Author Topic: Dragon reissues of WW1 knights of the Sky Series (Read 1627 times)

RAGIII · « **on:** February 01, 2016, 12:49:19 AM »

Just got the Squadron Flyer and noticed Dragon has reissued 3 of the OLD DML 1/48th Knights of the Sky kits. They are the DR1, SPAD XIII, and Fokker DVII. Of course all of these are available from Eduard but the Dragon kits do build up nicely. Just a heads up for anyone feeling Nostalgic. Squadron price is $31.99, which seems a bit on the HIGH side to me

RAGIII

dtomko · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2016, 12:59:19 AM »

Saw this too, Rick, and also was a bit taken back by the high price. IMHO, the Spad and Fok. D.VIII are the best of the lot. They build up very nicely. The Dr. I and D.VII have a few accuracy issues. The resin busts they issued in the D.VII, Dr. I, Spad, and D.VIII were pretty nice, too, although Udet didn't really look like Udet. 😒 I don't imagine we'll see those versions again.

Drew

Des · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2016, 07:14:49 AM »

I received my heads-up on this through an email from Squadron, I think the kits will prove popular but as you say, a little pricey.

Des.

Cajun · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2016, 10:02:34 PM »

Having already a few of these.... I cant get over the Dr.1 wing with dihedral lol.

zavod44 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2016, 12:29:17 AM »

I told you someone else would notice what WNW is up to. I know these are old re-issues, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see something new from Dragon in a new area, maybe a 1/32 knights of the sky series....

RAGIII · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2016, 12:55:43 AM »

Quote from: Cajun on February 01, 2016, 10:02:34 PM

Having already a few of these.... I cant get over the Dr.1 wing with dihedral lol.

The wing is certainly warped but a little finger pressure and gentle bending straightens it out nicely!
RAGIII

PS: Same with the DVII.

Quote from: zavod44 on February 02, 2016, 12:29:17 AM

I told you someone else would notice what WNW is up to. I know these are old re-issues, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see something new from Dragon in a new area, maybe a 1/32 knights of the sky series....

That is an interesting thought! I would Love to see Dragon enter the 1/32nd scale WW1 aircraft market! That being said if one looks closely, the Hobbycraft SPAD XIII is basically the DML mold enlarged and just slightly amended to do away with PE struts and interior pieces. I well remember when these kits were first released. The quality was far and away better than anything else on the Market!
RAGIII

lcarroll · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2016, 03:50:05 AM »

I built pretty well all of them and agree with Rick's assessment, they were really nicely done once the PE struts were worked around and a little work put into the cockpit. I used successive applications of white glue to add the third dimension and I still have several in my "oldies" display case.

Cheers,
Lance

davecww1 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2016, 08:41:16 AM »

I built a lot of these in the past, and think the SPAD builds up better than the Eduard one, the lower wing is thicker and avoids warping. All of the Fokker D.VII's I have had have a large warp in the middle of the top wing. I found a good way to fix this is to tape it topside down to a metal ruler, then put it in a box with holes cut into the ends and put a hair dryer into the hole. Blow hot air through the box and after 3 minutes or so the wing will heat up enough to stay flat once it cools down. Of course there are dimensional problems with the fuselage and rudder, photoetched metal struts and a few other issues, but I think the interior parts and guns are better than the Eduard version.

Isitwindyyet · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2016, 12:10:12 PM »

Quote from: dtomko on February 01, 2016, 12:59:19 AM

Saw this too, Rick, and also was a bit taken back by the high price. IMHO, the Spad and Fok. D.VIII are the best of the lot. They build up very nicely. The Dr. I and D.VII have a few accuracy issues. The resin busts they issued in the D.VII, Dr. I, Spad, and D.VIII were pretty nice, too, although Udet didn't really look like Udet. 😒 I don't imagine we'll see those versions again.

Drew

So I take it that resin busts haven't been reissued for some time now. I have the Udet, and Red Baron busts. I recall a rickenbacher, with the spad. Whom did the fourth bust represent? Did that one come with the D viii?

Black Max 72 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2016, 07:07:17 PM »

The bust that came with the DVIII was Hans Geothe from Marine Geschwader 3. I've still got that one sitting in the cupboard, he looks rather suave with a little bow tie that the naval pilots seemed to wear! I'm planning to give it a go one day.

ALBATROS1234 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 19, 2016, 12:15:36 AM »

I've seen the red baron boxing with the resin bust on sale a couple places .don't recall which ones but it was one or more of hannants.sprue brothers.squadron as well as a few others I occasionally scan thru.I can't remember which ones like I said but I noticed it was for sale.

ermeio · « **Reply #11 on:** March 19, 2016, 04:01:25 AM »

i've bought the spad and dvii again.
I do no have the old ones at hand but in the dvii we have plastic struts now, also for the cabane.
i am curious about the dr 1 wing, since in the old kit it was not only a question of dihedral, but the wings were warped forward like an X29.

RAGIII · « **Reply #12 on:** March 19, 2016, 04:15:59 AM »

Quote from: ermeio on March 19, 2016, 04:01:25 AM

i've bought the spad and dvii again.
I do no have the old ones at hand but in the dvii we have plastic struts now, also for the cabane.
i am curious about the dr 1 wing, since in the old kit it was not only a question of dihedral, but the wings were warped forward like an X29.

That is an interesting and in My opinion good move by Dragon. IIRC, the interplane struts and landing gear struts in the original were PE. So now they are plastic? This would solve what to me was a very difficult part of the build!
RAGIII