The PZL-104 Wilga is a high-wing cantilever short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) monoplane utility aircraft that features an all-aluminum construction.The Wilga has been widely used in civil aviation. It often performed other duties, such as touring, observation, glider towing, and parachute training. In Poland, where the type was designed and produced, it was a staple airplane in the Aero Clubs tasked with flight training. The aircraft was also used by the Polish military. Over 1000 Wilgas were produced until 2006. Unfortunately, no background information or history of the PZL-104 Wilga 35A is provided in the two publications.

The Stratus Single No.46 and Single No.47 books are compilations of the 4-view color profiles, scale plans and photo details of the single variant of the PZL-104 Wilga 35A, one civilian, and one military, respectively. Scale plans in 1/72 and 1/48 scales plus drawings from technical manuals are also included. There are photographs of the planes’ details in B&W and color. Both books are very thin with only 24 pages. However, with an exception of a drawing of the cockpit’s instruments on page 9, color profiles and almost all pictures are very high quality.

The first four pages in both books are used for scaled outline drawings in both 1/72 and 1/48 scales. The following thirteen pages cover various aircraft details both as B&W drawings and pictures. The remaining pages are dedicated to color photographs and color profiles of the civilian and military versions. The combination of drawings, illustrations, pictures, and color profiles make this book really worth buying especially for model references.

Both books present very interesting painting schemes that should attract model builders. The text and captions for the pictures and drawings are in English. Drawings in both books are identical. Also, several B&W pictures are the same in both books. What makes the books different are the pictures focusing on the civilian version vs. the military one and the obvious reflection of that in the painting schemes. I found it quite interesting to see the pictures of the military version with rocket pods and launchers taken during tests of these devices. I will be using this book for an upcoming build of a 1/72 PZL-104 Wilga from Amodel. The books, although thin, are fantastic and inexpensive reference for all to use.

I recommend this book to everyone who likes to add details to their models.

My sincere thanks go to Casemate for providing this book to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it.

I enjoyed reviewing this topic because it brought many fond memories from my teenage years. I completed a glider training course in Poland in late seventies and the Wilga was the aircraft used for glider towing during the training. The airplane was a much faster and more agile than the PZL-101 Gawron, that was based on a Russian design, and used in our Aero Club for towing gliders as well.