Tiger2

Hi Troy, Many thanks for your feedback, I've seen this site and downloaded the pdf but alas, the email contact is no longer valid! I am waiting to see if they know of his whereabouts! Cheers, Paul

Thanks fellas, I've just been over onto Des's site and it just so happens that a group build is in full swing with the Koster 1/48th Hannover and it must be said it looks awesome! A very complete little beauty with pretty much everything in the bag, might just have to try and track one down!

Hi all, I've seen a couple of finished pics recently of the Siemens Schuckert and a Hannover that Koster Aero Enterprises produced a few years ago. They look to be nice models and as far as I can find out, they are vac forms with white metal detail bits, something I've not tried before but an area of the hobby I have a curiosity to try. Has anyone here built one and if so, was it a good or bad experience? More to the point, if they are worth a pop does anyone know if they are still available? I saw a Sopwith Triplane by Koster on ebay recently so I know they are around, just wanted to gather some thoughts before going any further! I'll post this on Des's site as well for good measure.

Yup, that's the one, typing never my strong point! I'm must finish rigging my SE5a and start the LVG in the kit draw before I buy anything new but somehow I think this one will be a bit special.

The DV11 is now in the release page for 2012, it's been a long time coming but if the recent FE2b and Rumpler is anything to go by it should be a little cracker!

You sir are are lucky chap! Any chance of some pic with the lids off? There's a nice build in the customers models section on the Wnut site of the Fe2, the rigging looks insane! Do you mind me asking if you escaped the Customs and post handling monsters?

Congrats on your purchase, I have the SE5a and LVG and they are quite simply the best WW1 kits I have ever experienced! I didn't realise Hannants were importing the range now, I got mine through a friend who went to New Zealand for a holiday, I'm trying to convince him to go again! The prices on the Hannants site are quite a bit more than those that WNW are charging, the Albatros is about £38 free postage, Hannants is £20 more, although you then have to run the risk of the import and post office fees which probably rounds it up. Do Hannants charge postage? Good luck with your Albatros, I'm waiting for the Sopwith Tripe and DH2!

They're up folks, the Rumpler and Fe2b, late and early versions of both, that's put my list for Santa right out of budget!

Looks all very promising, much better surface detail than their SSW D111. Not sure if Wingnut are thinking of doing a Triplane, a few folks thought the Pup had been designed to cater for Tripe parts but I think this certainly looks a good bit of competition for them! Where's the best place to get one? They're up on ebay already but no UK sellers yet and I'm worried about the import tax trap! Watch out for Des's full build review on his glorious site!

A beautiful bit of work! I saw the Roden 1/32 version recently which is quite small as kits go, the D111 must be tiny in 1/72 scale, a photo etched cockpit must have been a delicate operation! I have the old Toko Pfaltz DX11 somewhere, might have to dig it out.

Hi Folks, Years ago I built the Dalek from this company, a fine model I seem to remember despite being quite a challenge to put together! For some reason it got trashed during an argument with an air rifle and I never replaced it. I never managed to get hold of the other kits in the range (I recall a Cyberman and a pretty cool Davros kit) and suffering from a sudden 'nostalgia trip' as we modelers do due to seeing some glorious old episodes featuring the Cybermen, Ice Warriors etc... just wondered if anyone here ever built them and had some photos or even better, still had them hidden in the loft somewhere and might be thinking of selling them.

Stunning work again, you've knocked the ball right out of the park on this one! Your Voss figure and Albatros were top notch but this one ticks all the boxes as well! Love your subtle weathering, the casual pilot and the base, where do you get those scale tree leaves, they really add a nice touch to the ground work. Are the markings in the kit or extras? Regards, Paul

Many thanks for taking the time to dig out your build shots! They show the amount of wonderful detail you managed to achieve on this kit, very inspiring. I now need to make my mind up which way to go - hunt down a Roden D111 on the net or order the new DV from WNW. I must say from an aesthetic point of view I have always preferred the shape of the D111's fuselage over the DV, however, if you need to buy aftermarket stuff to bring the kit kit up to scratch, logic dictates go for the WNW kit which is ready to go out of box. Can anyone who has experience of both kits chime in with some opinions and advice here? Thanks again for your stunning pics Larsa!

A beautiful diorama, I love seeing these kits in some kind of setting, it breathes a whole new sense of life and scale into the kit. The Voss figure looks superb and the likeness is very good when compared to photos of the man. I missed getting the Roden D111 when it first appeared and your stunning build has fired my interest once more. I guess it's still available? You mention the after market decals, what else did you add? I notice you've moved the central radiator and have added etched gun jackets so there must be a brass update set going on in there somewhere! Please tell all! Excellent paint work on the fabric and ribs showing through, along with your woodwork on the fuselage. Lovely work all round. Any more info on your build and how you rate the kit in the shadow of the awesome new WNW DV's would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Bob, Big thanks again, between you and Des I have learned more in two days than I have in 20 years! So glad I joined this forum! Thanks for the info on the drills. Again, so useful, often it's just not knowing where to look. The diagrams on your site are just what I needed and your Pfalz D111 looks awesome!! I will be back to order some bits and pieces once I get my head round it all! All the best, Paul

Brilliant tip Bob, I'll experiment with this and see what happens! The other Wingnut kit I have hidden away is the LVG. As far as I understand this a turnbuckle and cable job, not flat wires, and so I will probably be calling on you for some of your lovely turnbuckles and any more advice you can throw my way to sort that one out! The Wingnut kits have rigging location holes already placed in the moldings, but they might need to be made deeper for your turnbuckles. What do you use for drilling fine holes when they are not there? Onwards and upwards and thanks guys for all your help, Paul

Hi there, Thanks for all your replies, I was beginning to give up hope on this one! Trubbie, I have been in contact with Radu and am in the process of checking my references for the SE5a before making an order. It seems to be a combination of 2BA and 4BA RAF wires throughout the wings, undercarriage and tail bracing, with round section wires for all control surfaces. Just got to work out how many lengths and terminals are required and we're there. Then I can start building the thing! Best regards to all, Paul

Truly masterful, a wonderful build of a fabulous aircraft, I think the thing you manage to achieve with all your kits is a superb sense of realism within the scale you are working at. In other words, they don't look like models, it's as though you have taken a picture of a full size F2B and shrunk it down! Like the guy said before me, where do we lesser mortals go from here?!! Can't wait to see what you do with the new Roden Siemens D111. What's the lozenge like in it? I'd still be really grateful if you could post some shots of your Roden SE5a! Regards, Paul

Well folks, my Christmas stocking had both the Wingnut SE5a and LVG bulging out of the top so boy, did Santa get it right for me this year! Regarding the quality of these products, I can only add my complements to what's already been said on numerous forums and build articles. These are simply beautiful models, end of story. OK, big please, now I need some of the expertise from all you bi plane buffs regarding rigging. My main scale of choice is 1/72 and 1/48th so up until now I've always rigged kits with sprue or surgical wire. Now I've stepped up to 1/32 and seen what beeza has been doing with his phenomenal Bristol Fighter build I know I need to elevate the detail level some what! I have read about the new photo etched RAF wires and fittings available for this scale, has anyone tried these things out yet? Most of the rigging on SE5's and other British biplanes seems to be of the 'flat' type, apart from control wires, so is the etched stuff the way to go, and if so which width? Or do I just go with mono fillament all over? I've always seen the rigging on a bi plane kit as the icing on the cake, the 'make or break" part of the build, what's the Britmodeller top tip? (and not being greedy but while I'm here, any tips for the LVG would be cool too!) All the best and happy new year, Paul

Hi Des, Sorry for the delay in replying, still working like a maniac here in the UK and simply no time to stop. This is the last day of work before Christmas though and then it's holiday time. Anyway, what can I say, your LVG looks awesome and I'm itching to get into mine. I didn't realise until now that yours were the gifted hands responsible for working the magic on the Roden DH2. Stunning. I have just finished building the old Blue Max 1/48th DH2 which was like pulling teeth! Still playing with the rigging... Am I pushing my luck to ask to see a few pics of your Roden SE5? It is amazing to think that WW1 modelers suddenly have subjects like this available and in such a 'detail friendly' scale. 10 years ago if someone had told you there was an injection molded 1/32 Gotha G1V, an FE2b or an RE8 coming out you would have assumed they had been sniffing the liquid cement just too long. Now it's all an incredible reality. Here's to a new year full of amazing bi planes! Cheers and a very happy Christmas to all, Paul

H Des, Just read your builds on the Junkers and the Bristol so far, fantastic work, you have a real talent there for the WW1 subject matter. At the start of your Bristol article you mention that this is your 3rd WNW kit, did you document the 2nd and if so what was it? If I'm a good boy I'm getting the SE5a and LVG for Christmas. I'd love to see what you achieved with either of these beauties! Keep up the truly inspiring work!!

Hi Des, thanks for that - it's the LVG which beckons the most, a 1/32 LVG with full lozenge in the box, it's a thing of beauty it must be said! He should be able to get one of those in a bag somewhere. Problem is the rest of the range is likely to be available this side of Christmas.. the Albatross.... the FE2b....the Fokker...THE GOTHA!! Now is not a good time to be in a recession when so much money needs spending!

Hi all, Many thanks for all your responses, so glad I was recommended this site for friendly advice! I'll try and keep you posted as to how the build goes.

Hi there folks, Can you please let me know the dimensions of the SE5 box, and anyone who has the LVG how large the box is on that baby too - a good friend of mine is going out to New Zealand forChristmas and I need to know how many of these gems he can get in a suit case!!

Hi all, my first posting here so be gentle with me! I'm just about to embark on a Gotha GV build. I've got the 'Part' etched set on standby and some superb night lozenge decals from Americal Gryphon, plus a good spread of reference including some great cockpit shots but try as I might I can't find a decent pic to confirm that the GV had the passage way between the pilot and rear gunner closed off due to the fuel tanks being moved there. Both the Roden kit and the etched set feature this passage way which was certainly a feature of the early Gotha's up to the G1V and yet my text references maintain it was closed off! I would be very grateful if anyone out there can post up an image if they have one or recommend another reference. Many thanks!