in the way.” The designer promptly repositions the engine lower on the thrust line and says: “Happy now?” The pilot senses the edge to the designer’s voice and replies: “Yes, but it’s only got two guns – can’t you squeeze a couple more in somewhere?” The designer cracks, and adds two machine guns into the cockpit, right by the pilot’s knees, positioned so that the bullets leave the ends of the barrels and re-enter the airframe right next to the fuel tank before leaving through the propeller. “Hmph,” mutters the designer. “I’m not giving him a canopy either – hope his ears freeze.”
MODEL SPEC
Welcome surprise
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