It has been over a week since the start of PZL P.11c model kits shipments. Many modellers already have them in their hands, many of the models have already hit the modelling workbench. There is a discussion on the Internet, the model is being analyzed, part by part. The time has come for a small summary of the project.
A long time ago in a small casting room …
When, as a tiny company producing resin models, we started the adventure with PZL aircraft models, and it was at the beginning of 2014, we had no idea that in such a short time we will come to the production of plastic long-run models. The PZL P.1 prototype, in 1/48 scale, released in spring of 2014, was the first Arma Hobby’s model kit which caught the attention of Polish modellers. It had a bit of this original charm, we were still learning the secrets of the resin casting, we have missed some details. Today we would like to express our gratitude for giving us a lot of your trust. The sales success of this model led seven months later to the resin TS-11 Iskra in the 1/48 scale and less than a year later – the release of P.1 to the P.6 and P.7 series in the same scale. Thanks to you, modellers, we have started thinking about something much more serious.
Plastic model kits
Two years after the start of the company’s activity, we released the TS-11 Iskra plastic kit. Working with a tool workshop in China was involved with some communication problems, but we must praise the commitment and diligence of this company. Next we decided for the PZL P.7a model, wanting to practice the delicate surface of the corrugated metal before releasing the target model: PZL P.11. And here we have gone to the wall. The Chinese were not able to guarantee the expected quality of the corrugated metal imitation. After a few months of searching, we established cooperation with a Polish tool workshop. The model was initially born in immense pains. Description of these struggles can be traced on our blog. Not everything came out as planned, but yet another model – Fokker E.V – allowed us to improve the mould production technology. We finally started working on our dream: the “P-eleven”.
P.11c model kit render as announced in December 2017
Model PZL P.11c – summary of the project
The PZL P.11c model gave us a lot of satisfaction. We are pleased that we have avoided the mistakes of our predecessors and that without additional labour it can be built in three days into a decent replica of the P-eleven.
This success has several fathers, and here we would like to present the co-workers and contributors participating in the project, and to express our gratitude to them:
- 3D design, division into parts, photo-etched parts, instructions, colour profiles, masks and decals designed by Marcin Ciepierski alone.
- The substantive correction of the 3D model was done by Marco (Kitir) and supported by Grzegorz Mazurowski
- Wojciech Bułhak chose the colour schemes, and Grzegorz Mazurowski made the corrections
- Special thanks to Dr Tomasz Kopański for sharing his archive and for valuable remarks (useful when designing decals) and Bogdan Stanek for drawing attention to some details of the aircraft.
We are especially grateful to the modellers-consultants, Grzegorz and Marco, thanks to whom we have avoided the errors of the model’s shapes and dimensions.
Of course, the model is accompanied by an appropriate interest in social media. Marco (Kitir) stirs up the discussion and has prepared his list of critical remarks about the model. We are grateful for such insightful interest in our model. Comparing it to the Eduard and IBG models is a distinction for us. We are only sorry that these comments were not made during correction of 3D renders performed over the nine-months ago. The model could have then been even better. We leave the judging of the importance of these reservations to the modellers.
Next model?
The PZL P.11c project has come to the end. Another model (entirely new moulds), which release is planned for the end of September, will be announced already this week. Be alert, do not miss the announcements on the armahobbynews.pl/en/ blog.
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