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Hi all, My bad as I posted the build thread here instead of the work in progress page 🤪 The 'Wingnut Wings' Fokker D.VII (OAW). Built as the 'Seven Swabians', Serial No: 4697/18 of Jasta 65, flown by Alfred Bader. The forum build thread is above in this thread. The fully detailed build log is available to download from the Build Logs page at: Mikes WW1 aircraft Models Mike

Hi all, The pilot figure is completed. ‘Black Dog’ German fighter pilot WW1 N°3 (F32172). Painted with 'AK Interactive' acrylic paints. That's this model completed. Thanks for your comments and support during this build, Mike

Hi all, The finished model is now up in the WNW and WW1 Ready for Inspection page. Thanks for your support and comments throughout this build, Mike

Hi all, The 'Wingnut Wings' SE5a (Hisso) with a 'Proper Plane' 3D printed conversion front end to a Wolseley Viper powered aircraft. Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a (Wolseley Viper engine) Serial No: C1149 as flown by Capt. Duncan Grinnell-Milne with No.56 Squadron (RAF) during late 1918. Dual comparison build with the 'Kotare' Supermarine 'Spitfire Mk.1a. The forum build thread is: The fully detailed build log will be available to download, once I've uploaded the Fokker D.VII Seven Swabians build, at my site: Mikes WW1 Aircraft Models Mike

Hi all, I had read of Aluminium doped Strutters, but was guided by the Windsock data file 34. It seems at the time of writing, doped Aluminium Strutters had not been known. From what I now read it seems a few Strutters were supplied to the French for evaluation. They were considered worth using and licenses were given to allow the French to build the aircraft for their use. Production was slow to start, as happened with the earlier Caudron aircraft. The Sopwith aircraft built by the French looked similar to the British counterpart, although it's thought the 1.A2 (reconnaissance) version may have had reinforced wings and different equipment. However, only the few early models originally supplied British were clear dope linen. Later French built Strutters were probably Aluminium doped and by the end of 1917, the five coloured dope camouflage was universally adopted. The camouflaged aircraft had the standard French 5 colours pigmented dope. On the upper wings pigmented dope was used, which is why a difference can sometimes been seen in hue between doped surfaces and the roundels. If the landing gear, cowlings and plywood coverings were camouflaged, it was with the standard paints. On the Aluminium doped aircraft, the colouring was apparently: One coat of clear tautening dope Two coats of Aluminium tautening dope One coat of clear finishing dope That fuselage and wings were similarly doped. The cowlings left the factory burnished (sometime painted in unit level) and the exposed plywood decking was varnished. The landing gear was either painted silver (most often) or left with the blue -grey protective paint. As with most WW1 aircraft research, very little can be actually confirmed. However, given this and the helpful comments elsewhere, I've decided to amend the colouring of this model to that of an all Aluminium doped finish. Mike

Hi all, The Se5a (Viper) and Spitfire Mk.1a dual build and the Fokker D.VII build are nearing completion. Therefore I'm starting the next build. A Roden kit for a model of a French Sopwith 1 1/2 ‘Strutter’ (1.A2), Ser No.326 ‘7’ of French Escadrille SOP226. Mike

Hi all, Just the last bits fitted now. Upper wing fitted. Aileron control cables from fuselage to upper wing. Fuselage grab handles and pilots foot step. Propeller fitted. Just the figure and display base to go, Mike

Hi all, Landing gear with bracing cables fitted. Flight control cables mostly rigged. Cabane and interplane struts fitted. Proper Plane Niendorf propeller also ready for fitting. Next is fitting the upper wing and aileron cables, Mike

Hi all, The W's are done. Weathered, Weapons, Windscreen. Also the exhaust and a modification to add a flare pistol to the centre, leading edge of the upper wing. The pre-rigging is also added. Next up is assembly, Mike

Hi all, I've added all of the necessary decals now. The fuselage, wings and control surfaces are all from the specific Aviattic set (‘Aviattic’ clear backed Seven Swabians (ATT32173) and (ATT32070). Unfortunately the pre-shading on the wings and tailplane were not dark enough, so are not really visible. Now it's onto the weathering stage, Mike

Hi all, Next step is applying the Aviattic decal set for this aircraft. The base coat is gloss white as the decals are translucent. The base coat needs to be a light colour for the linen effect to show. Also pre-shading (Tamiya Smoke X19) of the rib tapes and frames should show slightly, Mike

Hi all, The engine is now fitted. The engine is fairly basic as the access panels will be fitted, covering it all apart from the top detail. The only added details are the spark plugs and ignition leads, Mike

Hi all, The cockpit assembly has been fitted into the fuselage. The cockpit was built from the box apart from a few things I added. Lead wire of 0.3 mm diameter was used to represent the trigger cables between the control column and machine guns. It was also used for the outlet pipe from the fuel tank pressurizing hand pump. Blackened Nickel-Silver tube of 0.3 and 0.5 mm diameter was used to represent the control rods from the throttle levers. EZ black (fine) line was used to represent the control cable from the ignition advance lever. Mono-filament of 0.08 mm diameter, blackened 0.4 mm diameter tube and Proper Plane resin 1:32nd scale turnbuckles (RD-005) were used for: Rudder control cables. Elevator control cables, Twin aileron control cables. Decals used were from the kit and from the specific decal set for this aircraft by Aviattic (ATt32173). Now it's onto the engine, Mike

Hi Doc, As it's an OAW built Fokker D.VII, maybe leave the BMW kits as they are and look out for an OAW kit online. Either that or get the different front panels from Aviattic and a Mercedes engine (I have enough spare parts to build one that I can send you) and convert a BMW kit, Mike

Hi all, While I'm waiting for the parts I need to make the display case, I'm starting on my next build. Also it'll be a break from a complex rigged aircraft. Fokker D.VII (OAW) 'Seven Swabians', Serial No: 4697/18 of Jasta 65, flown it seems by Alfred Bader. The Seven Swabians (Die Sieben Schwaben) is a German fairy tale, collected by The Brothers Grimm in the second volume edition of their Kinder- und Hausmarchen (1857) under the number KHM119. The term Swabians refers to people from the German region Swabia, though in Switzerland it refers to Germans in general. One version of the tale is as follows: Once upon a time there were Seven Swabians who travelled through the world. To be safe from danger they carried one long spear with them. One day in July they walk through a meadow just by nightfall and notice a hornet buzzing by. Unaware what they just heard the men start to panic, thinking it was a war drum. One of them tries to flee, jumps over a fence and then walks right on the teeth of a rake, whereupon the handle hits him in the face. He quickly begs for mercy and tells the invisible attacker that he'll surrender, whereupon his six friends do the same. Later, when they finally understand they were fooled they decide to keep this embarrassing anecdote a secret. To prevent the story from getting out they swear to not say anything about it until one of them should accidentally open his mouth. Later they encounter a hare sleeping in the sun. They take the animal for a monster and decide to attack it. After bracing themselves with all the courage they can get they strike out and the hare runs away, whereupon they realize they've once again been fooled. The septet travels onward until they reach the river Moselle. Unaware how to cross it they ask a man on the opposite side of the river for help. Due to the distance and their language the man doesn't understand what they were saying and he asked them in the dialect of Trier: "Wat, Wat?" This causes the men to think that they have to wade through the water. As the first Swabian gets into the river he starts to sink into the mud. His hat is blown away to the opposite shore, next to a frog who croaks noises that sound like "wat, wat, wat". The six surviving Swabians think it's their friend telling them to wade across; they rush in the water and all drown. The aircraft has two distinct scenes painted on each side of the fuselage. On the left (port) side of the fuselage shows the Swabians seeing the hare. On the right (starboard) side of the fuselage shows the Swabians charging the escaping animal. Behind the cockpit is the House of Wurttemberg Coat of Arms. Mike

Hi all, The SE5a (Viper) model is now complete. Here's a few shots of the rigging. Mono-filament 0.08 and 0.12 mm diameter. Blackened tube of 0.4 and 0.5 mm diameter. Proper Plane resin fork end turnbuckles (RD-019). I'll post shots of the finished dual build of the SE5a and Spitfire Mk.1a once the display case is completed, Mike

Hi all, I've added the rigging to the tail unit of the SE5a. No turnbuckles as the tailplane/fin and landing gear bracing wires were RAF Streamlined type. The rudder, elevator and tail skid control cables were wire wound, but had their turnbuckles in the cockpit. I used 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament for the control cables and 0.12 mm diameter for bracing wires. All with blackened 0.4 mm diameter tube. Now it's onto pre-rigging the wings before assembly, Mike

Hi all, The Spitfire Mk.1a is done. This will be part of the dual build with the SE5a (Viper). No build log for this model as it's really just a one off, Mike.

Hi all, Final weathering done. I used the following. ‘Flory Models’ Clay washes or Pigments, ‘Tamiya’ Weathering Master sets, ‘Prismacolor’ Verithin Argent Métallique pencil (753), ‘AK Interactive’ Kerosene (AK2039), Engine Oil (AK2019) washes. Now it's onto pre-rigging, Mike

Hi all, First weathering applied using 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt clay wash. Now onto applying finer weathering, Mike

Hi all, My intention was to airbrush most of the various markings using specific masks made by Mark Beckwith at 'Making History Masks' (https://making-history.ca/), with the remaining marks as decals supplied with the kit. However, my daughters Dachshund decide to 're-arrange' the mask set. All I had left that was useable were the letter Ws. Therefore, I had to use kit supplied decals and 'Xtradecal' numbers/letters as replacements. The decal guide supplied in the 'Roden' kit of this aircraft shows the following: 'Schweinhund' marking on the lower, front sides of the fuselage. However, it seems this marking was only on the port (left side) of the fuselage. Two white angled stripes on both sides of the rear of the fuselage. This was the No.56 Squadron (RAF) marking in late 1918. Large letter W in white on both sides of the fuselage. Larger letter W in white on the top surface of the upper wing (right side). RAF roundels on both sides of the fuselage, top surface of the upper wing and underside of the lower wings. However, this aircraft was built by the Royal Aircraft Factory (RAF), who positioned the wing roundels further inboard than other manufacturers. This can be seen on photographs of other RAF built SE5a aircraft of No.56 Squadron, based on photographs in the following references: The SE5 File - (Ray Sturtivant and Gordon Page). British Aviation Squadron Markings of WW1 - (Les Rogers). Serial No: A8909 A1 of Capt. PB Prothero. Serial No: A8913 B2 of Lt. Muspratt. Serial No: A4853 C2 of Lt. DS Wilkinson. Serial No: B4863 G of Capt. JB McCudden. As the only photographs of C1149 do not show clearly where wing roundels were positioned, I chose to ignore the 'Roden' decal guide and place the roundels as for a RAF built SE5a. This means that the white W on the upper wing can't be positioned as shown on the 'Roden' decal guide. However, as can be seen on the 'Wingnut Wings' kit supplied profile of C1057, identification letters were sometimes positioned on the upper wing centre section. Therefore, I chose to position the white W onto the centre section. Some Squadrons had the identification letters also applied usually to the underside of the lower right wing and in black. There is at least one photograph of an RAF built SE5a of No.56 Squadron that carries the identification letter R on the underside of the lower, right wing and outboard (partly over the aileron) of the roundel. Admittedly, it may not be the case that all No.56 Squadron aircraft carried an identification letter on the underside of the lower wing. However, as I'm altering the positions of the wing roundels and the upper wing W, I decided I may as well add a black W to the lower, right wing. The serial number C.1149 was displayed on both sides of the rudder and was coloured black/white. The wheel tyres were marked with the 'Palmer Cord' manufacturers specification. Anyway, right or wrong it's now time to apply weathering, Mike

Hi all, The model has had ‘Aviattic’ clear backed Clear Doped Linen ’bleached’ (ATT32044) applied: Upper and lower wings. Fuselage side panels, top rear, Underside and the fin. Inner and outer wheel covers. Tail skid, Vickers machine gun/panel and Aldis gun sight fitted. The next step is to airbrush the various markings then apply weathering. After that it's onto pre-rigging, Mike

Hi all, A few update shots on the dual build. Weathering still to do. Getting close now to the pre-rigging stage before assembly starts, Mike

Hi all, The painting of the SE5a is more or less complete. I'll be using masks to do the roundels and markings. I have a few small modifications to do before construction: Tachometer drive Air pump pipe Pitot static pipes Fuse tank filler cap Engine panel retaining strap Auxiliary fuel tank pipes Here's shots of a few completed parts, Mike

Hi all, A bit of progress on the SE5a. Undersides CDL (with PC wrap over edges added later). Top surfaces in PC. Propeller with painted boss and metal spinner. All need to be weathered of course, but after I've applied the markings. Until then a few kit parts need to be modified, Mike