Author Topic: Arbpol Aviatik CIII  (Read 1522 times)

Offline JamesAPrattIII

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Arbpol Aviatik CIII
« on: March 31, 2015, 10:03:22 AM »
I am building the Arbpol Aviatik C III kit in 1/72 using:
Aviatik Aircraft of WW I Jack herris
Aviatik CI Peter Grosz Windsock data file 63

I want to make it into an early model the kit is a later war trainer

I added 2 machine gun rails and machine guns to the sides of the observers cockpit

the rear now pilots cockpit I I carved it out a little and filled it in a little to make it more like the horseshoe shaped real cockpit.

paint NVF with grey cowl area and struts

markings iron crosses in white squares on the fuselage and tail. As for the wings I am not sure it looks like in what few photos of the plane there were plain iron crosses with no outline painted on the lower wings and possibly the top wing. There also looks like some may have had the top wing iron crosses in white boxes. I am not sure. I am not sure what to go with write now. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am thinking of going with plain iron crosses with no outline on both the top and bottom wings. Thanks in advance.

Offline ALBATROS1234

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Re: Arbpol Aviatik CIII
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2015, 03:40:10 PM »
it is unfortunate that there was no consistant pattern where someone can say it was this way or that way. in my experience studying german and other central powers aircraft i would venture to say in 1916 most of the time the crosses on top and sides of aircraft had white box with iron cross and bottom of lower wings a plain with no outline is often seen. i have noticed the mostly if you can seen a white box outline on the rudder or side of the fuselage the upper wing also had this. so if you have a side view of the one you want to model you can theorize that this is the case on top. if you see outlined crosses on the sides most likely outlined on top. the lower seems to be usually outlined when the others are and mainly plain when the upper and sides have the white box. i am sorry i cannot give a definate answer but only my theory from having many many books and looking at many many period photos. to me the sleuth work is one of the most fun aspects of modeling and the reason that i buy every book i can get my hands on whether new releases like the herris books and albatros productions or old books from the 50s and 60s. good luck. if you tell me the serial numbers you are interested in modelling i may be able to look thru my library and find something for you.

Offline JamesAPrattIII

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Re: Arbpol Aviatik CIII
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2015, 08:03:27 AM »
Thanks 1234

I will have the ironcross in the white square for the top wings and ironcross with no outline for the bottom wings.

The Aviatik C IIIs I am building will be generic no wrk number but it will be from the C 1750/16 to C 1774/16 April 1916 or C 3150/16 to C 3174/16 July 1916 production batches. Any other information you have will be welcome.

Offline ALBATROS1234

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Re: Arbpol Aviatik CIII
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2015, 09:13:43 AM »
i will poke around and see if i can find any photos of c.iii aviatik in these ranges.

Offline ALBATROS1234

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Re: Arbpol Aviatik CIII
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2015, 12:11:22 PM »
i decided to probe around a bit and all i can find is (other than the refs you stated you had) was a pic of 1750/16 it was in plain or lightly color painted finish with white sqares on the fuselage side containing the iron cross. it seems like the underside of the top wing shows a cross on white box. cant see the underside.theres not really much on the C.III, much more on C.I. It seems that the jack herris book has the most on this craft than any books i have.and i looked thru about 15 or more books.

Offline JamesAPrattIII

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Re: Arbpol Aviatik CIII
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2015, 08:56:33 AM »
Thanks Albatross1234.