1:32 Albatros D.V & D.Va - Super Detail Set

A wooden fuselage over the Western Front

The Albatros D.V and its strengthened counterpart the D.Va were among the most numerous German fighters in 1917. What catches the eye above all is the shell fuselage glued up from plywood, which gave the aircraft round shapes, unusually elegant for the time. That elegance was paid for, though: the lower wing with its single spar was prone to failure in a steep dive and the crews were warned about it.

Six items in one package

• Seat belts, which give the cockpit a soft, naturally hanging line.
• A photo-etched fret for the aircraft itself and a second photo-etched fret for the Mercedes D.III engine.
• The radiator as a separate part, that is the part where a plastic kit usually settles for a simplification.
• A mask for the glazing and for the roundel markings.
• A test sample of a decal imitating light wood.

It is exactly the wood decal that is essential on this aircraft. The plywood fuselage showed through under the varnish, and models that have it painted with a brush usually look flat. The sample serves for trying the procedure out before a modeler sets about the whole fuselage. The shade of the wood differed between individual machines according to the stain used and the age of the varnish, so a trial run makes sense on every build separately.

Who the set is for

The set counts on the kit from the firm Wingnut Wings and its parts are measured out to its dimensions. Working with photo-etched parts calls for sharp metal shears, tweezers and a steady hand; the individual parts are bent over the edge of a metal ruler. The kit is not in the package.