Panstwowe Zaklady Lotnicze (PZL) Fighters 1/72 Scale Models

Polish PZL P-7a - This is a model of a Polish-built fighter that resisted the German and Soviet invasion of September 1939. The gull-winged PZL P-7 entered service with the Polish air force in 1932 but was obsolete by the outbreak of WWII, with only about 30 left in front line service when hostilities commenced. The PZL P-7 was the predecessor to the PZL P-11.

More Photos: Right, Left, Front, Rear, Front Angle Right, Front Angle Left, Rear Angle Right, Rear Angle Left, Above Left, Above Right, Top

Polish PZL P-11c - This is a model of a Polish-built fighter that resisted the German and Soviet invasion of September 1939. The PZL P-11 was Poland's primary fighter during this short war. The first version of the plane, the P-11a, entered military service in 1934. Few of these were still in front line service at the outbreak of WWII. The improved P-11c was introduced in 1935, and even though its production ended in 1936, it was still the Polish air force's primary fighter in 1939. By that time it was obsolete, but the development of a new fighter had taken longer than expected. The Poles also built an export version of the P-11 in 1934, the P-11b, and sold some to Romania. The Romanians then built their own licensed version, the P-11f, and many of these planes were still in front line service in 1941 when Romania participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union. The Romanians also flew former Polish P-11s, confiscated after their pilots sought refuge in Romania from the invasion of Poland.

More Photos: Left, Right, Top, Front, Rear, Front Angle Left, Front Angle Right, Rear Angle Left, Rear Angle Right, Above Left, Above Right

Greek PZL P-24G - This is a model of a Polish-built fighter that resisted the Italian and German invasions of 1940 and 1941. The PZL P-24 was an export version of the PZL P-11, and featured an enclosed cockpit. It had two major variants, one armed with four machine guns, and one with two of the machine guns replaced by cannons. Poland delivered PZL P-24s to Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania in 1937. Turkey and Romania then built some of their own P-24s under a license. The Romanian planes saw combat against the Soviets in 1941. Ironically, the Poles never used P-24s and had to rely on their obsolete P-11s at the outbreak of WWII because development of a more modern fighter had taken longer than expected.

More Photos: Left, Right, Top, Front, Rear, Front Angle Left, Front Angle Right, Rear Angle Left, Rear Angle Right, Above Left, Above Right

Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete, 1940-1941 Christopher Shores

Barbarossa: The Air Battle July-December 1941, Christer Bergstrom

Black Cross/Red Star: The Air War Over the Eastern Front, Volume 1, Operation Barbarossa, Christer Bergstrom

Destiny Can Wait, The Polish Air Force in World War II, M. Lisiewcz

In the Skies of Europe: Air Forces Allied to the Luftwaffe 1939-1945, John Cochrane

Poland's PZL Gull-Wing Fighters, Warren Eberspacher

Polish Aces of WWII, Robert Fretzyngier

Polish Air Force, 1939-1945, Jan Koniarek

PZL P-11c, Bartlomiej Belcarz

PZL P-24, Jerzy Czynk

Rumanian Aces of WWII, Denes Bernad

Rumanian Air Force WWII, Denes Bernad

White Eagles: The Aircraft, Men and Operations of the Polish Air Force 1918-1939, Robert Peczkowski