In
the original 1/33 scale kit Marek has modeled two versions of the military version of the RWD-8, used as a trainer for both pilots and paratroopers, with an open tub-like cockpit and no cowling between pilot and passenger/parachutist. His model includes an extra version of tapered wings used only on the prototype, plus a mid-cockpit cowling transforming the open tub to two separate cockpits, each with its own windshiled. The kit is recommended for those who wish to recreate any of those military versions.
My version is of the civilian RWD-8, painted in the standard scheme of red & silver, as used on most of those aircraft used by Polish flying clubs, with at definitely fixed and integrated two-bay cockpit cowling. The main difference of course is the VQ-P insignia, denoting British protectorate of Palestine:
What you get on this page is a condensed history of the type, its designers, the differences between the aircraft coming out of different factories,
the engine, and how the particular aircraft modeled, VQ-PAK, ended up in Palestine.
There is much more to say about that, but first a few images of the RWD-8s used by flying clubs in Poland during the 1930s:
The first image above, a four-view of SP-AMT, was very helpful for determining the color scheme, which is identical to the RWD-8s ending up in Palestine. The second is interesting, since it shows very well what the wings looked like when folded back for transport and storage. Then follows photos of two different RWD-8s (SP-ZHP and SP-ALB), both equipped for glider towing. Note the cumbersome tubular frame required for the tow-wire to clear the rudder & fin. Last a rather nice photo of a family outing on a summer's evening. I hope they all got to fly with the SP-BBE in the background! (Which, interestingly and in distinction to the other photos in this array, is of PWS-manufacture, as can be seen from the mid-section cockpit cover, and the single exhaust with a cowling of its own; this is not the DWL-manufactured version modeled here.)
A good source for all about Polish RWD-8s is
Samoloty w Lotnictvie Polskim (translated version). Other images above come from a simple image search.