Potez 63-11

Three in the cabin, two engines on the wing

The crew of the Potez 63-11 was made up of a pilot, an observer and a gunner. A pair of Gnome-Rhone 14M radial engines gave the machine enough power for low flying over the front, but the defensive armament stayed weak and the armor practically nonexistent. That is exactly why, during the spring fighting of 1940, the type became the most frequently shot down French aircraft, even though it had entered service only shortly before.

Reconnaissance groups on the sheet

The abbreviation GR before the number of a unit denotes a reconnaissance group. Two machines on this sheet flew with GR I/52, one of them in April 1941 already under the administration of the Vichy French Air Force, the other still in 1940. The remaining two variants belong to the groups GR II/14 and GR II/22. For three of the four aircraft a registration code in the form with the letter C is given besides the works number, which makes verification against period photographs easier.

A note on the build

The extensive glazing of the nose is the dominant feature on this type, and the frames are therefore better masked than painted over freehand. Apply the decals only after the clear coat is finished and the protective layer has dried, otherwise the edges of the film will lift during further overpainting.

• Four variants of French reconnaissance machines of the beginning of the war
• The motifs are tied to particular aircraft, not to general national insignia
• A rich drawing even with the small registration codes
• Meant for finishing a plastic kit in 1:48