Nieuport 21 N2453 - Donat Makijonek - 7 IAO spring 1917 - CSM 1/32

[Boch]

Hello,

 

For some time I have been preparing to expand the scope of modeling activities. The period of the Great War became for me not so much a goal as a stop for further travel, but before I talk about where this journey is to end, I will stop at the fronts of the Great War, at least for some time.

 

Donat Makijonek is an extraordinary character, so unusual that without a doubt the life and activity of this pilot deserves at least a few models. This time, however, I will focus on the second period of his aviation career, of course calculated in a completely conventional way. A Pole in the service of the tsar, he was one of the thousands of Poles for whom the outbreak of war marked a new reality in the armies of the partitioning powers. From the end of the 18th century, Poland was erased from the map. Torn and divided by Prussia, Russia and Austria. The outbreak of war often meant a fratricidal fight between Poles incorporated by force into foreign armies. The tragedy of the Polish nation will have an unusual finale in the very life of Makijonek.

 

Sebastian Łydżba

 

As you can easily guess, Makijonek finally went to fighter aviation and this is the period the miniature will refer to. I will not present the full profile of the pilot now, there will be time for that during construction and of course in the final gallery. During the next posts, based on the sources that I have managed to gather, I will present Makijonek's silhouette and his biography to those interested. At the moment, I will write only the most important few pieces of information.

 

Donat Makijonek served as a fighter pilot in the 7th Istrebitielny Avia Otriad (7th IAO) under the command of Ivan Orlov. It is the period of service in this unit that brings him the greatest fame and achievements. He is considered the most effective Pole in the Tsar's service, and the number of victories varies slightly depending on the sources. Most often, however, 8 is assumed. Throughout his aviation career, he made nearly 600 flights. From the moment of service in the fighter unit, he flew the Nieuport 21 with the number 2453 and won the most victories on it, it will also become a modeling subject. It is known that in the last phase of service in the 7th IAO he also flew version 17, which led to various misunderstandings in the development. The example below shows one such error. Almost certainly the Nieuport with "Polonia" is version 21, equipped with a full cowl and a rather unusual propeller cap. According to the photos, it is clearly a hubcap, not a "cone de penetration" typical for Nieuports.

 

 

The life story of this pilot and his achievements, as I mentioned earlier, will be presented on an ongoing basis on the occasion of subsequent posts. The workshop will be slightly different from the previous one, but you will probably notice it yourself. I treat the model as an introduction to a larger work that I have planned as soon as I finish this Nieuport, and because this type of aircraft requires slightly different skills and approach, I treat it as blazing the trail. Thus, the started P-11 will wait at least a year. Earlier, I put together a quick camel to test wood painting techniques, building heads and a few other issues.

 

I will rely on quite a wide literature, I managed to collect a lot of books, newspapers, magazines and articles. I won't list them all because it's too much. I have Russian, Polish, but also Finnish and English sources. Unfortunately, already at this stage I see discrepancies in the information about this period of Makijonk's life and the planes he flew. The differences are also about painting. I will describe any ambiguities, maybe someone interested with more knowledge than me will want to supplement some information. Whether you like it or not, you have to make a decision, which is why I'm posting a painting scheme, which will be the starting point for building the model. This is probably the most correctly rendered painting, although as I wrote earlier there are some doubts.

 

 

Since the Makijonek's Nieuport 21 from the outside was almost no different from the 17 version, I will use the Nieuport XVII late from the Copper State Model in 1/32 scale. In addition, as support will be Niweuport XXI Russian Service of the same company and scale. I plan to use chemistry mainly AK (RC+oils), including Tamyia, Gunze. The decals are made to order. The propeller cap will also be made, but it will be time to write about it. Resin add-ons and metal screws by Gaspatch, 3D printed engine. If anything else comes up in the meantime, I'll be sure to let you know.

 

I start with the cockpit.

 

 

 

Best regards

Lukasz

Edited April 19, 2023 by Boch

[Boch]

The hull allows you to build an open version and I must admit that the case is tempting. For sure, with the next planned Nieuports, I will decide to make internal strings and route the lines to control the tail. In the meantime, however, I decided not to add to the already huge amount of challenges. Anyway, I painted the hull from the inside, for practice and peace of mind.

 

 

Regards

Lukasz

[Boch]

Hello everyone,

 

Before we get to know the story of Makijonek, I have to explain to you roughly what situation Poland was in, or rather the lands and people of Polish nationality, because there was no country in the sense of an independent state at that time.

 

Exactly in 1795, the so-called "third partition" of Poland takes place. Neighboring powers - Prussia, Austria and Russia are annihilating independent Poland, of course in cooperation with each other. Over 100 years of torture of the Polish nation begins. This period is by no means a time of passive acceptance of Poles. There are outbursts, there are many of them. The first erupt before the complete destruction of independence, the Kosciuszko Insurrection. Later, the most important uprisings are the fight alongside Napoleon, "November Uprising", "Spring of Nations", "January Uprising, "Revolution of 1905" and a few more can be mentioned. The Polish nation is destroyed and eliminated. Tradition, history, language are destroyed, music and all manifestations of Polishness. The greatest repressions take place in the Prussian and Russian partitions. Polish youth are forcibly conscripted into the army, Polish patriots are sent to penal colonies and to distant Siberia. People are tortured and persecuted, sentenced to death and exile. in a period of terror and extraordinary suffering, the spirit in Poles does not die. Patriotism and tradition are secretly nurtured. Mickiewicz, Słowacki are read. Chopin is played. Children are told about the power of the Piast and Jagiellonian dynasties, about uprisings against the hated invaders.

 

It is in such an atmosphere, in a period of particularly severe repression after the defeat of the "January Uprising" in the years 1863-1865, that our hero is born.

 

He was born in the village of Tambowka near Vitebsk, in a patriotic family of Polish peasants, on May 19 or 14 (depending on the elaboration) in 1891. The son of Adam and Anna Juchniewicz. He began his education at a craftsman's church school, where the teaching cycle was based on a 4-grade form, and then went to the Technical Agricultural Vocational School in Vitebsk, where the education lasted 6 years. Father had a farm and probably such a fate and career was seen for young Donat. How fate and history were to change these plans. After graduating from school, he took a job at the "Salamandra" factory in Riga. On November 20, 1911, as part of forced conscription, he joins the tsarist army. He becomes a private in the 97th Liwland Infantry Regiment. On May 15, 1912, he was transferred to the Ufim Infantry Regiment. Just 8 years earlier, man had taken to the air for the first time, and now, in 1911, the great powers were beginning to form the first military air force. The situation in Europe became more tense with each passing month. The system of alliances kept the great of this world in check, but it did not stop the huge armaments. Aviation was a chance to break out of the gray mass of soldiers. Makijonek reports immediately and, to his great satisfaction, is assigned to train as a mechanic's assistant. He was assessed as a talented and enthusiastic man, which resulted in completing the course with honors in 1912. This is how our hero ends up in unit 3 KAO (Corporate Aviaotriad) as an aircraft mechanic. During the service, he takes personal care of the commander's machine, and after some time he receives permission for a piloting course. On June 10, 1912, he begins piloting studies at the Sevastopol Aviation School on the Nieuport 4 aircraft. On February 1, 1914, he receives pilot diploma No. 230, and on March 7, 1914 he receives military pilot license No. 239 and the rank of sergeant.

 

The armchair is basically ready, maybe some slight adjustments on the straps and we can assemble it to the whole.

 

 

Regards

Lukasz

Edited April 20, 2023 by Boch

[LSP_Kevin]

Everything about this thread so far is fantastic.

 

Kev

[Hans]

A book in 3-D...

[Uncarina]

Each one of your builds could be its own book! I love the added history and your build is top level.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Boch]

Thank you very much for your kind words. Sorry for the long text, I hope I don't bore you.

 

Regards

Lukasz

[Hans]

Not at all Lukasz. It is a part of European history we, who live further west, know little about. 

[Boch]

4 hours ago, Hans said:

Not at all Lukasz. It is a part of European history we, who live further west, know little about. 

Thanks Hans. Im really glad. 

 

Meanwhile, after more than two weeks, I'm reaching the end of the cockpit. I have to admit that building this type of structure is very satisfying. There are still a few parts left and time for bigger pieces.

 

 

 

Regards

Lukasz

Edited April 20, 2023 by Boch

[Paulpk]

Nice to know the history behind the man. Nice progress on the cockpit. Look forward to more progress 

[MikeMaben]

 

               Excellent work Lukasz 

[Boch]

3 hours ago, Paulpk said:

Nice to know the history behind the man. Nice progress on the cockpit. Look forward to more progress 

thanks Paul

 

34 minutes ago, MikeMaben said:

 

               Excellent work Lukasz 

Thanks Mike 

[Boch]

A small update, but important enough that the cockpit has been completed. A drum for an empty ammunition belt, a bulkhead and some reinforcements of the cage have arrived. Add some minor touch-ups with a brush and im ready to go ahead. With the next update, there will be a further story about Makijonek. See you then.

 

 

 

Regards

Lukasz

Edited April 21, 2023 by Boch

[Boch]

April 1914 arrives, the last spring of peace and the last weeks before the storm. Makijonek, already as a pilot, returns to 3 KAO. At the beginning of hostilities, he has the rank of senior sergeant-pilot, he is still a non-commissioned officer. Typical unit activity begins.

 

From the very beginning of World War I, the air squadron of the 3rd Corps, in which Donat Makijonek served, was assigned to the 3rd Army Corps under the command of General Yepanczyn. The main warfare in which he participated took place in what was then East Prussia on the route Wilkowiczki - Verzhblovo - Shtallupönen - Gumbinnen - Instenburg. The main tasks of the unit were liaison and reconnaissance flights. The unit was armed with five Nieuport-4 monoplanes, eight officers (five pilots and three observer pilots) and 117 lower ranks (mechanics, attendants, medics, convoys, etc.) served in it. Senior Petty Officer Makijonek was the only pilot who did not have an officer rank. The detachment was led by a military pilot, staff captain Georgy Myachkov. The squadron took an active part in the famous Battle of Gąbin on August 20-21, 1914, when the Russian army inflicted a crushing defeat on General Mackensen's corps. In this battle, the Germans lost about 8,800 killed and wounded, the Russian army took 6,000 prisoners.

 

It is here, in the skies of East Prussia, that military pilot Donat Makijonek stands out for the first time. On August 21, 1914, the squadron of the 3rd Corps was ordered to find the Russian cavalry, with which the command lost contact. The first crew of the squadron sent to search was missing (probably shot down by enemy fire). The second, who searched independently (without a pilot-observer) was Donat Makijonek. The young pilot found the cavalry and gave them their orders, but on the way back his plane came under fire from German machine guns. The shell pierced the fuel tank, and the pilot, turning off the engine so as not to start a fire, began to look for a place to land. Makijonek reached the line of his troops and landed safely. For this feat, on June 19, he was awarded the George Cross, 4th class.

 

Makijonek's Nieuport 4

 

Despite the first victories, the Russian troops in East Prussia soon had to retreat. At that time, the Squadron of the 3rd Corps conducted reconnaissance flights over the cities of Koenigsberg, Allenburg, Friedland. The flights were accompanied by constant accidents and by September 1914 the unit was left without equipment, as a result of which it was declared unfit for combat and sent to the rear. In September 1914, Makijonek was sent to a flight school to train on the French Moran-Saulnier L Parasol aircraft. These machines were ordered en masse by the tsarist government in France, and later they were built at Russian enterprises (mainly at the Dux plant in Moscow).

 

According to the pilots themselves, these aircraft were not particularly successful. Their only advantages were the ability to carry light bombs weighing up to 70 kg and stability useful when photographing. This reconnaissance fighter was designed for a single pilot and could be armed with one machine gun: an 8.8mm Hotchkiss machine gun or 7.7mm Vickers or Lewis machine guns. However, at the beginning of its history, pilots flew combat missions armed only with handguns and revolvers. The maximum speed of the aircraft was 119 km/h. Due to the wing raised high above the fuselage, it received the name "Umbrella".

 

3KAO - Makijonek is 4th from left.

 

Makijonek successfully completed training on the new aircraft and returned to his squadron in November 1914. After a relatively quiet winter of 1914-1915, he began to take part in daily air patrols on Moran-Saulnier L and Moran-Saulnier G aircraft. On April 27, 1915, Makijonek made a reconnaissance flight on Moran-Saulnier G aircraft (tail number MS107) and found himself under anti-aircraft artillery fire. One of the bullets pierced the engine, the pilot barely managed to reach the front line and made an emergency landing near the position of the Russian troops on the Nida River (Poland). Makijonek managed to pull the aerial photography equipment from the overturned plane and hide in the nearest trench before enemy artillery fire reached the wreckage. For these selfless deeds, on April 28, 1915, Donat Makijonek was awarded the Holy Cross. George 3rd class.

 

In June 1916, together with the observer Szpakov, Makijonek discovered a large group of infantry and reported this to the command, unfortunately, this priceless information was disregarded, it ended in a heavy defeat of the tsar's army, known in history as the "summer disaster of 1915".

 

 

Morane - Umbrella and Donat Makijonek

 

In December 1915, the 3rd Corps Aviation Unit (3KAO) was transferred to the Wierzbowiec airfield near Proskurów. On the eve of the New Year, Tsar Nicholas II signed an extraordinary order, in which Makijonk was also mentioned among the outstanding aviators, which gave him the title of "military aviator". Donat himself found out about it after Christmas, when the belligerents again moved against each other. If earlier the pilots performed mainly reconnaissance activities, this time the tasks related to bombing dominated. On February 14, 1916, Makijonek dropped 16 bombs on a German grouping near the villages of Podhajce and Biłkornice. While returning to the airport, the engine stopped working and he glided the last 15 kilometers.

 

On February 17, 1916, the detachment made the first night bombing on the Western Front (in the Russian sense of the West). Two crews were assigned to the flight. Makijonek with observer Głubkowski on Morane - Umbrella and senior non-commissioned officer Vasily Yanchenko with observer Shiryajew on Nieuport 10. To avoid enemy artillery fire, they glided over the target with engines switched off (maybe that's why the idea for Po-2 :)?). They dropped 12 bombs over the target on the Buczacz railway station. After the bombing, they turned on the engines and returned to their own airfield, escaping as quietly and quickly as they had come. They returned unscathed, landing among fires and car headlights.

 

On February 19, Makijonek repeated the night outing with similar success. This time, however, the Pole and Janczenko set off alone for the rally. These flights brought the two pilots closer together, they shared courage and mastery in piloting, they were to experience many more adventures together with Janchenko, but let's not anticipate the facts. At the beginning of April, the tsar visited the active army, and a special aviation unit was established to protect him. Its ranks included the best, including Makijonek. He had to patrol the area of Chotin-Ruchotin-Szydłowce and participate in air battles, which, however, did not bring any result. On July 30, 1916, he was promoted to second lieutenant.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Meanwhile, the miniature is taking shape. I prepared the side covers of the cockpit and assembled the rear part of the fuselage. The cockpit covers and the base of the wing, which is also the floor, had to be painted in the color of plywood. Today I tested the oil accelerator from AK, great thing.

 

 

 

Regards
Łukasz
 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Boch

[LSP_Kevin]

Great modelling, great storytelling.

 

Kev