1:48 Polish chessboards for Polish jets MiG-21, MiG-29, Su-22, F-16 and others

The checkerboard as a national insignia

Polish aircraft do not carry a circular roundel but a square device divided into four fields with alternating red and white areas, each additionally edged in the opposite color. The insignia settled into shape shortly after Poland regained its independence and, with small adjustments of proportion, has lasted to this day. That is why the checkerboard appears on machines from biplanes through Soviet equipment to today's Western types.

Why a separate sheet is worth having

The size of the insignia differs by type and by position on the airframe: a checkerboard on the fin of a MiG-21 looks different from one on the wing of a Su-22, and different again from one on the fuselage of a Viper. Kits tend to be stingy in this respect and offer only the sizes that belong to the scheme supplied. A separate sheet solves the problem by carrying the whole range at once, and the modeler picks what suits the machine.

It is worth noting that the proportions of the insignia changed slightly over the decades, and the width of the edging varied as well. Anyone building a machine from a particular period should compare the shape against a photograph of the real aircraft; the difference tends to be small, but on a large fin it is visible. For an ordinary build of modern jet types the rendition on the sheet is usable without changes.

Practical use

The set is also the simplest way to save a part-built model whose insignia has torn or settled badly. It serves for converting a machine of another nationality to a Polish one as well, which is a common move with Soviet equipment. A polished gloss base belongs under the decals; over riveted strips a decal softener will help. The package contains only the sheet, not an aircraft.