1/72 FCM Decals Albatros D.Va — has anyone used Rumey “stripe” decals?

[RC Boater Bill]

The 1/72 FCM decals sheet 72017 for the Albatros D.V sheet includes markings for Fritz Rumey’s Jasta 5 plane.  That scheme features a white fuselage with black diagonal stripes that start at the nose and wrap around the fuselage on their way to the tail.  The kit decal sheet includes the stripes, in lots of smaller bits.  

 

Has any here ever tried them?  Do they come even close to fitting?  I’m very skeptical that they’ll look right when applied to the compound curves of the fuselage, but

 

I have toyed with the idea of  masking and painting the stripes, but that also seems to be a challenge with the engine and lower wing in the way…. 

 

I’m hoping someone here may have experience with this kit/scheme?

 

-Bill

 

 

 

 

Edited January 27 by RC Boater Bill
Fixed decal image info

[Paul Thompson]

    I have  used the 1/48th version around 10 years ago. Could have gone better. I think it was due to whatever materials were chosen not having aged well, but I had a lot of trouble getting the stripes to conform and line up. This was when some sets had the peelable top coat stuff Eduard too often use these days. Never got that to work well from Eduard. Anyway, in this set that's what it looked like, but not referenced on the instruction sheet, and it wouldn't peel, so needed lots of varnish to try to blend it in because it was too thick, which is why it wouldn't conform.  Micro Set and Sol had no discernable effect.  Having said all that, your set may be fine  because of the smaller scale (because it will be easier for water to penetrate the decal) , or may have been printed in the standard fashion and be flexible anyway. I'm also not totally sure the sheet was stored right by the shop, a Dutch one that will remain nameless but 80% of the many aftermarket sheets I bought when living there have since failed in useage.  Colour density, sharpness and register were fine, so I suggest you try one of the markings you don't need, and if it's got the thick carrier, I'd try and mask and paint the stripe instead. Not easy I know, but do it once and at least you'll have aquired a new skill......................

 

Short answer, which is fairly useless I know, I had problems, you may not.

 

 

Paul.

[KITCAT]

Used the 1/72 decals and the issue I had was with the white on the triplane sheet and had to buy another sheet to remedy . they go ok and don't break up. To date

[Viking]

Hi Billl,

 

Fiddly as it might be. I'd be tempted to get the Tamiya masking tape out and paint it. I did it a few years ago on a Wingnut Wings 1/32 Albatros, admittedly easier to do in the larger scale for my ageing eyes!

 

The key to it was realising what this scheme looks like on the underside, it is not a set of black bands that wrap constantly around the fuselage. I spent ages winding strips of tape around to work out what was going on.  I concluded that the only way it could work was like this:

 

 

With the other 3 views like this:

 

 

 

There is a WIP thread HERE

And a RFI thread HERE

 

Good luck Bill, keep us posted if you do go ahead and produce this scheme in 1/72!

 

John

[RC Boater Bill]

I also have the Smer 1/72 D.Va kit in the stash.  This is a 2006 re-box  of the Eduard kit.  It comes with markings for two pilots, one of which claims to be Fritz Rumey’s Jasta 5 plane. (Featured on the cover!).  I had always thought of this kit as nothing more than a good way to pick up an extra copy of the Eduard kit, for less than I’d pay for the Eduard WE kit.   I didn’t give the kit markings a thought, as I have lots of decals in the stash, and the ability to make my own masks for painting markings.   

 

But looking closer now, I realized that the Smer version of Rumey’s plane only has wide stripes- no thin ones alongside.  That makes painting the scheme in 1/72 much more feasible…….

….but I suspect this may just be a case of Smer cutting corners on the decal sheet, as they don’t include the stripe decals at all.  So maybe they simplified the scheme so modelers would have something not too horrible to mask and paint…..?

 

Is Smer’s presentation of Rumey’s plane a real version of his  markings?   Or is it just wishful thinking by the Smer Marketing/Product team?

[RC Boater Bill]

15 hours ago, Viking said:

Hi Billl,

 

Fiddly as it might be. I'd be tempted to get the Tamiya masking tape out and paint it. I did it a few years ago on a Wingnut Wings 1/32 Albatros, admittedly easier to do in the larger scale for my ageing eyes!

 

The key to it was realising what this scheme looks like on the underside, it is not a set of black bands that wrap constantly around the fuselage. I spent ages winding strips of tape around to work out what was going on.  I concluded that the only way it could work was like this:

 

 

 

John

 

John,  that looks terrific!   I am a fan of painting markings where I can, even in 1/72.   I have actually toyed with the idea painting it, but the above photo makes the job look harder, not easier!   An annoying complication is the fact that the Eduard kit has the lower wing and fuselage bottom as one piece…and the engine needs to go in before closing up the fuselage.   

I suppose I could just tape the fuselage together without the wing and engine, mask and paint, then take it apart enough to get the engine in, and finally fill in the missing bottom bit after adding the lower wing…. 

 

 

[Andwil]

I’m actually in the process of building a DV in these markings, so far I have painted the wings and the red nose.  The fuselage is still in white primer at this stage.  Interested to see how the stripe decals turn out, I think that alignment  is going to be the hardest part.

 

AW

[RC Boater Bill]

On 2/13/2025 at 6:22 PM, Andwil said:

I’m actually in the process of building a DV in these markings, so far I have painted the wings and the red nose.  The fuselage is still in white primer at this stage.  Interested to see how the stripe decals turn out, I think that alignment  is going to be the hardest part.

 

AW

Are you using the decals from Smer, Eduard, or someone else?

[Andwil]

2 hours ago, RC Boater Bill said:

Are you using the decals from Smer, Eduard, or someone else?

FCM, same as you.  I may get around to applying them next week, still got the green tail to paint.  I’ll put up a photo or two when I do (regardless of the outcome 🤞). I am conscious that this isn’t a WIP thread.

 

AW

[RC Boater Bill]

Looking forward to hearing about your results, for both the stripes and tail! 

(Those red stripe tail decals also worry me…)

[Andwil]

@RC Boater Bill  well my experience of the decals was an unmitigated disaster.  I found it very difficult to work out exactly where on the model to place the individual stripe sections, the decals themselves are very thin and unless in the right place to start with are very difficult to move without tearing and kinking.  I’m not completely stupid but I could not see how the decals at the nose corresponded with the instructions.  I started from the nose and worked back, maybe starting at the back may have been better?  Another thing, it’s almost impossible to get the stripes around the wing fuselage join, I would recommend cutting the decals into smaller lengths.  Anyway, my effort was a complete dogs breakfast and the kit has been binned.

 

Look away now if squeamish:

 

acceptable with some touching up

 

Something gone wrong at the tail end

 

 

AW

[Planebuilder62]

Brave man for giving it a try. I guess the only way to model this scheme is to mask it with lots of thin white Tamiya masking tape.

 

Dear @Andwil, will you try it again?
 

Regards Toby

 

 

[Andwil]

2 hours ago, Planebuilder62 said:

will you try it again?

Unlikely!

 

AW

[RC Boater Bill]

13 hours ago, Andwil said:

Unlikely!

 

AW

Thanks for “taking one for the team”..!
 

The Smer kit I have only gives the wide stripes as decals- I guess they are just ignoring the thin ones.   I’m unlikely to bother with them— at this point, I’m thinking I’ll try painting them on.   

My thoughts are that I’ll first test-fit the bottom wing, fixing the fuselage curves so it fits properly.   Then I’ll remove it, and prime and paint the fuselage.   I’ll then try masking the wide stripes as best I can- shooting for a  “striped effect” and not worry too much about getting them all exactly correct.   If they come out well, I’ll then try some thin ones.   One that is all set, I’ll glue the lower wing in place and fill in the missing black on the bit of fuselage between the left and right wings.

 

If this is a disaster, plan B will be paint the whole fuselage black, and use Ernst Udet’s “LO” decals from the Du Doch Nicht kit.