[Cruver Collecter]

I thought it might be challenge to throw out an obscure plane for all to have a crack at identifying it. Will start off by saying this is a tough one to nail down. Some model background may help towards putting a name to this plane. Model is a German aircraft recognition model and would have been used by Luftwaffe personnel in the early stages of WWII. Early war ID models on both sides were fairly crude, but this one is still fairly accurate. Yep that's it.

[Epapazian]

When you say this is an obscure WWII plane you aren't kidding. I know a lot about this era's warbirds but have never seen anything that uses the combination of a single radial ( ? ) engine plus a twin tail configuration, coupled with fixed main gear. It looks like a training rather than a combat plane and presumably is either French, Dutch or perhaps Russian. Am I close? Perhaps we need some more hints to sharpen our focus.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

When you say this is an obscure WWII plane you aren't kidding. I know a lot about this era's warbirds but have never seen anything that uses the combination of a single radial ( ? ) engine plus a twin tail configuration, coupled with fixed main gear. It looks like a training rather than a combat plane and presumably is either French, Dutch or perhaps Russian. Am I close? Perhaps we need some more hints to sharpen our focus.

I probably should have said extremely obscure. First clue is that this type aircraft was shown during the Paris air show of 1938. Believe it or not, I actauly found a web site that has picture of real plane, and has information on a small company actually makes a 1/48th scale model of this aircraft. Plus site has pictures of finished kit.

[Cruver Collecter]

One more clue, it is not French, Dutch, or Russian.

[Epapazian]

OK. Thanks for the hints. That makes it Polish---Germany's most likely early war target. The plane is a PZL-46 recon. bomber.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

OK. Thanks for the hints. That makes it Polish---Germany's most likely early war target. The plane is a PZL-46 recon. bomber.

Give the man a cigar. PZL-46 SUM (SUM translates to Catfish) . When I first came across this model I knew it was one of the large German woos ID models and snagged it up immediately. My first guess at its identity was definitely Polish because it because of single engine layout and fixed gear resemble PZL 23 Karas. I am glad I didn't pass on this one because I have a sneaky suspision it may possibly be sole example. (A Collecter in California makes periodic offers for it)

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

OK. Thanks for the hints. That makes it Polish---Germany's most likely early war target. The plane is a PZL-46 recon. bomber.

You definitely have the skills to be a true aircaft spotter.

[Epapazian]

The PZL-46 was intended to be a replacement for the PZL-23 but the penny-pinching Polish government delayed the production order until it was too late. They certainly fooled the Germans, however, who took the PZL seriously enough to make ID models of the plane. Actually, only two or three prototypes were operational in September 1939, even though several hundred were on order.

[Cruver Collecter]

The PZL-46 had a fairly unique feature. It had a retractable ventral position that extended under the weight of the bomb aimer's/ gunner's body. Since Germany invaded Poland in fall of 1939, I figure the model I have could have been produced between mid 1938 to early part of 1939 at the latest. Realistically it is a wonder it survived at all. The fact that it really would have only applied to the invasion of Poland, one would have thought it probably being disposed of as more modern recognition material became available. I do have a few fairly old pieces of aircraft recognition material. Oldest is Silhouetten Van Vliegtuigen dated 23 September 1937. It is a prewar Netherlands military aircraft recognition guide. It is loaded with great silhouettes of some more really obscure military aircraft. I really like the Frankrijk (French) section and their impressively boxy bombers. British section only has the Fairey Battle with remark of it also being used by Belgium. Another item I have came out just prior to German invasion of the France. It is a RAF A.P. 1764 Aircraft Recognition Book dated March 1940. It and later version for MTO I have are both marked "NOT TO BE TAKEN IN THE AIR". Earlier copy form 1940 is great in that it has all the French aircraft in it. Attached some pictures of a finished kit of PZL-46 I found on the web. All in all the ID Model I have was fairly accurate. Epapazian it is nice to know there is another hardcore military aviation enthusiast out there.






Site address pictures found at http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaver...r/7252/sum.htm

[Epapazian]

I believe I may have seen the British ID pictures you referred to some time ago. However my first real aircraft collectible was a Cruver TBF and I eventually bought or was given between 90-100 of these models which, of course, were my first love---at least where this hobby is concerned. I also have a old U.S. WWII spotter's guide with many of those not so accurate ID-style pictures but this, like most of my surviving Cruver models , is in pretty bad shape. Oh well. Life goes on.