Viking

Fokker D.VIII - Profipack Edition (8085) Eduard 1:48 The parasol winged Fokker D.VIII was the last of this companies aircraft to enter service before the end of the Great War. Originally designated the Fokker E.V. it was an agile little machine with a parasol wing and rotary engine, much like some of the early machines from the start of the Great War. It might have had greater success, had it not suffered from poor manufacturing standards. After barely two weeks service in August 1918, The E.V. had to be withdrawn due to failures causing the wing to disintegrate in flight. Badly made wings and poor materials were found to be the main cause. Examination of several sets revealed such things as incorrect wing spars, and nails that secured the plywood skinning completely missing the ribs it was supposed to attach to. Redesigned wings were manufactured under more stringent quality control, and the aircraft resumed production with the new designation of Fokker D.VIII. Surviving E.V.s were retro fitted with the new wing, and it seems were also then referred to as D.VIII's. Re-entering service in October, it did not much have much time to prove itself before the 11th November armistice brought the conflict to a halt. The kit. Not a new kit, as It has been issued before, but it is making a welcome return. Inside the box are three plasic sprues, one etched fret of details, a sheet of pre-cut masks, two decal sheets, and a full colour instruction booklet. The cockpit is well detailed, with the typical Fokker steel tubework well represented by finely moulded frames. Smaller details such as throttle and compass are provided, with the option of using alternatives from the pre printed etched fret. The seatbelts also come from this fret, and interior lozenge is provided on the decal sheet. The fuselage halves are closed around the completed cockpit unit, and the forward coaming attached to form the basic fuselage. The Etched sheet contains the forward underside panel, which helps to enhance the look of this area. The instructions show it being fitted after the wing is on, but personally I would fit it before. The little Oberursal engine also gets enhanced with an easy to fit 'spider' of push rods, to add to the finely moulded crankcase/cylinder unit. For most finishing options it will probably be best to leave the engine & cowling off until final painting and decalling is done. Various little etched footsteps, rings, filler caps etc are offered, all of which go to enhance the final look of the model. The Spandau machine guns can be fitted as solid plastic items, or you can remove the cooling jackets and replace them with finely etched alternatives. This is always worth doing as the slotted etched versions are far superior. Two wings are provided, which at first look may seem odd. The reason is that one is provided with a perfectly smooth finish, whilst the other has a lightly 'rippled' look that D.VIII's sometimes showed. The choice of which to use is up to you. Fitting the wing requires care, but is not as difficult as it may look at first glance. After painting or decalling the fuselage, clean out the locating points for struts C2, C6, C7, C10 & the pair of C31's on both the fuselage and wings. A fine drill is best for this. Glue the forward pairs of C2+C10 and C6+C7 first, and check that they dry fit and locate correctly into the upturned wing. Let it dry overnight, and then attach the wing to the strut ends. Add the C31's at this point and leave it all to set. This whole task is easier to do with the wing and fuselage upside down. Finishing off sees the undercarriage attached, along with control horns (etched or plastic), cable exits (etched only) and struts for the tail group. Decals Five options are provided. Four of them are D.VIII.s, but I assume that the Jasta 6 example dated August 1918 is an E.V. Two decal shhets are provided, the larger of them holds all the individual aircraft markings and is sharply printed with good colours and minimal carrier film. The second sheet contains a full set of upper and lower four colour lozenge fabric, applicable to four of the five options. Lozenge colours are always controversial, and personally I think these are on the bright side. I would tone them down after application with a brown 'glaze' as was often done in real life. Tamiya X-19 'Smoke' lightly airbrushed is ideal for this. Others may prefer to replace them with their favoured aftermarket brand. The instuctions show the wings being painted in Fokker 'streaky olive drab', which may well be the case. However it is now thought likely that they were painted in brown & green on top, with blue & violet undersides. Conclusion. This is a lovely little kit, I have already built two of them from previous releases. The moulding is very fine and free of flash, and all parts fit together with precision. There are no problems with its construction, the wing strutting is actually easier to do than most biplanes and there is virtually no rigging. Eduards 1:48 First World War aircraft are the best you can get in this scale, and this one deserves a place in any collection. Recommended. Review samples courtesy of One I completed a couple of years ago from a previous release of this kit;

All internal components are now painted and instrument & placard decals applied. The etched brass seatbelts were painted on the fret and then cut off reay for application. The shoulder belts have cutouts, and fit over lugs on the back of the seat. The lap straps fit into little slots in the bulkhead, with enough length that can be bent over and secured with cyano on the back of the bulkhead. This isn't that easy to see on the instructions, but obvious if you look at the parts. The throttle cables and rudder lines are best fitted to the control column assembly while it is a separate unit. I used fishing line for the rudder cables, and fine copper wire for the throttle lines. The gun cables were started from under the gun mounts on the bulkhead, and will be attached to the triggers on the control column after all is fitted together. Main parts ready for assembly. Unit fitted together with one side panel left off for the photographs. I added a small rectangle of plasticard on the rear of the bulkhead, over the cutout for the rudder lines. I drilled two 0.3mm holes on each side of it to feed the rudder lines through and secure them with cyano. One fuselage half dry fitted. Superb detail throughout and absolutely incredible fit. It all fits like a glove, and is seriously impressive. Finally the main unit has been glued to the fuselage floor. The two fuselage sides will be the next parts to join around it. Like a good book, I can't put this down as I am enjoying it so much. Thanks for looking, John

Very, very impressive. It looks so real. Cheers John

Junkers D.1 - 1:32 Wingnut Wings. The Junkers D.1's main claim to fame is that it was the world's first all metal monoplane fighter. It entered service in very small numbers in October 1918, just before the end of the First World War. Further examples saw action with the German Freikorps in the Baltic during 1919. An example of the kit was received from Wingnut Wings, reviewed here. I was so impressed with it, that I could not resist starting it right away. The cockpit area is quite a 'birdcage' of tubework, but has been broken down into comparatively few parts. The moildings are exquisite, and I started by removing all the interior parts to make into a few sun assemblies ready for paining and priming. A quick dry fit if the main parts shows how well it all fits. The precision is so high that no glue is used here; Interior painting is suggested as either bare metal or grey-green primer. I went for bare metal as I want to show that this was an all metal aeroplane. The two side frames at the top of this photo had a few injection 'towers' to cut off their rear faces, something to do with ensuring that the plastic flows fully through the mold I guess. It is a 30 second job and simple to do, but don't miss it or you'll have problems fitting the cockpit between the fuselage halves. After a spray of Halfords rattle can grey primer, I gave everything a spray of Tamiya X1 Black. I find that if you are going to apply silver paint, by far the best thing to do is apply a black undercoat. A coat of Vallejo 'Metal Color' aluminium followed. (Ok, technically these were steel tubes, but I'm happy with this colour). The fuselage parts were done at the same time. However, such are the close tolerances on Wingnut Wings kits that I have learned that even a coat of primer & paint on mating surfaces can interfere with the fit of the cockpit area between the fuselage halves. Just that little extra thickness can keep it from making a tight join. amazing but true, so I routinely mask off areas where cockpit bulkheads & frames will butt up to. It is only a 15 minute job. but will save you hours later. Primer & then black on; Then Vallejo 'Metal Colour' Dark Aluminium. I'm probably taking a bit of artistic license here, as I want to have a contrast between the fuselage skinning and the framework. It's got nice paint free channels for the frames to sit inthough! I'll let this lot settle down before starting on painting all the little brackets & fittings etc. Thanks for looking John

Just a 'heads up' if you are not in the habit of visiting the review section. We have received an advance copy of the new Junkers J.1 due to be released in 10 days time. Every effort has been made to get the review out ASAP. Here it is. As expected, it is a little beauty!

Junkers D.1 1:32 Wingnut Wings. (#32065) As soon as this subject was announced, it caused a flurry of interest on various internet sites (including this one). Opinion seemed divided between those who felt that it was an insignificant aircraft with only forty built, and others who felt that it was a highly significant as the world’s first all metal monoplane fighter. Almost all agreed that it was a chunky little aeroplane, with opinions again divided between those who thought it ugly, and those who felt it had character. Right from the start, this seems to have been one of the most talked about of Wingnut Wings planned releases. History. Hugo Junkers method of metal tube structures covered with corrugated sheets had first been patented in 1912. Although there was an obvious weight penalty, all metal aircraft offered several advantages. Apart from being difficult to shoot down, probably the most unsung virtue was their serviceability. Wood, wire, and linen machines were very susceptible to poor weather, especially that encountered in the long winter months on the western front. Cold, wet, and damp could play havoc with these delicate airframes, at best degrading their performance and at worst making them unfit to fly. The two seat Junkers J.1 (Wingnut Wings kit 32001) had entered service in August 1917, and proved to be a popular and reliable machine. It was therefore logical that Junkers should also be working on a single seat fighter. What emerged from several prototypes and design variations was the D.1 which went into service in October 1918. There were 2 versions of the D.1, most commonly referred to as the ‘short’ and ‘long’ fuselage types. Without going into all the differences, it was the ‘short’ version that became operational, and is the one represented by this new kit. A few, perhaps four, were delivered to the western front, but most were delivered after the November 1918 Armistice. They saw service in the Baltic during 1919, with the German Freikorps fighting the Bolsheviks. The Kit. As always, the wonderful Steve Anderson artwork graces the silver edged Wingnut Wings box. Two D.1’s are depicted in flight against a backdrop of sunlit cumulus clouds. Lovely! It certainly exudes that ugly-but-aggressive look that makes it oddly attractive. Inside the box are four large sprues holding all the plastic parts, a small etched fret with the machine gun cooling jackets & seat belts, and a decal sheet. The instruction booklet follows Wingnut Wings excellent style of CAD drawings showing the assembly sequences, backed up with illustrations of what the completed sub-assemblies look like. These are supplemented with an amazing total of fifty one contemporary black & white photographs of the real aircraft, and a set of eleven colour photographs showing details of two preserved Daimler-Mercedes D.III engines. No wonder so many modellers regard Wingnuts Wings instruction booklets as reference manuals in their own right. They must put huge amounts of man hours into creating them, because they are so complete and no one does it better. Step 1 covers construction of the cockpit and engine bay. This is a fairly complex looking tubular structure, which is fitted to the single piece fuselage underside. The mouldings are breathtaking, particularly the centre section & wing spars part A30, which is a single piece; The finished article may look complex, but the core of this ‘birdcage’ framework is made up from only five parts (A7, A11, A12, A17, and A30). It is one of Wingnut Wings hallmarks that they can take intricate structures like this, and make them into easy to assemble units. I couldn't resist, and already started it. Dry fitted with no glue, the fit is excellent; Various other details such as bulkheads, seat, controls, and instruments are added to finish off the main interior. A small amount of rigging can be added if the modeller wishes, a diagram is provided to show what and where. These are for the engine control rod, rudder, throttle, and trigger cables. Five amp fuse wire will be the ideal material for the cables, with short lengths of stretched sprue for the rudder pedal lines. A very helpful CAD drawing shows the completed sub-assembly in full colour, thus also working as a painting guide. Step 2 details assembly of the Daimler-Mercedes D.IIIa / D.IIIau engine, the main differences being the intake manifolds and air pumps. As mentioned before, eleven full colour photographs support the assembly drawings, and again we have full colour CAD drawings of both sides of the completed engine. Wingnut Wings engines are the centre piece of any model, and this one will be visible more than most with those big removable cowling panels. I usually add ignition wires from the magnetos to the spark plugs, it is not difficult to do but is time consuming. No doubt etched brass aftermarket sets will be available soon to simplify this job. The D.IIIau is the high compression version of the engine, and was marked with red bands around the cylinders. These are provided as decals, along with tiny black & silver data plates that are affixed to the crankcase. Step 3 sees the fuselage brought together in a most ingenious way. The underside already has all the interior work fixed to it, and now the left and right sides are attached to it. These sides have a false top & bottom, so they are shaped like any normal kit fuselage, but the beauty is that the joining seams are hidden. On the bottom the main underside piece covers it, and the top seam is covered by a separate fairing from the cockpit to the tailplane. Not just one fairing, there is a choice of two, with slight detail variations in the style of corrugation and a roll over hoop depending upon which version you have chosen. It is attention to the minor details such as this that make these kits such a pleasure to build. Fitting the tailplane, radiator, and exhaust completes this stage. Step 4 is fairly simple, involving just the assembly of the wings. Here you are offered the choice of actually fitting them to the aircraft, or leaving them off. This is not quite as odd as it may at first seem, as there are plenty of photographs of D.1’s with their wings detached on the ground nearby. Given the small size of the finished model, there is plenty of scope for some neat little dioramas. You will have to decide to build with the wings ‘on’ or ‘off’, as changes to the wing stubs mean it will not be possible to pop them off and on. The ‘off’ version exposes a lot of the neat ‘birdcage’ assembled in stage 1, complimented by a pair of interior wing ribs to fit on the ends of stub wings. Step 5 is for adding some of the smaller exterior details such as the foot steps (choice of two), rudder, and LMG 08/15 Spandaus with their flash guards over the engine. Etched brass cooling jackets are provided, which will need to be annealed (briefly heated red hot in a gentle flame and left to cool) and rolled to shape. If you are not confident in doing this, then solid plastic alternatives are provided. As with the engine, the Spandaus are going to be much more visible than on a biplane, so are well worth taking time over. Step 6 completes construction of the D.1. The undercarriage, cockpit coaming, engine panels, and propeller are all fitted. Two short bracing lines are fitted between the rear undercarriage legs, and that’s it, there is no more rigging to do! Options. Al selection of five different machines is offered, four wartime and one post Great War machine serving with the German Freikorps in Latvia. Junkers D.1 5185/18, Aldershof, October 1918. Junkers D.1 5185/18, ‘Bänder’, Hombeek, MFJG, November 1918. Junkers D.1 “Weisser Schwanz”, Hombeek, MFJG, November 1918. Junkers D.1 5188/18? “11”, October 1918. Junkers D.1, Gotthard Sachsenberg (31 victories), Theodore Osterkamp (38 victories) & Josef Jacobs (48 victories), FA 416, September-October 1919. Decals. Decals are by Cartograf, so are of a very high standard. All printing is pin sharp with good colours and minimal carrier film. Plenty of small stencils, instruments and details are provided, along with the larger national and individual markings. The coloured bands on option B ‘Bänder’ are not known with absolute certainty, although red & white is thought most likely. However, should you disagree, green & white, yellow & white, and black & white are also provided. Conclusion Every new Wingnut Wings kit is waited for with great anticipation, and they never disappoint, by virtue of their being so well thought out and engineered. Announcement of this one seemed to cause a few grumbles out there on the ‘net, mainly along the lines of ‘why can’t we have an XYZ’. Well this is a hugely significant aircraft, being the world’s first all metal monoplane fighter, and deserves a place in any collection of 1:32nd aircraft models. It will be the perfect companion to the Wingnut Wings two seater Junkers J.1 (one of my favourite finished models of all the range). As well as in a Great War collection, the Junkers D.1 would sit very well against almost any Me/Bf 109 model. In fact this could be done for option E, as Theodore Osterkamp went on to fly the 109E with JG 51 in the Battle of Britain, scoring six more victories to add to his previous thirty two. They would indeed make a very interesting pairing. The quality of the mouldings ,particularly the representation of the corrugations is outstanding. It has been done with such finesse, with tiny little rivet detail and perfectly rounded ends to each line. The clever breakdown of the fuselage parts should make assembly very simple, with almost no, to minimal clean up. If you have been thinking of getting a Wingnut Wings kit but been put off by rigging, this is probably the best one yet for a novice to build. There are no clear parts, no complicated strutting, and only two little rigging lines on the undercarriage that can easily be done with fine wire or stretched sprue. Add to that that this is a Wingnut Wings package with all the quality that the name assures, this pugnacious and interesting little aeroplane deserves to be high up on everyone’s ‘wants’ list. I am so impressed and enthused by it, that it is going straight on to my workbench to be my number one build project. Look out for its imminent appearance in the ‘Work in progress’ section of this forum. <EDIT> Here it is in Work In Progress </EDIT> Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

That is gorgeous General! Well worth all the work in applying corrections. I look forward to seeing more of them roll off the production line. Cheers John

Outstanding! Those photos could easily be mistaken for the real aircraft. Cheers John

Fabulous! it is nice to see one in the overall blue, it looks very sleek. I like the interior woodwork too. Excellent build all round! Cheers John

Great reworking of real oldie! It looks like a modern kit. The background really sets it off, love it. Cheers John

Great! Thanks Mike.

Wow Mike, you've done an excellent job on those Mods. It's quite normal to have to fettle the fit of the clear part with strips of plasticard. Been there, done that! It has blended in beautifully, the gloss white looks very good. I'm liking the home made decals too, I've never tried to do that, so any explanation an guidance you can give here will be read with interest. Cheeers John

Yes, laser decals can be a pain! Looking very good though, I have a Blue Poole 737 on my 'must do one day' list. All I need is the decals and a kit!

it has turned out lovely, and as others have said, those window decals are brilliant. Cheers John

Self explanatory update! It is not a missing piece of decal at the bottom trailing edge of the fin, there is actually a little triangular white flash there.