Fokker D.VII builds for a diorama

More 1/48 derelict aircraft for the diorama. The black nose & tail Dr.I will have a cover like the others and is an OOP Blue Max kit. The Alb. D.Va is an OOP Tom's Modelworks resin kit. A very old kit that taught me never use steel rod with resin. At bottom a spare 1st issue Eduard Fokker E.V fuselage. Next the 1/48 DML / Dragon white tailed Fokker Dr.I 521/17. Finally a basket case DML / Dragon Fokker Dr.I in red, black & white.

This is going to be a great build, can't wait to see more.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.  Modifying the figures are proving to be a bigger challenge than the aircraft.

Jasta 26 still need ribtapes, rigging and propeller.

Jasta 40. Ltn Carl Degelow.

Next, the DML / Dragon Fokker D.VII using Microscale Lozenge and personal markings. Heavily modified Tom's Modelworks inline six motor to convert it to a BMW IIIa. It represents a machine that had been purposely crash at the aircraft turn in depot. Now just a derelict. This build can trace its beginnings back to 2004 when I first conceived of the EOW diorama.

This is the original machine I term "Bubbles". An early Schwerin machine. Probably 407/18-527/18. After all these years the unit is still unknown.

Greetings all,

"Art is never finished, only abandoned. . ." Leonardo da Vinci

Remember this build from August 2008 in hypothetical markings?

White Fokker weekend kit #8482

". . .It all began in a small town of Zweibrüken in the Pfalz Rhineland area. Coming from a family that operated a small Gesthaus and restaurant called Weinerwald. Hunting in the nearby black forest or the local Phesanery was his favorite leisure time activity. Oblt. Stefan Löwenson rose from the ranks and served inseveral Front line units. It was on 13 Sept.1918 that he was again transferred but to 2 Armee headqurters for the Gruppen Fluzeug Command. Where he acquired a roving commission as field inpector of Jasta materials and operations in and around Metz. It is believed that in his authority that he appropriated one of two aircraft destined to be assigned to the JG.I commander. . ."

I had a go at refinishing this kit in slightly more realistic markings for the EOW diorama.  Adding lozenge to the wings was an easy effort. removing the fuselage cross enough to let it show through and an over coat of white and giving it a more used look.

The upper surface Lozenge is Wing & Wires 5 colour and the lower is the old Eagle Strike 5 color.

Finishing up the rigging for the Loerzer Jasta 26 black & white Fok. D.VII and the Degelow Jasta 40 "Leaping Stag" late Oct - early Nov. 1918.  I have a few more slated to be ready for the finished display in 2017 - 18.  I have the following underconstruction or consideration;

4.Armee.  Gruja Nr.3. 

This kit represents a Fokker D.VII 230 - 460/18 flown by Oblt. B. Loerzer Commander of JG.III early 1918. See ‘Fokker D.VII Anthology 2' by R.Rimell, Albatros Pub. Ltd. 2000. Pp.9 & 27. from the early production series and the personal marking are for one of several aircraft flown by Oblt. Bruno Loerzer, commander of JG.III. It was photographed at Nivelles in December 1918.. Unlike other Jasta 26 machines the wings are painted with the upper surface of the top wing and the undersurface of the lower wing were over painted in the commander’s livery and the rest of the wings were in the factory lozenge camouflage . Because of the serial placement late in the first production batch and the possibility that the top wing was replaced. I have allowed the result was that it was covered in the 4 and 5 colour lozenge type.

Jasta 36   Fok. D.VII early Schwerin (Roden 420) “N”  Roden

This modified Roden #420 kit profile (II) represents an early Schwerin built Fokker D.VII of Jasta 36 possibly in the markings of in the markings Uffz. (Corporal) Reinhold Neumann from late August - early Sept 1918. His machine might have been passed on to another pilot. The is kit profile was originally highly over simplified and I used a higher res image to compare and armed with my research on Jasta 36 I though an update would help those working with this scheme.

Jasta 1 Fokker D.VII 601/18 at Nivelles Belgium 1918.

Having done some digging I found that the serial number to the aircraft is 5301/18. Brought down on 20 Oct. 1918, the British were kind enough to include the Brigade capture I.D. on the fin.  I recently picked up a high Res image of this bird and was able to digitally repair the image. The Higher res allowed me to read the inscription on the vertical fin.

Love your dedication to research, Stephen. You continue to inspire me.  :)

Thanks Mike!  This Roden kit represents an early Fokker D.VII (OAW) in the personal marking of Ltn. Carl Degelow the Jasta 40 Commander until the end of the war and the last recipient of the Orden Pour le Merite (The Blue Max). While his first machine was an early Albatros built machine this is his second known aircraft an OAW built bird.

This kit represents an early Schwerin built Fokker D.VII of Jasta 36 possibly in the markings of in the markings Uffz. (Corporal) Reinhold Neumann from late August - early Sept 1918.  His machine might have been passed on to another pilot.

This kit represents an early production Fokker D.VII (OAW) in the markings of Jasta 57 the personal marking of Vizefeldwebel (Acting Sergeant) Wieprich. He probably inherited this machine after Ltn. Hafner’s death. This early production survivor has been built to depict a machine that was “unfortunately” crashed when landing at the Nivelles collect point. The pilot’s lower right wing tip was dug into the earth on landing, bending and twisting the whole airframe. The visual result was a flat tire, the alignment of the wings was offset. The lower right wing was damaged at the tip. This makes repairs to the machine too much of a time issue. It was delegated to the “red tag” group. Cables to the guns were removed to prevent accidental firing.

 Thanks Lawdog, Next, is the Roden 1/48 # 420 kit.  A compass and hand fuel pump were added to the cockpit from the spares box.  The cowling panels are typical of early production OAW.  The motor is a modified kit item and represents the BMW IIIa 185hp.  Various control arms, fuel, water and oil hoses and pipes were added from flux. The rigging is fine wire and  “Lozenge” decals are from the Aviattic’s faded 5 color sheets.  The national markings are from the kit.  The propellor is a Roden kit “Wolff” item painted to simulate laminated wood.

This build represents an early production Fokker D.VII (OAW) in the brown fuselage, white nose and tail unit markings of Jasta 20.  These personal markings are strictly hypothetical because so little of their photos exist in the public domain.  The Jasta 20 tail unit was bordered in a “dark color”.  Often times when a unit inherited machine from other Jastas they over painted fuselage a solid color.

This Eduard 1/48 kit represents a Schwerin built Fokker D.VII from Jasta 63.  The personal markings while typical for the unit are hypothetical.  With the black and white vertical bands are accurate the pilots of this unit used personal devices or the initials of the pilot.  Late in the war shortages of personnel and materials made some units keep anything not maintenance related to a minimum or totally on the back burner. The possibility of Jasta 63 having more than 2 aircraft at Nivelles is minimal.  Six of them flew into neutral Holland on 13 Nov. 1918.

Stephen,

I don't understand how I missed this thread earlier (perhaps because most of my time on FineScale is in the "Ships" forum ). Whatever - these are brilliant builds of bips. I am very much looking forward to the completed diorama.