Author Topic: Undersized 1/48 Mercedes DIII engines - Any true to scale options ?  (Read 1035 times)

Offline lawqbarr

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Hi Guys
This topic pops up every now and again
Most of the kits supplied German/ Austro-Hungarian in-Iine engines (Mercedes, BMW, Heiro  etc ...)  are significantly undersized
Yes, I know ... Kit makers say they have make these engines undersized to fit inside their plastic molded fuselages. But some kit engines take that compromise to a severely under-nourished extreme .
I still do vac kits where the thickness of the plastic around the engine is not such an issue !
Does anyone know if there are are any  true-to-scale after market options out there ?
I am doing a Sierra Scale DFW CV in 1/48 (still a great little kit BTW) and although the cut out for the engine is correct according to every drawing I have found for the type, I cannot find a 1/48 scale engine that is even close to the correct dimensions - I'm happy to scratch build an engine, but would be grateful if someone could point me in the direction of a true-to-scale resin option in 1/48
Thanks
David   

Offline RLWP

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I think you are going to be scratchbuilding that engine!

Funnily enough, I am having the opposite experience in 1/32 where most of the rotary engines won't fit inside a scale fuselage

Richard
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Offline RAGIII

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Just wondering if you have tried the engine from the Roden Fokker DVII? It may still be a little undersized but it is closer to scale than most. Easy to turn the later DIII engine into an earlier version and you still have the BMW to use in the DVII  8)
RAGIII


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Offline Beto

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Engines And Things' engines have a reputation about being made to true scale and they offer a Mercedes D.III engine (or a D.IIIa, not sure right now) - But the DFW C.V uses a Benz Bz.IV engine, so that will be harder to locate...

Offline Flute

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As I recall, Hi-Tech resin engines were quite good, scale and detail wise. Downside was impenetrable instructions, and it was always quite hard to fit the individual cylinders in place evenly. Hard to come by these days though but worth a look if you turn one up. Various Mercedes versions.

Paul.

Offline Alexis

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Your best bet on finding a ture 48 scale engine will either be Rodens engine out of their D.VII kit's or the Hi-Tech one which is hard to find sometimes .
Pavla's version isn't bad and will work but I can't recall about it's scale being accurate .

Agree with Richard , you will have to scratch build the engine if you want true to scale .


Alexis
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Offline hiddeous1973

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  • Don't worry, Baldrick has a cunning plan !!
I do believe I read somewhere that the Vector engine was very large and would not fit a Eduard fuselage.
I do not have one, but I have build other Vector engines (mostly for Japanese planes) and had to thin the cowling very much to make those engines fit.
And the are very well detailed, maybe these should be what you are looking for.

https://www.neomega-resin.com/mercedes-diiidiiia-517-p.asp