Arma Hobby 70010 - 1:72 TS-11 Iskra bis DF - Expert Set

Plastic model kit of the Polish TS-11 Iskra bis DF jet trainer in 1:72 scale – Expert Set

The Iskra is associated mainly with training, but in its bis DF form it was also an aircraft able to carry weapons and to perform aerial reconnaissance. Arma Hobby 70010 is exactly that kind of release: an Expert Set in 1:72 scale prepared with the armed configuration in mind.

The kit combines plastic sprues and a clear sprue with a package of extras for more demanding modellers: photo-etched parts for both cockpits and intake screens, along with self-adhesive masks for the canopy and wheels. The build allows for rocket pods, underwing stores and lowered flaps.

The decals cover four aircraft: 3H-1411 of the 41st Tactical Squadron at Słupsk-Redzikowo, May 2004; 3H-1806 of the 41st Tactical Squadron at Malbork, April 2009; 3H-2013 of the 7th Naval Special Aviation Regiment at Siemirowice, August 1993; and a TS-11 Iskra bis D of the Air Force Academy at Hakimpet in India, 1976 – a reminder of the export of Polish jets.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues
• Clear sprue
• Photo-etched parts for the interior and intake screens
• Self-adhesive masks for the canopy and wheels
• Decals for four marking options
• Assembly instructions

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 70010
• Manufacturer: Arma Hobby
• Assembled length: approx. 155 mm
• Wingspan: approx. 140 mm
• Skill level: intermediate

Please note: glue, paints and modelling tools are not included. The model requires assembly.

Building the model:

Working with photo-etched parts calls for precision tweezers and cyanoacrylate glue, but the payoff is most visible in the cockpits and in the intake screens, which greatly improve the sense of scale in 1:72. We suggest painting and finishing the interior before closing the fuselage halves, as access is limited afterwards. The supplied self-adhesive masks noticeably speed up painting the canopy and wheels. It is worth deciding on the configuration in advance – underwing stores, rocket pods and lowered flaps are best planned before painting begins.

The Polish aircraft on the sheet typically wore a silver aluminium finish with orange conspicuity panels, while the Indian machine offers a chance to step away from that scheme and build an Iskra in less obvious markings. We recommend applying the decals over gloss varnish to limit silvering, and finishing the model with satin varnish. To push the level of detail further you might consider metal pitot tubes or other upgrade accessories, available separately in our shop.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Cyanoacrylate glue for the photo-etched and resin parts
• Precision modelling tweezers for small parts
• Brushes in various sizes, optionally an airbrush
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for decalling and satin varnish for the final finish
• Panel line wash to emphasise detail

About the aircraft – TS-11 Iskra bis DF:

The TS-11 Iskra was the first Polish jet aircraft – a design developed at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s to train military pilots on turbojet-powered machines. The prototype took to the air in 1960 and series production was entrusted to the works at Mielec. The aircraft has a two-seat tandem cockpit, a high-set tail and characteristic air intakes on the sides of the fuselage.

For several decades the Iskra remained the standard training aircraft of Polish military aviation, with successive generations of pilots earning their wings on it. Power came from the Polish-built WSK SO-3 turbojet. Beyond basic training the aircraft was also used for weapons training: a 23 mm cannon was installed in the nose and four underwing hardpoints allowed bombs or rocket pods to be carried. The Iskra also became a showcase of Polish aviation as the mount of the "Biało-Czerwone Iskry" aerobatic team. Part of the production run was exported to India.

The bis DF version is the trainer-reconnaissance variant fitted with three reconnaissance cameras. Aircraft of this variant served both with training and tactical units of the Polish Air Force and with Naval Aviation.

Original aircraft specifications (TS-11 Iskra bis DF):

• Length: 11.15 m
• Wingspan: 10.06 m
• Crew: 2 (student and instructor in tandem)
• Powerplant: WSK SO-3 turbojet of approx. 9.81 kN thrust
• Gun armament: one 23 mm cannon in the nose
• External stores: four underwing hardpoints for up to 400 kg of bombs or rocket pods
• Special equipment of the bis DF version: three reconnaissance cameras
• First flight of the prototype: 1960
• Original manufacturer: WSK PZL-Mielec

About the manufacturer – Arma Hobby:

Arma Hobby is a Polish manufacturer of plastic model kits based in Warsaw, active on the market since 2016. The brand grew out of the earlier Attack Squadron, which specialised in resin accessories for aircraft models. Design work and tool making are carried out in Poland, using computer-aided design and scanning of surviving airframes. The hallmark of the brand's kits is very fine surface reproduction – rivets and panel lines – together with thin trailing edges. These are complemented by carefully made glazing and high-quality decals. The catalogue covers 1:72 and 1:48 scales, with particular emphasis on Polish aviation – the PZL P.7a, PZL P.11c and TS-11 Iskra – as well as Allied aircraft of the Second World War. Arma Hobby kits have repeatedly been recognised in industry awards, including the Model of the Year title at the Nuremberg toy fair. The company also continues to develop the idea of supplementing its kits with 3D-printed parts and making print-at-home files available.