Knights of the Sky WWI GB The End

 You know I really wanted to participate in this build but time is killing me.  However looking at excellent build after jaw dropping build I have to add something at least to show my appreciation for all y'alls hard and fabulous efforts!

So I did some research and finally found a suitable Sopwith Camel that was accurate and since I like figures had to do extensive research on WW I pilot uniforms. After much much effort and countless hours on the bench here is the result. Enjoy. Comments welcome.

Stephen- WOW!!!  That's awesome.  COngrats on your birds in the gallery, and thanks for the link- heading off to order some lozenge decals right now.

Bryan- Thanks for stopping by! 

No worries folks.  By the way I have NO connection financially to the lozenge I was simply the consultant and modelbuilder.  The good thing is we have a fine line of lozenge to use now. Mr. Sollers the owner / operator incured all the financial risk.  I have encouraged him to begin advertising.   

By the way here is that last test I did of my five colour loz build  in unfiltered sunlight.

Back to the 1/32 Roden Fok. D.VI now.  I think the undersurface decals came out too orange in this image.  Due to my flash.

Stephen,

Thanks for the link on the lozenge decals!  I also liked the ones for simulating the fabric patern on the decals.  I will be interested in seeing the streaked painting used on the Dr.1's.  When I built a couple of those planes in the past, I used an acrylic olive drab paint thinned down, and I applied it with a brush that was comparable to the same size brush that was used on the real planes.  As I mentioned some time ago, I used a blue base paint, not realizing that a linen color would have been more accurate.  I did notice on my Eduard "Der Rote Flieger" kit that they mention both linen and blue for the undercoat.  There appears to still be some question on what was used, or perhaps they were both used when the planes were manufactured.

Stephen,

Once again your knowledge in this area is very impressive, and I appreciate your comments.  One more question, what color would be appropriate for Voss's tripe?

More Power Scotty wrote:

Stephen,  Once again your knowledge in this area is very impressive, and I appreciate your comments.  One more question, what color would be appropriate for Voss's tripe?

Wow! You don't ask the easy questions do you?  Do you realize the controversy that exists on this? The short answer is that it was painted in the Fokker factory standard.  Early historians said light blue over all with grren streaking on all upper surfaces.  But the standard we have today is bleached linen was used for the pre-production F.I types.  Solid lt. blue painting on the undersurfaces.  Olive drab Streaking on the uppersurfaces, 

All exposed metal cowling areas were a medium green.I use a variation of the Testors Model Master dark or medium green lighten with a light grey for that.  For the cowling I go with green.  The white eyes would not show up well in real life on a yellow cowling.

Here are two excellent threads on the subject in 1/32. 

For F.I 103/17 at the end of her career.

For F.I 103/17 at the beginning.

There is also my 1/48 version on my website in CD & downloads.

Hi folks,

Finally!  He's here!  1/32 (54mm) Billy Bishop is now available from Model Cellar Productions (http://www.modelcellar.com/)

Sculpted by Mike Good, this is an outstanding portrait figure of Billy Bishop.  ...makes a greeat accessory to that Se.5a build up above =))! 

Kit particulars:

Billy Bishop No.60Sqdn RFC 1917

Item #32003    1/32 scale (54mm)

Regards,

Paul

Hey everyone...

Well I'm building a 1/72 Fokker Dr.I from eduard and have a few questions.

First the cockpit interior, is the pilot's seat wood colour or aluminum (conflicting research results). The interior sides also have a triangular piece of wood panelling, but on the canvas section is the exterior olive streak camou visible from inside? 

Also with the olive streaking, would this pattern be subtlely seen through another colour if the Fokker is, for example, painted red?  Would the streaks be seen on the white background of the black cross?

Thanks for any help.

Jack

jgeratic1 wrote:

Hey everyone... Well I'm building a 1/72 Fokker Dr.I from eduard and have a few questions.  First the cockpit interior, is the pilot's seat wood colour or aluminum (conflicting research results).

Back of seat aluminum,  base of seat under the parachute pack (acted as cushion) is wood.

jgeratic1 wrote:

The interior sides also have a triangular piece of wood panelling, but on the canvas section is the exterior olive streak camou visible from inside?

No the colours did not penetrate to the interior.

jgeratic1 wrote:

Also with the olive streaking, would this pattern be subtlely seen through another colour if the Fokker is, for example, painted red?  Would the streaks be seen on the white background of the black cross?  Thanks for any help Jack

Only if the colour covering the streaks was translucent or thinly applied.  No the streaks did not ever show through the white fields or borders of the crosses.

Stephen,

Hey, what can I say, I am an instructor at a nuclear power plant, I am used to fielding tough questions.   I assumed that there must be some controversy as the old Revell 1/32 scale kit mentions light metalic blue on the box, but dark green streaks in the directions (this is the kit that was molded in blue plastic).  I did enjoy the conversation in the thread that you linked in your response, especially the comment about a blue dope that was sometimes used. 

It seems to me that the closer a kit is manufactured to when the item represented is used, the more accurate the information should be.  In 1965, when my Revell kit was manufactured, there were still WWI veterans around who could have described items far better than a person trying to interpret photographs.  Of course the victors get to write the history books, so I am sure that many items become "lost" over time.

Anyway, I once again thank you for a very informative response.

Hey Guys,

Mind if I join in with my 1/48 Eduard Nieuport 17?

Wow Stephen that looks great, you really built alot for the build. 

Hey kids--first, thanks for letting me into the GB, secondly, here are some IP snaps:

 (above) - Cockpit done and much of the building completed.  The top wing is held in place with three delicate attachment points (i.e. the cabane struts, without the "V" struts).  I moved quickly through the cockpit phase since it wasn't likely to be highly visible after closing the fuselage (all you can see without a flashlight is the seat and throttle lever.  The brown paint is meant to be pre-shading, but gets lost after I have airbrush/painting trouble that demands numerous white coatings.

(above) - Gah-disaster!!  While doing the white coats I moved my airbrush around vigorously at one point and spilled paint directly onto the model!  Note to self: *always* use the colour cup  cap.  Some light sanding and further painting will subsequently ensure I get rid of the splotches.

More progress to come, I hope...

p.s. are we going to roll this GB over into a 2008-09 Knights of the Sky, I hope? I've several more WWI kits in the stash I'd love to share work on

Stephen and BGuy-

Excellent progress!  I was hoping to build a Dr.I in time for the end of this GB, but other kits are keeping me occupied.  Glad to see people are still building and having fun here, this Gb has brought to light so many new ideas, techniques, and information for me.  I thank you all!

Lots of work to do yet.

I am missing an image here.

Daywalker wrote:

Stephen- Awesome diorama!  Did you make it?  Tell us more!

Greetings Frank, she is an oldie but a goodie.  As to the composition of the pieces for the garage The major pieces should be immediately visible. The 1/28 Revell Fokker Dr.I with a Clerget engine, The Monogram Red Baron Dragster. The all but one of the skeletons are Monogram items (Lil Coffin & Rommel's Rod.) One of the skeletons is a Fujimi mechanic carved down using a dremel motor tool. The rest of the items are from the Fujimi garage set, local Rail-Road hobby shop, Verlinden Cardboard boxes with model company logos on them. Resin crates with Model company decals applied. Evergreen plastic sheet and shapes for the garage structure itself. 

My greatest disappointment in modeling is that I was beat out in a Reg. X IPMS contest by a Toe-Tractor (Yes a Lone Wolf tow tractor) with a scrach build 1:1 scale bloody big toe on the trailer.  I missed out on owning the coveted "Lopez- Demente" Albequerque chapter prize.  Sniff sniff. . .

Some more updates, getting there! :

Rigging done, wood parts and the engine done and attached, white paint applied with (now grey) pre-shading, future coat and lots of bits and pieces yet to be done, but the end is in sight! 

 Hello,

 Stephen, the dio is great.LOL Very well done. Sorry to hear about the loss to the big toe. 

 BGuy, nice save with the paint splotches. your build looks to be coming along nicely.

 Best Regards,

 Mobious

Greetings all;
Here is an interesting website. card models mostly but their "Lost Eagles" pdf is very useful to all who model.

http://kampfflieger.webs.com/

Stephen,

Your work continues to amaze me!   Being that halloween is my favorite holiday of the year, and the fact that I like WWI planes, I really enjoyed the photos of your diorama.  Thanks for sharing!

Daywalker,

I have an Eduard DH-2 weekend edition kit on its way to me, and I will need to have it built by the end of the year.  I will add that as a second kit for this build, as there is a new finish date.

Well, that Nieuport 17 is finally done:

From this (above) angle, things look pretty good.

Can you see the slight misplacement of the tail decal in this one?  I was *really* impressed with Eduard's decals but had serious trouble on the tail, which ripped slightly on the starboard side and was misplaced slightly on the port.  Otherwise, most of them look literally painted on--splendid.

(Below) Finally, a closeup of the cockpit.  I couldn't get a decent angle to show interior details but here at least I get to show off the drilled out details on the seat and my first serious attempt at oil-painted woodgrain.