Tim’s 1/48 Eduard Roland CII

[Allen Dewire]

Morn Tim,

Love the pic!!! I'm no expert, but I have been studying WWI wing thingy's and found that most pilot's seats were mounted on the fuel tank in them. As for putting a window in the floor, there wasn't much room in the Roland to do so. Besides, the pilot wouldn't have a 'horizon' effect while landing. Observer's did have a window in some plane's floor though.

As for the pic above, I think it's a propaganda pic and an inside Jasta joke for the homefront. Many planes carried pigeons as a way to send messages back to the HQ during their recon flights. They were normally carried in a small basket and not a large cage. Radios were still in their infancy and eventually took a bigger roll, but their range was also limited. I really think the curtains were a decorative addition that hid the folks inside. The cage over the pilot's MG is actually a roll over cage in case of a crash on landing. It was kinda small to keep it aerodynamic. Can't say if it helped save lives in a crash...

Prost
Allen

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Wait a sec. Are those curtains on the OUTSIDE?

 

[Tim Marlow]

Morn Tim,

Love the pic!!! I'm no expert, but I have been studying WWI wing thingy's and found that most pilot's seats were mounted on the fuel tank in them. As for putting a window in the floor, there wasn't much room in the Roland to do so. Besides, the pilot wouldn't have a 'horizon' effect while landing. Observer's did have a window in some plane's floor though.

As for the pic above, I think it's a propaganda pic and an inside Jasta joke for the homefront. Many planes carried pigeons as a way to send messages back to the HQ during their recon flights. They were normally carried in a small basket and not a large cage. Radios were still in their infancy and eventually took a bigger roll, but their range was also limited. I really think the curtains were a decorative addition that hid the folks inside. The cage over the pilot's MG is actually a roll over cage in case of a crash on landing. It was kinda small to keep it aerodynamic. Can't say if it helped save lives in a crash...

Prost
Allen

Errrrrr……..I think carrying the pigeons on the rear parabellum like that would crimp the observers style in aerial combat.

As to the curtains, I’ve now looked at a lot of pictures and they actually look painted on. They don’t seem to be on the earlier versions, only the later ones. I can’t find any internal shots so can’t really tell if they were real or not. Can’t see them hiding the crew either. The crew stick out of the top of the fuselage when they are sat on their seats. I suppose if they closed the curtains it would help cut the light down when changing the plates on the camera? Bit of an enigma really.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Wait a sec. Are those curtains on the OUTSIDE?

Yes, and so are the plant pots…….

 

[colin m]

Hey Allen, thanks for the info on the curtains. Can you tell me when they added the pot plants and bird cage though? I like to get the details correct LOL.

View attachment 499108

And we were led to believe, the Germans didn't have a sense of humour.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Well, I’ve been making progress…….
References differ on the interior colour, so I went with the wingnut wings instructions……a blue grey. Personally I think it makes it look quite modern,…



All looks a little crude in close up, but then most of it will be quite hard to see….windows were masked before being glued in. I find that much easier than handling the whole model. Not sure how the curtain decals will look when the tape’s removed though…..


Observers station (camera is mounted on the other fuselage half).


Pilots bit. Must have been hard to see the instruments….. Belts made from Tamiya tape. Crude but effective.


Aero engine. Quite a nice little model, but poor locating points.

Fit is OK, but could do with a little more positive points to get the alignment correct. Still, slowly and carefully does the trick. Next job is drill holes for rigging (which would have been easier before I put the internals in) then stick the fuselage together once the internals have set.

It’s been fun so far….

Cheers all.

 

[Dave Ward]

The Roland model dates from 2000, Eduard were making the transtion from short-run to mainstream kits, and poor location points was a feature ( or not ) of their earlier models. The first Eduard model I made was the Fokker E.III ( 1993 ), and that was a real short run effort - a few crudish plastic parts - but with a large PE fret. Interesting to see how far Eduard have advanced in the past years
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

The Roland model dates from 2000, Eduard were making the transtion from short-run to mainstream kits, and poor location points was a feature ( or not ) of their earlier models. The first Eduard model I made was the Fokker E.III ( 1993 ), and that was a real short run effort - a few crudish plastic parts - but with a large PE fret. Interesting to see how far Eduard have advanced in the past years
Dave

Fully agree. Apart from the name on the box there is very little to tie this and the Zero together. Doesn’t make it a bad kit though, just shows how far they’ve come as a manufacturer.

 

[Mickc1440]

Making great progress Tim

 

[scottie3158]

Tim, Looking really good.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Making great progress Tim

Tim, Looking really good.

Cheers guys. The rigging is getting a bit closer though…..but I have managed to find my Eze line….

 

[Allen Dewire]

Coming along great Tim! It seems you are enjoying building it too! I take it the valve cover on the rear cylinder of the motor didn't fit under the thick plastic when mounted and that's why you had to nip it off. I don't suppose you are going to add spark plug wires, are you???

In reality, the curtains were painted on the side windows. They were sort of a joke and done by the guys in the Staffel. Also Otto Burgermeister, the pilot standing in the observer seat in your earlier pic was the prankster behind the photo with the flower pots and real curtains.....Drive on Buddy...

Prost
Allen

 

[adt70hk]

Tim

That's looking really very good despite the issues you're facing. My Yak-3 was a 1998 vintage and had some of the issues you've experienced.

You're right about the grey too, it looks too modern but you can only do with what you're told.

Keep up the good work.

Andrew

 

[Tim Marlow]

Coming along great Tim! It seems you are enjoying building it too! I take it the valve cover on the rear cylinder of the motor didn't fit under the thick plastic when mounted and that's why you had to nip it off. I don't suppose you are going to add spark plug wires, are you???

In reality, the curtains were painted on the side windows. They were sort of a joke and done by the guys in the Staffel. Also Otto Burgermeister, the pilot standing in the observer seat in your earlier pic was the prankster behind the photo with the flower pots and real curtains.....Drive on Buddy...

Prost
Allen

Cheers Allen. You are right about clipping the last cylinder cover, also took off a carb from the end. They wouldn’t fit otherwise, and are actually shown to be removed in the instructions.
I think I said earlier the curtains were painted on . I did see the comments about Otto while trying to find interior shots of this aircraft, but thanks for the info

 

[Tim Marlow]

Tim

That's looking really very good despite the issues you're facing. My Yak-3 was a 1998 vintage and had some of the issues you've experienced.

You're right about the grey too, it looks too modern but you can only do with what you're told.

Keep up the good work.

Andrew

Cheers Andrew. I’m following the Wingnut wings colour call outs for this, reasoning they would be more accurate than Eduard. Pleased so far, but still got a way to go…..

 

[davecov]

Coming on nicely, Tim

I have this kit in my stash and your build will come in very handy!

Dave

 

[yak face]

Great progress tim , cockpit is looking very homely ! Cheers tony

 

[Tim Marlow]

Coming on nicely, Tim

I have this kit in my stash and your build will come in very handy!

Dave

Thanks Dave. So far it’s a pain free build I’d say.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Great progress tim , cockpit is looking very homely ! Cheers tony

Cheers Tony. Indeed. Surprised they didn’t put a log fire in there really

 

[adt70hk]

Cheers Tony. Indeed. Surprised they didn’t put a log fire in there really

Let's think about that.......

fire = fuel source + ignition source + oxygen......WW1 plane = highly flammable construction materials + highly flammable fuel + lots of oxygen as you fly around the sky.......

Have to agree with you Tim..... Absolutely no reason NOT to add a log fire......I mean what where they thinking about not having one!!?!!!!????