Search the Community

Hello everyone, Here is my latest completion, the Eduard 1/48 Albatros D.III, built for the current Eduard WW1 group build over on Facebook. This kit traces its lineage back to the late 1990s, and still remains an excellent base model for further improvements. I made a few modifications, including correcting / re-scribing the nose panels, adding details to the kit engine and interior, adding a scratch built fuel tank, replacing the kit gun barrels and muzzles with MASTER metal items, adding nails to the fuselage, adding the aileron control arms to the upper wing, and replacing the undersized kit wheels, amongst other minor additions from various Eduard etched sets for the base kit. Rigging was done with elastic and utilising “Bob’s Buckles” metal turnbuckles. I painted the model in the markings of Ltn Gustav Nernst, Jasta 30, April 1917. All markings were sprayed using home made masks, and the serial number was also a home made decal. Paints were all SMS Acrylic Lacquers (my new favourite paint), with the fuselage plywood effect and propeller done with oil paints. Weathering was kept relatively light, given the somewhat short service life of these aircraft. And some progress shots: For my build log, please see here – https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=13996.0 Feedback, comments, and suggestions for improvements are always welcome and encouraged! Many thanks for looking! Brad

After the 1/32nd kits (link), LukGraph Resin is to release 1/24th Albatros D.III Oeffag 153/253 limited edition resin kits Source: https://www.facebook.com/LukGraph/posts/pfbid027oSB9h6k5mYdeTsjFPvQbYqEuWMUKkCdu6EEQV1najP96rECCGykRmMwg6PYChFFl V.P.

Aero L-159A/E Alca Special Markings (KPM0386) 1:72 Kovozávody Prostějov The L-39 was a fast jet trainer that was designed and manufactured in Czechoslovakia (as was) as a direct replacement for the earlier L-29 Delfin. It had success in its roles, and received numerous upgrades that resulted in new designations, and since the dismantling of the Soviet Union, some have found their way into private hands throughout the west, and they are often seen at airshows. It first flew in 1971, and was hoped to become the standard trainer across the Union, and following numerous upgrades by 1977 the ZA variant was put into service, fitted with a cannon and four hard-points for mounting various weapons in the Light Attack role. With the Soviet Union gone, the orders began to dry up, and an updated L-159 was produced in partnership with Boeing, using more modern avionics. To differentiate, it was called the Alca and first flew in 1997, with an order for 150 from the Czech government, deliveries starting at the beginning of the new millennium. The order was cut back due to budgetary issues, and the aircraft went into storage, eventually to be resold to Iraq where it has seen action against IS, and to Draken International, to be used for aggressor training. Following success with its new owners, the production line was restarted with modified airframes in single and two-seater guises. The Kit This is a reboxing of a 2018 tooling of the two-seater that has had additional parts to create a single-seat variant in previous boxings, but this version includes new decal options to warrant the “Special Markings” suffix. The A variant is the single seat Alca, while the E designation refers to the export version of the A. Like many of KP Models’ 1:72 kits, it arrives in a small end-opening box with a painting of the subject flying alongside a Spitfire in similar WWII livery, and on the rear are the profiles of the decal options in full colour. Inside are two sprues in grey styrene, a small clear sprue in a Ziploc bag, decal sheet, and the instruction booklet, which is printed in colour on folded A4 paper. Detail is good, with raised and recessed features throughout, including finely engraved panel lines and rivets, and a well-appointed cockpit. Construction begins with the landing gear for a change, starting with the nose gear leg, fitting the wheel between the legs of the yoke, and adding a detail part behind the pivot. The main gear legs are angled to the rear and have their wheels applied over the brake discs, then these assemblies are put to the side for later use. The ejection seat is next, adding sides to the seat, plus a bulky headbox, and an undocumented seatbelt decal to add extra interest. The cockpit is standard across boxings, having space for two seats moulded into it, as well as the side consoles, and a location for the separate control column and a pair of bulkheads that fix at the back of the forward cockpit and at the very rear. The seat and instrument panel are installed in the front, adding rudder pedals to the rear of the panel before you glue it in place, then building an avionics rack to fill the rear space, which is then mostly hidden by installing a three-sided cover over it, so judge for yourself how much will be seen. The exhaust for the single Honeywell/ITEC F124 turbofan engine is made from two halves with a rendition of the rear of the engine covering the forward end, and this too is put to the side while the two fuel tanks are built from two halves each, and a gun pod is made from two vertically split halves plus the twin muzzles. The fuselage halves are closed around the cockpit and exhaust, then the two intakes with separate splitter plates are fixed to the front of the sponsons on the sides of the fuselage, where a bit of dark paint will hide the dead-stop of the air-flow. A spine part covers the top of the fuselage, and coaming plus HUD glazing is added to the front of the cockpit cut-out over the instrument panel. The lower wings are full span and have the upper wing halves laid over the top before they are mated to the underside of the fuselage, adding the elevators to butt-joints either side of the moulded-in fin, which would benefit from pins to strengthen the joint. The canopy is glued over the cockpit, and two clear domes are added to the wingtips, inserting a pitot in each wing’s leading-edge 10mm from the tip fairings to complete the upper portion of the model. Underneath, the nose gear leg is inserted into a hole between the closed bay doors, and the main gear legs with additional captive doors fit into holes in the underside of the wings, adding three pylons outboard, the fuel tanks fitting to the innermost one. The gun pod fits on a small pylon on the centreline behind the nose gear, then it’s a case of adding a blade antenna under the nose, and a blister under the tail to complete the model. Markings There are three options available on the decal sheet, with full profiles on the back of the box, surrounded by oval colour swatches that show the colour names in English and Czech. From the box you can build one of the following: The decals appear to be printed using the same digital processes as Eduard are now using, and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. I mention Eduard because from 2021, the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion A nicely detailed model with three interesting decal options, especially the retro WWII choice, but the aggressors are both attractive alternatives. It’s a shame there’s no open canopy option, but not everyone likes those anyway. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi all – here’s my latest completion, the Eduard 1/48 Albatros D.V, boxing number 8113. This one had a couple of modifications. I scratch built a number of internal details, including internal frames, a fuel tank, a compass, and other instruments. Details were added to the engine to better replicate the Mercedes D.III engine used on early DVs. Belts and other bits and bobs were also added inside. One of the enduring criticisms of the Eduard Albatros DV is the kit’s short undercarriage legs; accordingly, I replaced these with some resin aftermarket legs (I can’t remember who they are from, as I bought them a number of years back, but they were a bit rough). I also replaced the kit spinner with a home made vacform item, as the kit spinner is also too rounded and bulbous. I also hand-riveted the nails on the fuselage. Rigging is elastic, with “bob’s buckles” turnbuckles and sleeves. The exhaust pipe is a Rex metal item. The machine is painted in the markings of an early DV, D.2164/17, flown by 27 victory ace Karl Thom when he flew with Jasta 21, around June 1917. Thom would eventually earn the Pour le Merite, or “Blue Max”, on 01 November 1918, being one of the last aviation recipients of this revered award. Paint was a combination of oil paints for the fuselage, and SMS acrylic lacquers for the other colours (most were my own mix), and the decals from Eduard’s earlier 1124 dual combo boxing. Enough talk, here’s some pics: And some pics of the interior / modifications: For a more detailed build log, see here – https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=13255.0 This kit has been a stalwart of Eduard's WW1 line up for 20 or so years, and she still builds up as the best 1/48 DV on the market today. The kit's relative simplicity when it comes to struts and rigging also makes it a great kit for someone cutting their teeth on 1/48 WW1 models. Thanks for looking – feedback always welcomed! BC

LukGraph is to release in 2023 2024 1/32nd & 1/24th Albatros W.4 resin kits. Source: https://www.facebook.com/LukGraph/posts/pfbid02fzawbwhDiKXwg1n7YcQUc7XrBnkvp29fDAFzi6WAiMu4qxox1anAgVeDoGTqCAYKl V.P.

Next LukGraph kit is a 1/32nd Albatros D.III Oeffag 253 resin kit - ref. Source: https://www.facebook.com/LukGraph/posts/pfbid0v99n19BZqCynNFM9hxE7MZSuypgCkScKt1xHgdbbLQrtcpa1qoDSzDoh1tADZvCMl V.P.

3D-chutes expert is to release a 1/32nd Albatros D.V 3D printed kit. Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid09wuUZAmAtDoxUhf12f8YSkkyEuKKh3gx5JFWMoFqeXh7HacpQF8LLkGdAD458iA6l&id=100075905332821 V.P.

Had fun building the somewhat fiddly 1/72nd scale Roden Albatros kit (several of them are currently under construction in Mein Albatroswerke!)as the License Built OEFFAG that Brunowski, A-H Lead Ace, flew. The unique KuK camouflage was done freehand watching an evening of Television. Give me a Sunny Day and VOILA! the Dual Monarchy Again Takes to the Skies! BTW, just finished the book "The Fortress" by Alexander Watson - dealing with the siege of Przemysl and the "Bloodlands" of Eastern Europe. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Austria-Hungary's Polish province Galicia regional capital, Lviv, is now Ukraine....but Przemysl is in modern Poland - and in fact is now a major Refugee Center. The Borders in that area are very Fungible.....

Infinity Models has a 1/32nd Aero L-39C Albatros kit in project. Sources: https://www.infinitymodels.cz/ https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235104518-infinity-models-programme-for-2022-2023/ V.P.

Building the Wingnut Wing Albatros D.VA in 1/32 Scale Build Guide Series No.10 KLP Publishing Online publishing is now starting to find its way into the modelling community. KLP Publishing is one of the new online publishers, specialising in eBooks for the scale aircraft modelling community. Their debut title Building Brick’s Sabre in 1/32 Scale: A Scale Tribute to K.J. "Brick" Bricknell reviewed here has proved to be a success. They have since done titles on the Bird Dog, Spitfire XIVe, AEG G.IV Late, FW 189, He 219. P-51 and Ki-45 amongst others. Their latest title tackles building the Wingnut Wings Albatros D.VA. This was done by modeller Karim Bibi. Here the book looks in detail at the kit, as well as the aircraft itself. For the build itself construction and painting techniques are looked at along with some aftermarket being used such as HGW belts and the excellent looking Aviattic lozenge decals (links are provided in the pdf to all the aftermarket products used) . A mini tutorial is includes for making your own prop if you want to go that far. A large gallery of finished model pictures is included, along with photos of a real Mercedes engine. This is one area that e books do excel in as printing these pictures in a traditional format would be expensive. Conclusion This is the type of publication that the new digital format is made for. If you want a book for a specific build having a digital publication saves you space on your bookshelves. This is clearly a book written by modellers for modellers. The text is clear and concise and the great selection of crisp pictures is welcome, many more than you would get in a printed publication. Links to the various aftermarket sets is also welcome. A reminder that if you set up an account with KLP then you can download the revisioned copies of books you have already purchased to no extra cost. Very Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

LukGraph is to release a 1/32nd Albatros C.III resin kit. Source: https://www.facebook.com/LukGraph/posts/4270968876319777 3D renders V.P.

Albatros B.II 1/32 Wingnut Wings The Albatros B.II was an unarmed 2 seater, almost unique in having been produced in 1913 before the Great War broke out, and remained in production until the Armistice in 1918. It was produced by many companies ,and with lost of subtle variations. The Observer sat in the forward cockpit, but I assume did not have the best of views, with the lower wings blocking his view downward, and the engine the view forward. His position was somewhat precarious, with his seat being mounted on top a the large petrol tank, another auxiliary tank above his head, and radiators with boiling water to either side. I just love the look of domestic type radiators plumbed in to the fuselage sides! The pilot sat in the rear cockpit with a big ship-type steering wheel. Fortunately I bought this kit before Wingnut Wings suddenly closed, and I'm glad I did because it was an absolute pleasure to build. I decided not to use the supplied woodgrain decal as it looked yo coarse and yellowish to me, so I instead used Uschi van der Rosten woodgrain decal over Tamiya XF-78 Wooden Deck Tan. The clear doped linen is my own brew of Tamiya acrylic, also using XF-78, white an yellow. I painted a representation of the upper wing crosses on the underside of the top wings, to represent the see through effect of the light coming from above. Can you see it in the next 2 photos?? The wheels come with etched brass spokes, 1 'disc' per side, and were very easy to, and look great. Plastic spoked wheels are also provided, but don't look anywhere near as good. Thanks for looking, John

Completed today, Last entry for my Kosciuszko Squadron aircraft, unless someone knows of a 1/48 Spad 51. This is the Eduard Albatros D.III OEFFAG 253. Painted in Gunze colors and final coated with Mr Hobby Semi-Gloss. The decals are from a Polish supplier ,ModelMaker. These decals were fantastic. No bleed-through on the white, settled into panels and were not fragile in any way. I can't say enough about these decals. I did however ignore the recommendation for using a SWORL scheme on this aircraft. My sources say No SWORL. I used Ceramic rigging for cables and Uschi elastic thread for strut rigging. Albion tubes for gun barrels. Thanks for Looking and Comments always welcome Cheers Bill

Hi all This is my last finished model, an Albatros from Eduard in 1/48. Beautiful model, with a very good level of detail. But really hard to build, a test for our patience. It's my first 1/48 wwI model, and the first time I do wood textures... Cheers R.

Well, I finally started to cut and fill plastic on the the Valom 1/72 D.H. 91 Albatros kit yesterday. My intention is to build it as one of the two mailplanes used by the RAF, in this case B-JW (earlier as one of the prototypes, E.3). At first, I thought this airframe would still have the split flaps of the two mailplanes (E.3 and G-AEVV) even after its partial reconstruction following a broken back accident that involved reconfiguration of the rear wing fillets to the airliner form. Now, I'm not so sure after peering at the various in-flight photos of B-JW. There is a hint of a change in tone of the upper surface colours where there could be a slotted flap, and the underside view shows the flap with five hinge points. Does anyone know, or have an opinion about whether these are the original split form or the later slotted version? I'll get some photos posted up at some point soon. Cheers, GrahamB

Hi All Having just returned to modelling I wanted to look to do one of my favourite WW1 aircraft the Albatros. I have tried to look for a post for this before but couldn't find one, so my question is, do I go Roden or Wingnut Wings for a 1/32 Albatros?

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release 1/72nd Albatros C.III kits Source: https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=95825&start=7740#p2245704 V.P.

Amodel is to release a 1/144th Grumman UF-1 Albatros kit - ref. 1424 Source: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/grumman-uf1-albatros-amdl14424-a-model-amdl1424-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=79900 Box art V.P.

Albatros D.III OEFFAG Overtrees 1:48 Eduard (8241X) Albatros D.III OEFFAG 153 PE-Set 1:48 Eduard (8241-LEPT) Albatros D.III OEFFAG 253 PE-Set 1:48 Eduard (8242-LEPT) Plastic ‘Overtrees’. From time to time Eduard offer some of their kits as ‘Overtrees’ editions. These contain just the plastic parts for the particular model with no instructions or decals, and come in a plain white box. The idea is that with the multiple options for markings in most Eduard kits, you can use these overtrees to build another of the options provided in the original kit. Also, you can use them with aftermarket decals, as even if you don’t have the original kit, Eduard provide the instructions in pdf format on their website. This release offers all five plastic sprues from the OEFFAG 152 / 153 kits, and will enable you to build one or the other, with the options of ‘prop & spinner’ , ‘blunt’, or ‘snub’ noses, and internal or externally mounted machine guns. It is therefore compatible with any of Eduard’s previous OEFFAG releases and can be used with any of the optional decals within them., for example the recently reviewed 'Viribus Unitis Dual Combo reviewed here. which contains two kits and nine finishing options! Note that this overtree box contains one aircraft. It is beautifully moulded with fine and accurate detail, and builds up very nicely with no issues. It is certainly one of the best 1:48 biplane kits available. Often when you buy a new kit, it can be hard to decide which option to finish it in, and you can find yourself dithering between your two (or three!) favourite choices. These overtree releases are a great idea, and offer a cheap and effective way to get another set of sprues, and build all the options you want!# Etched sets. Should you want to add the set of etched items to your overtree kit, fear not for they are also available to accompany it. There is a set each for the OEFFAG 152 and the OEFFAG 253 with quite a lot of differences between them, so you may need to decide which one you are going to build before you order. Two frets are supplied in each, and like the overtree kit they do come with any instructions. In both sets the smaller fret is pre-painted and holds the instruments and seatbelts, but the seatbelts are quite different styles. The main frets are unpainted and share some common parts, but the 153 has a complete seat, ‘blunt’ nose plate, and undercarriage mounting strap. Both have parts for the engine, inspection covers, elevator control horns & wires, propeller hub, wheels, and several minor details. Conclusion. A great idea, these sets are only available direct from Eduards own website. Get them while you can, they are always popular and sell out rapidly. Review samples courtesy of

L-39C Albatros Eduard 1/72 (7418) OOB except wing tubes, Vallejo acrylics,

Viribus Unitis, OEFFAG Albatros D.III 1:48 Eduard (11124) The Albatros D.1 was the first of the series of single seat fighters that were developed up to the D.Va, featuring a semi monocoque wooden fuselage and equal span, equal chord upper & lower wings. By lowering the top wing and moving it slightly forward to improve visibility, the aircraft was re-designated the D.II. Impressed by the performance of the French Nieuport fighters with their sesquiplane layout (lower wing smaller than upper wing), new wings were developed by Albatros, with the aircraft now becoming the D.III. Later on, a new more rounded fuselage was designed and fitted with the new wings, becoming the Albatros D.V and D.Va. However, there was a major flaw with the lower wings on the D.III and D.V/DVa’s in that they only has a single spar. This made them weak and prone to shedding the lower wings during stressful manoeuvres. Despite this the Oesterreichische Flugzeugfabrik AG (Oeffag) selected the D.III to build under licence, as the Austro-Hungarian air force was in desperate need of modern equipment. OEFFAG made a number of changes, utilising the excellent Austro-Daimler 180hp engine, Schwarzlose machine guns, and most importantly, strengthened double spar lower wings. Three main versions were produced. Series 53. 64 produced, closely resembled the original Albatros design. Series 153. Improved 200 hp Austro-Daimler engine fitted. From Aircraft 112 to 281 a shorter more rounded nose was fitted, which increased the top speed and gave the aircraft its more familiar look. Series 253. Improved 225 hp Austro-Daimler engine fitted. The most noticeable change was that most were built with the guns on top of the fuselage rather than enclosed inside it. The Kit. Curious as to what ‘Viribus Unitis’ is I looked it up via google and found that it means ‘With United Forces’, and was the personal motto of Emperor Franz Joseph. Thus it is quite an appropriate title for a ‘Dual Combo’ kit containing two Austro-Hungarian aircraft models. The box artwork features two well known aces, Godwin Brumowski in his all red 153, and Friedrich Navratil following behind in a 253. As a ‘Dual Combo’ release, the large box contains two of all sprues, a sheet of masks, and four etched frets. The instructions are in colour with a sprue map, assembly sequence, rigging diagram, and nine different colour schemes, covering series 53, 153, and 253 machines. Sprue A and B. All the small and fine detail parts are provided on these two sprues. Neatly moulded in Eduards’ standard grey plastic they feature sharp detail, and delicate scale like appearance. A number of parts are not required and these are clearly marked on the sprue map. Attachment points are minimal, which always makes removal and clean up an easy job. Sprue C. The fuselage is beautifully moulded with delicate panel lines and perfectly formed brackets, panels, and louvres etc. The top decking in front of the cockpit is provided as a separate part, with alternatives for the enclosed guns (Part C3) and the external guns(Part D2) often fitted to the series 253s. However only part C3 is relevant for all the options here. Winter engine covers, tailplanes, ailerons, and elevator complete the parts provided here. Note that C5, C7 and C9 are the later wire scalloped ailerons and elevator for the series 253, whilst D3, D5, and D6 provide the same ‘smooth edged’ parts for the series 53 & 153 machines. Nice attention to detail here from Eduard! Sprue D. As mentioned, the alternative ailerons and elevators for the series 53 & 153 machines are found here, along with the rudder, unused external gun decking, and the wings. Trailing edges are very fine indeed, and the rib detail is well defined. The lower wings have a ‘tongue’ which fits into a matching ‘groove’ on the fuselage sides. These are both quite small. So be sure to clean off any primer/paint from the mating surfaces when fixing these parts together, if you choose to paint the fuselage and lower wings separately. Sprue X. A very nice little Austro-Daimler 6 cylinder in-line engine is provided, with separate rocker cover and cylinder head detail. Twin magnetos are also supplied, so if you have really good eyesight you could consider wiring them up to the plugs with fine fuse wire. Pre printed data plates fit on the crank case, making this one of the most detailed engines in any of Eduard’s 1:48 Great War range. Etch. A total of four etched frets are provided, two are the same pre printed set and cover the seatbelts and instruments. A third fret is 53/153 specific, whilst the fourth is for the series 253. There is not much difference between frets 3 & 4, the fuselage front plate for the 53/153 being the only difference I can see. It is not needed anyway, as none of the kit options are for a spinnerless 153. So you can in fact build any two of the options in this kit, without being limited to making a 253 and one other. Other items on the frets are the cockpit seat, engine details, undercarriage mounting strap, inspection hatches, wheel valve covers, control cranks with lines on, etc. All of the items are very useful, and will certainly enhance the finished model. Mask. One small sheet of Kabuki tape is provided, with pre cut wheel masks. These go on the hub, enabling you to brush paint the tyres and get a sharp dividing line. There are eight on the sheet to mask up both sides of all four wheels, with two per aircraft. Options. A total of nine options are offered, five for series 153s and a further four for series 253s. A and B are early 153’s with a propeller spinner, whilst all the rest have the spinnerless rounded ‘pug’ nose typical of the OEF 153/253. A. 153.11, flown by Oberleutnant Frank Linke-Crawford, Flik 41J, Aiello del Friuli, Italy, November 1917. B. 153.80, flown by Offizierstellvertreter Julius Arigi, Flik 55J, Pergine Valsugana, Italy, December 1917. C. 153.125, flown by Hauptman Lázsló Háry, Flik 42J, Pianzano, Italy, Spring 1918. D. 153.167, pilot unknown, Flik 2D, San Pietro in Campo, Italy, May 1918. E. 153.206, flown by Hauptmann Godwin Brumowski, CO of Flik 41J, Portobuffole, Italy, June 1918. F. 253.09, flown by Hauptmann Friedrich Navratil, CO of Flik 3J, Romagnano, Italy, July/August 1918. G. 253.12, flown by Oberleutenant in der Reserve Ludwig Hautzmayer, CO of Flik 61J, Ghirano, Italy, Summer 1918. H. 253.24, flown by Hauptmann Benno Fiala von Fernbrugg, CO of Flik 51J, Ghirano, September 1918. I. 253.117, flown by Oberleutnant in der Reserve Stefan Stec, Flik 3J, Romagnano, Italy, Summer 1918. Decals. the markings are slit across two sheets, one with all the black and white items such as the wing crosses & serial numbres, and a the other with all the coloured items for the personal markings. They are all beautifully printed, with sharp edges, good colours, and minimal carrier film. A mass of stencilling detail is also provided, which has its own page in the intruction booklet, to show where each individual item goes. Instrument dials and even propeller manufactures logos complete the sheets. One small gripe I have is the resealable bags used. When I extracted the decals from the bag and trying to keep the protective paper in place, the folded flap snapped back and the sticky strip attached itself to the decal sheet. Gently pulling it away resulted in slight damage to the large '5X' on the black and white sheet. Conclusion. This kit has been around for a few years now, but is still one of the very best 1:48 Great War models. I eagerly built a few when it first came out (see below), and found it to be an excellent model. The fit was faultless, and I do not remember there being any problems or pitfalls with it. I really like the look of the 153/253 with the rounded nose, it somehow makes the aircraft look more aggressive, and there some great colour schemes to go on it. These are not as obscure as might seem at first look, as RFC/RAF squadrons were posted Italy and took part in combat against these machines. Aces such as William Barker scoring the majority of his 50 victories on this front. Having two kits in the one box makes it slightly easier to choose which ones to do, and Eduard have done a good job in offering fairly simple schemes such as E and F, up to more complex ones like A and I, so something for everyone. This is a really lovely ‘Dual Combo’, with two superbly engineered kits covering some very interesting markings, plenty of etched details, masks, and super quality decals. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of Footnote. Digging around in the completed models stash, I have this one, It is not from this release, but is the same plastic. It is from 'Albatros D. III OEFFAG 253,Kit No 8242' which I built a few years ago. A lovely little models and a very enjoyable build.

L-39Z Albatros Update set, Seatbelts & Masks 1:48 Eduard for Trumpeter Kit These are sets for the new Trumpeter kit. Update Set (49920) This set has one brass fret & one nickel one. The coloured parts are primarily for the cockpit in the form of new instrument panels and side panels, There is also a new HUD, other cockpit parts, the insulated inside panels and rudder pedals. There are new parts for the ejector seats, but not belts in this set. For the airframe there are new landing gear wells, the inside parts for the airbrakes, and insides of the doors. There are new IFF antennas and vortex generators for the tail. For the engine exhaust there are some internal and external parts. There are a complete set of entry steps and some parts for the external stores. Finally there and canopy mirrors and some external antennas. Zoom Set (FE920) This is just the colour fret from the update set. Seatbelts (FE921) This set contains seatbelts, seat pads and ejection seat handles in the now familiar steel material. Masks (EX611) Supplied on yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the glazing. In addition you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Tface Masks (EX612) Supplied on yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the glazing (inside & out). In addition you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Review samples courtesy of

This is a kit I built back in 2006. It's an Albatros D.V flown by Manfred von Richtofen with Jasta 11. He was shot down in this aircraft on July 6th, 1917 by an RFC 20 Sqn FE2. He crash-landed behind German lines near Werwicq in Belgium with a severe head wound. It's the old Airfix 1:72 kit (Aces edition) with Airwaves etched parts added. It was completely painted by brush with only the varnish being airbrushed. The markings were overpainted on the wings and the tail so I had to paint over the decals deliberately. The rigging is partial with some of the main wires being done and like that give the effect of being rigged. Thanks for looking and all comments are welcome. Miguel

Oh well, I feel committed now even though a bit of initial research shows I may have picked a 'hard' kit albeit for a real 'looker' of a subject, the Albatros DVa. From Wiki, the Albatros D.V was a fighter aircraft used by the Luftstreitkräfte (Imperial German Air Service) during World War I and was the final development of the Albatros D.I family, and the last Albatros fighter to see operational service. Despite its well-known shortcomings and general obsolescence, approximately 900 D.V and 1,612 D.Va aircraft were built before production halted in early 1918. The D.Va continued in operational service until the end of the war. The D.V closely resembled the D.III and used the same 127 kW (170 hp) Mercedes D.IIIa engine. The most notable difference was a new, fully elliptical cross-section fuselage which was 32 kg (71 lb) lighter than the partially flat-sided fuselage of the earlier D.I through D.III designs. The prototype D.V retained the standard rudder of the Johannisthal-built D.III but production examples used the enlarged rudder featured on D.IIIs built by Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW).[2] The D.V also featured a larger spinner and ventral fin. The only significant difference between wings of the D.III and D.V was a revised routing of the aileron cables that placed them entirely within the upper wing. The D.V entered service in May 1917 and structural failures of the lower wing immediately occurred. Front line pilots were considerably dismayed and many preferred the older D.III; Manfred von Richthofen was particularly critical of the new aircraft. Albatros responded with the D.Va, which featured stronger wing spars, heavier wing ribs and a reinforced fuselage.[8] The modified D.Va was 23 kg (51 lb) heavier than the D.III but the structural problems were not entirely cured. Use of the high-compression 130 kW (180 hp) Mercedes D.IIIaü engine offset the increased weight of the D.Va.[9] The D.Va also reverted to the D.III aileron cable linkage, running outwards through the lower wing, then upwards to the ailerons to provide a more positive control response. To further strengthen the wing, the D.Va added a small diagonal brace connecting the forward interplane strut to the leading edge of the lower wing. Apparently, the kit more represents the DV so, there is a bit of additional bracing and control wires which can be added to better represent the DVa. (Plus, I have read that the kit may have detail issues with the spinner, prop blades and engine as well as having the standard no cockpit details). I'll also do rigging which is fairly simple on this aircraft. Lastly, producing a 'varnished spruce' finish on the fuselage and getting the right shade of 'mauve' for the camouflage could be challenging, or even character-building! Here is the kit then:

A sudden bout of insomnia has triggered me to start this build and thread. The Great War is unknown to me, when it comes to flying contraptions, but the sheer lunacy of taking off in these rackety things without parachutes has long horrored me. I will do my part in commemorating the madness, with Eduard’s Albatros D.V. Box shot below, it contains parts for two kits and a number of colourful options (it is difficult to say exactly how many, because the side of the box illustrates one plane more than the fine instruction booklet does, and I believe the decals are sufficient for that box-only scheme too - see instructions here: https://www.eduard.com/store/tag/Dual-combo/Albatros-D-V-DUAL-COMBO-1-72.html). My little 6-year old told me, very diplomatically, how good it would be if I built the plane with the dragon on it, so half the plastic is booked for already. For the second I’m inclined to go with the box art, finished in varnished natural wood. Contents below, plastic and PE and decal sheet. The plastic is rather hard and glossy compared to the Airfix stuff I’m used to -this is my first encounter with Eduard, and so far I’m pleased. I will build one out of the box (it is a splendid box!) but will add as much fidgetry to the second as I can. The red dragon will likely end up in my son’s collection - from time to time I find my models suddenly having a new nesting place - so that one will be the simple build, as it were. Here is a shot of the PE fret, plenty of cockpit and external detail for two models, plus spares for the most delicate pieces. As you can see I have started a bit: the aluminium box is for cartridges and sits right in front of the pilot. There is another PE fret with seat belts by the way. I am not sure if I can manage to finish both planes, I am a slow builder, but will try to get one completed at least.