Albatros D.V 1:48

F

Fenlander

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Right, I told myself I wouldn't start this kit until I had cleared some backlog.

I didn't listen…..

So here we go, my first Bi Plane with, hopefully, full rigging. The Kit is one of the Eduard 'Duel Combo' range which means you get two kits for the price of one. It also means, if I mess up the first one, I can mess up the second just as easily.

The Aircraft is a WWI German Albatros D.V and I have markings for a choice of 4 different aircraft. The kit comes with two sets of photo etch, one for each aircraft, and it will be the first time I have used it so quite a learning curve to do.

The Box & Sprues.

Some of the Photo etch

The amazing Colour scheme and callouts, very nicely done. Notice the pink tyres? Three of the four options call for pink tyres….

Initial progress

The seat and wooden bulkhead, cockpit floor. Still some painting to do on this but hopefully you can see the photo etch mounts on the bulkhead for the shoulder straps. That seat looks comfy doesn't it… No wonder they often took a cushion.

The engine is now mounted and the ammo bins can be seen with the feeders for the twin machine guns to come. The cockpit wall are streaked to have a wood grain effect, not very good at it yet, using oils over a Tamiya desert Yellow. The wood framing was painted with Tamiya Clear Orange to give the frame a varnished look in the cockpit but I have to do some touching up as it ran more than I expected.

Not a lot of the engine will be seen when it is buttoned up, the exhaust manifold/pipe comes from the cylinders on this side.

This is going to be a masking nightmare when it comes to spraying the fuselage. Some of the pipework for the engine is outside and above the fuselage.

Bit of tidying up to do and the rest of the cockpit to install, some photo etch some plastic then it will be glue up and hope some of it can still be seen.
 
R

Richy C

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Hi Graham , your a braver man than me , looks a nice model mate , keep us updated

Ps - hows the stable coming along LOL

Richy
 

Centurion3RTR

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I'm going to keep an eye on this one Graham, looking good so far matey. Is it going on a dio?

Have fun, John
 
F

Fenlander

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Thanks guys. Stable still awaiting me getting a good enough paint job on the horses. I have just about sussed it then I see some done much better so I have to try again.

Is it going on a dio?
Mmmm, interesting idea. Will have to get kit built firs and then think about a scene in 1:48, not sure what figures from WWI are available in this scale, will have to have a look.
 

yak face

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Interesting looking kit graham, not really a WW1 type myself but the albatros was one of the better looking planes of that era , didnt seem flimsy like a lot of the others.The eduard kits are brilliant arent they, super quality and detail. Ive only done a couple of biplanes (WW2 russian)and they are fiddly when it comes to the rigging, but the sense of achievement when you do one is great.Im sure youll make a 5 star job of it , cheers tony
 

Centurion3RTR

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\ said:
Mmmm, interesting idea. Will have to get kit built firs and then think about a scene in 1:48, not sure what figures from WWI are available in this scale, will have to have a look.
I've seen them somewhere (see if i can find 'um for you), the dio doesn't need to be big. Would look nice with the pilot walking away from the Albatros with a pet dog running up to him. Just a though Graham.

Have fun, John
 
C

Caledonia

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Hi Graham, Look forward to following your progress, have been tempted to try a Bi-Plane, so you may just persuade me. Look forward to your photos. Derek
 
F

Fenlander

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Well, only a couple of touch ps and she is ready to be buttoned up. Most of the cockpit detail will be hidden by the fuselage and top wing so I am not taking it any further. Been a bit of a pig at times. I am still trying to get to grips with the photo etch, a lot of it was so small I just could not see the point of putting it in where it would not be seen. Probably do more as I get better with it. Also, for the second model, not same maker, the callout numbers for the decals are not the same as the decals (if you see what I mean) so none of the cockpit decals will either be the right ones or in the right place. However, no pain, no gain.

Last views of the 'pit

Time to join up the fuselage and get on with the external photo etch.
 

Ian M

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Its looking really good so far.

Seems a shame to hide all that loverly detail in the pit, but we know its there!

love the paint job Look forwards to seing that. (Think your self lucky its not the multi-coloured lozenge patern!!!).

I rather like the old WWI kites but never had the nerve to do one. Maybe you will inspire me to give one a go.... Fokker Dr1 maybe?

Ian M
 
F

Fenlander

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Well, I have the philosophy now that if I fancy something (kit that is...) I will have a go. If I mess up or find it too much, at least I know I have tried and I am sure I will have learned a lot in the process. The bi planes are particularly fiddly as they have such small details, they are quite small to, the fuselage, without tail is 5.5 inches long so not a lot of room to play with. The lozenge pattern is best done using decals, quite fancy a go at that. The main issue I have with this kit is that one of the colour schemes, remembering I have to build two of these, has a wood grained fuselage all the way back from the cockpit. I really need to learn a good technique for getting the wood grain as it is so big an area and so visible.
 

yak face

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\ said:
Its looking really good so far.Seems a shame to hide all that loverly detail in the pit, but we know its there!

love the paint job Look forwards to seing that. (Think your self lucky its not the multi-coloured lozenge patern!!!).

I rather like the old WWI kites but never had the nerve to do one. Maybe you will inspire me to give one a go.... Fokker Dr1 maybe?

Ian M
ian ,the dr1 would be a perfect start if youre a bit nervous about the rigging on biplanes, it hasnt got any!!(well VERY little anyway,about 4 wires on the wheels and cabane struts) and you can do it in the allover red of von richthofens machine so the paintjob should be simple too. cheers tony
 

yak face

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hi graham , great cockpit , the photo etched belts really make a difference dont they?The woodgrain effect is ,i think , done in a similar way to how you did the cockpit ,a buff coloured base,streaked with darker brown, then a clear orange over the top.Hopefully someone more experienced than me in WW1 stuff will either confirm my guess or shoot me down in flames! cheers tony
 
F

Fenlander

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That appears to be the way to go Tony. I have read up on a few ways of doing it, just need to practice a bit. Good thing about streaking with oils is that you can wipe it off with thinners and start again.... I hope....
 

Ian M

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Hej Graham! just by pure coincidence I can across this the other day. Couldn't be a better example if you asked for it.

Tech Tips: The Look of Varnished Wood

isn't the internet wonderfull!

Ian M
 
F

Fenlander

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That is great Ian, many thanks. Now saved to my desktop so I can peruse at leisure.
 
F

Fenlander

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My first venture into modifying a part to use Photo Etch to (hopefully) improve it from the basic kit art. Bit of a nervy time and I am no way fully satisfied with it but it will do for an introduction. Thought I would bore/share (delete as appropriate) it with you.

The kit part. Machine gun off the Albatros.

The PE part to make the barrel cover. As it is to be rolled into a cylinder, I annealed it. From what I have read, the way to do this is to heat it to a bright red and let it cool naturally. Be very careful doing this because this metal is so thin, it could melt so easily. I used clamping tweezers to hold it and offered it over a low gas flame on the cooker. It went bright orange immediately and I snatched it away very quickly. Note to self, buy a cigarette lighter.... Let it cool and it looks like this.

Next the kit part is butchered, no going back now then

A gun barrel is made from stretched sprue, note for shopping list, buy some fine brass tube...

Then the PE is rolled into a cylinder, I used a cocktail stick to help shape it then rolled it between finger and thumb to slowly work the edges together and form the shape i wanted.

The PE barrel cover and end cap with sight is glued onto the plastic part with the flared barrel end.

Then a couple more PE parts are glued on and it is sprayed black. as you can see, it is a bit messy but you can see more on here than you can in real life. The whole ting is only 20mm long
 
C

Caledonia

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Hi Graham, Thats a great improvement on the original, its nice when you can add these touches to personalize your model. Look forward to following the rest of your build. Cheers Derek
 

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Very cool and looking good. I'm looking forward to the "camo" scheme,sunglasses at the ready. What was the deal with the pink tyres? I seem to remember reading something about a lack of something or the other but can't remember what or where I read it.

Steve
 
F

Fenlander

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I have n idea why it should have pink tyres, out of the four schemes, only one has grey tyres........ Me, like an idiot, has even bought the pot of Tamiya Pink to do them with.... What on earth am I going to do with the rest of the paint? Anyone got a Cadillac kit going spare????
 
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