Author Topic: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV  (Read 10374 times)

Offline Brad Cancian

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Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« on: August 08, 2022, 07:20:43 PM »
Hi all - recently I reviewed the re-release of the Eduard Albatros DV, kit 8113:

https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=13239.0



As part of that review, I promised a build log. Well, here it is!

Up front, I want to state that this is a build of a kit provided free to the forum by Eduard as one of our sponsors (and many thanks again to them for the kit). As a kit provided by a sponsor, i'll state that I did not pay for the kit personally, though I may have paid for some of the bits and bobs i'll add along the way.

Now, that aside - I've built a few of these kits before. They go together well, and without a hitch. I decided that I'll make a couple of enhancements along the way; noting too serious, but a few tweaks along the way.

I've started with the cockpit. Out of the box, the kit cockpit is quite comprehensive, with nothing really needing to be added. I did decide though to replace the kit floor and rear bulkhead with items scratch built from sheet and strip plastic. The only reason I really did this was to crisp up a little bit of the detail, and more accurately represent the cockpit floor, which only stretched across one fuselage frame and not two frames in the fuselage as is provided in the kit. The bulkhead behind the pilot seat is likewise moulded as a solid piece in the kit. This is generally correct, as this was a fabric covered panel. I decided to 'remove the fabric', so to speak. I used the kit part as a template for the shape and hollowed out the centre. I also used the forward cockpit floor bulkhead as a template, and added the seat rails from brass rod and foil.  I also did the same for the bulkhead that holds the ammunition boxes and oil / fuel tanks. Again, not really necessary (as the kit parts are perfectly fine, buried away in the fuselage), but I wanted to give it a go. Again, I used the kit parts as a template:





The fuselage sides were detailed with strip, to help them 'pop' under paint and a wash. I also added the omitted diagonal structural reinforcements, which the moulded interior omits.



And squeezed into the fuselage:







This should give me a solid basis for more details.

Again, not a huge amount of progress, but I really wanted to get this build log started, so here we are :)

Feedback and hints / tips always welcomed.

Cheers!

BC

Offline bobs_buckles

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2022, 11:57:50 PM »
Excellent progress Brad  :o

Do you own the Smithsonian book on the restoration of 'Stropp' DV.a? Well worth a look.


Cheers,
Bob



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Offline Brad Cancian

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2022, 07:08:56 AM »
Excellent progress Brad  :o

Do you own the Smithsonian book on the restoration of 'Stropp' DV.a? Well worth a look.

Cheers,
Bob

Thanks Bob! I do indeed have the Smithsonian book. I agree it's an excellent reference.

Cheers!

BC

Offline KiwiZac

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2022, 07:15:54 AM »
 :o :o

Offline RAGIII

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2022, 07:23:57 AM »
Simply SPECTACULAR Brad! It looks to be better than a WNW kit  8)
RAGIII
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Offline FAf

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2022, 04:12:54 AM »
Really nice looking upgrades! This, or an older version of it, was my first attempt at a WWI kit, maybe it's time for another go?!
/Fredrik

Offline pepperman42

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2022, 11:51:31 AM »
Wow!! I enjoy that kind of work. Almost therapeutic.

Steve

Offline Borsos

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2022, 10:27:54 PM »
Very nice improvement over the OOB cockpit!
Andreas
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Offline Allan31

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2022, 11:17:47 PM »
This is much more amazing than WnW.......
Thanks,
Allan Buttrick

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Offline Alexis

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2022, 04:37:27 AM »
Nice work on the details Brad  :)


Alexis
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Offline Brad Cancian

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2022, 07:51:05 PM »
Thankyou everyone for your kind words!

To demonstrate the scattered way in which my mind works, I turned my attention to the engine this weekend. The Eduard engine is basic out of the box, but has all of the major components you need. The kit represents the 160hp mercedes D.III engine, which is most easily identified by the rocker springs being in line with the rocker arm boxes (the 180hp D.IIIa models had the springs and rocker boxes offset). A feature of the 160hp engine is the lack of air pump atop and infront of the forward cylinder. As I intend to model an early D.V (right now I am thinking perhaps that flown by Von Schleich whilst with Jast 21s), I decided to stick with modelling a 160hp D.III engine.

There are not too many options for the D.III engine in 1/48 in terms of aftermarket. One aftermarket D.III is that released by Karaya, but this seems long out of production, and I have long since used up my stash of these engines. There are D.IIIa aftermarket options available but these are not cheap. So, I figured I may as well add a few details to the kit engine and be happy with that.

Thankfully, most of the engine is hidden within the Albatros' cowls; the most visible aspects are the tops of the cylinders, and anything you can see when you look down into the cowl. The first thing I did was remove the thick 'bar' that sits lengthwise across the cylinders. This it there to represent the tube through which the ignition wires run:



This turned out to be far more tricky than I thought, but once I had removed this chunky item the best I could, I replaced it with brass tube. I then attached some ignition wires and fed them into the tube at the back end, and attached the wire to the magnetos. I added some tape to represent the lagging on the air intakes (this should hopefully look better once painted). Rocker arm springs were added from wire wound around a drill bit, with the caps made from small discs punched from sheet plastic. The arms themselves were simple lengths of wire (heck, this thing is small enough as it is). Some other little bits and pieces were added here and there, but not too much. The exhaust is a metal one from REX, which I will likely use on this build. Anyways, here's some pics of it all roughly dry-fitted:








Again, I see how close up pictures make things look really sloppy....  :( Oh well. I remind myself that this thing is smaller than a #11 hobby blade, and try not to be too harsh on myself...!   ::)

Next, onto the fuel and oil tanks and details at the rear of the engine bay, then back to the cockpit...

Cheers again!

BC 


Offline DaveB

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2022, 08:30:24 PM »
Wow! - amazing engine details, Brad.

I would'nt mind that level of sloppyness on my builds ..........

Regards

Dave
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Offline FAf

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2022, 09:07:26 PM »
I'm quite sure that paint and a normal viewing distance will show this to be more than adequate. Good job!
/Fredrik

Offline Rookie

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2022, 10:36:13 PM »
Simply SPECTACULAR Brad! It looks to be better than a WNW kit  8)
RAGIII

I second that!

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Offline RAGIII

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Re: Build Log - Eduard 8113 Albatros DV
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2022, 11:44:02 PM »
Wow! - amazing engine details, Brad.

I would'nt mind that level of sloppyness on my builds ..........

Regards

Dave

My thoughts Exactly!
RAGIII
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"Don't slop it on" Lynda Geisler