1/32 RWD 14 Czapla recommended for LukGraph

The WD-14 Czapla (Czech for "stork") was a Polish reconnaissance aircraft developed in the second half of the 1930s by the RWD design group at the State Air Works. It was a single-winged monoplane with a fixed undercarriage and an open cockpit for a crew of two (pilot and observer), powered by a 260 hp Gnôme-Rhône 7Ksp radial engine. The first flight took place in October 1936, but serial production did not begin until 1939, and by September of that year some 65 had been built. The Czapla was intended to work with ground troops - reconnaissance, photography, artillery correction and light bombing duties. The maximum speed was about 315 km/h, the range was 700 km and the aircraft could carry a camera, light bombs or machine guns.

In September 1939, during the German invasion of Poland, the Czapla served with the reconnaissance squadrons of the Polish Air Force (such as the 42nd and 51st Reconnaissance Squadrons). Despite the bravery of the crews, the machines became an easy target for German fighters and most were destroyed during the first days of the war - either directly in combat or on the ground during airfield raids. Surviving pieces were captured or scrapped; no type found significant use after 1939. For modellers, the Czapla represents a rare and historically significant type - a Polish design deployed in a dramatic and tragic campaign that became a symbol of the unequal clash between a small nation and an outnumbered aggressor.

Yahu Models' 1:32 scale add-on is designed exclusively for the LukGraph RWD-14 Czapla kit and greatly enhances the detail and authenticity of the cockpit. The set includes a pre-printed photo-etched brass panel with embossed instruments corresponding to the historical design (Skoda instruments and period markings), colour-printed decals for the cabin plates, switches and descriptions (in Polish and possibly English), and small details such as instrument bezels, levers and compass. Thanks to precise laser cutting and pre-printed colours, installation is simple and the result looks realistic even under a magnifying glass. It is recommended to use gloss varnish over the decals to achieve the effect of glass instrument covers. The package does not include the paints or adhesives needed for assembly.