couple of WWI German AC questions

[upnorth]

Hello all:

I've decided to embark on my very first WWI aircraft after 20+ years building mostly post WWII stuff.

I've got the Smer reissue of the Eduard 1/72 Dr.1 started and I have a couple of questions about German aircraft in general.

First, was there any variance to how the lap belts ran on the seat? Most models I've seen show the lap belts coming up and over the side walls of the seat. However, I've seen pictures of cockpits of restored or replica Dr.1s that show slots cut in the seat side walls and the lap belts fed through those slots. Which arrangement is more accurate to an actual war time era aircraft?

Second, I'm modeling a Dr.1 flown by Paul Baumer. The decals in my kit show the national insignia as the traditional iron cross with flared ends on the arms, but the profiles and photos of finished models of his aircraft that I can find on the net all show it to have the straight armed Balkenkruz insignia. How do I know which is right?

Last, are there any online tutorials for doing that streaky German camoflage?

Thanks in advance for any help

[Bobs_Buckles]

Hello,

Go with the flared crosses.

Flared crosses were made straight around the same time the RFC became the RAF (April 1918) Baumer scored most of, if not all of his kills [40] before this date. He didn't do much flying after May due to injury.

The lap belts were attached to the framing that held the seat. No slit in the sidewall.

Use oils over a base coat of Clear Doped linen for your streaky finish.

Good luck.

Bob

Hello all:

I've decided to embark on my very first WWI aircraft after 20+ years building mostly post WWII stuff.

I've got the Smer reissue of the Eduard 1/72 Dr.1 started and I have a couple of questions about German aircraft in general.

First, was there any variance to how the lap belts ran on the seat? Most models I've seen show the lap belts coming up and over the side walls of the seat. However, I've seen pictures of cockpits of restored or replica Dr.1s that show slots cut in the seat side walls and the lap belts fed through those slots. Which arrangement is more accurate to an actual war time era aircraft?

Second, I'm modeling a Dr.1 flown by Paul Baumer. The decals in my kit show the national insignia as the traditional iron cross with flared ends on the arms, but the profiles and photos of finished models of his aircraft that I can find on the net all show it to have the straight armed Balkenkruz insignia. How do I know which is right?

Last, are there any online tutorials for doing that streaky German camoflage?

Thanks in advance for any help

[upnorth]

Thanks for the reply Bob.

Another question about the seat belts came to mind:

As I have the Smer reissue of the Eduard kit, I am left to my own for seat belts. I just came back from my LHS and decided the Eduard WWI German seat belt PE set was too pricey for just belts.

I've heard of various materials for making belts; tape, foil or paper seem to be the most popular. Which would have the best scale effect in 1/72?

On the other hand, Am I assuming correctly that the belts could be removed in their entirety for maintenance or replacement and therefor an aircraft with no belts could be just as accurate as one with them?

Also, with the steaky finish, what is the main colour in it? I've seen some that look decidedly brown, others closer to the dark green spectrum and yet others seem to be a totally indecipherable mix of both. Is it one colour or two? If two was there a rule for which went down first?

Thanks again for the help.

[Bobs_Buckles]

Thanks for the reply Bob.

Another question about the seat belts came to mind:

As I have the Smer reissue of the Eduard kit, I am left to my own for seat belts. I just came back from my LHS and decided the Eduard WWI German seat belt PE set was too pricey for just belts.

I've heard of various materials for making belts; tape, foil or paper seem to be the most popular. Which would have the best scale effect in 1/72?

On the other hand, Am I assuming correctly that the belts could be removed in their entirety for maintenance or replacement and therefor an aircraft with no belts could be just as accurate as one with them?

Also, with the steaky finish, what is the main colour in it? I've seen some that look decidedly brown, others closer to the dark green spectrum and yet others seem to be a totally indecipherable mix of both. Is it one colour or two? If two was there a rule for which went down first?

Thanks again for the help.

Hello,

Not sure about the seat belts as I don't build in 1/72. If I had to, I would go with foil from the top of a wine bottle.

Belts in or belts out? You decide, there are no rules. If it's me, belts in.

streaky finish. Do your base coat first. Clear doped linen or on some DR 1's the top surface was painted the same blue as the under surface and then streaked.

For Baumer I would go with Clear dope first. For the streaking I use Winsor & Newton oils. Raw Sienna and Burnt Umber are mixed into a rich brown. Get a flat head brush (small for that scale) and load with paint. Brush most of the paint off on scrap plastic before you streak the model. Use reference pictures to get the desired effect.

Good luck.

Bob