1/32 Wingnut Wings Albatros D.Va of Helmut Dilthey

[Beardie]

Hi all,

 

Here is my latest model. Ever since I saw a build of the Eduard 1/48 Albatros D.Va in the markings of Helmut Dilthey of Saxon Jasta 40. The green and white colours of Saxony just cried out to be done. Anyway here is the fruits of my labours. Not the best work I have ever done but, as ever, the kit was a delight. The only point that bit me was that the lower wings being separate there is scope for misalignment........ Yup, when I put the top wing on I realised that one of my lower wings was out of line. With a brave wrench I tore the misaligned wing off and re-set it to line up properly with the upper wing. On my next build of a Wingnut Wings Albatros I will be leaving the lower wings unglued until I have mounted the upper wing onto the cabane struts. Apart from this pitfall everything else went as smoothly as these kits are known for. I didn't employ any turnbuckles on this one, just EZline with a little metallic paint to simulate the turnbuckles. I have tried to adjust the colour in the pics to show the correct green but they don't really do it justice. Just think a nice electric apple or grass green.

 

Well I hope you enjoy the images of the model

 

 

[JohnT]

Very nice Marty.

Something very WW1 Teutonic about the Albi's I always think.  Nice scheme and build Sir

[Beardie]

Thanks John,

 

Yup the Albatros is a very Teutonic Knightly mount isn't it. You can almost imagine a pennanted lance sticking out of the cockpit

[thorfinn]

Another beauty! I've never seen the color behind the wing crosses like that; quite a striking effect!

Much as I lament your problems with the lower wing alignment, it's a most useful forewarning; have the same kit waiting, to be done up as von Schleich's 'Bavarian Lion.'

Thanks for sharing.

[Beardie]

Hey you are welcome, I should have done some investigating before I tore into it myself. I gather I am not the first to have come across this difficulty. Apart from that I found there is nothing really to trip anyone up with this kit except one of the engine bearer frame pieces which has a little hook at the top on each side, I didn't realise what that was for until things came together. It is a clever method of giving extra help in locating the forward end of the cabane struts if you choose not to attach the engine cowling and, as such, care needs to be taken to make sure the bearers are properly assembled. A very nice kit of a smashing little aircraft.

 

I suspect that the colour behind the crosses was unique to this one machine. It is clearly visible in the only picture I have seen of this machine (It is in the gallery of Albatri photos on the Wingnut Wings page for the Albatros D.Va). I had to butcher some balkenKreuzen for the top wings as well as the white outlining is a lot thinner than most and I suspect that, even with the leeway German pilots had to decorate their machines, this one might have upset the Luftstreitkrafte in regard of it's recognition insignia.

 

The biggest headache of all for me wais the lozenge and rib tapes that stuff drives me mad but is essential for these birds. I am taking a break from lozenge covered beasties for a wee while now, moving on to having a bash at an F.2b next

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

The D.5 has been a favorite of mine and the colors make this one stick out in a crowd.  thumbs up on the great work

[Martin Ford]

Beautiful work Beardie. Very eye catching colours. 

Love the propeller, it's looks fantastic.

You certainly have a flair for these beauties. 

All the best, Martin

[Beardie]

Thanks all for the comments. I do have a soft spot for all the Albatros scouts and the Green/White scheme just really took my fancy. It reminds me of a football scarf.

[Gerrardandrews]

superbly made,😊

[huvut76g7gbbui7]

Very nice Marty.

Looking at the lozenge on the wings made me realise that we seem to have come full circle with the current 'digital' camo

[Viking]

That a little beauty Marty, it typical full glorious technicolor so beloved of the Albatros Jasta's! The rigging look great too.

 

I was warned some time ago of the lower wing wing dihederal problem by Leutnant Von Jonners of these forums. I gently make a cut half way through the topside of the 'stub' on the wing that fits into the fuselage, bend it up a couple of degrees and flood it with liquid cement.  It seems to solve the problem.

 

I know what you mean about needing a break from lozenging & rib tapes!

 

Cheers

 

John

[Beardie]

Thanks John, The next lozenge job I am planning to tackle is a D.VII in the scheme of Bruno Loerzer so the lozenge and tapes are pre-made and I only need the lower surface of the upper wing and the upper surface of the lower wing. Never tried this type of lozenge decal before so hopefully all will go well. Before then though I am doing a nice, plain PC10 F.2b.

 

I didn't have a problem with the dihedral as such on the Albatros. The lower wings were very tight into the fuselage and so I shaved the 'spar', but only the sides and top, I didn't touch the underside as it appears to be meant to be flush with the undersurface of the wing and I am guessing that this gave enough play in the wing to get the correct dihedral.  The problem with mine was that, when I glued them in place, I had managed to glue one in with a slight backward slant so the strut tops were a mil or two behind their locating holes were in the upper wing. Breaking the offending wing loose and reglueing solve the problem.

[Epeeman]

Hello, Beardie -

 

Beautiful colourful bird you have built there, mate - well done sir!

 

I'm glad to read that I am not the only one who makes mistakes during a build - I seem to be going through a really bad phase of model building recently having to trash some builds altogether this year .................

 

What's going to be your next project?

 

Regards

 

Dave

[Beardie]

Hi Dave thanks for your comments, I have now started initial work on a Wingnut Wings Bristol F.2b. With it's unusual wing set-up this should be an 'interesting' build for me. I have built two of the 1/48 Eduard Bristols in the past so hopefully I will be able to pull it together. I'm not taking anything for granted though. The Albatros taught me that you have to look out for possible pitfalls even in a Wingnut Wings kit. I was getting too used to trusting that everything would just fall perfectly into place.....lesson learned

[spaddad]

tasty Marty, very tasty

[pheonix]

The dayglo green is a bit of a strain on the eye but it is very striking nonetheless. The overall finish is superb: rigging, lozenge, everything in fact. I would never have known that you had problems with the model if you had not mentioned them.

 

P

[Brandy]

Lovely result, problems or not, and certainly colourful!

 

Ian

[Beardie]

Thanks for the comments. It certainly is an eyecatching scheme. I tried to get as close to the colours of the flag of Saxony which is a bright grass green and white. The green is Humbrol 131 enamel although this may not be quite the same shade as the current 131 as it is a pretty old tin, white lid with a green circular label stating 131 satin green.

[kiwitrogg]

Nice one Beardie

Crikey........if that's camouflage then I'd love to see the terrain it's flying over !  Was it protecting a German Bassets Liquorice Allsorts factory I wonder !

Seriously though, lovely work. I'm trudging through my third and what was planned to be my last WnW build right now but you're making me think that I should stretch to at least another one....something a bit more colourful.

Cheers

Gaz

[DaveyGair]

Mmmmm.... 'not your best' certainly betters my best, looks really neatly done. Have yet to start a Wingnuts kit, clearing the bench of a couple of projects before I give the Fokker D VII a go (next to no rigging!). 

 

man!

 

Davey.

[Buzby061]

Beautifully done, a very striking scheme.

 

Finally bit the bullet & got a WNW kit, a Sopwith Snipe. I've not seen a duff one on here, but there's always a first time!

 

Pete

[Beardie]

Thanks all. they are lovely kits although I do now recommend checking online for builds to watch out for whatever slight pitfalls there may be.

 

The Snipe is a cracking kit, and one that I suspect will be 'Sold Out' in the not too distant future (Early model at least). The only thing I found to watch out for with it was that the lower part of the cockpit frame is meant to be exposed slightly between the wings and fuselage sides so at least the root of the upper wings should be painted prior to assembly and the lower part of the outside of the cockpit framing should be painted up. I didn't realise this myself until it was too late on my first one meaning some careful work with fine brushes to rectify the situation.