1:32nd scale Fokker D.VI

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
As the Camel conversion to the 'Comic' night fighter is near completion, It's time for the next model.
I have plenty of 'Wingnut Wings', 'Copper State Models', 'Lukgraph' and others in my stash.
However, I thought this time I make the 'Roden' 1:32nd scale Fokker D.VI. 

The kit supplied decals, apart from being Roden, are of schemes I'm not keen on, especially the 'Fratz' scheme.
Instead I'll have a go at the following, even though there's very little information on its colour scheme.
I've found only one photograph, one old colour profile and the box art.
I know from the 'Windsock' data file the types of lozenge used so it's just a case of picking what colour to paint the engine cowl. 

Mike

Fokker D.VI of Kest 1a (Home Defence) Staffeln, operating from Mannheim in South-West Germany during the Summer of 1918.

[Peterpools]

Mike

Looking forward to your next build

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The engine has been finished with just 'EZ' line ignition leads added.
I've test fitted the engine to the kit bulkhead and the replacement 'Aviattic' resin engine cowl has been test fitted.
I'll be using the kit propeller as, due to the problems in Europe, sadly I can't get a 'Heine' wood propeller from 'Proper Plane',

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
It's been a few weeks since my last post.
Real life sometimes takes up time.
Anyway, here's a list of the basic work.

''Gaspatch' replacement weapons.
Kit gun support bar replaced with brass tubing.
'DR.1 'PART' photo-etch, some cockpit detail added.
''Aviattic' replacement resin seat.
''Aviattic' faded four colour lozenge.
 'Airscale' instrument decals. 
Mono-filament and tubing fitted for rudder, elevator and aileron control cables.
Tubing added from throttle quadrant.
Gun synchronization cables added.
Engine bulkhead rear edge filled to allow for the 'Aviattic' engine cowl retaining band.

Still a way to go before the fuselage build is done, including fitting the weapons,

Mike

 

[belugawhaleman]

I'm not familiar with this aircraft. It certainly was a handsome little airplane.

Your build looks impressive so far and I certainly will be following.

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Apart from the cockpit surround padding, windscreen, Fokker type panel fasteners and weathering, the forward fuselage is done.

Both machine guns with feed and ejection chutes.
Photo-etch ammunition belts.
Photo-etch blast plates.
Expended rounds counter decal.
Panel between gun breech blocks (omitted from kit),

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
All of the parts have now been primed with white, polished then gloss clear coated.
White because the 'Aviattic' lozenge decals are 'clear' backed, meaning the base colour will show through to give the linen effect.

Mike

[KevinM]

Mike you move so fast and with such efficiency 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Just a quick update.
I'm working through applying the lozenge decals to the model.
Upper surfaces are the 'Aviattic' 4 colour faded (ATT32008) and undersides (ATT32010).
The border and rib tapes are cut from ATT32069 for upper surfaces and ATT32071 for the undersides.
The main lozenge decals were cut out and applied over a white gloss base coat to allow the linen effect to show through.
The border and rib tape decals are white backed and applied onto the main decals.
Fokker ignored the specifications of the ‘Idflieg’.
Instead using their standard method of covering the wings, with the lozenge pattern applied horizontally across the top and underside of the wings and the fuselage, with wing border and wing rib tapes of the same pattern.
For the ailerons, the elevator, tail plane and the fuselage sides, the lozenge pattern was applied vertically (front to rear and top to bottom).
Each wing rib was taped but border tape was only applied to the trailing edges of the lower wing and upper wing, across the centre section between the inboard aileron edges.

I still have the border tapes and underside rib tapes to apply,

Mike

[JeroenPeters]

Great work! You make it look like a wnw kit and then some.

[Sasha As]

Great work!

[Fran]

wow!! Love it!!

[belugawhaleman]

Wonderful progress!

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Rib and border tapes done.
I'll possibly mist a slight faded brown over these decals, as they faded that way.
Then it's onto the kit markings,

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The basic kit decals have been applied.
Typical 'Roden' decals - easily cracked and chipped and reluctant to conform over curves!!

Next up is weathering,

Mike 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The decals and weathering are completed.
I've re-profiled the leading edges of the tail plane, straight not curved.
Also added carburetor air intake from 1.6 mm diameter tube.
Under fuselage photo-etch panels added from the 'Aviattic' DR.1 set.
I've brown tinted the lozenge decals using 'Ammo' Ochre filter, applied by brush.
Overall dirt weathering was done using 'Flory Models' dark dirt clay wash.

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Propeller completed.
Usually I would fit a replacement propeller from Alexy at 'Proper Plane'.
However, given the present circumstances, I've used one of the kit supplied propellers.
Although many Fokker aircraft were fitted with 'Axial' propellers, the photograph of this particular aircraft shows a different propeller design.
From it's shape I'm guessing it could have been a propeller from 'Heine', so that's what I've modeled.
Grey primed then airbrushed with 'Tamiya' Dark Yellow (XF60).
Brushed over with 'DecoArt' Burnt Umber crafter's acrylic paint.
Airbrushed with 'Alclad' Aqua Gloss 600 then decals applied (LF Models).
Hub brushed with 'Mr. Colour' Dark Iron (214) then buffed.
Finally airbrushed with 'Alclad' Light Sheen (ALC311) mixed with 'Tamiya' Clear Orange (X26).

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Landing gear fairing assembly complete.
The fairing underside decal is 'Aviattic' white-backed German Blue (ATT32077).
Wheel cover decals are from the ‘Aviattic’ Fokker streaked set (ATT32062).
I've represented the metal foot boards on the lower wing roots, by cutting the from the ‘RB Productions’ radiator mesh (RB-T027) photo-etch.
'Flory Models' Dark Earth pigment powder was applied over the foot boards,

Mike
 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
A few updates on the build.
The upper wing is fitted and, as expected when using the kit supplied struts, there were problems.
On test fitting the upper wing onto the interplane and cabane struts, I found the cabane struts did not reach outboard enough to contact their attachment lugs on the underside of the wing.
This necessitated drilling out the interplane locating holes in the upper wing enough to allow the struts to insert deeper into the wing.
This reduced the distance between the wings enough for the cabane struts to fit correctly.
I've also fitted and braced the landing gear.
Also fitted are the twin aileron control wires from the cockpit to the underside of the upper wing.

NOTE: The struts look squared in the photographs, but they are in fact aero shaped.

Now it's onto the completing the tail unit,

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The aircraft model is complete.
I've rigged the ailerons, rudder and elevator.
Also added the external Anemometer and a windscreen.
Just the figure to paint now.
I'll post up completed model shots once it's in the display case.

Than for your comments - appreciated,

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
One last shot.
The pilot figure, which is the 'Elan13' German pilot WW1 (EL25).
Painted with 'AK Interactive' and 'Tamiya' acrylics.
Flesh painted with 'Citadel' paints.

Mike

[Clunkmeister]

Beautiful work, Mike!  Stunning!

Good news from Europe, Alexey is still in the game, hunkered down and staying safe.  As are most of our other Ukrainian suppliers. Roden lost their illustrator, but that man was the only casualty I’ve hard about in our little circle. So far at least. Alexey states he’s no warrior, so he’s lending his support in other ways. 

[sandbagger]

5 hours ago, Clunkmeister said:

Beautiful work, Mike!  Stunning!

Good news from Europe, Alexey is still in the game, hunkered down and staying safe.  As are most of our other Ukrainian suppliers. Roden lost their illustrator, but that man was the only casualty I’ve hard about in our little circle. So far at least. Alexey states he’s no warrior, so he’s lending his support in other ways. 

That's good to hear.

Any good news is welcome,

 

Mike

[sandbagger]

Ooops - posted in wrong thread 🤪

Mike

 

[DocRob]

Your Fokker is looking absolutely perfect with your trademark appearance. What I mean, it's easily recognizable, that you laid your talented fingers onto this build. That raises my appetite for another Fokker D.VIII, this time a yellow diamond clad maritime bird.

Cheers Rob