PZL-130 TC II "Orlik" – the Polish school-trainer aircraft

PZL-130 "Orlik" - a modern Polish school-trainer aircraft. The first flight of the prototype took place in October 1984. Serially produced in 1992-2002, 50 copies were produced. The aircraft is equipped with one turboprop engine "Walter" M-601E or "Pratt and Whitney Canada" PT6A-25C. The maximum speed of the aircraft is 480 km/h, the maximum flight range is 1050 kilometers without additional fuel tanks. The aircraft has four wing pylons for hanging weapons, its total weight is up to 250 kilograms. Work on the new basic school-trainer aircraft began in the early 1980s by a team, led by Andrzej Frydrychewicz. The project was an initiative of the "PZL" factories. Initially, the Polish Air Force did not show much interest in the aircraft, and attempts to export the “Orlik” (for example, to Colombia) were unsuccessful. The first orders for the serial PZL-130 were received only in 1992! During production, several versions of this aircraft were created, including, for example: PZL-130 TB (version with devices, very similar to the TS-11 "Iskra" aircraft and with a "Walter" engine) or PZL-130 TC (version with catapultable seats and richer avionics).

Not very complicated, well-designed and well-detailed (cabin interior, landing gear and its niches, exterior detailing, separate control plates, the ability to make open air-brakes panels, unfortunately, but there are no weapons and their suspension pylons) school-training aircraft model for modelers of any experience. Only beginners and those, with little experience, should work under the supervision of a more experienced colleague, not rush and use all the reserves of diligence, attentiveness and patience. The cabin interior, removable landing gear and transparent cockpit canopy should be done as an attempt: if You succeed, great (we do a full model), will not work... (we are making a model in flight and with an opaque cockpit canopy). There is a small supply of colors. The textual instructions are medium in size, but detailed, the graphic ones are also medium in size, but sufficient.