Marek Marathon: More about Marek

[member_3]

As many of you have discovered, Mr. Pacynski has produced a large number of models most of which share some common characteristics. I have all (I think) of his models that have been published in e-model form and wondered if the lack of instructions was a "feature" of this format only or of all of his products. To answer that question I purchased several of his 1:50 models in their original printed form.

Marek has had models published by a number of publishers (all Polish, I believe) in 1:50 and 1:33 scales. The 1:50s are concentrated in two series: Kartonowy Swiat and Kartonowa Encyklopedia Lotnictwa (KEL). The format is usually a single sheet folded in half or in fourths. The KEL subjects have a data card that can be cut out and collected to form an "encyclopedia" of your model collection. These two series are still generally available from several of the online stores for $2.00 to $5.00 - look for them under "Kartonowy Swiat" (sometimes as "Answer - Kartonowy Swiat") and KEL. For the record, the models in printed form have no more instructions than the e-model format. There are a number of models and/or color schemes in these two series that have never been published in electronic form, at least not to my knowledge.

I have never found any of his 1:33 scale models in printed form until recently. The first twenty or so were available in electronic form from Dewayne's site and soon will be from Chris' eCardmodels. Marek has had several models published by Answer in the last year and, most recently, is being published by Answer under the "MP Models" name. These models are much more detailed and have the "normal" amount of instructions as text and diagrams. The MP Model line has (or will have) a Lublin R-XIIID, Albatros C.XII, Bloch MB-152 (see electronic version at eCardmodels) and a PZL-62.

Hints and tips:
1. Part numbers in red usually mean laminate with 0.5-0.8mm card if not otherwise specified.
2. Keep a watch for the occasional part misnumbering or two parts with the same number.
3. I can recall an electronic model (1:50 but can't remember the specific one) that was missing a part. It was a right/left part so I just made a mirror copy of the one that was there but that had me scratching my head for awhile.
4. Some of the earlier 1:33 models are a bit rough around the edges and would have benefited from a vigorous beta build. Some of you have encountered this sort of thing on some of your builds. Please pass those along to Chris so we can get the problems fixed.

I hope this helps someone and I know the builds being done for the Marathon will improve the few models that have deficiencies. Thank you, Chris for kicking this craziness off - I could not have come up with a better contest myself. Which reminds me - I haven't sponsored a goofy contest in awhile - but that's the subject for a whole new thread...