Favourite or not WW1 build

[Pup7309]

Just a general conversation
Is there any kit that really stands out in your mind as outstanding as an enjoyable or rewarding build? Is there any that were consigned permanently to the shelf of doom?
(I guess this could include scratch builds )
Be interesting to hear your thoughts…

[jeroen_R90S]

My favourite builds so far have been my Roden Albatros D.Va in 1/72 and my Wingnut Wings Fokker D.VII.
Both are is not without challenges, and can be built either as is, or with detail added which I enjoy doing.
Both have also really benefited from the collective knowledge and assistance of this forum!

I don't really have an S-O-D, but one of my least fun built in a long while has been a non-WWI build: AZ Model's MiG-17. It looks great in the box, but nothing fits, engineering and breakdown is lousy, as is all the missing stuff -the cockpit kind of floats somewhere, as there are no side consoles.
There is also no intake trunking or blanking at all, and that on a nose-intake jet. On top of that it somehow looks wrong in a way, the nose seems too long and the windscreen is off.
I'd say leave that one alone and get the Airfix

Jeroen

[petrov27]

You know I have built several WNW kits and they were great but I still go back to my Roden SSDIII as being the one I have been most satisfied with bringing to completion even several years down the line. It took some work but when I take it out of where it is stored every few months I just really am pleased.

[Borsos]

Fantastic kits that stand out in my memory are quite a few. In recent years the quality of kittooling increased to a fantastic level in my opinion. I can‘t recommend CSM’s Nieuport 17 highly enough, also WNW‘s DFW and Halberstadt are just amazing. As non-WWI kits, I won‘t ever forget Mini Art‘s Mercedes 170V and almost every Tamiya kit I got my hands on.
When a project ends up on the shelf of doom, It hasn‘t automatically to do with the quality of the kit but most of the time I get distracted by other projects. The only kit I didn‘t finish due to its low quality was a Bedford OXD truck for a stalled Dunkirk project. It was a resin kit from MMK and it didn’t seem too bad on first look. But it never went together in an acceptable way and I completely lost my mojo on this lumpy piece of resin.
Andreas

[lcarroll]

   I'm in agreement with Patrick, Petrov 27, in that my favorite Build is Roden's 1:32 Scale SSW D.III. It was not an easy Build but, overall, provided the most enjoyment and satisfaction when completed of all I have built over the years. A slow studied approach, lots of help from after market features (the Bren Gun Photo Etch set in particular) and the results please me to no end. Not the best Kit I have ever built, and a slightly "bowed" upper wing, but definitely my favorite!
    I really hope to see more releases by Roden in this scale.

https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=6768.0

Cheers,
Lance

[Dirigible-Al]

I understand why a couple of you mentioned Roden, I love building their kits. I have never built a WNW kit but the standout kit for me is the Eduard Hanriot HD.1. I am sure of I threw the kit in a hurricane it would build itself. It also looked pretty stunning without the need of after market or scratch built extras except of course rigging. The Eduard Nieuport 11 comes a close second.
Alan.

[macsporran]

Well, I'm going to vote for the 1/32 Roden Albatros D.III as a splendid kit to build. I'd hesitated because of all the ostriches who announced with their heads in the sand how poor Roden is compared to Wingnuts - and was delighted to find an excellent model that fell together easily. The struts and strut locations were perfect and no problems with overtight tolerances. I'll go as far as to say I prefer the Roden kit to the WNW D.V with its warped wings, bendy struts, odd spinner and zero-tolerance tolerances!
The worst dog was the Glencoe 1/48 Albatros D.III and Oeffag, which both ended up in the bin, save for the decal sheets!
FWIW, Sandy

[lcarroll]

Sandy,
    I agree it is a splendid Kit to build, it was my first one when I switched from 1:48 Scale before the Wingnut Wings first releases appeared. I have another in my stash and look forward to it some day soon.
Cheers,
Lance

[coyotemagic]

My all time favorite build was the WNW Ninak, followed closely by the CSM Nieuport series.  In 1/48 scale, I thoroughly enjoyed the Roden 1 1/2 Strutter, the BE2c and the BE12b.
I really can't think of any kit that I've built, or started and never finished, that I would consider a dog.  They all have their charms, even the few that are on the shelf of doom, through no fault of their own.
Cheers,
Bud

[hrcoleman66]

Going back a long way, but I think the build I most enjoyed was the Roden Felixstowe F2a (Late).  A complex subject, but the kit pretty much fell together as I recall.  It;s also the only model I still have in almost one piece after many many house moves (It's currently sitting waiting for me to reattached the tail feathers after they came adrift during the most recent house move.

Other builds that stick in my mind are the Blue Max Sopwith F1 Camel (which had to be rebuilt a number of times after suffering firstly a cat and then a 2 year old)...  Each time, better finished than the last...  And the Roden BE2c, which I did an extensive build of over on the old Aerodrome modelling forum and scratch built most of the nose structure and engine.

Cheers,

Hugh

[RAGIII]

   I'm in agreement with Patrick, Petrov 27, in that my favorite Build is Roden's 1:32 Scale SSW D.III. It was not an easy Build but, overall, provided the most enjoyment and satisfaction when completed of all I have built over the years. A slow studied approach, lots of help from after market features (the Bren Gun Photo Etch set in particular) and the results please me to no end. Not the best Kit I have ever built, and a slightly "bowed" upper wing, but definitely my favorite!
    I really hope to see more releases by Roden in this scale.

https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=6768.0

Cheers,
Lance

I find I am in agreement with Patrick and Lance. Finishing the Roden 1/32nd SSW DIII  was quite satisfying in spite of one strut that isn't quite right 
RAGIII

https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=12282.0

PS: A very close second is the Kirschstein DR1 by Meng. Mostly due to the support from this community!

https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=11846.0

[Dirigible-Al]

I did not mention my worst kit but actually Sandy did in his post so I will second the motion. The Glenco Oefag Albatros, soon after I opened the box it joined the spares bin. I never actually started it.
Alan.

[Pup7309]

Hi,
It’s great to here the replies!
I might give the Roden Albatros and SSWDIII a go. Interesting the comparisons to WNW D5. I’m enjoying the SPAD XIII at the moment though I haven’t got to the struts yet. And have a CSM Nieuport in the stash. It’s a pity Tamiya don’t do WW1 because their latest kits are a dream.

I’m also doing a short run 1/32 3 engine Fokker at the moment. It is a challenge not have attachment points etc but lots of hands on work so hopefully it will turn out ok. Nothing like a Tamiya build but sometimes it’s rewarding after a struggle- that’s modelling 

[Pup7309]

Hi again - Can I assume the Roden 1/32 Albatros D11 is just as good? Also how does the Roden  Dr1 compare to the Meng? Thanks!

[gbrivio]

Not easy to say. Probably WNW LVG C.IV was the most satisfying, and back a few years the Revell AMC DH.2 the most frustrating but I can't point one as absolute "unfavourite". I will reacall the question again and again... 
Ciao
Giuseppe