Hi all,
Onto the resin conversion set from 'Loon Models' (LO32006) for the early D.III aircraft.
The resin engine cowl is well formed but is so thin in places I can virtually see through it.
Also when offered up to the kit engine bulkhead, the resin cowl outer diameter is undersized, which leaves a step between it and the bulkhead.
As the resin cowl is way to fragile to contemplate modifying it, I chose instead to modify the bulkhead and fuselage halves.
The outer edge of the bulkhead was sanded to match the cowl.
The forward inside ends of the fuselage were scrapped to form a shoulder for the bulkhead to locate.
The end result is the fuselage. bulkhead and resin cowl now align.
The next step is to create the cooling slots and apertures in the bottom of the cowl (good thing the set has two cowls!!)
The early production SSW D.III aircraft were fitted with a full, circular cowl around the engine. In addition the propeller was fitted with a large domed spinner. These combined with poor engine lubrication, caused by the use of synthetic ‘Voltol’ oil, caused many engine failures. In an attempt to increase cooling airflow across the engine, some engine cowls had two oval apertures and three slots cut through the bottom/sides of the cowl. Although I could not find photographic evidence of this for the Jasta 15 aircraft of ’Ziegesar’, there is a photograph of the aircraft of Lt.d.R. Alfred Greven of Jasta 12, which clearly shows one of the cooling apertures.
Should be fun,
Mike
