WWI Models

by Stephen Lawson

Links

Other than the modeling page here's where some of my other stuff can be found.

Albatros D.III, V & Va

The Albatros D.V was an attempt to lighten the Alb. D.III layout. The fuselage was given an oval cross-section. The wings "outwardly" identical to the D.III, had aileron cables routed through the upper wing to shrouded actuating cranks. The motor was the 170 hp Merc. D IIIa In the first three months of operation the Alb.D.V was plagued with several fatal crashes due to the unmodified wings being matched with what turned out to be a heavier airframe overall. The quick fix was to add bracing wires and a small auxiliary strut to the lower front leg of the "Vee" struts. The real fix didn't come appreciably until the lower wing spar was itself strengthened at the factory level.

The Albatros D.Va was the factory's return to the earlier Alb.D.III wing control design. The aileron cables ran through the lower wing to a point below the upper wing aileron. There the cables rose from the lower wing to the upper wing. Keeping the oval cross-sectioned fuselage and the now strengthened lower wing, the D.Va now had the Merc. D IIIau 180 hp motor.

The kits are 1/48 Eduard examples. Except the Jasta 5 Alb. D.III is basically a Glenco kit with Eduard wings. The fuselage is altered considerably & the wood paneled fuselage of the J.5 is real wood veneer. The D.V, Va and the Austrian Alb. D.III (Oeffag) are painted using a series of acrylics and enamels to simulate the wood paneling. Rigging is smoke colored monofilament, Cockpits are all detailed to include structure and equipment. Decals are from various sources. Propellers are either painted kit items or laminated wood carved to shape.

Alb. D.III 79?/17 Ltn. Strobel Jasta 5 24 Dec. 1917

Garage Diorama

Dear forumites what follows is the most tragic example of Advanced Modelers Syndrome (AMS.) I just found this article in our local Newspaper. A local UPS driver made his usual stop at a home in a Denver suburb. He noticed that there was a mountain of previous deliveries stacked outside the adjoining garage. The driver also heard the sound of growling of a small canine in the garage. Fearing the worst he called the local police, fire & rescue and animal control. When they opened the garage the grisly sight before them was too bizarre for the local TV news people to broadcast. BE WARNED AMS IS DANGEROUS! Due to the recent closing of the Glencoe institute, no one was available for comment. I can't hardly bear it...As to the composition of the pieces for the garage The major pieces should be immediately visible. The 1/28 Revell Fokker Dr.I with a Clerget engine, The Monogram Red Baron Dragster. The all but one of the skeletons are Monogram items (Lil Coffin & Rommel's Rod.) One of the skeletons is a Fujimi mechanic carved down using a dremel motor tool. The rest of the items are from the Fujimi garage set, local Rail-Road hobby shop, Verlinden Cardboard boxes with model company logos on them. Resin crates with Model company decals applied.

Hans Sakowsky's Albatros D.Va

Albatros D.Va 5253/17 flown by Ltn. Hans Sakowsky of Jasta 14. He was brought down and made a POW on 13 Nov.1917 in this machine by anti-aircraft fire. In the ensuing landing he wiped off its landing gear in a "pancake landing." It was given the British capture number G.90 it was repaired & displayed with other captured aircraft in the 'Agricultural Hall' in Islington. All of which had half of their coverings removed to display internal structures to public view for the price of 1 penny. Proceeds went to RAF hospital Fund.

Fokker Dr.I

Kit: DML/Dragon (1:48)

425/17 of course with a Van's Scale Models figure of MvR.

Holtzem's Fokker D.VII "His Guardian Angel"

The Fokker D.VII became the Germany's largest production fighter in 1918. Usually matched with the Mercedes D.IIIaü 180 hp engine. It was the variant with the BMW IIIa 185hp that pilots prized ultimately. With few idiosyncracies it was not temper mental and a novice with a little nerve could do well. Contemporary construction using welded metal tubing for the fuselage and wooden wing structures was typical. The secret appeared to be in the Cantilever boxed wing spars and the simple design that eliminated the need for multiple rigging wires.
This is the Battle Axe 1/32 scale kit. The entire kit has been upgraded using Copper State Models Spandau etched metal fret and Tom's Modelworks German interior and Spandau Machine Gun brass etched metal. Further a Tom's Modelworks resin 160hp Mercedes D.III / 170hp D.IIIa has been upgraded to the specifications of the Mercedes 180hp D.IIIa that was the standard inline power plant in German single seat fighters for 1918. For several points of view on this build see the attached article or go to www.theaerodrome.com to the "forum" under the models title and look for the thread on the Battle Axe 1/32 scale Fokker D.VII - the build. The Propeller is a laminated wood item from the Czech shop of Mr. M. Digmayer available through Copper State Models.
This build will represent Fokker D.VII 402/18 (w/n 2489) accepted in May 1918 and assigned to "Vizefeldwebel" (acting Sargent) Max Holtzem of Jasta 16b. Vzfw. Holtzem had been assigned to this unit on 22 Sept. 1917 and stayed there until the end of the war. A modest man he refused to take credit for any of the combat victories that he took part in. Around the turn of the century children were told that the comet was a departed soul en route to heaven. Holtzem's mother had died when he was nine years old and he had the comet painted on all his Jasta 16b aircraft to denote her spirit as his "Guardian Angel."Holtzem's own description says that this machine was his at the war's end. He says that he "acquired" some benzine and flew the machine home where he hid it. His narrative goes on to say that he removed the guns and later added a second seat behind the cockpit. Max Holtzem later befriended Dr. J. J. Parks President of the Lafayette Foundation and shared his wartime experiences. Two years before his death in 1980 Max posed with the foundation's replica Fokker D.VII in one of our German officer uniforms as evidenced by the photos presented here.

Pfalz D.VIII

Kit: Toms Modelworks (1:48)

Strip-Down Fokkdr Dr-I

Kit: Aerobase (1:48)

My second build of the Aerobase 1/48 kit with parts from the DML / Dragon Dr.I kit. It is about 75% complete.