1:72 TS-11 ‘Iskra’ bis DF - deluxe set

The real subject

The TS-11 Iskra is a Polish jet trainer and the first machine of its kind that came from a Polish design and reached series production. The crew is a pair sitting one behind the other under extensively glazed canopy, so both members have a good view forward and to the sides. The aircraft served for training pilots for whole decades and became one of the best known machines of the Polish Air Force. The version is specified by the designation bis DF given in the name; how it differs from the other versions is something to check against the material for this release.

About the release

According to the name this is a release designated as a deluxe set, that is a more richly outfitted variant of the package. What exactly it contains and how many coloring options it offers is stated on the packaging and in the enclosed instructions; check it there, as the extent of such releases differs from item to item.

Building and painting tips

Try the assembly dry, remove the surplus material and the traces of manufacture with a sharp blade and sand the surfaces. On a trainer the glazed cockpit is the most exposed to view: finish and paint both compartments before you close the fuselage up, and mask the clear canopy before spraying rather than after the paint has dried. With a slender fuselage it pays to check the balance and if need be to add ballast in the nose, so that the model stands on its nosewheel. The glossy finishes of training machines take polishing before the decals, and a decal then leaves no visible edge on the surface.

• 1:72 scale
• the real subject: the Polish TS-11 Iskra jet trainer, the bis DF version
• a release designated as a deluxe set
• the contents of the package and the coloring options are stated on the packaging and in the instructions

Terms of supply

Paints, glue and filler are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.