Rowan Broadbent

Hello Bertrand, a long time since I've heard from you. The D.VII looks really beautiful, congratulations! Are you a member of the WWI Aircraft Modelling website? http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/ They would welcome seeing this superb model and have a growing number of French modellers. If you are still a member of Le Korrigan Maquettes Club say bonjour for me at the next meeting. Rowan

Jack, I think the "researcher" you might be referring to was the late Rodney Gerrard, who shamelessly invented "reports" from a fictional British Army officer or officers on camouflage and marking colours and also faked "samples" painted onto fabric which purported to be from actual aircraft. Before his deception was uncovered many of these colours had been published and entered the record, many of which are still circulating as "true colours", despite repeated attempts to correct them. This case is somewhat different but it also shows the resilience of an inaccurate colour, once it enters the record through a reputable source. I'm afraid to say that I suspect that the MisterKit shade in your post comes from this same "30C6" source as outlined in my last post and was no doubt prepared in all good faith. The root problem, I thinkl, is that modellers, most of whom have an interest in building accurate representations, are understandably very keen to pin down "exact colours", so that their hard work is not wasted on an inaccurate result. Sadly this, quite legitimate, concern causes them to latch onto any colour reference which is apparently legitimate and to be very reluctant to budge from it thereafter. For WWI colours in particular it is right to be, shall we say, wary of those few who peddle certainties without "showing their working". I am pleased to say that a legitimately cautious approach seems to be gaining ground. If you read the Wingnut Wings booklets, you will find that they are themselves generally cautious on the subject of colours and Ray Rimell in Windsock Magazine continually urges such circumspection.

Roberto, just a quick word on the reported 30C6 colour for A-H Fokker Eindeckers. This match was originally put forward by the late Dr Martin O'Connor in his excellent book Air Aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 1914-1918. Dr O'Connor spent a great deal of time and not a little money researching this subject, including interviewing a number of the then-surviving Austro-Hungarian pilots. One of these was Gottfried Banfield, who agreed to an interview in the morning, followed by a meal in a Trieste restaurant at Dr O'Connors expense. The interview was apparently coming to a close when the good doctor produced the Methuen book of colour and asked Banfield (by all accounts an irascible old gent) to point to the closest approximation to the colour of his Naval Fokker E.III. Now bear in mind that this interview took place in the early to mid nineteen eighties, more than sixty years from when he had last seen the aeroplane and also that Banfield is reported to have said later to another researcher that he was fed up with answering interminable questions, hungry and looking forward to his lunch so he just pointed to any colour in the book and stuck to it in order to get things moving lunchwards! It is a good story and has the ring of truth - particularly as the colour is so unexpected - given other possible E.III finishes. Note that this was a Navy aircraft, not one of the Army machines flown on the Isonzo Front. I'd be inclined to go with a "Fokker Beige" or "Fokker Grey" colour for those, WNW suggest Humbrol 83 for the beige and Tamiya XF22 (sorry, no Humbrol match given) for the grey. In the book you mention, on page 398, I'd suggest that the top example (03.43) is wearing the grey colour and the next photograph of 03.47 seems to show a beige colour and the third photo apparently has both colours in the line up: 03.42 and 03.41 look grey and the other two beige! Just to compound things, the final photo on that page shows a dark fuselage and transparent clear doped wings........ Incidentally, Wingnut Wings interpretation of the A-H Navy green, as listed in the instruction booklet for their Fokker E.III Late is Tamiya Deep Green XF67 - nothing like 30C6 - and I have great respect for their research and most of their colour choices. Ah, the joys of WWI colour interpretation!

From the "Color Section" (sic) of French Aircraft of the First World War by James Davilla and Arthur Soltan (Colour artwork by James Durkota - so I think the referrences are his): Roundel Red 10C-D8 Roundel Blue 22-23D4, 23C-D8 (pedants should note the colour range!) CDLinen 2-3A3-4, 3B7, 4A3, 4C3 Camo colours: Chesnut Brown 6F 5-7 Dark Green 29F3-6 Light Green 30D-E4-6 Beige 4-5D-E6 Ecru (underside) 4-5C-D3-4 The equivalent Pantone references were also quoted and these are what I used in our artwork for the recent decal sets for the Wingnut Wings Salmson kit (reviewed here by John Stokes: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234966515-salmson-2a2-132-pheon-decals/ ). If you don't have the Wingnut kit, then the instruction booklet can be unloaded from their website which quotes some very good Tamiya paint refs which I think are a very good attempt at matching the dope (with aluminum pigment added) and enamel paints: http://www.wingnutwings.com/ww/product?productid=3085 Hope that helps a bit. Rowan http://www.pheondecals.com/

A great model, Graham and I love the re-interpretation of the colours, excellent deduction and perfectly valid reasoning. I do so love seeing our decals used! Sabine will reply to your email very soon, All the very best, Rowan

Just bliddy marvelous, Jonners, lovely paintwork and marking scheme. You really are turning out some cracking models. Great job on that challenging and much fondled kit. Red cross parcel on its way next week. Cheers, mate. R

Nice little resume of the parts sprues but you forgot to mention the dH monogram on the wheel hubs - I kid not! Same attention to ease of construction as the Glad and the Swordfish, should be a dodddle to build. Lovely little kit and sooo many possibilities for pretty civvy markings........ Whose got a favourite?

Thanks for all the great comments, chaps! Well, off to the UK tomorrow morning at the crack of the sparrow's fart. The Pup didn't make it (just not enough time to finish it), the Pfalz is unrigged (top wing left off so we can do that on return), Mimmi is also short of even her control rigging and the fuselage decals are glossy ( ran out of varnish...) but I hope that they show off the stickers well enough. I'm delighted with the Pfalz Jasta 30 set and with Mimmi decals as everything fits prety much as it should (always my biggest fear!) More and better pics when we get back and really sorry for the flash lighting etc but at least this gives some idea: Hope to see lots of you at the show!

Clive Cussler.... did he wrote about the World War Oneity? I no know who he. The Pup nose panels were Alclad aluminium - original shade. all metal panels rubbed with graphite, brings out the detail. Monosoupape engine is Vector's lovely resin job and the cowling is from Brian Fawcett. Just twigged that I missed the aileron control wires on the Jasta 18 jobbie... bloody cameras. How's the window and nose? Lucky escape, old thing. Thank heavens for blinds, they not just to peak through (peaky Blinders... geddit??)

Thanks for all the nice comments, chaps! Here are some more pics of where we stand today ( taken outside but some are a bit dark and they continue to uphold my trademark poor-quality photos - helps cover up the myriad building and finishing mistakes...) The Jasta 18 D.VII - now done, although I notice I have a rigging wire adrift on the tail...... showing off the Aviattic lozenge under the wings: Here's the Jasta 30 Pfalz - coming on OK. I had to go with the Tamiya mix suggested by WNW as The Aviattic paint has'nt arrived as yet and time presses on. It's a bit too bright - like RAF inter-war aluminium. The newly arrived decals from 32026 have gone on a treat - just as well... : and here's the state of play with Mimmi; again Aviattic loz (with loz tapes this time) and decals from our new D.VIIF set 32047 . Note the seat has come adrift during this mornings attempt to get the seat belts into place. I HATE etched brass for seatbelts; I forgot to anneal them before painting as well - idiot! so they sprung around and resisted staying in place while the super glue made up its mind if it would stick or not. I also hate superbloodyglue.... And bringing up the rear, the Mono engined Pup: particularly chuffed with the South Wales Borderer's badge. Decals from set 32013 Sopwith Pups of the RFC: More as things get done - will try to take better photos.....

On the build-up to our attendance at Telford next month, I thought that it was about time that I flung together a model or three to show off our stickers (and Aviattic's lozenge decals and Pfalz silbergrau paint) at the show and to accompany Jonner's super Hannover. Now if, Mike or Moderateurs, you think this is too overtly commercial (I am a modeller too, though!) then feel free to shift it to the Pheon shop section. Planned are the following - all 32nd scale from Wingnut Wings: Albatros-built Fokker D.VII from Jasta 18 (Ltn. Hans Müller's markings) from 32045. Wilhelm Hippert's, Jasta 74 D.VIIF "Mimmi" (from 32047 the new D.VIIF set - which is released to the world today) A Pfalz D.IIIa from the latest Jasta 30 set (expected at Pheon HQ any day....) and (if time allows) Sopwith Pup B1803. 113 HD Sqn. Throwley, England. August 1917. 2/Lt.A.B.Garnons-Williams (Monosoupape 100hp engine) All pretty much straight from the box with minor mods to things like cowlings to accurately portray each one. These are "speed builds" by a barely competent jobbing modeller, so please don't be too harsh with the critiques (all welcome BTW)! I'm again knocked out by the quality of these kits; just staggering. No fit issues at all, really (including the Pup lower wing - I must have been lucky!). The D.VII is sublime - I can see why it took so long to get to release, but the presumed fiddling and fettling by Wingnuts with the moulds has paid off as, for all its complexity (quite a lot to it for a single engined fighter), it goes together like a dream. Photos will be few and of dreadful quality with some artful angles to mask as many of my screw ups as possible... I made a start a few weeks ago and the first across the line (well almost - one or two minor bits to add) is the Ferrari-red Jasta 18 beastie (I'll take a few more pics - this one is just to prove I am actually doing some modelling!!): The other three are progressing well and I'll post some more awful pics as we go. STOP PRESS the doorbell just sounded to announce the arrival of the Jasta 30 Pfalz decals - yummy - if I do say so myself!

mmmmm tasty!

Thanks very much for the additional info and the sources - really helpful. I am planning to release decals for the new 72nd Gladiator kit from Airfix (a little cracker by all accounts). If I can't run to earth "correct" colours for the Swedish versions then I could well ditch them in 72nd scale and use the space to give extended coverage of other Chinese Gladiators in the smaller scale international set. If you can help with some more specifics perhaps you might drop me an email at [email protected]? Hope to hear from you. Rowan

I guess that English isn't your first language but could you be more helpful if you are going to post such a negative comment? It may be that I have missed the colour of the Swedish national insignia by quite some margin. I'd like to know by how much so that I might have the opportunity of correcting these decals. I have never attempted Swedish markings before and I thought that I was on the right track from the limited references I had to hand. I hope that the Latvian contingent are happy with the maroon shade I used - a bit better than the usual bright red that we often see, I think. Can you supply any clear colour references that I can rely on? Not your opinion, something authoritative if possible, please. I see that "Spitfire 51" recommends decals from Rebell Hobby - I was unaware of these. If they are the right shade of blue, then best you buy them rather than my ones. They look very comprehensive if you are particularly after Swedish Gladiator markings. Flying Ccolours seem to be using two blue shades - lighter for the earlier markings, which I was aiming for as well. Is that correct? Many thanks for any positive help that can be offered by either of the posters - or anybody else, of course. Nick Millman, thanks very much for the additional very interesting information - from one of Alex Crawford's books? would be good to know the source. Any photographs available of the hand insignia? I certainly wasn't aware from the references I have. Rowan

I hope that young Jonners will excuse my interruption, but I have to say* that Academy really "didn't do a very good job"** on this one. The Fruit Bowl was a later enhancement, only seen on slatted Es from 25th September 1973. In any case, the blue/white motif was never used on production versions and the idiot designer has completely ballsed up the gentle ogival curve on the anterior surface. Why oh why can't kit manufacturers get these simple details right? I despair. And if anyone says that it looks like a fruit bowl to them and they will fit it because "it just looks cool", I shall be round directly and administer a stuffing with the rough end of a ragman's trumpet. See if I don't. *A meaningless statement. No one is actually forcing me to speak or more accurately, write this comment. **I picked up the original phrase on the interweb and I now pepper many of my highly informative and well-informed forum posts with it. Sadly the Britmodeller meddling software has converted the original into this innocuous statement. In truth, I had no idea at all as to the original phrase's meaning, So this helps greatly. May I say, though, that it looks like a pooch that has been threaded and tightened to me and also "sounds cool"......

Well spotted Dave! Sorry for missing these off the sheet - I promise that they were there but they got mislaid when I was doing the final jiggle about.... story of my life! They are currently being printed as an addition so will go out to those who've already had the set and we'll hold of on the remaining pre-orders until they get here - probably in a week or two. Apologies again! Rowan

Dix sur dix for the horny rhinoplasty! Now that looks like a Typhoon and no mistake. Damn, you're almost starting to become close to just tolerably adequate at this plastic chopping business*. but shouldn't you be welcoming home wife and daughter and butlering/catering to their jet-lagged needs??? *faintly praising, with a damn

Now that's a fine result and a great improvement! Sorry to have been the bearer of the mauvais tidings but it's just one of those things that shouted at me when I was planning my own Hasegawa Typhoon. I took/was taking the coward's route by fitting the CMK exposed engine to a car-door version before I got sidetracked back into WWI.... That set also has an engine hood (bonnet?) which is an improvement on the Hasegawa parts. Perhaps I ought to dig it out and get on with it........... Carry on, number one.

Ed, Sorry I missed this when you posted it - presumably too late to respond now but I can add to the "dislike" pile (actually I would have preferred another, stronger, category - hate and detest.....). Although I no longer model in 72nd scale, the Sunderland as a subject could have tempted me, were it not for the surface treatment, so I could legitimately be counted as a "Lost Sale".

Yes, I'm working on a number of decal sets for the D.VII at the moment and one of the first will cover two of Ernie's earlier "Los" plus Meyer's bulldog and another Jasta 4 D.VII. Lots of black and white edging decals on the computer as I type! There are many other sets to come and details of the first ones will be announced soon. I love your 48th models (actually my favourite scale.....I know, I'm a heretic!) and I'm aiming to also do more sets in 48th for the Eduard and Roden kits. Lots to do! Looking forward to seeing your D.VII take shape. Rowan

Not only a superb review, but now an excellent quality build to follow it up! Really well done, John! Rowan

Are you sure about the upper nose profile?...... Arf. Cracking work, and on the kitchen table too - Jack Nicholson couldn't have done it better..... mind you Jessica Lange is a better place to start than an FM kit!

Great work John! If you have a look at the profile you'll see that I included the spent ammo chute extension in the drawing. Glad to see I'm not the only one who uses that method of rigging. Looking forward to seeing more! Will you be using the red or just the white drop shadow for the "Mildred H" title? The more I look at the photos the more I'm convinced that there was no red.... Rowan

Hello Will, A great subject for a model - should realy be in 48th scale though..... Have you had a look at this website? http://www.airshipmodeler.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=4 Might be helpful. Sorry if it's been mentioned before - I had a quick scan through and couldn't see it.

Hello Nigel! Haven't heard from you for a long time, trust all is well! Sadly we have just learned today that Sabine has to go in for some surgery on her wrist and will be coming out of hospital on the day we were due to leave for the UK and the Hendon show, so with much regret we won't be able to get there after all... All a bit of a sod but health and nursing duties have to come first. However, the Demon decals will be available from the 20th , as planned, but they will have to be ordered from us direct - I'll post details prices etc on the Pheon Forum soon. Sorry for the brief Hi-Jack Jonners (I did clear it with him on the pheletone earlier....). Love what you're doing with John's lovely kit - carry on, dear boy!!