Lightweight fighter, a low-wing monoplane. The German invasion of Poland halted construction of the prototype. During 1939, the full wooden dummy was completed. First prototype PZL P.45/I was complete in 50%.

Type: P.45
Country: Poland
Function: fighter
Year: 1939 Crew: 1 Engines: 1 * 730hp Gnome Rhone 14M05
Wing Span: Length: Height: Wing Area:
Empty Weight: Max.Weight:
Speed: 425km/h Ceiling: 8000m Range: 450km
Armament: 4*mg7.9mm

THE KIT

 

Kit contains well done resin parts with two vacu windshields. The quality is well, similar as other good resin models. Some places as e.g. connection of wing and fuselage has to be supported by spatula but next parts can be sticked without problems.

Producer offers one decal sheet with fictional painting of Polish Air Force P.45, which was to be introduced to service during 1940/1941. First prototype P.45/I was not painted (all overall “silver”). Modelers can use also decals from PZL P.11c kit (e.g. Revell or PZW).

CONCLUSIONS

In my opinion it is very interesting kit – different than thousands Spitfires or Messershimtts on market. I see that Polish firm “Choroszy Modelbud” makes something like German “Luftwaffe 1946” but in Polish variant : “Polish Air Force 1940?”. I think its interesting idea. P.45 model looks well and its interesting part of my collection of II WW prototypes.

REFERENCES

Well, there is not so much info about P.45 – only a few drafts into Polish books. A few sites also has a short description of this fighter prototype:

-          http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/gustin_military/db/pol/P45SOKOL.html

-          http://www.samoloty.ow.pl/str313.htm

-          http://www.modelbud.pl/a72_pol.htm

-          http://www.modelbud.pl/sokolpol.htm

-          http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww2/pzl45.html

E-mail; modelbud@wp.pl