forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com

WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Topic started by: GazzaS on March 13, 2022, 06:25:52 PM

Title: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: GazzaS on March 13, 2022, 06:25:52 PM
Hi everyone,
     It's good to see you all again.  I got into a little group build with my local modelling club Riverside Scale Modellers of Brisbane, Australia.  The Group Build is called Golden years, so it's pre-1970's kits with no Japanese kits allowed because they were so much better than the Airfix and Monogram, and other western stuff available to most of us during our childhoods.

This is day two with the little kit.  I've done some reshaping and surface cleaning...   but per the group rules, must be OOB with no AM though scratch building addons are allowed.  The upper wing is only dry-fitted.

(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/3162/hP0QtC.jpg)

(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/8515/9TUBIT.jpg)

(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/998/tsnMR1.jpg)

Happy modelling!
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: Dave W on March 13, 2022, 06:50:12 PM
Welcome back! Your Albatros is looking good. These little Revell kits set so many of us on to our lifetime path of WW1 modelling so it's great to see them still being made.

Even as an OOB build it's good to see how well the Revell kit has stood up to the years.

cheers

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: bobs_buckles on March 13, 2022, 06:52:25 PM
Great to see you back on the forum, Gazza!

Your wee Albie is looking squared away and fine.
Looking forward to seeing your progress on this one.

Take care.
Bob  ;)
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: Monty on March 13, 2022, 10:21:29 PM
That looks great for that golden oldie kit! Nice modelling... Marc
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: pepperman42 on March 13, 2022, 11:15:45 PM
Nice!! No pressure build

Steve
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: RAGIII on March 13, 2022, 11:56:13 PM
Welcome Back! The Albatros is looking good. This kit was one of My first WW1 builds when I was about 10 years Old. I think I built it in about an hour  ;D
RAGIII
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: Thumbs up on March 14, 2022, 01:38:58 AM
Welcome Back! The Albatros is looking good. This kit was one of My first WW1 builds when I was about 10 years Old. I think I built it in about an hour  ;D
RAGIII
[/quote

Ha Ha I had the transfers on before the glue had dried! Happy carefree days!
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: KiwiZac on March 14, 2022, 07:23:24 AM
Excellent! I do enjoy tackling old kits - models are made to be made! - and your Albi's shaping up very nicely!

These little Revell kits set so many of us on to our lifetime path of WW1 modelling so it's great to see them still being made.
They can be quite durable too - the SPAD I built at high school is sitting in my Roden 1/32 version's box as inspiration!
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: Alexis on March 14, 2022, 09:42:14 AM
Welcome back Gaz , will be following along on this one


Alexis
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: gedmundson on March 15, 2022, 05:02:56 AM
That little model sure brings back memories! Good luck with your build.
Cheers,
Gary
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: GazzaS on March 15, 2022, 06:23:45 PM
Thank you everyone for the kind wishes and thoughtful words!  It's good to feel welcome in a great group of model builders.

I never got to build this kit when I was young.  The only WWI aircraft I ever had were the 1/48 Fokker D.VII, 1/28 scale Fokker Dr.I and Spad XIII.

Today was spent on fixing surface flaws and coming up with wood grain in a scale I never imagined doing wood grain.  First objective was to find the color of the light part of natural pine.  To make this, I used the paints illustrated.  Blue is a very powerful color...  You need it, but you need as little of it as you can get onto the end of a Tamiya stir stick.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/4649/pXTKWm.jpg)

Then I used some Citadel washes to make some streaks.  Most of which I wet-sanded off.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/7213/zSoFxw.jpg)


I have been guilty of building orange-stained Albatros fighters.  Only about a year ago did I learn of the Idflieg (Inspekteur Der Fliegertruppen) regulation stating that the wooden areas were to  be stained yellow.  How yellow?  I'm not sure.  But probably not orange.  So, mine now looks like this:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/5128/0jkzXc.jpg)

Now...  there are a couple of them with natural wood showing in museums...  and they look pretty orange.  But I believe that many stained woods, particularly pine, darken as they age, providing they aren't exposed naked to the elements.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/4306/7cl37F.jpg)

Hopefully It'll all look alright with the Voss Decal set...   which hopefully still works after 15 years.  I wish I had thought to scribe some lines into the fuselage before i added the wings.

Anyway....    Happy modelling!
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: Brad Cancian on March 15, 2022, 06:32:00 PM
Nice work Gazza - I have one of these on my to-do pile for a future 'nostalgia' build. The kit isn't all that accurate of course, but it 'looks' like an Albatros :)  Yours is coming up a treat.

Cheers,

BC
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: GazzaS on March 15, 2022, 06:34:29 PM
Thanks Brad.  I have done a little sculpting on the spinner.  It is quite pointy and long otherwise.  Any other shape changes would be far too much work.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: Alexis on March 15, 2022, 10:33:07 PM
Nice start with the grain effect , look forward on the results .

Alexis
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: RAGIII on March 15, 2022, 10:53:15 PM
The grain and color look excellent. Very much correct for the scale IMHO.
RAGIII
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: lone modeller on March 16, 2022, 04:28:30 AM
Oh happy days! I remember the plastic being blue when I built this kit in the ealry 1970's - although by then I was a more experienced modeller. I had to paint Voss' personal markings on minne and the fuselage was yellow not wood!

Looking forward to seeing more of this.

Stephen.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: GazzaS on March 17, 2022, 05:54:11 PM
Some color.  A lot of shapes are killing me mentally right now.  Those propeller blades look suspiciously short, too.
(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0594.thumb.JPG.bebf6496c596204eb52af00f7996d545.JPG)

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0595.thumb.JPG.9df47e5f2c66fe5d2cf10a9e334e81c6.JPG)

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0596.thumb.JPG.e604d9716445db56cb3f26ea323e3831.JPG)

Not happy with the gray on the cowl.  Need it to be lighter.

Happy modelling!
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: Rick_H on March 17, 2022, 07:53:41 PM
Do you have the upper wing glued on?

I'm working on one of those too and am trying to get all the paint and decals done before attaching the wing.  (Or maybe I am just postponing the upper wing as long as possible.)
Rick
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: WD on March 17, 2022, 08:57:10 PM
Great progress Gazza, I think for it's age, the kit holds up very well in terms of shape, etc. It's product from 50 years ago.

I dreamed of getting my hands on this kit when I was a kid, but never found one.  :-\

WD
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: WD on March 17, 2022, 09:01:22 PM

I have been guilty of building orange-stained Albatros fighters.  Only about a year ago did I learn of the Idflieg (Inspekteur Der Fliegertruppen) regulation stating that the wooden areas were to  be stained yellow.  How yellow?  I'm not sure.  But probably not orange.  So, mine now looks like this:


I spent several years in rural construction, and have seen my share of plywood made from softwoods (pine, fir, etc.) A lot of it, in its natural state, has an orange cast to it, so going with an orange/yellow blend wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility IMHO.

Just my two Pfennings,

WD
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: GazzaS on March 18, 2022, 05:51:03 PM
Do you have the upper wing glued on?

I'm working on one of those too and am trying to get all the paint and decals done before attaching the wing.  (Or maybe I am just postponing the upper wing as long as possible.)
Rick

It's just dry fitted, mate.  Easier to illustrate that way. 
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: GazzaS on March 18, 2022, 05:56:16 PM
Great progress Gazza, I think for it's age, the kit holds up very well in terms of shape, etc. It's product from 50 years ago.

I dreamed of getting my hands on this kit when I was a kid, but never found one.  :-\

WD

Thank you.  I didn't even know of this kit back then.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: GazzaS on March 18, 2022, 06:03:00 PM

I have been guilty of building orange-stained Albatros fighters.  Only about a year ago did I learn of the Idflieg (Inspekteur Der Fliegertruppen) regulation stating that the wooden areas were to  be stained yellow.  How yellow?  I'm not sure.  But probably not orange.  So, mine now looks like this:


I spent several years in rural construction, and have seen my share of plywood made from softwoods (pine, fir, etc.) A lot of it, in its natural state, has an orange cast to it, so going with an orange/yellow blend wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility IMHO.

Just my two Pfennings,

WD

I suppose anything is possible.  If we consider the orthochromatic film of the day that would turn yellow into black, then we are given more evidence for yellow.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: GazzaS on March 19, 2022, 09:01:37 PM
Hi Friends!

The decals really make the model.  I got a little stupid and let my desire to tackle a new challenge upset the build.  I really was looking forward to turning the empty white field that comprised the empennage into 3d shapes sculpted with oil paints.  I should have waited until the decals were on.

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0598.thumb.JPG.555f04cb7dae75808660188e2f1438f7.JPG)

To make the shapes appear on the tail I used black, blue, and white oils.  I'm pleased that even in the intense light of my bench, some of the shades are still visible.

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0597.thumb.JPG.21d85fe837746afe94336e07ff581d14.JPG)

The original blades were very stumpy and broad.  So much so that I thought they were under-length for scale.  But I was wrong.  They were the proper length.  Still... they were ugly enough to warrant replacement.  And the spinner required a lot of reshaping.  This is as steady as my hands can do with a paint brush.  Remember that the blades are only 2.6mm wide.

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0599.thumb.JPG.40bc7d5ca41fb8308b9867f28b0e2e91.JPG)

 used oils to darken the spaces between the ribs on both upper and lower wings.  It shows more on the lower wing of this picture than on the upper wing.  I'm hoping that it becomes more apparent after a matte coat and better, less brilliant lighting.

 

Happy modelling!
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: WD on March 19, 2022, 11:46:58 PM
Looking great Gazza.

WD
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: RAGIII on March 20, 2022, 03:35:36 AM
This old kit really looks great after the care you have taken to do such an excellent paint job. Love the colors!
RAGIII
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: lone modeller on March 20, 2022, 04:45:33 AM
That really does look the part. The markings have given it a real lift. The propellor blades look fine too - remember that the camera lens magnifies things a lot.

Stephen.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: Borsos on March 20, 2022, 06:28:03 AM
Lovely antiquity, Gazza! These vintage kits really look nice when build carefully like you do.
Andreas
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: KiwiZac on March 20, 2022, 06:42:04 AM
Very clever work with the oils, and with the decals she looks like a much larger (and more recent) kit!
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: GazzaS on March 21, 2022, 06:21:42 PM
Very clever work with the oils, and with the decals she looks like a much larger (and more recent) kit!

Thank you Zac!  The decals took about three minutes each soaking and waiting for the cement to allow them to slide off the paper.  They laid down nicely, though.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III
Post by: GazzaS on March 21, 2022, 06:40:25 PM
Final photos, my friends.

I see some fuzzies on the upper wing.  I hope they brush off tomorrow.

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0601.thumb.JPG.9c8302cc677f56e17b9ac2defd5896ee.JPG)

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0607.thumb.JPG.ff057bb4add2cf1a3ac1496bf4caeca8.JPG)

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0602.thumb.JPG.96463d6ffd90b07ce4eb13f0f7348bff.JPG)

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0609.thumb.JPG.ff2c9ea702d4ec1c66f54632bd9d7e04.JPG)

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0603.thumb.JPG.825e98f33e8aa20a2a402be453503df6.JPG)

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0604.thumb.JPG.8599c277c91197e179ff21fe41fef0e8.JPG)

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0608.thumb.JPG.07d6d2a2d1a2c4dbdc4e94075e94a62d.JPG)

(https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2022_03/IMG_0610.JPG.0fb1cf236ab9e815615acf42a862fba4.JPG)

Thank you for looking.  I went a little heavy on the matte coat.  Hopefully a gentle buff can help it out.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: lcarroll on March 22, 2022, 12:09:34 AM
 Gaz,
      A lovely Build of a true classic, and in one of my favorite schemes, shows what can be done with these vintage Kits with a little care and effort! Great paint job and very nicely done!
Cheers,
Lance
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: Rookie on March 22, 2022, 02:10:37 AM
This was a very pleasant trip down memory lane Gazza...

She looks great, and I really like her color scheme!

Willem
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: Alexis on March 22, 2022, 02:36:47 AM
Wonderful job on a classic kit !


Alexis
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: lone modeller on March 22, 2022, 04:27:42 AM
If you had not told us that this was the Revel kit I for one would not have known. Superb model from a not very promising box of bits.

Stephen.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: RAGIII on March 22, 2022, 04:41:37 AM
Your Old Revelle Alabatros DIII looks terrific. Beautifully painted and the spinner looks much improved.
RAGIII
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: Brad Cancian on March 22, 2022, 08:31:36 AM
I love it Gazza - brilliant work on a classic kit! It has inspired me to move mine up in the build pile :)

Cheers,

BC
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: GazzaS on March 22, 2022, 08:40:12 AM
Your Old Revelle Alabatros DIII looks terrific. Beautifully painted and the spinner looks much improved.
RAGIII

Thank you!  Using my Dremel as a lathe really helped to make the spinner symmetrical.



Gaz,
      A lovely Build of a true classic, and in one of my favorite schemes, shows what can be done with these vintage Kits with a little care and effort! Great paint job and very nicely done!
Cheers,
Lance

Thank you!  Painting has been one of the areas I've wanted to improve most.




If you had not told us that this was the Revel kit I for one would not have known. Superb model from a not very promising box of bits.

Stephen.

Thank you!  It definitely is an uninspiring kit once you've done a few Roden and WNW kits.


Wonderful job on a classic kit !


Alexis

Thank you!


This was a very pleasant trip down memory lane Gazza...

She looks great, and I really like her color scheme!

Willem

Thank you!  I'm glad you enjoyed it.  It's certainly an interesting color scheme.

I love it Gazza - brilliant work on a classic kit! It has inspired me to move mine up in the build pile :)

Cheers,

BC

Thank you!  I think it inspired me not to do any more ancient kits.  lol


Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: Dave W on March 22, 2022, 09:14:57 AM
Nice to see the old Revell Albatros looking so sparkling and in a nice scheme.

These Revell kits were gold standard in their day and as you've shown can still come up very nicely.

Are you intending to add rigging to this one? In 1/72 scale it's a challenge for sure.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: Rick_H on March 22, 2022, 06:11:29 PM
Lovely!
 
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: GazzaS on March 22, 2022, 07:21:33 PM
Nice to see the old Revell Albatros looking so sparkling and in a nice scheme.

These Revell kits were gold standard in their day and as you've shown can still come up very nicely.

Are you intending to add rigging to this one? In 1/72 scale it's a challenge for sure.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

Thank you Dave.  No rigging for this one per the competition rules.  Otherwise, I would have.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: GazzaS on March 22, 2022, 07:22:00 PM
Lovely!
 

Thank you!
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: KiwiZac on March 23, 2022, 05:59:54 AM
Bravo Gazza, she's a beauty!
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: Bughunter on March 23, 2022, 06:04:35 AM
Nice result in this small scale!
Of course some parts like struts looks a bit out of scale, but those are limits of the kit production and I guess the pictures on my monitor here shows it much bigger as the real model.
The real sky pics are nice. A small hint: the pics from above are a bit bright. You can use the EV setting of your camera to make them a bit darker.

One day I need to do such early Albatros scheme, from D.I, D.II to D.III

Cheers,
Frank
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: GazzaS on March 23, 2022, 11:05:08 AM
Nice result in this small scale!
Of course some parts like struts looks a bit out of scale, but those are limits of the kit production and I guess the pictures on my monitor here shows it much bigger as the real model.
The real sky pics are nice. A small hint: the pics from above are a bit bright. You can use the EV setting of your camera to make them a bit darker.

One day I need to do such early Albatros scheme, from D.I, D.II to D.III

Cheers,
Frank
 
Thank you Frank!  The Albatros fighters are beautiful to model.  So many choices!


Bravo Gazza, she's a beauty!

Thank you, Zac!
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: kensar on March 24, 2022, 12:04:24 AM
Nice work, Gazza.  Good to see a pilot figure, too.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: WD on March 24, 2022, 08:47:44 AM
Well done sir!

WD
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: GazzaS on March 24, 2022, 03:51:02 PM
Well done sir!

WD

Thank you!

Nice work, Gazza.  Good to see a pilot figure, too.

Thank you!  The pilot constitutes the entire content of the cockpit.  Without him, you just have a big hole.
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: gedmundson on March 25, 2022, 12:35:59 AM
How very impressive. Nice finish, indeed. I can't help looking at that model and recalling the old kit I used to have, and how Revell's interpretation of the Albatros in 1/72 is ingrained in my memory from years ago (although mine wasn't finished nearly as nice as yours!)
Cheers,
Gary
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: bobs_buckles on March 25, 2022, 09:18:09 AM
Lovely wee build, Gazza!
Well done!

Bob  ;)
Title: Re: Revell Ancient Molds 1/72 scale Albatros D.III Completed
Post by: GazzaS on March 25, 2022, 06:57:31 PM
Lovely wee build, Gazza!
Well done!

Bob  ;)

Thank you, Bob!


How very impressive. Nice finish, indeed. I can't help looking at that model and recalling the old kit I used to have, and how Revell's interpretation of the Albatros in 1/72 is ingrained in my memory from years ago (although mine wasn't finished nearly as nice as yours!)
Cheers,
Gary

Thank you, Gary