Airfix 1/72 Albatros DV - for old times sake

[Alexis]

Simple , but yet very effective .




Terri

[uncletony]

Stretched sprue intake mani is quite impressive

[mgunns]

Hello LM:

Looks like you are having fun with this kit.  I hope and am sure it will evoke the memories that you want and remember.  I too enjoy watching the folks on this forum turn these old relics into a respectable model.  I cut my teeth on Aurora WWI kits.  I have a good stash of them as well.  Looking forward to seeing your work.  The engine is turning out pretty neat and will certainly dress up the front end.

Best

Mark

[vincentm]

Beautiful scratch-building on the engine.
I had never seen that Airfix mould before, and I wonder if the current Revell kit is not a re-issue as it looks similar. The fuselage looks a little bit too thick in height, or maybe it is the cockpit opening which is too small, but something looks weird. Also, the aileron tips should bend upwards, which is not very difficult to fix in warm water.

[lone modeller]

Thank you all for the compliments. Glad you are impressed Bo: making parts from stretched sprue is not as difficult as some may think, it just takes some practice. Thank you vincentm for your kind remarks - I truly admire your and Bo's work and compliments from you both are greatly appreciated.

This is not the Revell moulding - they were two completely different kits - the Airfix from 1957 and the Revell from the early 1960's. The Airfix is (supposed) to be a DV and the Revell a D III. The Airfix fuselage is too short and too shallow at the front, but as I have already written I did not want to have to make a completely new nose, so I am compromising considerably here. There are many other minor errors with this moulding, some of which I am correcting and others I am leaving: there are other models that I would like to make and if I really want an accurate Albatros I would buy a more recent kit.

[lone modeller]

Evening All,

My speed of modelling sometimes represents that of the proverbial snail for a variety of reasons, so the story so far is thus. I have been working on the wings to get rid of the mould marks, and on the top wing to correct the cut-out. Card and plenty of filler have pretty well sorted that problem out.



Any minor flaws remaining will be hidden under the paint (I hope!)

I have also worked on putting together something to go into the hole in the fuselage where the pilot would normally be seated. I know that what I have constructed is not strictly accurate, but as most of it will be invisible I am not too concerned. The seat belts are paper and the rest is card or rod: I think that it will pass muster except for those who wish to count every stitch in the fabric.



I have also painted the engine so both sub-assemblies were ready to try in the fuselage for fit.



I have added a piece of card behind the engine to represent the ammunition boxes and fuel tank, and to stop the see through effect behind the engine. A bock of laminated card under the engine is to hold it in the correct position. The fuselage halves have been joined and to my surprise and delight everything fitted well. This little project is beginning to look as though it might work - it is certainly working in bringing back memories so I am happy.

More later.

Thanks for looking. 

[RAGIII]

Some very nice updating to the kit! Simple but effective methods for adding the basics!
RAGIII

[Epeeman]

Simply and very effective detailing work so far, LM -

Brilliant!

Regards

Dave

[rhallinger]

Fine job LM!  You've inspired me to want to try the same with some older kits eventually.  Kind of nice to have the child's imagination and excitement coupled with the adult's skills and patience.  Have fun!

Cheers,

Bob

[Ernie]

Really nice work, LM.  The scratch-building in the teeny scale is quite amazing.
It's is a fun build to follow on such an elderly kit.  Great work, my friend!

Cheers,
Ernie

[Alexis]

Very nice job in the pit LM 




Terri

[Des]

You are moving along quite nicely with this one LM, your detail work is excellent.

Des.

[mgunns]

Hello LM:

You mentioned a word that oft times is not associated with the hobby.  "Happy", isn't that what it is all about?  What you have done will be a major improvement over the old "board" with a pilot sitting on it.  The theme for our Club Contest (NORDICON) this is year is "Back to the Future".  Building something we did as kids with our current skillset, basically OOB.  Yours would fit in nicely. Looking forward to the next update.

Best

Mark

[frame]

Great job.
Very nice detail of the engine.
Having in mind what a piece of plastic you started straight do wonders.
I will follow with great interest.

Best regards
Hristo

[lone modeller]

[quote author=mgunns link=topic=3944.msg68788#msg68788 date=1408972132
You mentioned a word that oft times is not associated with the hobby.  "Happy", isn't that what it is all about?  What you have done will be a major improvement over the old "board" with a pilot sitting on it.  The theme for our Club Contest (NORDICON) this is year is "Back to the Future".  Building something we did as kids with our current skillset, basically OOB.  Yours would fit in nicely.
[/quote]

I totally agree with your sentiments Mark. I do wonder sometimes why some people take their hobby quite so seriously - I know that they want to achieve the best that they can (don't we all?), but I think that moderation in everything is a good basis on which to proceed, and I make models to relax and just have fun. I am generally losing interest in kits for a number of reasons, but this was something that I decided I wanted to do purely for personal interest, and that I would try to have some fun regardless of the outcome. I wish that I could have participated in your club event because that is the kind of activity that I could identify with - winning would not matter to me - building and modifying the kit would.

Reading the posts on this site certainly helps to bring great happiness to me - even though I know that I could never achieve what some people do. I can learn though, and I can dream about what I would like to be able to do - just as I did when I was a teenager.