Revell ( Eduard ) 1/48 Albatros D.III

[Dave Ward]

Whilst waiting for a base for my T-34, I've decided to start on this:

'NEW' in the sense that this is the 2020 Revell re-boxing of the 1998 Eduard original, albeit with new decals & instructions. It's the equivalent of the Eduard 'Weekend' boxings, no PE & limited decal options ( 2 ). I'll put up the sprue shots tomorrow, and although the model is pretty basic by Eduard's later standards, the parts are crisp & flash free
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Sprue shots - only two:


There are two top wings, one with the radiator central, the other with it offset. The origin of the model confirmed with 'Eduard' os the frames.

Nice decal sheet - which I'll use..................

This is the version I'm going to do ( the other doesn't have the stripy tail ). The majority of the fuselage is of varnished plywood, which could be interesting.
Dave

 

[Defiant911]

Sprue shots - only two:
View attachment 399404
View attachment 399405
There are two top wings, one with the radiator central, the other with it offset. The origin of the model confirmed with 'Eduard' os the frames.
View attachment 399406
Nice decal sheet - which I'll use..................
View attachment 399407
This is the version I'm going to do ( the other doesn't have the stripy tail ). The majority of the fuselage is of varnished plywood, which could be interesting.
Dave

Looks a nice model Dave.
I look forward to seeing this one built.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Good looking kit Dave. Great colour scheme as well. There used to be a good tutorial on recreating varnished wood on the Wingnut Wings site, but it might be lost now they’ve closed. Can’t help thinking the star decals (1 and 2) give the fuselage an impression that an artillery shell has passed that way.

 

[papa 695]

Nice kit Dave, just pulled up my chair.

 

[Dave Ward]

I've looked at the Wingnut Site on painting wood - this is using oils, something I want to avoid - and yes, I know you can get wood effect decals, but being a true Yorkshireman, I'm not willing to virtually double the price of a model, just to make it easier. There are a fair few tutorials on YouTube, and I'll have to sit down & watch a few...
Dave

 

[JR]

I'm in, like Tim think the colour is good .Will be interesting to see how you tackle the timber.

 

[Dave Ward]

What a miserable weekend! I've had to have the lights on all day, as it hasn't really gotten daylight, and it's just stopped raining for the first time since Friday!
I've been experimenting with painting the 'wood fuselage'. The D.III had a semi-monocoque fuselage, with plywood forming the surfaces. The plywood was in panels, this means I can't paint the wood in one pass. I can get away with a general base colour, but the individual panel surface 'grain' will have to go in different directions............
I've tried various methods of doing the grain - the best I've come up with so far is 0.2mm pencil lines, applied lightly & with a shaky hand over a matt base,then sealed with a satin varnish - I haven't quite got it right, so my mustang guinea pig has had yet another basecoat added, so I can practice a little more. Hopefully, I can put some pics up of how this is going on, when ( if ) it gets light tomorrow!
Dave

 

[Defiant911]

When I built my sopwith camel I had to paint that partly in a wood effect which was my first attempt at doing it.
I used three acrylic colours to achieve the wood effect, yellow ochre, burnt umber and burnt sienna.
I literally painted the yellow first followed by the sienna and umber but the mix and combination is a bit trial and error. Once your happy with your colour mix then I used a dry brush to lightly apply brush lines through the still damp paint giving the grain effect. It feels a little like working with oil paints. I’m not saying I got it perfect but I had seen this method used online and it’s results were excellent.

 

[Dave Ward]

I learned quite a bit from my experiments, mainly what not to do - I think I've got a handle on this now - the mustang pictures are not pretty.........................

I found that if I was going to use pencils, the surface had to be matt and fully dry. I'm going to use pencil for the panel lines, masking up the panels & a mix of various paints for the grain................
Actually started on the model - the D.III is an older Eduard model, and doesn't have the luxury of locating pins on fuselage, engine etc, so dry fitting is essential before the TET is opened.

There's quite a bit of internal frames, floors, braces, instruments to add, so painting will have to wait until the majority are fitted - I'll really need my small brushes & steady hand - and some decals for the panel to be fitted at some stage............
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Added the final bits to the cockpit & final 'bulkhead' and seat assembled. Basecoated the 'wood' bits, now for the small brush for the dark grey bits ( metal )........and decals - not that I think a lot will be visible!


Whilst that was drying, I drilled a few holes for the rigging. I started with a 0.5mm drill - managed to break two almost straight away, moved to a 0.8mm one & managed to finish them without problems.

The wings are single piece, so it's easier to drill right though - I've countersunk the 'exit' holes slightly, so I will be able to fill & clean them up after rigging. This means I'll paint the upper wing lower surfaces & lower wing upper surfaces completely before rigging, the more accessible outer surfaces after clean up.
Dave

 

[outrunner]

As I have said before, I am not a wing man, but that is looking good so far.


Andy.

 

[Dave Ward]

Decals added to the interior, a dark wash on the internal fuselage framing - then the fuselage closed up.............

You can just about see the seat belts - but everything else?
The halves went together well - care has to be taken due to the lack of location pins.
I'll let this all set well overnight & do the seam, top & bottom, before masking & giving an undercoat for the wood areas. I've also started painting the parts on the sprue - I think I will add the large tail decal, it will be easier to handle before adding to the fuselage.
Dave

 

[colin m]

Good start Dave. Creating wood out of plastic is a bit like alchemy !

 

[Dave Ward]

Dealt with the seams on the fuselage, masked & sprayed the basecoat for the plywood - after a bit of experimentation, I chose AK3 Dark Sand.................

I primed the wings, brush painted the upper wing, lower surface, with pale blue ( Vallejo ModelAir ) no problem, then brush painted the lower wing with the camo - I used AK ( not 3rd gen ) WWI Light Green, Dark Green & Red-Brown - even they are supposedly for brush ( or airbrush ), the coverage wasn't very good, I'll have to give another coat when they are completely dry.
It is easier to add the decal to the tail surfaces before assembly - it's a large area, and needed a bit of prodding & poking to get in the optimum position. I've only done one surface so far, and I think when I add the other, it will leave the edges partly showing ( decal a tiny bit too small? ), luckily a small brush & black paint will tidy that up
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Fuselage - over the basecoat, I used pencil to mark the edges of the panels, then gave a gloss varnish coat to seal all in - very important - it meant that if I overdid anything, or looked plain wrong, I could wipe it off!

..........and wipe it off I did, several times! I gave thin strokes of thinned paint along the fuselage sides, and across the top & bottom. Natural Wood, then New Wood, both by Vallejo, then let it dry, then gave it a thin coat of gloss varnish, tinted with clear orange.
The grain is vastly overscale - it's plywood, not walnut burr!, but I'm pretty happy with that. I'll let it really dry off, before deciding whether to give it another varnish coat, or add the decals as is.
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

Going well Dave. The ply colour and effect is excellent.

 

[Dave Ward]

All coming together nicely...................................


Detail painting, adding the machine guns, then the fun part - adding the wings! Not that difficult - it's only a single bay biplane with 'V' struts - practically makes itself!
I did once attempt this:

I made about 75% of it, and the struts finally defeated me! It got trampled in a fit of rage - possibly the only model I've actually done that to!
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

Looking great Dave, the transfers really bring it alive. That Russian job looks like a kit you would get given as a punishmen. So many struts, and all vaguely located I bet!

 

[Allen Dewire]

Trampled in a fit of rage??? Wow Dave, I didn't think you would do such a thing being a Gloucestershireman and all...

The woodgrain in the last 2 pics with the decals looks utterly fantastic. Nice work Sir!!!

Prost
Allen