Arma Hobby Fokker E.V Lozenge (Limited Edition) - 1:72

[Paul A H]

Fokker E.V Lozenge (Limited Edition)

1:72 Arma Hobby

 

 

The Fokker E.V was a German parasol-winged fighter which entered service during the final months of the First World War. The aircraft was delivered to Jasta 1, Jasta 24 and Jasta 36 in late July 1918. Leutnant Emil Rolf scored the first victory with the type on 17 August 1918, but was killed two days later when his aircraft's wing collapsed in flight. Following another similar failure, the wing failure was investigated and found to have been caused by poor construction techniques. Once remedied, deliveries continued, but with the aircraft now known as the Fokker D.VIII. Although relatively few aircraft were completed in time to see service, some were captured by Polish forces and employed during the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-20. 

 

This is the first Arma Hobby kit that I've seen, and I have to say I am extremely impressed. The plastic parts are as well-made and as detailed as anything I've seen from any of the big names such as Eduard or Tamiya. Panel lines are fine and crisp and there are no obvious flaws anywhere. The decals look excellent, while the full-colour instructions are equally impressive. The only downside is the box, which is about as robust as the box that comes with a Big Mac. Thanks to MyHermes, my copy is well and truly squished. Inside the frangible box is just the one sprue, as well as the decals and instructions. 

 

 

Construction gets underway by fitting the internal framework into the sides of the fuselage. The lower fuselage/cockpit floor follows suite, along with the pilot's seat, rudder pedals and control column. The level of detail is very good for the scale and diminutive size of the aircraft. The upper-front part front part of the fuselage is moulded separately and the forward struts for the parasol wing are moulded as part of this section, which should help with alignment. The pair of Spandau machine guns are very nicely rendered too.

 

Further evidence of clever engineering is present in the landing gear sub-assembly. The fore and aft struts on either side are joined by a fine piece of sprue in order to ensure they are angled correctly. A small plastic jig fits between the port and starboard sides, thus ensuring everything lines up perfectly. Once the glue is set, the small pieces of sprue and the plastic jig can be cut away, resulting in (hopefully) perfectly aligned landing gear. The rudder, elevators and parasol wing are all solid parts, with just two struts used to support the tail and a further two to support the wing. The engine is a two-part affair and is very nicely done, while there is a choice of two propellers. 

 

 

The colourful decal options include:

• Fokker E.V 193/18 "002" 7. Eskadra Lotnicza, Lvov-Lewandowka Airbase, May 1919;
• Fokker E.V 158/18 "003" 7. Eskadra Lotnicza, Lvov-Lewandowka Airbase, April-June 1919;
• Fokker E.V 156/18, Jagdstaffel 6, August 1918; and
• Fokker E.V Jagdstaffel 8. As captured by the French Air Force.

The decals themselves deserve special mention, particularly as this is what this version of the kit is all about. The sheet that contains the markings and stencils is excellent, but the real star of the show is the second sheet, which contains decals for the lozenge scheme. The sheet is superbly printed and the decals that represent the wood veneer parts are truly something to savour. 

 

Conclusion

 

If this kit is representative of what Arma Hobby are capable of, then I can't wait to see what else they produce. This is a very high quality kit and it is immediately apparent that Arma Hobby have taken a lot of time and effort to produce a very detailed kit that should also be straightforward to built. The decal options are excellent too. Very highly recommended.

 

Review sample courtesy of