WNW Albatros for local IPMS club 'Build Same Kit' competition

[Jamo]

What if two people make the same markings? It'll be like parties where people are wearing the same outfit, lol

Regards

Yes, funny you should mention that. The TVAL hangar was open today, being ANZAC Day, and I went over there with another modeller from our IPMS club who is also doing the BSK competition. And guess what, he has the DV kit and plans to do Schreder's plane 

So we won't be exactly the same but pretty darn close.

Here is a shot of me standing in front of 7343:



I heard there will be another Albatros at the airshow, this time with a TVAL manufactured Mercedes engine. I heard there may be as many as 12 built eventually, not all staying here in NZ but destined for trades around the world for other goodies. 7343 is due to head over to the RAF Collection in the UK sometime soon.

I should have really been modelling today but the afternoon was just brilliant over at Hood Aerodrome. Late Autumn sun, a Fokker DVIII and an SE5a flying around, smell of castor oil in the air, hardly a breath of wind, two Albatros parked on the concrete outside the hangar. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

[keith_christie]

Hi James,

Another cracking set of photo's for reference, thank you for sharing them.
Do you know when Albatros 7343 is destined to come to the UK?

Best Regards

Keith

[phs Paddy]

Lovely photos James. Man how I wish I had a transporter in operation. 

Paddy

[Umlaufmotor]

Perfect Pictures, jamo.
Thank's a lot for that.

I've heard, that Koloman Mayrhöfer has sold several Albatros D.II to NewZealand.
Does anyone closer?   

Servus
Bertl

[Jamo]

Hi James,

Another cracking set of photo's for reference, thank you for sharing them.
Do you know when Albatros 7343 is destined to come to the UK?

Best Regards

Keith

No, sorry Keith. IMHO it will be very soon. They will be crated up, sent by ship, then uncrated and assembled. Judging by the time it took the Snipe to reach Kermit Weeks in Florida it could be at least 3-4 months before its on display in the UK.

[Frank Berger]

I would love to see one turn up at the Oshkosh EAA show someday. WWI aircraft aren't as prevalent or popular as the WWII birds and jets, but they do manage to show a few every now and then.

[mike in calif]

Great pics Jamo, thanks!

[LindsayT]

Man, that's gotta be a thrill seeing those things rumble around! I'm very jealous!

Lindsay

[GAJouette]

  Lindsay,
Same here all I see are the occasional C-130 or C-117 Transports. Not to mention countless Blackhawk helicopters. I'd much rather see one of these old kites James shared photos of with us.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

[Jamo]

Thanks for that link Tony. Modellers need to bear in mind that there are some differences between the Oeffag and Albatros manufactured aeroplanes. Living in Wellington means I have had the good fortune to be able to photograph the TVAL Albatros reproductions quite extensively (including their engines), which are very authentic in construction. My photos are freely available for modellers to reference and include lots of detail shots.

85 photos of the Josef Mai-marked Albatros:
http://s1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Albatros%20DV/?start=all

22 hi-res images of selected photos from above:
http://s1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Hi-Res%20images/?start=all

19 photos of the Mercedes engine in that Albatros:
http://s1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Mercedes%20DIIIa%20engine%20restored/?start=all

59 photos of TVAL Albatros 7343:
http://s1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/TVAL%20Albatros%207343/?start=all

50 photos of the Mercedes engine in 7343 with water-jacketed inlet manifold:
http://s1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/Mercedes%20DIIIa%20engine%20with%20jacketed%20inlet%20manifold/?start=all

If you haven't checked these albums out I strongly recommend a visit.

There are rumours TVAL may have acquired one or two of Koloman Mayrhofer's reproductions, which would be brilliant!

Cheers
James

[Whiteknuckles]

What a wonderful resource James! Thankyou very much. Helps diminish the jealousy at not being able to see, hear, touch TVAL's machines......only a bit though!!
Perhaps Des can sticky them once he beds down the forum?

Cheers and thanks,

Andrew

[modelmaker]

Brilliant Photos James Thankyou very much! Because of these photos I'm going to build another DVa

Sean

[Jamo]

I am planning to use the HGW PE set for the Albatros which among other things has engine access hatches. First step is to remove the moulded in hatches and polish smooth. This is now done. However, looking closely at the instructions and at the photos I posted about the TVAL reproduction, it seems to me that Wingnut Wings may have incorrectly placed the first ventral hatch too far back, by about one plywood panel. Can't show you a photo of the kit hatches as they're gone, but have a look at the HGW instruction sheet for parts PE12:



The forward hatch is the one on the right. Now have a look at this photo from underneath the TVAL Albatros:



What do you reckon? Is the forward hatch on the model too far back?

[Pete Nottingham]

It appears that there is a complete panel between the hatches on the TVAL Albie, where as on the model the hatch comes in the middle of the afore mentioned panel? I think we need expert guidance on this.

Cheers

Pete.

[Jamo]

I have been in contact with Ray Rimell on this question and he has confirmed that the forward ventral hatch is too far back. Photos of the NASM Albatros confirm this to be the case. The new Albatros drawings by Marty Digmayer in the latest Datafile show the correct position of the hatch. Using the HGW PE set makes repositioning it very straightforward.

Check out this photo from a Google search taken by Cliff66:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/3328046169/