Broplan 1/72 Potez 25 A.2 with
Hispano-Suiza 12Lb engine

By Chris Bucholtz

Background

Although its success has been overshadowed by the collapse and failure of the French aviation industry in the mid-to late-'30s, the Potez 25 was one of the most effective and well-known warplanes of the inter-war period. First flown in 1924, the Potez 25 was a sturdy-looking unequal-span biplane built with the ability to accommodate several different power plants, engineering stretch into the aircraft in an era when designs came and went rapidly. The landing gear was a cross-axle design that incorporated Potez' own shock absorbers, and the plane was even considered a candidate for the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight until Lindbergh beat the French team to the punch.

By the time production at Potez, A.N.F. Les Mureaux and Hanriot had ceased, over 3,500 examples had been built and 87 different variations had been developed. The Potez 25 saw action with the Chinese against the Japanese, the Paraguayans against the Bolivians, and the Ethiopians against the Italians. Greece, Switzerland, Uruguay and Estonia also operated the Potez 25 under more peaceful conditions.

The Kit

Broplan's kit of the Potez 25 – undoubtedly the first of several variants from this enterprising Polish firm – depicts the A.2 variant powered by the 600-horsepower Hispano-Suiza 12Lb 12-cylinder engine. The kit includes the major airframe components – wings, fuselage, tail and cowling – as vacuformed pieces, with two short-run-style trees of injection molded parts, including struts, wheels, propeller, seats, radiator and Lewis gun. These parts are soft in their detail, but at least provide a starting point from which to expand.

The vacuformed parts are well done, although there are several blemishes in the wings and an indentation on one of the fuselage sides that will require attention. Panel line and fabric detail is a bit overstated, but this will be moderated by the first coat of paint.

There are no decals, but the instructions provide marking information for a Greek aircraft based at Larrisa Air Base in the 1930s – dark green 34097 overall, with natural metal engine area and the Hellenic roundels and fin flash. Not a flashy scheme, but a workmanlike scheme for a workmanlike airplane – and markings easily created by modelers! There is also a reasonably useful drawing the rigging used on the aircraft, which is fairly complex.

This is an involved model of a large biplane, so beginners take caution. However, if you like Golden Age subjects that were more for work than for show, this kit gives you a unique and important subject thus far overlooked.

My thanks to Broplan for the review example.