COBI Historical Collection POLISH ARMY MUSEUM IL-2M3 Aircraft

One of the most famous combat aircraft of World War II, the IL-2M3 was designed and mass-produced in the USSR starting in 1941. Production of the Il-2 was canceled a few years after the war. In total, about 36,000 of these aircraft were built. The initial versions were replaced in 1943 by two-man IL-2M3 aircraft with more powerful engines and enhanced armament. The most important improvement was the change of the angle of attack of the wings, which were made of duralumin. They gained a very characteristic shape resembling an "arrow". Il-2M3 aircraft were the armament of four Polish air assault regiments fighting in the spring of 1945 on the Eastern Front. On May 1, 1945, there were 158 IL-2M3s in the Polish Air Force. Starting in 1949, the IL-2M3 aircraft began to be gradually withdrawn from service in the Polish Air Force, replacing them with more modern Il-10 attack aircraft. The aircraft exhibited in the museum was used in the 3rd Air Assault Regiment. The IL-M3 aircraft was designed from COBI construction blocks in the scale of 1:32 using all-new elements. One of the few original planes is on outdoor exhibition at the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw. It was used as a model for this set. The block model offers many movable elements such as a rotating propeller, movable wing ailerons and wheels with rubber tires that can be folded to a horizontal position. Details and post-war colors of the aircraft and armament (including rockets) have been reproduced. Attention is drawn to the blue bottom with chessboard markings. The cockpit canopy has been redesigned and can be opened to seat the pilot and gunner figures in the seats. Thanks to a special display stand with a plate containing the name of the plane and a place to attach the figures, the whole set looks fantastic! The figures were developed based on uniforms in the collection of the Polish Army Museum. A very attractive addition is a historical map showing the borders and name of Poland before the unfavorable territorial exchange with the USSR, which took place on February 15, 1951. The model uses durable prints and historical markings. The set completes the collection of iconic planes released in 1:32 scale, intended for enthusiasts of history, military technology and fans of the highest quality block modeling!