Rumpler D.I - 1/72nd scale Merlin kit

[Stuart Malone]

Here's the next one up off the shelf of doom.  I'll have to clean it a bit as there is actual dust on it.  I shelved it after several attempts at scratch building the weird interplane struts failed.  I made a very crude attempt at an instrument panel and a photo etch seat.  This may have been my earliest attempt at photo etch many years ago.  As you can see, there is very little to work with.  I think the prop is from a Revell D.VII kit.  The intake/exhaust, if I had to guess, might be from Aeroclub or Blue Rider.  I'll have to fab up all the struts, spreader bar, tailskid, and radiators.  If I'm scratching the rads for this Rumpler, it may be a good time to make a second pair and add them to the DFW C.V I just completed.  We'll see.

Stuart

[lone modeller]

I have never built a Merlin kit, only read about them, but they did offer some rarer subjects. You look to have made a good start on this - I am sure that some struts will not be beyond your skill to make so that this colourful bird can be finished.

Stephen.

[RAGIII]

Yet another effort to correct a Blob of Plastic and make it into an aircraft. Going by your other efforts I am sure you will succeed!
RAGIII

[WD]

What Rick said.

WD

[enathan]

I only have a single Merlin kit, the Morane Saulnier 28 (AF), as it's the only existing kit of this rare type.
A Merlin Rumpler D.I showed on Ebay recently but the photos were far from encouraging and I let it go. Shortly after a Formaplane vac kit of the Rumpler popped up and I bought it. The kit has its problems but it looks better than the Merlin.
Good luck with finishing the kit Stuart, I appreciate the effort.   

[Rick_H]

In the early days of Merlin, I thought I was keeping up with one or two copies of each kit he produced.  But then he became fairly prolific and I lost track.  I had never heard of the Rumpler D.I kit.  And now I think I will let my connection with it end at watching progress on your build.  Your work looks good on this one.
Rick

[Stuart Malone]

Thanks guys for the words of encouragement.

Rick, I got a little obsessed with collecting Merlin kits in the late 80s and 90s, shortly after I learned there were actual model kits of our beloved stringbags. 

Stephen, yes, they offered subjects not done at the time.  I'm still tempted to build the Airco DH.10.  I assume it has been done by someone in resin but I'm guessing it would be $$$.


A little progress.  I finished the lozenge and carved out the C struts.

Stuart

[mbittner]

Excellent job, Stuart! One of these days I need to do what you're doing: resurrect models from "the shelf" (or in my case, the "cases of doom"; yes, multiple printer paper boxes/totes of in progress models <groan>). I think the first will be the Omega Models MoS Type AC.

The only Merlin Models I kept is the MoS Type AF (Type 28) because it's still the only game in town for that particular aircraft. Haven't had the gumption to actually start it, though.

[jeroen_R90S]

Finishing something you started a long time ago is always nice. I've done a Pegasus kit once that didn't come out as well as I'd liked, mostly due to a lack of skills. But it did teach me a lot, which is how I view models that are stalled or have a little flaw in them.
Sometimes a rough model is the only choice, as it appears in this case. Look forward to the next installment!

[RAGIII]

Excellent progress Stuart! The lozenge and struts are looking great!
RAGIII

[Stuart Malone]

Thanks again for all the words of encouragement.  They really help keep me motivated on these shelved kits.

The top wing is on.  A bit sloppy with the glue.  I'll be cleaning that up.  I think the fuselage was originally painted with Tamiya.  Since I have transitioned to Vallejo, I had to take a moment to create mixes for Rumpler colors.  The colors are from the Rumpler C.IV datafile.  My mixes are not exact, but close to the Methuen codes.  I'm being very pedantic.  The datafile shows the D.I fuselage as two color green and mauve/lilac.  I took a bit of creative license adding the light green to the nose.  I will live with this for a while, I might go back over it with the lilac color.

Stuart

[lone modeller]

I think that you are being too pedantic with the colours if you are trying to get an exact match with the Methuen colours. In reality paints change colour with age and exposure, so while a colour may have been one shade when the aircraft left the factory, it could be rather different a few weeks later.... Close enough is good enough with reference to that problem.

The model looks just fine to me - keep going and when finished get another one off the shelf!

Stephen

[RAGIII]

Awesome,and I agree with Stephen about the colors
RAGIII

[Alexis]

You are a brave man to tackle a Merlin kit Stuart , thumbs up !


Alexis