Mirage Hobby 485003 Lublin R.XIII Ter/Hydro Reconnaissance Seaplane — 1:48 Plastic model aircraft kit

Manufacturer: Mirage Hobby
Kit number: 485003 / MIR485003
Aircraft: Lublin R.XIII Ter/Hydro
Scale: 1:48
Barcode / EAN: 5901461485038
Kit type: Injection-moulded plastic aircraft kit
Country of manufacture: Poland
Manufacturer and kit background

Mirage Hobby is a Polish model manufacturer based in Warsaw, particularly noted for producing less-common Polish aircraft, armoured vehicles and naval subjects. This kit fits that speciality very well: the Lublin R.XIII is an important Polish interwar aircraft but a decidedly unusual subject for a mainstream plastic kit.

The 485003 kit was added to commercial catalogues around 2011, although later retail records show releases/reissues as late as 2015–2018. HLJ records the kit as a Mirage Hobby product from Poland and gives a release date of December 2015 for its particular catalogue entry.

The manufacturer's own current catalogue still identifies 485003 and EAN 5901461485038, suggesting that the tooling/product remains part of Mirage Hobby's catalogue even though availability is inconsistent.
Kit contents

This is a relatively compact 1:48 injection-moulded kit, supplied as conventional plastic parts on sprues.

Documented contents include:

Plastic parts on sprues

Clear parts

Decal sheet

Assembly instructions

Painting/colour instructions

Components for the landplane/seaplane configuration

Central float

Supporting float/strut assembly

Detailed cockpit/interior components

A Polish specialist retailer specifically confirms that the kit contains plastic sprues, instructions and a decal sheet, while glue, paint and tools are not included.

The product is classified as both a reconnaissance aircraft and seaplane/amphibious aircraft, reflecting the unusual Hydro configuration represented by this boxing.
The floatplane configuration

The most important difference between this and the land-based Lublin R.XIII kits is the hydroplane equipment.

The Ter/Hydro version uses a large central float arrangement in place of the conventional wheeled undercarriage. The supporting struts make this a considerably more visually distinctive model than the standard R.XIII.

If you're buying a used kit, I would specifically check that all of the float struts and float components are present, as these are relatively delicate parts and are much harder to replace than the common fuselage or wing components.
Other Mirage R.XIII kits

Mirage Hobby produced several related R.XIII boxings. Its catalogue includes:

485001 — Lublin R.XIII D liaison/army-cooperation aircraft

485003 — Lublin R.XIII Ter/Hydro seaplane

The company's catalogue documentation confirms the two kit numbers and their respective EANs.

This makes 485003 particularly useful for anyone collecting the Mirage Hobby Polish interwar aircraft series.
The full-size Lublin R.XIII

The Lublin R.XIII was a Polish high-wing liaison and army-cooperation aircraft developed by Zakłady Mechaniczne Plage i Laśkiewicz.

The prototype first flew in 1931, with series production beginning during the same year. Sources give roughly 273 aircraft of the R.XIII family, while other historical summaries give a total of around 288 R.XIII-family aircraft depending upon which related variants are included.

It was a relatively simple mixed-construction aircraft with a fabric-covered structure and fixed undercarriage.

Its principal role was not high-speed combat but army cooperation and liaison. It could operate from relatively rough airfields and was used for reconnaissance, artillery observation and communication duties.
The R.XIII Ter/Hydro

The Ter/Hydro was the float-equipped maritime version.

Only a small number were produced compared with the land-based versions. One historical summary gives approximately 10 Ter/Hydro aircraft, numbered 704–713.

These aircraft were associated with Polish naval aviation and maritime reconnaissance, giving the type a secondary role beyond the much larger army-cooperation fleet.

The float-equipped aircraft are therefore considerably less common than the standard landplane R.XIII, which makes Mirage Hobby's decision to produce the Hydro version particularly useful to Polish aviation enthusiasts.
Service history

By the late 1930s, the R.XIII was becoming obsolete, with newer designs such as the RWD-14 Czapla gradually replacing it.

Nevertheless, approximately 150 R.XIII aircraft were still in Polish military service when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, with around 50 reportedly assigned to frontline duties.

The aircraft's relatively low performance meant that it was increasingly vulnerable in modern aerial combat, but its ability to perform low-level reconnaissance and liaison work meant it remained useful during the opening stages of the campaign.

The Hydro machines were especially specialised and operated in the maritime environment.
Aircraft specifications

The R.XIII used a Skoda-Whirlwind J5B radial engine producing approximately 220 hp.

Published specifications vary somewhat between individual versions, but the aircraft was broadly characterised by:

Crew: 2

Engine: Skoda-Whirlwind J5B

Power: approximately 220 hp

Configuration: high-wing monoplane

Construction: mixed

Role: liaison, reconnaissance and army cooperation

Armament: typically a 7.7 mm Vickers K machine gun on applicable military versions

At 1:48 scale, the completed aircraft is a moderately sized model, with a wingspan in the region of 23 cm, depending upon the precise full-size dimensions used for the Ter/Hydro variant.