the mouth of the crocodile..
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unfortunately i noticed not until the taking the picture that the front struts are completely wrong placed. the mounting to the fuselage is not above the exhausts but below near the openings. i will try to cover the holes with putty and paint, they are on the upper edge of the mouth so it may work. 02/2019
After nearly one year a new project. many paints have been dried up since last use. So i was looking for something that requires not much painting... found the old airfix Bristol F2B kit that has been sitting on the shelves for a long time (but not as long as since 1957 when the kit was released by airfix) as the roden kit available for 15 Years is much better and has recently been used to build the "brisfish".
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Since i had bought the decals directly at the manufacturer and they had a minimum order value, i had ordered another set of "the crocodile" for the F2B. It will cover most of the model so the missing details on the airfix kit are not a Problem. I added some interiour details and printed some extra decals / checkers so far. I will add the Lewis Gun that has not been used from the roden kit, and replacement wheels.
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Short Update. Finished the polish Glider IS-i "Sep"
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new:
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Nearly finished, some antenna and small parts to be done.
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on the right the very old revell PZL P.11c from the 60s, built by me in the 90s
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so, the logical next would be the PZL P.7, arma hobby seems to have released some good kits recently. But on my shelves is the ( now "Mistercraft") PZL P.7a since it was released by Plastyk early this millenium. Looks not so bad so i'll give it a try.
I know, the double striked cross should be nearly a circle and not oval, and nowadays we know that most (if not all) french sopwith bombers have been painted completely silver. but i did not want to create own decals for this and at the time the kit was created common knowledge was that this plane was clear doped linen. and it simply looks better...
So i just added the bomb doors.
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HR Model Phoenix C.I. I had the chance to buy one for a reasonable Price (Hungarian Version) but i didn't like the colours of the "hungarian red army" version and the civilian version was also not very colourful and i found some photographs that show that the kit's version has to be modified to build that version. Markings are self-made.
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Bleriot-Spad S-51 C1 from Legato ("What If" Package). I was not satisfied with the "what If" paint schemes and decided to build the spanish version also available from AZ Model. Unfortunately, i am pretty sure that the provided colour scheme is wrong. There is much know about the plane, it was bought in france and belonged to Maurice Thoraval of Aeroclub Touraine. It is much likely that only the registration was painted over with spanish registration. There are some b/w pictures that show clearly that the stripes on the wings and rudder are like a star and not parallel, it can clearly be seen that the coloured area on both sides extends until the rudder etc... Unfortunately there is no change to guess the colour of the plane from the pictures. After some conversation with Michel Barriere who owns a newspaper article dated 2 years before the plane was sold that stated "maurice thoraval and his black and red spad", i decided to build the original french plane with french registration and to paint it black and red an silver. Maybe not original, but looks good anyway
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I had bought the MAC Fokker D.VII (OAW) Kit some Years ago to built the "seven swabians". The Kit was labeled "Limited Edition 1800 pcs". In the Meantime, i bought some sets of 3 or 4 kits on ebay, and two of them also included the "limited" MAC Fokker kit, so i own now 3 of 1800 :)
Since all paint schemes are more or less blue and i have already bertholds blue/red D.VII i decided this time to build Mayers unusual painted D.VII (with engine covers removed). Maybe the last remaining MAC Fokker will someday be built oob..
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Ansaldo Balilla is finished. Right besides the Ansaldo S.V.A 5 on the shelf...
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started the old Hit-Kit Ansaldo A.1 Balilla. Had to order some lacquer pens in gold and white to try the coat of arms, it should be on both sides and both lower wings
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in the meantime, eduards Fokker E.III
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the new special hobby Lloyd (WKF) C.V Series 82
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the old Revell Nieuport 28 Kit again, with self-made decals
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Airco (De Havilland) D.H.9a "Ninak" finished
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Airco (De Havilland) D.H.9a "Ninak" is in progress.
Conversion from the old russian Polikarpov R-1 Kit (Dako Plast in this case, also available as "Maquette" and other russian labels)
As far as i know, there is no injected Kit for the D.H.9a in 1/72 available at this time.
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Avia BH-9 and Avia BH-11 recently released by KP.
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Ryan NYP (Spirit of St. Louis). I managed to get the "polished metal" decals on (somehow) but i dont like the look. looks not like polished metal to me. maybe it would have been better to print the decals transparent like revells 1:48. I have seen pictures of them looking good.
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I decided to remove the decals and paint the cowling.
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Albatros D.I finished
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Albatros D.I Prinz Friedrich-Karl von Preußen
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Bristol F2B "brisfish" (Roden) done. Comparing with the photographs, i should paint the propeller edges grey and probably the spinner green.
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Bristol F2B "brisfish" (Roden)
the Roden F2B Kit with OH Models Decals bought online at www.fantasyprintshop.co.uk and removed upper engine cowling.
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Siebel 204A (old Kopro Kit)
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Dornier J.II aK Bos "Wal" (Lufthansa "Monsun") nearly done
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Siemens Schuckert (SSW) D.III
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old Toko kit. Only a few additions to the interiour, windscreen, control levers and self printed decals.
Heinkel 70G-1
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ICM Kit. Looked good but some problems with the Assembly since the Sprues are also used for other Versions, you have to cut out the passenger door etc. The worst are the decals, be warned.. they will crumble into dust. printed matt but on glossy film. At the end i found that putting them into warm water just for seconds, then wait 10 seconds and apply would be the best way, but you have only seconds to move them.
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The old but still good czech KP Kit of the Skoda D.1. Looking on the Shelf i noticed that this modell would also look great in silver (i had built the civilian police version in green years ago),
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and i have found some good pictures of the argentinian D21s. Decals are self made.
Aero A 100
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This is the second to last kit from the old (original) KP Models i wanted to build to complete the czech airplanes. It is from the late 80's and i bought it in the early 90's.
Avia Ba-122
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I wanted to build the 9 cylinder czech version but one cylinder was missing in the kit. Also, the decals are VERY brittle. There is another colourful version available from RS Model but with more decals, but i would recommend to treat the decals with decal fix first.
Dux Spad VII from MAC
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Also finally finished the RAF Se5a from Italeri and updated the Gallery
Legato's Hansa Brandenburg B I
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The old Frog (Novo Epxort) Bleriot XI and AZModel Pfalz A I
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But since i have the halves now and found some nice markings for the S.V.A 10 (Lithuania), i am thinking about buying another S.V.A. 5 kit and built the S.V.A. 10. All needed parts seem already to be there on the sprue, one different support for the upper wing, spare seat, windscreen (and instruments and rudder stick maybe for the S.V.A 9) Only need to scratch built parts for the second cockpit, the MG and maybe the bigger gasoline tank under the fuselage. I have also Pictures even of a lithuanian ski version. This is wat i got in the box:
Toga (Temek ?) Morane Saulnier I
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Roden Nieuport 27
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Toga Ford TFC
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Zlin Z 13
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Fokker D VI finished
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and finally the Hannover is finished..
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started Siebel 202 Hummel from AML (Slovak Airforce)
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The old Airfix Hannover CL.IIIa is on the way...
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Fokker E.V/D.VIII finished.
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as ususal roden decals are not usable, created all new myself. According to some sources the E.V Wings were not painted flat green as the instructions say, but with "fokker streaks" of green/brown on top and blue/purple undersides. I am not sure but the later looks definitely better so i decided to paint the wing this way.
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the first "AZ Model" kit for me is the Pfalz E.I. The sprues are the same for some Morane Saulnier / Thulin / Pfalz kits with Wheels or Float, from AZ Model. They provide different rudders (all the wrong shape), engine covers etc. So i made a new Rudder (in stash are the Thulin-B and Pfalz A I, so i will have to repeat this because the rudders are also wrong). For some of the planes the instructions say that the wings have to be shortened by one ribb. This is true for the Pfalz E.I, however according to my plans the ribb location is also wrong and the shape of the wing tips is different from the Morane Saulniers. The Instructions want me to remove one segment from the inner side of each wing, however if i remove some material on the wing tips and reshape them, the wing width is also correct, plus the shape AND the ribbs are in correct position. And we dont lose the positioning pins on the wings. So i have cut the wing tips for this.
Hansa Brandenburg D.1 from Toko (flying coffin) finished.
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startet with a very old modell from russia / ukraina ? made by MM distributed by siga, shortrun of Suchoj SU-3. Looks like it needs more filler than plastic...
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Long on the shelfes, now it's done. Eastern Express (ex Toko) Austro-Hungarian Fighter Aviatik (Berg) D.I
If i have the choice i prefer Eastern Express to Toko because the plastic seems a little bit more brittle (at best), makes it easier to separate small parts, and the eastern express decals dont look impressive in the box but are tearproof, nice printed (and really matt !) and react good to setting solutions. This is the first nearly all-covered Model for me and in general i had no problems. The old Siemens-Schuckert D III Kit from Toko is anounced from Eastern Express, can't wait to get one.
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When downloading the Aviatik D.I pictures from the phone i discovered some pictures not published yet here. Eventually i will have time in summer to take the pictures of the finished models for the gallery that is really far behind the current state with my camera.
In the meantime without much comments some "work-in-progress" pictures of now finished models
the old airfix Comet Racer, Revell Sopwith Camel (again, 20 Years after the first one, see last Picture on the right) and Italeri RAF SE5a (the only acceptable Kit from the recent Italeri kits, see below at the Albatros)
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WK Model Blohm and Voss BV 40 (just to get rid of the box :), Rodens Junkers D.I and a nice KP Letov S 20
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MAC LFG Roland D VI B
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After finishing the Intech Mustang P51-B (Tuskegee Airmen) i thought it would be nice to add another Red Tail P51-D
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Eastern Express Nieuport 11 (Bebe), MAC Pfalz D III and ICM Polikarpov I-1 (IL400b)
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On the shelves for 10 years or more, bought on vacation in czech republic, the SMER (ex Antares) Curtiss Seahawk, and an Academy P40 Warhawk
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The Italeri Albatros DIII Conversion is nearly done. Green Paint and Wing Swirl Fabric covers most of the horrible kit, looks not so bad from the distance
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I've got an Italeri Albatros D III as Part of a "new" Kit containing also a RAF SE-5A. Fortunately, i paid less then 5 Euros. With some effords, the RAF SE-5A can be built, but i would advice to invest another 3 euros an buy from roden or maybe airfix. but the albatros is by far the worst kit of an alabtros i have seen. maybe one of the worst kits at all. it would not have been an acceptable kit even 25 years ago. the revell kit is much better also at a cheap price, not to mention roden or eduard. it has nearly no details, the few details are wrong, it is not a specific D III but rather a mix of all variants (or none), the parts do not fit well and have much flash and sink marks. the decals look good at first glance but are sometimes out of register and very glossy. the decals for the RAF SE-5A are completely the wrong color,the blue for the US Voluntary Version Roundels is nearly black. there is also a SPAD XIII "new" from italeri, it is made in korea and looks exactly like the old academy kit. the quality is better but it is also a kit from the 80's, it was good at this time but not acceptable today and especially not for 9.99 Euros !!
you can find a review here and some pictures of the sprues
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I thought about selling the Albatros on ebay but it's not worth even 1 Euro + Shipping for anyone. But i can not throw it to the trash can where it belongs, so i decided to try to built a polish "Koscziuszko" Version of american Volunteer
Merian Cooper. It has some advantages, because it was painted green all over (hiding the missing or wrong details of the italeri kit), has some colorful wing fabric (factory printed austro-hungarian "swirls") and a full covered engine (since
the "engine" from italeri is nothing that you want to see. and the polish albatros was an austrian (OEFFAG) built, means the MG's are covered and not visible and the spinner was replaced with the solid nose and open propeller.
i had to replace the radiator, cover the engine, replace the nose and the propeller and change some details / maintenance lids etc. Fortunately, the spare parts box has enough parts to use, including a simple interiour. The italeri kit was not
even empty inside, i has a fixed moulded "seat" or whatever, so i had to remove the whole scrap first.)
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Fokker D VII "Seven Swabians" finished
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I have got a MAC Fokker D VII (OAW) cheap at ebay. Only some blue versions (
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In the meantime while it gets dry, i started the old heller Bücker 133 Kit but also with handmade color scheme (the all grey doesnt look good, either the swiss one)
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Mr Color Pearl-White was used.
Fokker DR.I (Kempf) done.
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progress of Pfalz D XII. It is said that the mechanics didnt like the plane because of the 3 struts per wing.. i can agree. it is difficult to attach the upper wing.
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Albatros D.V and Fokker DR.I nearly done. Another DR.I (Kempf) in progress.. The Hannover CL III Decals will take some time.
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