Finished - Albatros D.V by CDW - Wingnut Wings - 1:32 Scale - Plastic

[popeye the sailor]

there's still a bunch of 'em out there....the price tag is hard to swallow though

[Old Collingwood]

2 hours ago, CDW said:

Denis

Man, those Albatros decal sheets are awesome! It's hard not to love WW1 aircraft for their colorful markings.

Your 1:28 Fokker is not an easy kit to find any more. I think the last time I saw that kit available was around the millennium. Maybe RoG has re released it since then?

What about Extradecal  arnt they no good for you?

 

OC.

[CDW]

Final pictures tonight.

Incomplete, but a dry fit of the engine compartment with engine inside.

This model will finish fairly quickly once the internal details are finished. Rigging may take a little time. I love the colorful finishes of WW1 aircraft.

[CDW]

3 minutes ago, Old Collingwood said:

What about Extradecal  arnt they no good for you?

 

OC.

Actually, the decal sheets that come in the box with Wingnut Wings kits are awesome. They are Cartograph decals, made in Italy. Each kit offers a number of different markings for the builder to choose from. This kit has 5 options.

[Old Collingwood]

18 minutes ago, CDW said:

Final pictures tonight.

Incomplete, but a dry fit of the engine compartment with engine inside.

This model will finish fairly quickly once the internal details are finished. Rigging may take a little time. I love the colorful finishes of WW1 aircraft.

That is looking awsome.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

15 minutes ago, CDW said:

Actually, the decal sheets that come in the box with Wingnut Wings kits are awesome. They are Cartograph decals, made in Italy. Each kit offers a number of different markings for the builder to choose from. This kit has 5 options.

Okie dokie,   just wonderd as I have heard they are quite good.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Honestly  that engine just looks so good  - reminds me of my dads car and when we took the engine out on a hoist to do some work to it, new cams I think.

 

OC.

[vossiewulf]

3 hours ago, CDW said:

Beautiful aircraft. Was that strut added in the field? Looks like it would be easy enough to model by adding it from scratch. 

If you look around I'm sure you could find von Hipple's decals in 1/32, if you like it enough. As I recall the strut started as a field modification but became standard late production.

 

Popeye, you are close. Berthold commanded Jasta 18, and when he was given command of Jagdschwader II he took advantage of a loophole and swapped squadron designations between Jasta 15 and Jasta 18, so Jasta 18 became 15 and vice versa. JG II consisted of Jastas 12, 13, 15, and 19, all sporting overall blue but with each Jasta having different colored noses and tails, you're probably familiar with Berthold's D.VII in overall blue, with the red nose and tail of Jasta 15 and his big white wing symbol on the upper wing. A Ltn. Raben (Raven) took command of Jasta 18 when it switched with Jasta 15, and afterward they started calling themselves Jasta Raben and used the white tail and red forward fuselage with the ravens and other black markings, starting with Albatros D.Vas and Pfalz D.IIIs and then continuing to use that paint scheme when they were equipped with D.VIIs.

 

You have to be careful of those markings on D.VIIs though, because at some point Jasta 18 switched aircraft with Jasta 43 for some unknown reason, and Jasta 43 continued to fly those D.VIIs either with the same markings or slightly modified versions of the Jasta 18 markings, and photos were taken of Jasta 43 with those aircraft.

 

Since you like D.VIIs, below is one of my 3d modeling artworks, it's an early Fokker-built D.VII that Udet flew in 1918, he went on an amazing scoring run in it before a Breguet 17 gunner literally shot it to smithereens, with Udet's life being saved by an early parachute he was wearing. In this engagement he shot down two SPAD XIIIs of SPA. 96.

 

"Du doch nicht!!" literally means "you most certainly not!" but would be better translated today as "no way, dude!". The LO! is a reference to his then girlfriend and later wife, Lola Zink. You see it on most of his aircraft.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2019 by vossiewulf

[CDW]

6 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

Since you like D.VIIs, below is one of my 3d modeling artworks, it's an early Fokker-built D.VII that Udet flew in 1918

Awesome!

In my stash, I have the old Sterling kit of the Fokker D.VII in balsa, an RC model, 60" wingspan. It's so old, the vac-u-form plastic has almost disintegrated. It's nothing but a cracked, falling apart, mess. If I ever build the kit, I will certainly need to scratch all the pieces the plastic was intended to represent. I didn't realize until now that particular aircraft as pictured was Udet's plane. Always loved those markings.

[Richmond]

How did you achieve the brass / black toning?

 

- apologies if I missed an explanation earlier.

[CDW]

35 minutes ago, Richmond said:

How did you achieve the brass / black toning?

 

- apologies if I missed an explanation earlier.

Base of flat black then dry brush Mr Color brass.

[CDW]

I settled in on modeling the aircraft of Ottomar Hagenmuller, MFJ 1, late 1917. Hagenmuller was killed in action December 5, 1917.

 

The fuselage is overall, doped plywood. Accent colors are a chrome yellow rudder, nose band, and wheels. The plywood fuselage had a field applied "loofa sponge" mottled green camouflage. I will be experimenting with a technique to capture (hopefully) the look of the loofa mottle green camo. 

[CDW]

On 4/11/2019 at 7:55 PM, vossiewulf said:

Also does the kit have the small strut that was added to the front of the wing V struts, leading to the leading edge? 

Earlier when you asked this question, I mistakenly answered, negative. Upon painting operations and a closer examination of the parts trees, I realized today the kit does indeed offer two different sets of wing struts. One set without the small strut, and one set with the small strut, giving the builder the option to include it or not. 

 

[popeye the sailor]

the fuselage looks really sweet!   good to hear you won't need to modify the struts. 

[CDW]

15 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

the fuselage looks really sweet!   good to hear you won't need to modify the struts. 

Thanks for stopping by, Denis.

With this being an early D.V, there's really no wrong way to model it as far as the extra strut is concerned. Unless the pilot died prior to the introduction of the strut modification, it could be done either way and still be okay.

[CDW]

Here's my feeble attempt at that field applied mottle camo. Heck, it's got to be close to right...I even used a loofa sponge to apply it. 🙂

 

I need to apply the remainder of the chrome yellow cowl ring to the engine panels.

 

 

[Old Collingwood]

I'm liking it mate  - you have done a fab job on that paintwork.

 

OC.

[CDW]

32 minutes ago, Old Collingwood said:

I'm liking it mate  - you have done a fab job on that paintwork.

 

OC.

Thanks OC. I'm a little on the fence right now over whether I like it or not. Maybe once I apply the markings and assemble the other differently painted parts it will grow on me a bit.

 

The one scheme provided in the markings for this aircraft that I liked the most required far too much masking at very specific spacing intervals. I was concerned I would screw that scheme up for sure and didn't attempt it. With this fuselage being cigar shaped like it is, it makes for a tough masking job.

[jct]

9 hours ago, CDW said:

With this fuselage being cigar shaped like it is, it makes for a tough masking job.

Hi CD...you can always resort to a liquid mask if necessary, I've used em in the past with good results, with that said I don't think your camo job looks bad?

[CDW]

50 minutes ago, jct said:

Hi CD...you can always resort to a liquid mask if necessary, I've used em in the past with good results, with that said I don't think your camo job looks bad?

Thanks JCT.

This photo (courtesy of Fine Scale Modeler) is the scheme I originally had in mind. I thought my decal sheet included the black stripes, but I was mistaken. It did include the stripes for the horizontal stabilizer, but not the fuselage.

Maybe it's just me, but the masking required to recreate the fuselage pattern looks like a nightmare to get it right.

[lmagna]

Morning Craig

I hesitate to enter any opinion at all as #1 I am no great artist at weathering or camouflage at all, and #2 Lord knows I have NEVER built any kind of WWI aircraft at all.

Please take that into consideration.

 

I looked up the color scheme you listed and came up with this:

If this is correct and I am not having any color issues with my computer it would seem that the speckling is much finer and the overall coverage much browner than what you have in the pictures above except on the nose cowling, wheels, and rudder surface where it looks like there is no camouflage at all. Would it be possible that you may need to use a finer, (Scaled down) sponge or possibly a large artist style brush with small bristles to get the proper coverage and effect you are looking for?

 

I normally wouldn't say anything as you are a true master at this kind of stuff, and I really know nothing, but this time you seemed a bit dissatisfied with the above results.  

[CDW]

58 minutes ago, lmagna said:

I looked up the color scheme you listed and came up with this:

If this is correct and I am not having any color issues with my computer it would seem that the speckling is much finer and the overall coverage much browner than what you have in the pictures above except on the nose cowling, wheels, and rudder surface where it looks like there is no camouflage at all. Would it be possible that you may need to use a finer, (Scaled down) sponge or possibly a large artist style brush with small bristles to get the proper coverage and effect you are looking for?

 

I normally wouldn't say anything as you are a true master at this kind of stuff, and I really know nothing, but this time you seemed a bit dissatisfied with the above results.  

Yes, that same picture is what gives me a little discomfort as well. However, you need to keep in mind that is not a photo of the actual plane but rather an artist rendering,  IE: his interpretation (artistic license) of what the plane looked like.

If you look at actual photos (black and white) of planes that had this field applied camo, then take into consideration how the paint was a applied in the field, with loofa sponges, it makes you realize there's no way in the world it would have looked as fine or as pretty as the artist rendering. My instruction sheet has some black and white photos of the actual plane and it does not resemble the artist rendering.  

This WW1 game is full of speculation in many areas of discussion, particularly when it came to colors. 

[jct]

I see your conundrum...definitely like the black and white stripes...is there a shot of the other side? wondering if the strips continue around like a barber pole?   think I'd be tempted to give it a shot...Tamiya makes some really sweet tape that would allow you to pull it off...no matter what you decide I'm sure it will be an exceptional example

[CDW]

6 minutes ago, jct said:

I see your conundrum...definitely like the black and white stripes...is there a shot of the other side? wondering if the strips continue around like a barber pole?   think I'd be tempted to give it a shot...Tamiya makes some really sweet tape that would allow you to pull it off...no matter what you decide I'm sure it will be an exceptional example

I must now hide my face in shame (just kidding)...I have two more copies of this kit, so at some point, I will attempt the "barber pole" paint job. I was hoping to have this model finished by/before April 27th, but I may not have enough time to finish it as it is. The regional event is coming up then.

There were so many interesting Albatros paint schemes, I could build a dozen of them and not cover all the schemes I like.

[CDW]

photo is from Wingnut Wings

 

Here is an actual black and white photo of Hagenmuller with his Albatros D.V

 

The photo shows (to my eye anyway) the field applied loofa sponge mottle, showing up as the darker color. I love the way the artist rendered his drawing as I think it is very aesthetically pleasing, but the actual photo makes me think it looked different in real life. 

I think in retrospect, I should have toned down the suggested mottle color a little with a drop or two of white paint mixed in with the green. At this point, I may decide to cover the whole fuselage with a highly diluted (1:8 paint to thinner ratio) green tint just to take some of the edge off the mottle.  

Edited April 15, 2019 by CDW
oops...forgot to attach the picture

[popeye the sailor]

I'd be happy with a job like that.........I think with the decals,  it will look great!   that's like some of the camo works on focke wulfs and Messerschmidts especially the winter camo.  I've never tried it.   one of these days,  I might attempt it,  but I'd likely not get it right either     don't get too crazy and ruin it 

[vossiewulf]

7 hours ago, CDW said:

The photo shows (to my eye anyway) the field applied loofa sponge mottle, showing up as the darker color. I love the way the artist rendered his drawing as I think it is very aesthetically pleasing, but the actual photo makes me think it looked different in real life.

They used what was called orthochromatic film at the time, and it does odd things with colors. For example, yellow will appear very dark, and there are photos of planes out there that look like they have black noses when we know they were painted bright yellow. So it's basically impossible to get colors from photos. Also, the paints they used (as well as the German printed lozenge fabric) faded quickly when exposed to weather, so planes recently vs. not recently painted could look very different.

 

My suggestion is to research what is the current best guess for various colors, but don't stress about it too much, you'll never get it exactly right unless you had a color photo and then you could match a plane's appearance only on that day.

[CDW]

Lou, JCT, Denis and Vossie...thanks much for your comments. Much appreciated.

It's really weird the way yellow looks black with that old film.

[lmagna]

4 minutes ago, CDW said:

It's really weird the way yellow looks black with that old film.

Agreed 

 

But then you have to be careful with photo, (Zerox) copies of color photos these days as well. Unless the lens has been treated for the color shift red will look just as dark as black and blue will sometimes hardly be visible. Yellow usually comes out OK as a lighter gray. I once saw a copy a guy did where he took a felt pen and wrote on red paper. When he photo copied it, the whole paper came out pretty much black with no visible writing.

[Canute]

I see model railroaders fall all over themselves, attempting to recreate the "box car red" of a certain actual railroad. There are so many nuances, so why kill yourself. Most shops painted the cars with what supplies they had on hand that day, very similar to what sailors did in painting their ships. They'd have a base paint, and add x amount of a tint color to achieve the "official" color. Field repaints of aircraft would probably be unique to the base they were at. How accurately was the paint mixed to the formula? I like your mottle Craig, and I'd be really impressed with the black and white striped Albatros. WWI fighters can be so colorful, compared to the dull schemes of today.