Squadron 1/72 Ep.1 PZL.37 Łoś in 1/72 scale

 Welcome again!

One of the classic Polish aircrafts clearly is PZL.37 Łoś (Polish : Moose) It was one of the best medium bomber of it's class. Construction was desigend by Jerzy Dąbrowski. In the 1930's Polish Army including the Air Force seriously thought about modernisation of equipment. And additional reason was the growing threat like USSR and Third Reich. The first prootype flight had place in the end of 1936 year. In 1937 stared the regular production. Production was continued to September 1939. It was a most modern aircraft produced in Poland befote a World War 2 outbreak. Until the September 1939 96 pieces were build and 9 were crahsed in accidents. During the Polish Campaign 40 of them served in the Bomber Brigade and 37 bombers served in the training units.Pilots flying the PZL.37 bombers performed the combat flights and bombed the German armoured troops near the Częstochowa , Radomsko, Pułtusk and Różano. Their most devastating bombing the regiment SS Germania and they made a serious loses to them. However the combat flights were very limited and with serious losses because of huge Luftwaffe numerous and technical advantage and strong anti-aircraft fire from the ground.  After the fall of Poland 23 surviving planes were evacuated to Romania , 2 landed on USSR occupied territory , 2 were captured by the Germans. One piece captured by Nazi Germany got the Luftwaffe markings and was showed in Wien on the ''Victory in The East'' Nazi propaganda display. It was tested in Luftwaffe research facility in Rechlin and was crashed killing the pilot. Aircraft evacuated to Romania were taken by Romanian authorities and Royal Romanian Air Force were equipped in ex-Polish PZL.37's. Except the Romanian markings they carried tactical numbers from 201 to 220. When the Romania joined Axis and was involved in war against Soviet Union the bombers were used in bombing raids to Odessa.  Later they were withdrawn and moved to training duties. Because of lack of reinforcments they were again used in combat. In 1944 the last airplanes were destroyed by Hungarian partisans on the ground.  No one unit survived until today...

 

Technical data of PZL.37B:

• Length : 12,92 m (42 ft 5 in)Wingspan : 17,93 m (58 ft 10 in)
• Height: 4,25m (16 ft 9 in)
• Max speed :412 km/h  (256 mph, 222 kn)
• Service celling : 9250 m  (23,000 ft)
• Max operational  range : 1000 km (620 mi, 540 nmi)
• Armament : 3x wz.37 7,92 mm maschine guns and 2580 kg(5,690 lb) max bombs loadout..
• Powerplant : Two PZL Bristol Pegasus XX radial piston engines 970 hp each
  

 

 

 

 I would to show my PZL.37 Łoś model in a 1/72 scale. I used to build a few of them before. They were made from an old ZTS Plastyk kit.Almost there is no here in Poland the model builder who didn't made one of them ;)   The moulds of this kit were too worn after the over 30 years in production. Fortunatetly it was relased a completly new model kit from Polish comapny IBG Models! 

Model is nicely detailed and building is really enjoyable and you need a really small ammoount of model putty. Finally the offer of Polish birds in 1/72 scale is being nicely refreshed!