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Here is the 1/48 Aviatik Berg D.I from Flashback. Markings are for Franke Linke-Crawford as supplied in the kit.
The lozenge decals were a real challenge, reacting to none but the strongest setting solution (Walther's Solvaset). These decals threatened to crumble and flake off - much like the Roden lozenge decals.
The wheels were a bit of a stickler: Included in the kit are an optional set of "wire" wheels, consisting of photoetched spokes and rubber O-Ring tires. For the faint-hearted, a pair of plastic wheels with covered spokes is also included. The only problem with the spoked wheels is that the tires are too big for the spokes: I overcame this by scratchbuilding a pair of "rims" from thin Evergreen strip, made round in a draftsman's circle template. The spokes were then mounted on these and the tires mounted on the rims. The completed wheels, while very fragile, made convincing replicas of the real thing.
Rigging was accomplished using fine (0.2mm = .008") nickel wire from Minimeca of Spain. This very fine though rigid wire comes in packets of ten lengths, each ten inches long. I used four pieces to rig the whole airplane, including mis-cuts. Just measure the length with a pair of dividers, cut, and glue in place with white glue.
Early. Markings for Ltn. Carl Degelow, Jasta 40, 1918.
This was the first 1/72 scale biplane kit I have built in over 10 years. I learned to appreciate that working in this scale is much less forgiving than, say, 1/48 scale, where slight errors in alignment and so on are much less apparent. I also found handling the very small parts a challenge.
Decals are from the kit. These were very brittle, and required delicate handling. I used Future throughout as a setting solution and sealer. This is especially necessary with the rib tapes, as they fall off otherwise!
Acrylic paints from Gunze, Model Master Acryl, and Citadel were used. The slight weathering was accomplished with artist's oils. The rigging is heat-stretched sprue."
This is the Eduard 1/48 scale kit done as 1370/18, apparently occasionally flown by Werner Voss while he was with Jasta 10.
The model is built pretty much from the box. I filled the area around the vertical tail to fuselage join to get a more gradual fairing in of this area as shown in photos in the Windsock Datafile No. 7. The pipe from the engine to the radiator is brass wire. The silbergrau finish is a mixture of Floquil Grey Primer, white, and silver mixed in equal portions. Floquil enamels were used for the rest of the paint job, as well.