DaddyO

I'll second the DR1 suggestion (The Eduard one was my first build in over 40 years) I'd also suggest the Eduard Nieuport 17/21/23 (all basically the same aircraft with minor changes) It's a well engineered kit that goes together well with colourful and simple paint schemes (It was my second and third models) The cabane struts are quite delicate, but everything fits together well and rigging is about as easy as you can get on a biplane that has rigging 😉 You can also pick up a dual combo box cheaply which means you'll have a spare sets of pieces if anything goes wrong. Personally I'd steer clear of the old Airfix kits (which can be built up really nicely, but show their age) Roden kits are nice, but to get the best you'll need to spend a bit of time with them. Choroszy are an adventure in resin. Most of the KP kits aren't great if I'm honest, but look good if you are prepared to ignore the detail parts and spend a lot of time on them. (I've made the Swallow, DH5 and a couple of others) The KP one that might suit you is the Roland DII; it's not a great kit by any means, but both wings attach to the fuselage rather than use cabane struts so setting up the wings is easier and it has simple paint schemes. It's also cheap enough, but the decals in mine were crap 😔 (I ended up scrapping the work I'd done and built the Pegasus version of the same aircraft instead) I'm usually on the WW1 SIG display at model shows if you manage to visit any - feel free to come over and say hi Paul

Nice start Pete and not much rigging to sort out on this one.😉 Paul

Lovely model choice and a great display idea.👍 Funnily enough I'm currently reading about these postwar experimental aircraft and their pilots. They were real rock stars of the day with news of various achievements and records making the headlines and powering a host of schoolboy dreams of flight. What surprised was how poorly they were paid generally for such dangerous work and the lack of response to genuine concerns that were often raised about an aircraft's aerodynamic or ergonomic shortcomings. Britain's aircraft industry still being on a war footing and showing off the newest designs to sell to the rest of the world was more important than safety in a lot of cases. Aircraft often being displayed before they were fully safe and proven. The beautiful but deadly DH108 being a prime example (All three prototypes were lost in fatal crashes) Not meant to be a party pooper, but interested in these early jet designs and their development. Doesn't stop me admiring a beautiful model of a lovely looking aircraft 😉 Look forward to seeing more progress Paul

Nice - I'll try that mix the next time I spray something. I'll admit I usually am happy to get a smooth layer down and am not looking for an award winning finish. I usually thin with distilled water and add a few drops of 'flow improver' and see what happens when I start spraying 😉 Paul

Stunning work Joachim I've a soft spot for these early types (especially in 'Gentleman's Scale') Congrats Paul

Hi Pete That makes sense. Jigs are home brewed.😃 I just make one up to suit the model I'm currently working on. Couple of photocopies of plans and 5 mm thick foam board offcuts (I make individual boxes from the same material for transporting to shows so there's always a few bits laying around, but it's cheap enough to buy anyway) For aircraft like the Nieuport 17/23 or SPAD I've kept hold of it and used a few times for successive models, but for odder models (like the DH5) I ain't going to build another any time soon so I just chuck away after use to save on storage. Must get around to the EV at some point, but trying to balance the sides by making a few more allied types at the moment 😉 Paul

FWIW i only build 72nd WW1 types and it's almost always easier to make up and complete (including decals) the main components before final assembly. Various suppliers make suitable decals if you struggle with the Roden ones (Type in 'Lozenge' on Hannants to see a range). You've not mentioned PVA for attaching the struts which is an option since it won't affect the decals and dries clear and slowly enough to move pieces about. In all honesty I wouldn't dream of trying to assemble the wings/struts without some form of jig to hold the pieces in the correct position - you'll find it so much easier. It can be as simple as a bottles and blue tac affair or you can use lego bricks. Personally I make one up for each model using a few scraps of foam board with photo copies of plans on them cut to allow the wings to slot into position. Here's the one I used on the Sopwith Swallow which has a similar kind of layout and the more complex DeHavilland DH5. Using a jig means you'll be able to use superglue and if preferred 😉 Cheers Paul

Happy to add my name to the list since this is pretty much what I always build 😁

Nice one 👍

Happy to throw my hat into the ring with this one. Got several of the D types on the shelf although I'm drawn towards one of the two seaters personally I don't need much excuse to add another Albatros single seater to the shelf (Maybe a pair of early ones . . . )🤔 Paul

Cheers Pete 😁 It's a mix of Vallejo Pale grey and Vallejo air aluminium for the 'solid' areas and the same mix with a touch of black for the fabric areas (There's a noticeable tone difference in photos) This one has a cut down cowl displaying a Small Parts engine and bits of the PART etched set added as well as sanded brass for the UC legs and a hand carved wooden prop. Rigging is 1lb monofilament Paul

Coming along nicely. Just finished the DIII version by Roden myself and although I made various mods to mine the basic kit is sound (as are most of Roden's offerings). I understand that the wing shedding on Albies and others was due to wing flutter which was little understood at the time and difficult to replicate during tests. Significant, to me at least, was that various highly skilled pilots stuck with the Bavarian company's offerings even when Albatros' were available (Berthold springs to mind immediately) I suspect it was a harder machine to get the best of (I've read various pilots talking about heavy controls and difficult handling at the limit) For me personally I think it's a better looking aircraft than most of its contemporaries and wings that stayed firmly attached would have been reassuring 👍 Paul

Pre-ordered this because I've seen William's work elsewhere (eek! you mean he visits other forums!?!?) It arrived earlier this week and I've been reading it ever since. Even if you are not remotely interested in building 1/144th scale models to his insanely high standard there will be something in this book that makes your modelling better or easier. There are a couple of modelling volumes that I refer back to regularly and this one just joined that elite club - brilliant. Do yourself and your modelling a favour rush out and beg, borrow or buy a copy immediately - It really is that good. Congrats to all involved 😁 Paul

Depends on the scale you are working in - presumably 1/72? I've only ever made mine from filed brass rod or sometimes soldering a brass strip to the back of a thin brass wire. Easy enough to do if you are patient and just work on a few inches at a time. to shape solid brass wire use some double sided tape on the workbench, add a piece of 1mm brass wire and sand a flat. Peel it off and repeat on the opposite side (easier than the first side to do because the flat stops it rolling) Keep repeating until you have made it thin enough and then clip off slightly over length and shape the ends. As an alternative you can superglue plastic strip to thin wire and then shape to suit with a file or sanding stick Here are a couple I've done First up undercarriage for a 1/72 Fokker Eindekker from soldered brass wire with the 'section' added in plastic (before final shaping) Next a 1/72 Floh with struts filed from brass rod as described Final one is a set of struts for DeHavilland DH5 made from brass wire soldered to brass strip (after painting) I've also seen bamboo used very effectively because it can be split into sections to save sanding time Hope that helps Paul

For what its worth I'll agree with the above - tweezers can be 'exciting'. Being a cheapskate I normally use a bit of white-tac or similar on the end of a cocktail stick as a pick up stick (or a bit of saliva on the end of a cocktail stick for really tiny pieces) Often the tiddlers are not worth the effort and are better represented with stretched sprue or paint (I've got a PART set for an Albatros I think in 1/72 where the compass is made up of a stack of circular PE )🤪 Don't feel you have to use supergue which is a pain in itself. White glue (PVA) works well or even varnish depending on the location (I'd use glue in high handling areas such as the side of a fuselage where it might be picked up several times during construction) Obviously for belts and the like anneal the part with heat to make it easier to conform naturally (I use a lighter; heat till red and then quench by plunging in water) Don't fret it if it disappears or you decide not to use it after I won't tell if you don't 😉 Paul