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Sorry, late to the show. This GB is long enough that I might actually be able to finish this one...once I finish the other build on my desk (which was from another group build that I didn't finish in time)! Although I haven't been able to complete one before a deadline, they do get me organized and at the bench to start a kit. I was going to join in with the Dora Wings Dewoitine 510 but since there was another Dewoitine here I thought it would be more interesting to add a different aircraft type to the group. I've chosen to try my hand at the Roden Nieuport 24bis, in Polish Air Force colours. This particular aircraft, No.5086, was originally in the service of the 3rd Artillery Observation Squadron of the Red Air Force . In July 1919 it was flown to Poland by Juliusz Gilewicz, a pilot of Polish nationality who was defecting from Russia. Both the aircraft and pilot then served with the Polish Air Force. The pilot, Juliusz Gilewicz, had a remarkable life that ended tragically in Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in 1943. He was called up by the Tsarist army in 1915 which cut short his studies in medicine and law. He trained as a pilot and joined the 3rd Squadron in the Russian Air Service. After flying 200 combat missions and being wounded twice flying for the Russians in WWI, and then the Bolsheviks after the Revolution, he then defected with this aircraft and joined the Polish Air Force in July 1919. He commanded the 5th Squadron against the Russians in the Polish-Soviet War, and took part in 40 sorties. After the war he rose through the ranks commanding various squadrons and bases and eventually left the Air Force as a lieutenant-colonel in 1937. During the Second World War he joined the resistance and was eventually arrested by the Gestapo and sent to Auschwitz where he was shot. This is just a very distilled biography, his full story makes for remarkable reading. Richard

With the new year dawning, it's time for a new project to start 2023. Ever since the IBG PZL came out, I've been wanting to build it, so grabbed it and as much detail/aftermarket stuff as I could. Alongside the Kagero reference book, I'm hoping to pull this one off the way I see it in my mind's eye. For those who have not seen the PZL kit in the flesh yet, it really is a beautifully designed and molded kit. The real P.11 is a mess of differing surface details, and corrugated wings, creating a massive headache for whichever company is taking it on. Luckily, IBG took a master's touch to the design, and it has everything you could want. The corrugations are incredibly fine, and the raised rivets and strengthening straps make the surface come to life. All that's left will be trying to bring the best out of it. So far, I've gotten to work on the basic interior bits. Sprayed the metallic surfaces with Alclad Aluminium, along with select parts in Duraluminum and Gunze SM201 Super Fine Silver. Things were then hit with a wash of Ammo Wash for German Dark Yellow. I've started touching in some of the smaller details, but most of them are on the incredibly comprehensive photo-etch fret. The two gauge decals came from an Airscale sheet, since they're missing in the kit. The first aftermarket piece I've started working on is the headrest. You can see the kit piece above, and it's not bad, but the resin part blows it out of the water completely. It was sprayed with a basecoat of Gunze 47 Red Brown, then everything else was done with Vallejo acrylics, working very slowly over multiple thin layers. Used about every variation of brown I had in the collection, and I think it came out well. Last up is the assortment of upcoming aftermarket bits, a selection from Bitskrieg, Master Model, Yahu, and Techmod decals to do White 2, which is the P.11 that can be currently seen in the Polish Air Museum. I hope that everyone enjoys the build, and that everything goes smoothly on this one. Let me know what you all think so far. Matt

My 1/24 RCAF Mustang IV is very close to being finished (from a group build from three years ago!), so I thought I would join in here. I hope not to get too far from "out of the box" so I can finish this one on time...at least that's the plan. It'll be an aircraft from the Polish-Soviet War, 1919-1920, so a different "Eastern Front". I'm building the Avis 1/32 Fokker E.V, which I found in my stash. The box is a little crushed, but the contents were all intact, nothing broken or missing. It will be in these markings (the colour guide below is from a 1/72 scale kit, but represents the latest research on the markings of this aircraft). Pheon has a sheet which covers this aircraft, and I'll be ordering that. Aviattic has a sheet of lozenge decals fitted to this kit, as well as a replacement cowling, both of which I will order. I already have the Master 1/32 brass Spandau machine guns. Pheon has kindly posted a link to a beautiful build of the kit which looks like a huge help. Photos to follow when there is something more to show. Richard

With kind assistance from Carl (BloorwestSiR), I'm going to join this build with a 2nd TAF Spitfire. He kindly sent me the wing bomb carriers, 250 lb. RAF bombs, and 30 gallon slipper tanks from the Tamiya kit. I'm going to add these to a PCM Spitfire IX kit. I realize now that my 1/24 Airfix RCAF Mustang is going to be a longer term project, and for now I just want to build something out of the box...something simpler (haha!). I know the PCM kit requires care, but it's on my shelf and I think I'll just do it. The group builds give me a reason to keep at it, hopefully to completion this time. I'm still trying to decide which aircraft to do. I like the 308 Squadron aircraft of Squadron Leader W. Retinger, with the "Lala" inscription and the bomb record on the cowling. It apparently survived until the January 1st "Operation Bodenplate" attack, where it was destroyed. On the other hand, I'd also like to do a familiar 302 Squadron aircraft, "Pat", flown by W/O Henryk Dygala. It had the broad-chord rudder which I was kind of hoping to use too. Either way, I'll start this one on it's way. I can decide on markings later. Any thoughts or preferences? Richard

Found out about this cool story today. It turns out that Dakota FL547 of 511(T) Squadron, flown by Polish pilots and crew, ended up in Canada after the war and has survived to today. It was assigned as the personal aircraft of Gen. Kazimierz Sosnkowski the Polish Comander-in-Chief during 1943-44. FL547 has now been dismantled and was flown in an RCAF C-17 to Poland today, to be restored to her wartime configuration. There was a further Canadian connection. Gen. Sosnkowski was removed from his command on the insistence of Churchill, who considered the General's anti-Soviet attitude a detriment to Allied cohesion. Sosnowski moved to Canada in November 1944, and three of his sons lived here. The remains of FL547 were partially restored and painted for the trip by 17 WIng "Ghost Squadron", which is a civilian volunteer organization that looks after the Heritage AIr Park around 17 Wing, CFB Winnipeg. Wartime photo of FL547 at Campo Cassale, Italy on March 29, 1944, having flown Sosnkowski on an inspection tour.