Werner Voss's D.III

[zavod44]

That would make sense.....do we think the cammo is still the light green, brown and dark green?  Or would it be different at this stage of the war?  Then would the lower wing be original color and the new wing be a new color?  I know this is the minutia Bo would think about...    Plus it would make for an interesting looking paint job.  I also had the question, is the elevator on a Albatros DIII the same on a DV?

[uncletony]

That would make sense.....do we think the cammo is still the light green, brown and dark green?  Or would it be different at this stage of the war?  Then would the lower wing be original color and the new wing be a new color?

I don't have it here, but the newish D.III book by Jim Miller has a pretty extensive discussion on the Voss D.III markings with I think all the known photos-- I would start there; I think it covers the current consensus (if there is such a thing) pretty well. Also there is an extensive build log here where Dave Douglas and others weighed in on the subject.

I also had the question, is the elevator on a Albatros DIII the same on a DV?

Yep. According to Koloman Mayerhofer the horizontal tailplane is completely interchangeable between all the production Albatros fighters (D.I to D.Va).

[stefanbuss]

Having seen this old thread coming alive again, I checked the latest publication on Voss and his aircraft (or better: the latest I am aware of), that is Bronnenkants 6th volume in his PLM series, covering Thomsen, Hoeppner, and Voss, published earlier this year (2015).

There are long discussions about why his DIII was always the same aircraft (means: instead of two different aircraft, the "early one with two red hearts", compared to a possible "later one with three red hearts") - it is the same aircraft, form the first production batch. Bronnenkant (and Jim Miller, who did the photographic analysis) agree on an upper wing replacement due to the shifting of the radiator. It is discussed at length when the third red heart might have been added to the fuselage.

But (and that I think is the most important part wrt this thread): Not a single word is lost on a possible repaint of the spinner when Voss was shifted out of JaSta B on May 20th,1917. Bronnenkant thinks the spinner was black and never changed.

Stefan

[uncletony]

Ah, I don't have Vol 6 yet -- must order it as soon as I get home.

Seeing that Voss left the rest of the Jasta B unit marking intact (white tail with black band) it makes sense that he would leave the spinner as it was, too (i.e. black). But ultimately -- who knows?

[zavod44]

With some fiddling It seems like I can graft some Wingnut DV wings on the DIII.  I have a WNW DV that I can use as a donor kit to use on this project.  Does anyone see any problems with that?  The wings seem very similar.  I will have to mount the WNW lower wings to the center section piece from Roden so it will fit to the fuselage properly.

[uncletony]

Should work nicely. The D.Va wings and the D.III wings were essentially identical. (Radiator placement aside). Remember D.V wings had aileron controls routed thru upper, not lower wing as D.III and D.Va. Thus ailerons are different in detail. But otherwise yeah, when I get to my D.III I have a donor WNW D.Va to use for wings and horizontal tail surfaces... (Assuming WNW doesn't release a D.III before I get started...)

[zavod44]

they will for sure release one by the time you finish it      I'll get started on this asap!

[uncletony]

they will for sure release one by the time you finish it      I'll get started on this asap!

hehe, too true

[zavod44]

Should work nicely. The D.Va wings and the D.III wings were essentially identical. (Radiator placement aside). Remember D.V wings had aileron controls routed thru upper, not lower wing as D.III and D.Va. Thus ailerons are different in detail. But otherwise yeah, when I get to my D.III I have a donor WNW D.Va to use for wings and horizontal tail surfaces... (Assuming WNW doesn't release a D.III before I get started...)

So I was looking at the WNW DV and DVa kits and the wing sprues are identical.  Because I really no noting about any of this and I'm trying to understand, the ailerons won't have the horn on top on the DIII and the DVa, visually that's the biggest difference?  I would assume the rigging will look a little different as well? 

[uncletony]

So I was looking at the WNW DV and DVa kits and the wing sprues are identical.  Because I really no noting about any of this and I'm trying to understand, the ailerons won't have the horn on top on the DIII and the DVa, visually that's the biggest difference?  I would assume the rigging will look a little different as well?

The wings in the kits are identical; the ailerons (and aileron fairings) are different. The D.Va ailerons have a "lever" for the front actuating cable that comes up to it from the lower wing. The D.Va wing also does not have the metal fairing that covers the cables where they pass into the upper wing on the D.Va. The kit wing needs this hole plugged.  The WNW kit D.Va also has little adapter shoes that go over the slot in the wings but I think these are also included in the D.V kit.

Nothing at all difficult to adapt, relative to the other changes you are taking on...

[RAGIII]

There is the "Possibility" that the radiator will need to be changed to an earlier style compared to the DV/DVa and OAW DIII.
RAGIII

[zavod44]

IS there a kit I can rob this radiator from?

[RAGIII]

IS there a kit I can rob this radiator from?

Remember I said "Possibility". I am not going on record as being an expert by any means. While researching DI,DII, and DIII radiators to see if Bos' outstanding drop in product would work I found that All of the DI & DII radiators I could see had a single (strake: Flat portion separating the grills) down the center running cordwise, or 2 running spanwise. It also looked as though the EARLY DIIIs' ( central radiator), and probably those with the offset radiator had the same configuration. Look at the Roden Albatros DIII radiator as it is correct in style, if somewhat oversized. The only confirmed photos I found matching the DV/Va style were OAW built DIIIs'. So in the end I have to say I don't have photos of many DIII radiators so this is a big MAYBE! Perhaps someone with more reference, and expertise, will chime in 
RAGIII

[uncletony]

Some Early D.Vs (notably Streich's) had the single strake T&B radiator as well.

I plan on making this as an offering on Flugzeugwerke...

[RAGIII]

Some Early D.Vs (notably Streich's) had the single strake T&B radiator as well.

I plan on making this as an offering on Flugzeugwerke...

Really great news Bo! I will need one for my DII!
RAGIII