1/32 albatros D:III roden

[mc65]

hi all!

one of the next projects is the Voss albatros. the kit is the roden 608.
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the idea is to build the last version: three hearts on fuselage, new upper wing with offset radiator, round fuselage footstep, square rudder. I'm still a little confused about spinner and wheels colours, and totally confused about the exact camo colours of the upper wings. 

opening the box after having built a wingnut it's a little disarming. incidentally, I have also a D.V (WNW 32015) to be assembled to a mate, and comparing the sprues reveals some differences...
ok, I can negotiate with that, but.... maybe I may improve a little it, no? I wonder if any has done that. searching on the site and on web didn't give results.

let's explain. wing(s) rendering:
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the roden one is... naked!! since the upper wing is identical between D.III and D.V, one solution can be buy a sprue from WNW, but the lower wing is different, so will be evident the big difference between them.
mmmmhh... and if I glue some thin plasticard stripes on the roden wings?

another critical area is the fuselage: the panel lines are really wide. fill, sand, rescribe? panelling on? just forget it?
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also the control surface are poor... but here I hope to solve with a little carving and sanding. something like the stressed surface technique used on riveted planes.
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same for the engine. basically the roden is correct, but the details are not so crispy like the WNW. here the only solution can be to have a brand new engine, or close the eyes and do the best with this one.
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well, that's all, for today. next session I begin to assemble the engine, just to see how looks put together.
any help/ideas/comments are welcomed!

greetings, p.


 

[uncletony]

Hi Paolo--

I'm planning on building the Voss D.III as well, in her Jasta Boelcke incarnation (2 hearts).

I haven't finished all my research, but I believe the machine was a Johannistal D.III, not OAW...  (square tail).

Will watch your build with interest...

cheers

--Bo

EDIT: Oops, I see you have noticed that it should be Johannistal (square rudder)   

[Rizzo]

Here's a suggestion for improving the wings:
http://www.archertransfers.com/AR88044.html

[RAGIII]

I am sure that you will do well with your planned corrections. Just a note here in the For What it is Worth section: You are starting with an OAW Albatros DIII. There are some different panel lines on the nose, and the Spreader bar/axle wing is not present on the Albatros built/Voss Aircraft. Just a heads up,
RAGIII

[GAJouette]

 I'm looking forward to the project.Should be an excellent and informative thread.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

[mgunns]

Hello Paolo:

What is your source for the Voss Decals?  I have alwayls wanted to do this in 1/32nd but alas no decals?

Best

Mark

[rhallinger]

Mark:

I think you can get the Voss decals from one of the FCM sheets in 1/32 available from rebelalpha on ebay.  Much easier than trying to find the older Spada sheet.

Regards,

Bob

[mc65]

hi all... I love the forums!!
in a matter of hours, if not minutes, one can receive (and give, of course) informations that may require days burning the eyes on pc, or months in the "no web era"...

bo,
I just read of your long term project... what I can say? I'll follow you tight behind, check your six!
about the voss albatros with two hearts, I given up because it's not clear to me if there was a period with the two hearts and the offset radiator on the upper wing... it's unclear when the wing was changed, if before of after the moving to the jasta 2, when was added the third heart and changed the colour of the spinner (and maybe of the wheels). so, the last version will theoretically put me on the safe side, and will give me the opportunity to play with the tones of the camo, painting the lower wing older than the upper one, just refurbished...

rizzo,
great idea, thank you! do you think they fit the trouble? I was planning to buy this item http://www.archertransfers.com/AR88004.html for a Dr.I ventral joint... well, I'll do a bigger order!

RAGIII,
would you please let me understand the chapter about the nose panels? I'm planning to sand the nose in order to change the airscoops and inspection panels, so correcting those lines may be not a nightmare..

mark,
I found these references:
http://www.arcair.com/Rev3/2001-2100/rev2007-Spada-LL-Alb3-05/00.shtm

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/decals/fcm/decal_fcm_32014.shtml#.UZK9hnCuBrM

the second ones seems (according to web research) to be more accurate, and of better quality, so I ordered from the source of the link. I got them some days ago, and to me they are beautiful!

thank you all again, gentlemen... now, if I will not fall asleep, a little bit of glue...
bye, p.

 

[uncletony]

I have the FCM decals btw, they are very nice...

Mark, last time I checked Sprue bros still had them

[BLOWHARD]

My 2 cents, the spinner and wheel discs are painted a dark color.  The wheel discs are definitely the fabric type and there is some chipping of the dark colored dope exposing either raw fabric or maybe light blue.  The best bets for the spinner and wheel discs are either black or red.  Personally I feel they are red because they look lighter than the black of the crosses.  Of course this could be film ot lighting or both.  But either way, the spinner and wheel discs are painted as part of the personal markings.

Here is my profile-


And Jim Miller's-

(I hope you don't mind Jim, I found this on the internet, I swear!  )

PS, do notice that Jim has the square step here, but he was the one who found conclusive proof the plane had a round step.  That is an older profile I believe.

[mc65]

mmmhhh... interesting!

thanks for the help, blowhard (blowhard? ).
definetely, the red spinner has more appeal, matching with the hearts (and, again, will be possible to add various tones, assuming the side hearts are older than the upper, painted on in the same period of the spinner). about the wheels I'll think about at the right time. at the moment I'm not sure about. for sure they'll have some chipping!

a question about the profiles above: the fairings ahead and behind the lower wing root are depicted in wood in the first, and aluminum in the second...?? due to the shape of them I think at them as metal, but (what a new!) I'm not sure...



so, the first glue has flowed, we are engaged!
just started the engine.... sigh! the good news are that having the WNW D.V, I can (and do!) cannibalize some extras from the so much better sprue!

I cut away the roden crankcase, and added the spare one from WNW.
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phew.
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also the rocker tree is fair better...
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wanna talk about the inlet manifold?
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well, at this point I'm in. I suppose I will improve the valves springs, and the sparks, totally absent.
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but not now, it's almost the sunrise... a little sleep will help, I guess.
bye, p.

[pepperman42]

Not to spend your money but check the Taurus detail parts for the motor. I think the Roden kit is a solid basis for a good model. WNW has spoiled us and with a little tlc the III can look nice.

Steve

[Dal Gavan]

G'day.

Paolo, I have both the Roden kits in my stash and will be watching your build (and Bo's), for inspiration.

Mark, the source is FCM's sheet 32014.  I'm not using Voss' markings, so if you want them send me a PM and I'll chuck 'em in the mail.  Do you have any spare 1/32 Dr.1decals?  The ones I got with the Roden kit didn't survive being wrapped around the kit bits, for the trip to Oz, too well.

Cheers.

Dal.

[kornbeef]

Those fairings are aluminium Paulo.

I've built most of this kit, It has some rather odd errors but builds nicely. OAW DIII's differs in a few area's to an Albatros DIII Cockpit opening, rudder, cowling configuration and actual construction (panel layout as someone else pointed out. Another point to watch is the engineAlbatros built DII's used the early engine (springs central to the cam box but a lot if not all OAW DIII's used the later type with the springs and lifter gear at the front of the cam box. Not to say there wasn't a lot of engine to frame swapping in the field of course.

One huge but hard to see or worry about unless you are AMS inflicted like myself is the internal layout of the cockpit is wrong, The controls should be as per the D.Va and not as the kit, this is the same layout for the DI & DII where the cables ran out behind the rear spar of the lower wing, which was wider and double sparred on the earlier models. The DIII has the narrow lower wing and a single spar so the arrangement is much different.

http://www.aeroscale.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=135236&ord=&page=2
http://www.aeroscale.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=163413

Heres two links to my build over on Aeroscale and  you might get some good info from some of the others posts there... As you will see I found out about the control difference well into my build. so hope to save you some headaches.


Keith
(edited to remove horrendous typo's )

[bobs_buckles]

Brad Cancian's beautifully rendered DIII will inspire you 

Check out Brads WW1 Model album http://www.wwi-models.org/Images/CancianB/German/index.html



Good luck!
Von Buckle