This is my first WWI a/c build. Not my first 1/72 a/c though, as I started scratching and glueing plastic decades ago...This is probably the reason why I remained faithfull to my usual scale, although I now realize that those very aircraft come with particular problems in 1/72nd scale, like simulating natural material like wood, metal or fabric; building wire stretchers, laminated props and so on.
I plan to build a (small) batch of 15-20 WWI ace aircraft of the european front.
I started with collecting reference info (thank God, Windsock is among us), and my first task was to find the most accurate kit. I compared several and finally chose the Roden issue for the following reasons:
-first of all it almost perfectly matches the WD 1/72 plans
-accuracy of bent up aileron tips (compared to Revell or Eduard kits)
-better fin/fuselage joint
-detailed engine
-optional propellers (although only 2 are provided, it's already better than those kits that come only with one...)
Negative points:
-upper wing molded in 3 pieces, which will require some strengthening and adjustment
-lower wing in 2 parts, without anything provided to attach it to the fuselage
...but I have some experience with short-run biplane kits, and with drilling holes or adding plastic bits so the whole thing stays together.
-ah, one more thing: the Roden kit is a D-Va, with distinctive features like additionnal reinforcement bars on the base of the V-struts, and D-III-type aileron wire controls. Nothing really difficult to modify to make it a D-V
This is what the kit looks like, although it would be better with a less blurry image:
After reading a few books, I decided to make a black D-V with lozenge-covered wings, and found period pics of Udet's, Loerzer's, Kissenberth's and Jacob's mounts that would match this requirements. Jacob's plane was soon eliminated as I only found the photo of a wreck. I could identify it as a D-V from the aileron horns, but the rest is a heap of small wood and fabric. Kissenberth's birds are well documented but I needed a better-known pilot to stard with. Udet's machine is supposed to be a D-Va, has external aileron cables but no reinforcement struts, I found it suspicious. In the end there was Bruno Loerzer's D-V, the s/n of which is known, and I could identify most important details I know about so far (prop type, wing camo, additionnal rigging, wheel-axle fairing). Here it is:
Period pics (sorry, the comments are in french but roughly describe the details I mentioned above)
I couldn't find any decal sheet that includes Loerzer's plane, but as it consists mainly in black items (the 6 point-star on a white band, and s/n on an unpainted wooden area on the fin), I drew them in an image program and printed that on clear decal:
Since 2 engines are provided in the kit, this gave me the idea of building a small scene I made a sketch of:
Let's start scratching plastic now. I started by cutting away the elevator, rudder and skid:
I put the airframe aside and noticed the valve springs were missing on the engine. I wrapped copper wire around a pin to make them (which is something most of you are probably used to do...):
After having added valve springs, a camshaft, rockers, spark wires, a few pipes and further wires, I painted the 2 engines, built an engine stand from match bits, and used oil paint to give them an oily look:
I then tried to give a plywood aspect to the cockpit, and painted an additionnal "wood" plate that will provide missing fuselage walls, dashboard and floor:
