forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Topic started by: Mike Norris (UK) on October 12, 2025, 12:20:16 AM
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Hi all,
While I'm waiting for the parts I need to make the display case, I'm starting on my next build.
Also it'll be a break from a complex rigged aircraft.
Fokker D.VII (OAW) 'Seven Swabians', Serial No: 4697/18 of Jasta 65, flown it seems by Alfred Bader.
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/header.jpg)
The Seven Swabians (Die Sieben Schwaben) is a German fairy tale, collected by The Brothers Grimm in the second volume edition of their Kinder- und Hausmurchen (1857) under the number KHM119.
The term Swabians refers to people from the German region Swabia, though in Switzerland it refers to Germans in general.
One version of the tale is as follows:
Once upon a time there were Seven Swabians who travelled through the world.
To be safe from danger they carried one long spear with them.
One day in July they walk through a meadow just by nightfall and notice a hornet buzzing by.
Unaware what they just heard the men start to panic, thinking it was a war drum.
One of them tries to flee, jumps over a fence and then walks right on the teeth of a rake, whereupon the handle hits him in the face.
He quickly begs for mercy and tells the invisible attacker that he'll surrender, whereupon his six friends do the same.
Later, when they finally understand they were fooled they decide to keep this embarrassing anecdote a secret.
To prevent the story from getting out they swear to not say anything about it until one of them should accidentally open his mouth.
Later they encounter a hare sleeping in the sun.
They take the animal for a monster and decide to attack it.
After bracing themselves with all the courage they can get they strike out and the hare runs away, whereupon they realize they've once again been fooled.
The septet travels onward until they reach the river Moselle.
Unaware how to cross it they ask a man on the opposite side of the river for help.
Due to the distance and their language the man doesn't understand what they were saying and he asked them in the dialect of Trier: "Wat, Wat?"
This causes the men to think that they have to wade through the water.
As the first Swabian gets into the river he starts to sink into the mud.
His hat is blown away to the opposite shore, next to a frog who croaks noises that sound like "wat, wat, wat".
The six surviving Swabians think it's their friend telling them to wade across; they rush in the water and all drown.
The aircraft has two distinct scenes painted on each side of the fuselage.
On the left (port) side of the fuselage shows the Swabians seeing the hare.
On the right (starboard) side of the fuselage shows the Swabians charging the escaping animal.
Behind the cockpit is the House of Warttemberg Coat of Arms.
Mike
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/SS1A.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/SS1B.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/SS3.jpg)
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Nice choice. I assume it's WNW? The DVIIs are a quick-ish build I find, those cowling panels take a lot of fettling and dry fitting to get a really good fit. But at least there's hardly any rigging!
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Dear Mike,
Of all the curious and splendid D.VII liveries ever to grace the pages of aviation history, you have indeed chosen the most singular and handsome of them all! Might I inquire as to the manufacturer of the kit you are working from?
Should you find yourself inclined to further explorations in this most delightful corner of the Great War skies, may I humbly suggest the Gothaforce release? Word has it their 'Die sieben Schwaben' edition is due out this very October.
And, if I may presume one further liberty - I enclose herein a finely colourised, high-resolution image of the subject, which may prove of interest or inspiration.
(https://i.postimg.cc/qvzGRQ32/Bader-7-sv-b-atyafi-sz-nezett.jpg)
With all good wishes and the utmost admiration for your craftsmanship,
Richard
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Hi Richard,
Thanks for your comments and most eloquent post.
The kit I am using is the Wingnut Wings kit of he OAW built Fokker D.VII.
Whilst I have these kits I'll not venture into Gothaforce versions, although I understand they are very fine models.
Thanks for the posting the image, created by Rue Candias in his blog 'Colonel J's' and a copy of which I already have in my build log.
I'll be using the decal set, which is available still from Aviattic,
Mike
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/decals.jpg)
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Awesome!
RAGIII
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A very interesting topic, I'm looking forward to your build log.
Regards,
Joerg
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Hi all,
The cockpit assembly has been fitted into the fuselage.
The cockpit was built from the box apart from a few things I added.
Lead wire of 0.3 mm diameter was used to represent the trigger cables between the control column and machine guns.
It was also used for the outlet pipe from the fuel tank pressurizing hand pump.
Blackened Nickel-Silver tube of 0.3 and 0.5 mm diameter was used to represent the control rods from the throttle levers.
EZ black (fine) line was used to represent the control cable from the ignition advance lever.
Mono-filament of 0.08 mm diameter, blackened 0.4 mm diameter tube and Proper Plane resin 1:32nd scale turnbuckles (RD-005) were used for:
Rudder control cables.
Elevator control cables,
Twin aileron control cables.
Decals used were from the kit and from the specific decal set for this aircraft by Aviattic (ATt32173).
Now it's onto the engine,
Mike
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/pitdone1.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/pitdone2.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/pitdone3.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/pitin.jpg)
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That's a lovely looking cockpit, excellent modelling as always.
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That's a lovely looking cockpit, excellent modelling as always.
I agree with Nigel. Lovely!
RAGIII
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Good start Mike. I am really looking forward to seeing this one.
Alan.
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Great work on the cockpit, excellent !
Joerg
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Hi all,
The engine is now fitted.
The engine is fairly basic as the access panels will be fitted, covering it all apart from the top detail.
The only added details are the spark plugs and ignition leads,
Mike
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/engin1.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/engin2.jpg)
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The engine looks great. Very sensible amount of detail under the circumstances!
RAGIII
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The engine looks great. And I thoroughly approve of not over-detailing it, because little can be seen if all the covers are on!
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Hi all,
Next step is applying the Aviattic decal set for this aircraft.
The base coat is gloss white as the decals are translucent.
The base coat needs to be a light colour for the linen effect to show.
Also pre-shading (Tamiya Smoke X19) of the rib tapes and frames should show slightly,
Mike
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/shade1.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/shade2.jpg)
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Looking forward to seeing the decals on this one. And it's definitely not an SE5a...... ;) :)
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I commented on your mis-post, but I will say again, nice decal prep. Looks gorgeous!
RAGIII
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Nice work Mike !
Alexis
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Mike, I?m very impressed with your progress on this one, as always with your builds. I acquired the WnW decals for this aircraft and have the correct kit to build it?forgetting I had robbed the axle fairing from it to build Barker?s 1919 racing plane (with a large 50 on the side) many years ago. I plan on modifying a spare kit part to eventually build my own at some point. Looking forward to seeing your updates here, and taking notes as you go.
Cheers,
Gary
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Hi all,
I've added all of the necessary decals now.
The fuselage, wings and control surfaces are all from the specific Aviattic set (?Aviattic? clear backed Seven Swabians (ATT32173) and (ATT32070).
Unfortunately the pre-shading on the wings and tailplane were not dark enough, so are not really visible.
Now it's onto the weathering stage,
Mike
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/prep1.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/prep2.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/prep3.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/prep4.jpg)
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Looks good to Me Mike! JMHO but I think too light is far better than too dark on the rib shading!
RAGIII
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I'm with Rick, too light is better than too dark IMO :) . This is looking very nice, you did a great job getting all the panels neatly aligned and fitting well.
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I'm with Rick, too light is better than too dark IMO :) . This is looking very nice, you did a great job getting all the panels neatly aligned and fitting well.
Hi Nigel,
Yes the decal should not be separate.
Initially I thought that having the separate panel indicated that the whole panel would have been metal.
I also thought that maybe the decal could sink into the join line anyway.
So I cut and applied decal to the panel separate to the main fuselage.
I should have spotted in internal lozenge decal on the Aviattic sheet as a clue.
Bit late now to rectify sadly.
We live and learn,
Mike
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Don't worry Mike, you'll see I changed my comment to remove the nitpicky point I made. Only nerds like me will notice (and as I just went through that process on my DVIIF it was fresh in my mind). It's still a great looking build :)
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Don't worry Mike, you'll see I changed my comment to remove the nitpicky point I made. Only nerds like me will notice (and as I just went through that process on my DVIIF it was fresh in my mind). It's still a great looking build :)
Hi Nigel,
You needn't have removed the comment.
It was correct and we all learn from others mistakes ;)
Everyone of my 60 models have at least one error somewhere.
It's just most modelers probably wouldn't notice them, but I know ;D
Mike
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It's just most modelers probably wouldn't notice them, but I know ;D
I was pretty sure you knew, which was why it didn't really need saying..... ;) :) But you are so right, we all need to make compromises as we build, and sometimes forget things, otherwise we'd never finish anything!
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Another stunning model in the making...
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Hi all,
The W's are done.
Weathered, Weapons, Windscreen.
Also the exhaust and a modification to add a flare pistol to the centre, leading edge of the upper wing.
The pre-rigging is also added.
Next up is assembly,
Mike
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/dirton1.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/dirton2.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/dirton3.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/dirton4.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/dirton6.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/gunson.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/exhaston.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/flare3.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/SS2.jpg)
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Wonderful made W s, excellent, chapeau !
Joerg
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Lovely job on all the weathering Mike, it looks fantastic! Those are the details that bring the model to life for me.
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Looking properly gorgeous Mike 8)
Paul
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Hi all,
Landing gear with bracing cables fitted.
Flight control cables mostly rigged.
Cabane and interplane struts fitted.
Proper Plane Niendorf propeller also ready for fitting.
Next is fitting the upper wing and aileron cables,
Mike
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/gearrig.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/ailrig1.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/ailrig2.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/contrig1.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/contrig2.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/propdone.jpg)
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Outstanding work on cables and prop Mike!
RAGIII
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Hi all,
Just the last bits fitted now.
Upper wing fitted.
Aileron control cables from fuselage to upper wing.
Fuselage grab handles and pilots foot step.
Propeller fitted.
Just the figure and display base to go,
Mike
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/ailrig3.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/handles.jpg)
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/propon.jpg)
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Lovely work all round Mike, the end result looks really convincing.
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Excellent results. I love the fuel stain!
RAGIII
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Hi all,
The pilot figure is completed.
?Black Dog? German fighter pilot WW1 N?3 (F32172).
Painted with 'AK Interactive' acrylic paints.
That's this model completed.
Thanks for your comments and support during this build,
Mike
(https://www.thatoneplease.co/buildlogs/SWABIANS/pilot.jpg)