Book Review of Single No. 02 PZL P.11c
Authors: Dariusz Karnas & Artur Juszczak
Mushroom Model Publishing Books (MMP)
ISBN: 978-83-65958-59-4
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $11.99
ISBN: 978-83-65958-59-4
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $11.99
HISTORY:
The PZL P.11 was a Polish fighter aircraft, designed and constructed during the early 1930s by Warsaw-based aircraft manufacturer PZL.
Possessing an all-metal structure, metal-covering, and high-mounted gull wing, the type held the distinction of being widely considered to have briefly been the most advanced fighter aircraft of its kind in the world.
The design of the P.11 commenced during the late 1920s, initially designated as the P.1. The primary individual responsible for its development was Polish aeronautical engineer Zygmunt Puławski, who has been attributed as having designed many of its innovative features.
While the majority of the world's forces were still using biplanes, the P.1 used a high-mounted and aerodynamically clean gull wing, which provided the pilot with a superior field of view.
During September 1929, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. The design quickly drew international attention; the general layout became commonly known as the "Polish wing" or "Puławski wing".
The P.11 served as Poland's primary fighter defence throughout the 1930s, including during the Polish campaign of 1939 by neighbouring Nazi Germany.
However, as a consequence of the rapid advances that had been in aircraft design during the late 1930s (seen in such fighters as the Messerschmitt Bf 109), it was outclassed by its rivals at the onset of the war.
The majority of the Polish Air Force's P.11s were destroyed during 1939; however, it is believed that as many as 36 were flown to Romania and were subsequently taken over by the Romanian Air Force.
The P.11 was a considerable export success. During October 1933, deliveries of Polish-built P.11bs to Romania commenced.
From 1936, Romanian aircraft manufacturer Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR) constructed a further 95 aircraft under the designation of IAR P.11f, powered by the Romanian-built IAR 9Krse engine.
A dedicated export model of the P.11, which was designated as the PZL P.24, was developed during the late 1930s. Reportedly, Greece, Portugal, Yugoslavia, Turkey and Republican Spain were at one point interested in procuring the P.11; these eventually resulted in several nations, including Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey purchased the P.24 instead.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturers: PZL & IAR
Designer: Zygmunt Pulawski
First flight: August 1931
Introduction to service: 1934
Retired: 1944
Primary users: Polish Air Force & Royal Romanian Air Force
Number built: 325
Developed from: PZL P.7
Variant: PZL P.24
THE BOOK:
Mushroom Model Publications (MMP) is based in the UK. All their books are printed by Stratus in Poland in the English language.
Stratus also does their own line of books in both Polish and English.
This book is soft cover of 24 pages in 8 1/4" x 11 3/4" page format.
The front and back cover are bright yellow.
The cover art shows a PZL P.11c top view. It's left wing is wrapped round the book onto the back cover.
It is a P.11c, serial no. 8.70, code no. 10, of por. Hieronim Dudwal, 113 EM, Poniatow Airfield, near Warsaw, September 1939. Its upper surfaces is "late war khaki” with dark blue-grey under surfaces.
It has a white fuselage number 10, followed by a white triangle with a flying black owl that has yellow wings with red leading edges and the Polish Air Force checkerboard insignia on the sides of the rudder and underneath the wings with black serial no. 170 under the right wing and N under the left wing. The checkerboards under the wings have the white sections over-painted with the dark blue-grey. There is a white band on top of the right wing.
The book contains a 1/72nd scale 7-view line drawing of the P.11c and a illustration of the radial engine. Plus illustrations of the bulkheads inside the fuselage.
The finely grooved corrugated skin areas are shaded in these drawings.
There is a 1/48th scale 4-view line drawing of the P.11c that also has illustrations of the bulkheads.
There are 15 black and white photos of P.11c’s sitting on airfields, a maintenance manual illustration of the tail assembly, 23 black and white walk around type photos of the nose parts and windshield, 2 more illustrations out of a maintenance manual of the fuselage interior, cockpit exterior, open radio compartment in the side of the fuselage, the fairing of the radio set generator and machine guns, and the landing gear, a illustration of the wing interior from the maintenance manual and a photo of a P.11c with its separate wings and fuselage on a long wheeled trailer.
There are 4 color photos of the cockpit interior and instruments and 2 black and white photos of that too.
There is a color illustration of the dashboard with all the instruments named.
The last 3 pages of the book have a 4-view color profiles of the cover art subject (already described above)
This is one neat book. Highly recommended.
I want to thank Casemate publishers, who sent me this review sample and Dr. Roger Wallsgrove head-editor of MMP for this book sample.
Casemate is the N.American distributor for MMP books and they sent me this sample.
All MMP titles can be seen on Casemates website at:
The PZL P.11 was a Polish fighter aircraft, designed and constructed during the early 1930s by Warsaw-based aircraft manufacturer PZL.
Possessing an all-metal structure, metal-covering, and high-mounted gull wing, the type held the distinction of being widely considered to have briefly been the most advanced fighter aircraft of its kind in the world.
The design of the P.11 commenced during the late 1920s, initially designated as the P.1. The primary individual responsible for its development was Polish aeronautical engineer Zygmunt Puławski, who has been attributed as having designed many of its innovative features.
While the majority of the world's forces were still using biplanes, the P.1 used a high-mounted and aerodynamically clean gull wing, which provided the pilot with a superior field of view.
During September 1929, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. The design quickly drew international attention; the general layout became commonly known as the "Polish wing" or "Puławski wing".
The P.11 served as Poland's primary fighter defence throughout the 1930s, including during the Polish campaign of 1939 by neighbouring Nazi Germany.
However, as a consequence of the rapid advances that had been in aircraft design during the late 1930s (seen in such fighters as the Messerschmitt Bf 109), it was outclassed by its rivals at the onset of the war.
The majority of the Polish Air Force's P.11s were destroyed during 1939; however, it is believed that as many as 36 were flown to Romania and were subsequently taken over by the Romanian Air Force.
The P.11 was a considerable export success. During October 1933, deliveries of Polish-built P.11bs to Romania commenced.
From 1936, Romanian aircraft manufacturer Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR) constructed a further 95 aircraft under the designation of IAR P.11f, powered by the Romanian-built IAR 9Krse engine.
A dedicated export model of the P.11, which was designated as the PZL P.24, was developed during the late 1930s. Reportedly, Greece, Portugal, Yugoslavia, Turkey and Republican Spain were at one point interested in procuring the P.11; these eventually resulted in several nations, including Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey purchased the P.24 instead.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturers: PZL & IAR
Designer: Zygmunt Pulawski
First flight: August 1931
Introduction to service: 1934
Retired: 1944
Primary users: Polish Air Force & Royal Romanian Air Force
Number built: 325
Developed from: PZL P.7
Variant: PZL P.24
THE BOOK:
Mushroom Model Publications (MMP) is based in the UK. All their books are printed by Stratus in Poland in the English language.
Stratus also does their own line of books in both Polish and English.
This book is soft cover of 24 pages in 8 1/4" x 11 3/4" page format.
The front and back cover are bright yellow.
The cover art shows a PZL P.11c top view. It's left wing is wrapped round the book onto the back cover.
It is a P.11c, serial no. 8.70, code no. 10, of por. Hieronim Dudwal, 113 EM, Poniatow Airfield, near Warsaw, September 1939. Its upper surfaces is "late war khaki” with dark blue-grey under surfaces.
It has a white fuselage number 10, followed by a white triangle with a flying black owl that has yellow wings with red leading edges and the Polish Air Force checkerboard insignia on the sides of the rudder and underneath the wings with black serial no. 170 under the right wing and N under the left wing. The checkerboards under the wings have the white sections over-painted with the dark blue-grey. There is a white band on top of the right wing.
The book contains a 1/72nd scale 7-view line drawing of the P.11c and a illustration of the radial engine. Plus illustrations of the bulkheads inside the fuselage.
The finely grooved corrugated skin areas are shaded in these drawings.
There is a 1/48th scale 4-view line drawing of the P.11c that also has illustrations of the bulkheads.
There are 15 black and white photos of P.11c’s sitting on airfields, a maintenance manual illustration of the tail assembly, 23 black and white walk around type photos of the nose parts and windshield, 2 more illustrations out of a maintenance manual of the fuselage interior, cockpit exterior, open radio compartment in the side of the fuselage, the fairing of the radio set generator and machine guns, and the landing gear, a illustration of the wing interior from the maintenance manual and a photo of a P.11c with its separate wings and fuselage on a long wheeled trailer.
There are 4 color photos of the cockpit interior and instruments and 2 black and white photos of that too.
There is a color illustration of the dashboard with all the instruments named.
The last 3 pages of the book have a 4-view color profiles of the cover art subject (already described above)
This is one neat book. Highly recommended.
I want to thank Casemate publishers, who sent me this review sample and Dr. Roger Wallsgrove head-editor of MMP for this book sample.
Casemate is the N.American distributor for MMP books and they sent me this sample.
All MMP titles can be seen on Casemates website at: