Revell 1/72 Fokker DR.I : confused about MVR color scheme..

[Flyjunkie]

O.K. I need some help from the experts here. i am building the Revell 1/72 scale Fokker DR.I.. as i have repeatedly read that a DR.I is an easy WW I Aeroplane to get started with and it's great for Newbies like myself..

Well I am enjoying building it, it seems easy enough and i am feeling comfortable and confident with it..

However.. I want to paint it like Manfred Von Richthofen's Fokker.. in the instructions for the Model, it states that the paint job is the Fokker being completely Red.. Yet I see artwork with MVR's Fokker being mostly Red but with a White Tail.(which i have always thought was what HIs plane looked like)...

So now i am a bit confused as to how i am supposed to paint it.. Do I paint the Fokker entirely in Red or do I paint it mostly red with the tail fin white? are some other areas white as well or other colors then Red?? see it's confusing to me...

Please, any insight and knowledge would be most grateful .. this newbie needs some Expert advice...

Thank You!!

DEAN ~~~

[ta152c]

I think his Dr.I was only overall 'red' at the last couple of weeks, even then it had light blue undersides *. Its closer to vermillion than scarlet if that helps. I have an image that may help, the dust jacket of the Harleyford book on the red baron was matched to surviving fabric. Hold on and I'll get a pic to you.

Regards

*apologies, it was all-red

[ta152c]

P.S. I'm not an expert

[Flyjunkie]

P.S. I'm not an expert

You know more then I do David...

In the instructions the color is Listed as Carmin Red, Matt

and the details on the 'All-Red' color scheme is listed as :
Fokker Dr.I, flown by Rittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen, Kommandeur Geschwader 1,(Jastas 4,6,10& 11), March 1918

and this version is Entirely Red, top bottom wings, fins, everywhere....

I just want to paint it with the White Tail Fin..so the correct color scheme for that version is needed.. I've seen descriptions where part of the Fuselage is Olive Green along with his signature Red.. I understand that he wrecked his Planes on occasion or because of them getting shot up and had to replace them... soo probably took some artistic liberties with painting his new Fokker (or Albatros earlier on) ..

as i learn more I am finding it's not as simple as MVR painted his Fokker Red (which is really cool and somewhat annoying all at the same time...)...

DEAN ~~~

[ta152c]

Check your email, pic sent.

Regards

[Flyjunkie]

Check your email, pic sent.

Regards

Thank You David!! now i have more of a dilemma , in that Picture You sent me, the Cowling is White(?) while the remainder of the Dr.I is Red.. the Tail fin looks to be White...

I have checked a Book of mine "Military Aircraft Markings & profiles" by Barry C. Wheeler.. on page 29 there is a reproduction of Manfred's Dr.I , the one he was shot down and died in. It carries the same serial number as the one I am building 425/17..  However the following is different : The under surfaces of the wings and tail wings are a light Blue/grey. The Cowling is a tarnished metal and the Tail fin is White.. The Crosses are the Latin version and not the older Patee style (you can make out the older style crosses under the newer Latin type in the artwork. The Decals for the Revell kit have the older Patee style crosses..

Soo now I just need to find out what the various changes in paint jobs Manfred had done to 425/17 while it still carried the Patee style crosses.. This oughta be Fun...

as always David, Thank You for the Assistance!!!

DEAN ~~~

[ta152c]

I'll send you some decals

[Flyjunkie]

I'll send you some decals

Thank You David.. but actually i have some Latin cross decals coming thru the postal service to me as i type this.... 

[ta152c]

NP. It was a generic sheet anyway

[pepperman42]

MvR is a modelling experience all on his own.  425/17 was all gloss red in its final form with Balkenkreuz. He had other machines though with varying amounts of red and Eiserneskreuz. Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces is a great series for colour schemes and Leaman's Fokker DrI Triplane A World War One Legend (There is a list of corrections for this book too) is an excellent overall reference....and so it begins.....

Steve

[ALBATROS1234]

it depends on which dr.1 you want to model and what period of time. from memory 425/17 was all red except for the rudder being white with eisencruse (iron crosses). the crosses got painted over to convert to balken cruse(strait crosses) before he was killed in it on april 21st. there are experts that have all his craft documented within reasonable doubt. there are many myths and such. the first one i modeled i did the cowl white the struts black and the rudder white. later i did another with nat metal cowl and blue bottom with black struts. but i now believe it was all red with white rudder and the crosses changed at some point. so you have to decide if you want to do time of death or early version. there are also at least 4-5 more dr.1 that he flew with various amounts of red.

[lcarroll]

Dean,
    I'm no expert either however I have some excellent Reference Publications and thought I'd briefly rienforce the replies you've had. 425/17 left the factory all red from "head to toe" with the (curved outline) Eiserne Kreuz's applied. By March 1918 the crosses had been changed to the "Balkenkreuze format (straight design like the Iron Crosses of WW2) and a white rudder was already on or was applied with the cross change.(I believe the latter would suit logic.) Sometime in the first two weeks of April 1918 the crosses were further "narrowed" to comply with directives. Thus to model 425/17 for 21 April 1918 a white rudder with the narrow Balkenkreuse insignias is correct. The excellent Osprey book, Fokker DR1 Aces of World War 1 confirms this as well. The Baron had several other "spares" he flew as you stated, personally I prefer several of them to "17" from a modelling perspective.
    The above is mainly from AE Ferko's excellent "Richthofen" book from Albatros Publications, the folks who do Windsock Datafiles. The editor is an acknowleged expert, modeller extrodinaire, and well known in our little community.
    Hope this helps, don't hesitate to ask if you need more. I enjoy the exchange of info and perspectives on our hobby as much as the workbench part; shows in that I am doing more on line these days then building!?
Cheers,
Lance

[Flyjunkie]

Big Thank You to everyone for their kind replies and recommendations.. i have finalized the paint scheme for this DR.I ~ I will go with the All red version recommended in the kit.
I have this idea that I'll build additional DR.I 's in the future and will try to build one for each variation Manfred had.. (does that sound crazy or..??).

Thanks very much for all the Information, trust me You have educated me in regards to MVR and his Fokker DR.I  ....

DEAN ~~~

[pepperman42]

Crazy?!! I would consider that an "SOP"

Steve

[Trackpad]

I have this idea that I'll build additional DR.I 's in the future and will try to build one for each variation Manfred had.. (does that sound crazy or..??).
DEAN ~~~

Dean,

That would be quite an impressive collection. IIRC, he flew something in the order of seven triplanes with one of them in two slightly different finishes. If you wish, I think that I have information on these, and I'll see if I can find it if you want it. And if I haven't got them all I am confident that other forumites can fill in the gaps!