Eduard Fokker DR.1 Triplane, Die roten Flieger (D32006) Eduard 1:32

[Viking]

D32006 - Die roten Flieger
Eduard 1:32 

 

The recent release of the Meng 1:32 Fokker DR.1 Triplane has seen Eduard prepare three new decal sheets to accompany it. The first of them 'Die roten Flieger' has now been released, covering machines flown by the Richthofen brothers Manfred and Lothar. Manfred is of course the more famous of the brothers, and three of the four options cover his machines.

First is 152/17, which was delivered in the standard Fokker streaky green camouflage, and the top wing and rear fuselage/tailplane was painted red at unit level. 

 

The second of his machines is 425/27, which is believed to have been painted overall red at the factory before it was delivered. Initially it had the curved arm style of 'Eisenkreuz' (Iron cross) markings in six positions.

 

Some time in March 1918 these were modified into the straight arm 'Balkenkreuz', and the rudder was painted white. It was in these markings that Manfred met his end flying 415/17 on 12 April 1918. Lothar's 454/17 was a standard delivery 'Streaky green' DR.1, but with the rear fuselage and tailplane painted in the yellow of his former Cavalry unit, the 4th Dragoon Regiment. The cowling. struts and wheels are in Jasta 11 red. He was severely injured in this aircraft on 13th March 1918 when the top wing shed its covering during combat, and he only just managed to crash land it. Some sources say that the top wing was painted yellow, others that it was not - as photographs of the crash and also Eduard's instructions show.

 

The decals themselves are printed on an A5 sized sheet and consist entirely of black and white subjects, mainly Esenkreuz and Balkenkreuz with the particular serials for each individual aircraft. A very neat weight table is included, along with the thin black reference lines used when fitting the wings on the real aircraft. Printing is very precise and all the white borders to the crosses are perfectly centered with equal bordering all around. There is minimal carrier film and what there is looks very thin. They should settle down very nicely on a painted surface. There are enough decals to do one of the three Eisenkruez machines, and the all red Balkenkreuz 452/15.
Although the instructions say the sheet has been designed for the Meng kit, I see no reason why it should not also be suitable for the Roden kit of the same plane.

I am slightly surprised that Eduard have included on of the options already available in the Meng kit (425/17 in its early guise), but in comparing the two sheets Mengs is very much more matt with more noticeable carrier film. The serials on Eduards sheet also appear to be more accurate in terms of style. Note also that Eduard have correctly included the full stop between 'FoK' and 'DRI' that Meng have missed out. 

If you wish to add one of the Von Richthofen brothers Triplanes to your collection, this is a superb set.

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of