Polikarpov "Po-2LNB" - the Soviet/ Polish light night bomber

Po-2 (Russian: По-2) is a Soviet multi-purpose and training biplane, designed in 1928 by Nikolai Polikarpov's design office. Until 1944 it was called U-2, and popularly called "Kukurznik" ("Mule" in Allied code). Po - 2 was mainly used for pilot training, as well as for agricultural purposes - field spraying. During World War II it became widely known as a light night bomber. The Po-2 was last used in an armed conflict in the early 1950s in the Korean War. Po-2 was also famous for the fact, that it was in continuous use for 35 years and more, than 33,000 units were produced, and with licensed aircraft it exceeded 40,000. Nikolai Polikarpov built the U-2 in 1927 as a standard aircraft for Soviet military aviation and aeroclubs as a school plane. Serial production of the aircraft began in 1928. The machine had many excellent characteristics: simple production technology, simple service and maintenance, short acceleration and run-off, the ability to fly in any weather conditions. In the event of an accident, the repair did not cause any major problems. In the two-seater training version the open cockpits of the pilot and student were placed one behind the other - in tandem - and had doubled control equipment. In the version U - 2SP three seats were installed in tandem: for the pilot and two passengers. It could be used as a military communication plane and in civil aviation - short-haul intercity aviation. The model, marked U - 2AP with a tank installed in the place of the second cabin and equipped with spraying equipment, was used for agricultural and forestry work - spraying chemicals. The version U - 2S had equipment for transporting the sick, the set included a stretcher. Version U - 2L (Po - 2L) with a covered cabin used in "Aeroflot" lines. Its modifications could carry up to 6 people. 1235 U - 2 copies produced in 1928 - 1940. Later planes were renamed Po - 2 after the designer's death in 1944. During the war the U - 2 was used as training, transport, sanitary and night combat planes. In 1948 - 1954 Po - 2 was produced in Poland under license, where it was called CSS - 13. In addition to the USSR and the Polish Republic of Poland, this type of aircraft was used by Albania, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of China, the Czechoslovak Republic, Finland, France, Germany (taken over by the Luftwaffe), Germany Military and civil aviation of the DR, the PR of Hungary, the pR of Laos, the PR of Mongolia, the PDR of Korea, the SR of Romania, Turkey and the Yugoslav SFR. It seems, what does this plane and Lithuania have to do with it? Not only that, but they are also bound by the fact, that it was one of the most widely used civil airplanes in the post-war Lithuanian SSR and almost all of our post-war aviators had to fly with them as trainees or be their mechanics. In Lithuania, in addition to "Kukuruznik", they had another - less respectable - nickname - "Avivagis" (at least here, in Western Samogitia, such a nickname is often mentioned by old people). Apparently, at the end of the war, the famous Stalin's “falcons” used to fly to village fields with these airplanes to steel sheep)... But that's not all. One airplane of this type was restored in Lithuania. For some time it was even listed in the civil aircraft registry under the designation LY-ASZ. Now, as far as I know, it has been sold somewhere overseas into the hands of an aviation collector. I just didn't find out, if it was a restored original plane or a manufactured replica.

And it is very easy to rework it from the details in the publication: only the stars and numbers of the USSR "request" to be changed, which need to be painted and the removal of camouflage ("ours" was painted in one color on top - dark green) and the Lithuanian registration must be painted. Well designed and richly detailed model of medium complexity with full cockpit detailing, perfectly restored engine, weaponry (machine gun, bombs), separate control plates. A model for modelers of any experience. The model represents the "Po-2LNB" aircraft of the 2nd Bomber Regiment of the Polish Air Force "Krakow", which fought in Poland in 1944-45. Only the less experienced should do this model under the supervision of a more experienced colleague.