Albatros D I 1/32 Roden

[Ernie]

It's a joy to watch your excellent work taking shape, Borsos.  I enjoyed
the discussion of the fuel tanks.  The improvements to the Roden engine
make a great difference.  Nice update, my friend!

Cheers,
Ernie

[Borsos]

Thank you Scott and Ernie!

Still on the cockpit today. It gets busier and busier. The thing is not to add something that blocks the way for something else...



frequent dryfitting is very important with this kit. I cross my fingers that everything fits that way when everything is glued in place and the fuselage is closed (the decking will be placed some millimeters back to get the MGs fit the ammunition boxes...


I started to rework the upper decking. I added stretched sprue to represent the crimped metal and thinned the part carefully from the inside.

Tomorrow when the glue has set, I'll sand it smooth.
Thank you!

Borsos

[BigBlue]

Oh my that is coming together beautifully!

Chris

[lcarroll]

Borsos,
     That is absolutely beautiful, just spectacular! Lovely work, and a real testament to your skills. It is inspirational work in fact, makes me want to work slower and better.
Cheers,
Lance

[Des]

Spectacular work on the interior Borsos, this is looking superb.

Des.

[kornbeef]

I found this part the most awkward to fit part of any of the Roden Albatros I've built.  The cowling itself is supposed to be in 4 quarters like later Albi's sectioned at the nose and around the front cabanes. If I remember correctly Roden's rendition of this is quite lacking. The fit of it is quite bad sometimes too and I ve resorted to dismembering it into its seperate components and fettling them together before usually.  Not knocking the kit it's just the way it is 
the front cowlings should have spring catches like the later albatros at the front. one especially holding the frint  two together in front of the engine. the central tongue between the guns should be in sheet metal too. the rear section around the cockpit being in ply of course.

On the point of cabane struts, these should go through the cowling and coaming and fix to the main fuselage longerons,not sit in recesses. I know it's not so easy to rebuild the cabane itself but adding the internal part only might be good as your cockpit otherwise looks quite superb.  I do love what you've done rebuilding the internal structure too, I did similar to my D.II many years ago. My Roden D.I was the first biplane I finished to a decent standard and set my interest in WWI aircraft and the rest is history. 

Many thanks for sharing your artistry.

Keith

[Nigel Jackson]

Beautiful work, Borsos. You are showing us just what can be achieved at the highest level.

Best wishes
Nigel

[LukasTheLight]

That is a fantastic work there Borsos!!! It only makes me more sad that Roden no longer makes WWI 1/32 as this is a great example what beauty can be made out of it... I mean that It would be nice to have WWI 1.32 model stash growing little faster  

Cheerio
Lukas

[RAGIII]

That is a fantastic work there Borsos!!! It only makes me more sad that Roden no longer makes WWI 1/32 as this is a great example what beauty can be made out of it... I mean that It would be nice to have WWI 1.32 model stash growing little faster  

Cheerio
Lukas

I have to agree. It seems Roden could have gone in directions like W4 s, Austro Hungarian subjects, Russian , etc. and had no interference from WNW. Instead they folded their hand. As for This build I must say I am very impressed. My first 1/32nd build was a Roden kit and I have built 2 of the Albatros releases, the DIII and DI. Borsos yours is just Magnificent! Like Lance said I found the fit of the cowlings to be difficult. I also cut them into sections. I actually left the panels off on the DIII. I am sure you will work everything out beautifully!
RAGIII

[moustique]

Spectacular work on the interior Borsos, this is looking superb.

Des.

I agree with Des
beautiful

[radio]

Exellent work to the cockpit.
Cheers
Martin

[Borsos]

Thank you all for your interest and your kind words!

It only makes me more sad that Roden no longer makes WWI 1/32 as this is a great example what beauty can be made out of it... I mean that It would be nice to have WWI 1.32 model stash growing little faster  

I couldn't agree more, Lukas. I actually like the Roden kits (well, I am not that far regarding the problematic points of this kit...), I have seen some builts of the Alby D III and although the builders critizised the difficulties they had to face building it, all models kept the beautiful shape of the Albatros perfectly. And that's what a model should do isn't it?

Tonight I almoust finished my interior work (besides of the engine):
I added a linen cover behind the seat following the replic of Koloman Mayrhofer. The brass buttons are made out of bare metal foil with my punch and die set, an expensive but valuable investment.
I added Aviattic linen decals and some weathering and shading.

 

The cowling itself is supposed to be in 4 quarters like later Albi's sectioned at the nose and around the front cabanes. If I remember correctly Roden's rendition of this is quite lacking.

Yes, for luck the datafile is crystal clear regarding that point. I added some detail with a sharp blade and some sanding

the front cowlings should have spring catches like the later albatros at the front. one especially holding the frint  two together in front of the engine. the central tongue between the guns should be in sheet metal too. the rear section around the cockpit being in ply of course.

The springs will be added later when it comes to detailing the outside of the fuselage. I think the main part of the tongue is ply, metal just when it gets wider at the end...

On the point of cabane struts, these should go through the cowling and coaming and fix to the main fuselage longerons,not sit in recesses.

Thank you for that point, Keith, I hadn't thought about that. Well, I just have to find a way to replicate this...

The seat was glued in today too.
I do not like PE harness, because it is stiff and quickly can look unrealistic. I prefer making my own using the pe parts I like. So I cut the PART belts into pieces and added some wiring. The shoulder harness itself is tea bag. I liked the texture. I glued it in place soaking it with diluted white glue.


Best wishes
Borsos

[jamieg]

Tea bag? Tea bag!!!! (light bulb appears over head) One package of bags could do a lot of seat belts. I really like what you are doing with this kit.

[kornbeef]

Brilliant idea for the harness, I have to agree about PE Harness, and a gtreat tip. I've often used lead strips, paper and other things, must try Teabags. 

Keith

[Ernie]

What a great idea about the teabags, Borsos!  I will certainly
have to shamelessly steal that one, my friend.   Your seatbelts,
and for that matter everything else in the cockpit are brilliant.

Cheers,
Ernie