WWI Digest 35 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: FYI - Airfix 1996 Releases by GRBroman@aol.com 2) Re: nasty piece of work by Jose Valenciano 3) Re: DML aircraft going away... by mnelson@compusmart.ab.ca (Mark K. Nelson) 4) Re[4]: Another theory on wing ey by mnelson@compusmart.ab.ca (Mark K. Nelson) 5) Re: WWI digest 34 by agrafix@ix.netcom.com (Richard G. Ivansek ) 6) Re: WWI digest 34 by bshatzer@ednet1.osl.or.gov (Bill Shatzer) 7) Announcing new WWW pages by Randy J Ray 8) Re: DH-2 information by SCLexicat@aol.com 9) Re: FYI - Airfix 1996 Releases by SCLexicat@aol.com 10) Re: DML aircraft going away... by NPWE28A@prodigy.com (LCDR KENNETH L HAGERUP) 11) Re: Clear-Doped Linen Wings? by t_eisen@ix.netcom.com (Thomas Eisenhour) 12) Gotha oops by "Matt Bittner" 13) Re: FYI - Airfix 1996 Releases by "Matt Bittner" 14) Lloyd 40.15 by "Matt Bittner" 15) Re: Lloyd 40.15 by hsr@unx.dec.com 16) Re: Gotha oops by Jesse Thorn 17) Re: DML aircraft going away... by "Matt Bittner" 18) Re: Lloyd 40.15 by "Matt Bittner" 19) Ilya Murometz kit by hartc@spot.Colorado.EDU (Charles Hart) 20) FYI: World War I Document Archive on the web (fwd) by Erik Pilawskii ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 19:58:16 -0500 From: GRBroman@aol.com To: wwi Subject: Re: FYI - Airfix 1996 Releases Message-ID: <960215195814_323441386@mail04.mail.aol.com> In a message dated 96-02-15 10:34:01 EST, you write: > >YES!!! (Now if we could only get Airfix to reissue the Handley Page >O-400!!!) > > Oooooohh, I have two, the first one was so good I had to do another! The rigging was a real bear. I started back in '64 and finally wrapped it up in 93! :) I must admit that I screwed up he first one a little. It had a huge seam just out board of the engines on each wing. Of course, I filled and sanded and then painted. You couldn't even tell there was a gap there when I finished. Then, I found a picture in Airfix magazine and the darn thing had its wings folded back! HMMMMM, right around where the gaps were. :( Glen (bravely making his first posting) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 12:42:53 +0800 (HKT) From: Jose Valenciano To: Brian Bushe Cc: wwi, BURGESS , Subject: Re: nasty piece of work Message-ID: Hi Brian, Thanks for the info but I don't really know what kind of an address to write if I want to email you. Could you write it down? On Thu, 15 Feb 1996, Brian Bushe wrote: > Hi, > > i have given my company a months notice. they seem determined to make > me work it. however the have diverted my mail to another mail box > (without informing me I might add). Any mail sent to me since Friday > 9th would not have reached me. > > Please do not email me at brian.bushe@harrier.com. you can still > contact me at harrier on 01734 328 282 or at home on 01734 732 295. > i will be on air in a month or so. > > thanks > > Brian Bushe > ********************************************************************* Joey Valenciano WW1 modeller, teacher, jazz musician, joeyval@pusit.admu.edu.ph sitarist tel. (632) 921-26-75 Metro-Manila, Philippines "The more you know, the more you don't know." ********************************************************************* ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 22:19:26 -0700 From: mnelson@compusmart.ab.ca (Mark K. Nelson) To: wwi Subject: Re: DML aircraft going away... Message-ID: (Supposedly) The DML aircraft aren't being discontinued completely. Rather they are being put on interval production (this is what was originally put out by Jennings Heilig (sp?)) For those not in the know: interval production (such as the last few pages of the Hasegawa catlog) is when the manufacturer produces selected kits if they have spare capacity. DML already has some kits on interval (such as the 1/350 Typhoon and many early 1/35 figures.) The result of this is that a kit may vanish for 6 mos. or more (Typhoon was unavailable for about 14mos.) and then suddenly re-appear with no notice. And don't forget that some kits (such as Tamiya's Bismark) were available wholesale for over a year after they were announced as discontinued by the manufacturer. On the other hand the discontinued F1 cars vanished almost instantly. Admittedly after one customer phoned in a 'frantic' search for some Me262B's and He-162s I did set a SPAD and some FW-190s aside for myself. >From the 'official' list of the DML aircraft that apparantly should still appear (but no guarantees): 2515 1:72 SU-24 MR Fencer F - May (Yuckko! I've still got some 24s on the shelf from their initial release!) 5022 1:72 IJA type 5 fighter -April 5526 1:48 ME 163S-1 "Habicht" -March 5528 1:48 Ju88A-4 Schnell Bomber -October 5529 1:48 Me262A-2a/U2 Jet Bomber -July 5533 1:48 Luftwaffe Day Bomber Ground Crew & Equipment -October And most importantly: 5910 1:48 Sopwith Camel -T.B.A. (OOHHH NOOOOO!! Bad Trip!) They do have some nice WWII commonwealth armour planned too. _____________________________________________________________________ Mark (An Employee at Kites & Other Delights in West Edmonton Mall) ------------------------ mnelson@compusmart.ab.ca ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 22:25:36 -0700 From: mnelson@compusmart.ab.ca (Mark K. Nelson) To: wwi Subject: Re[4]: Another theory on wing ey Message-ID: > Generally speaking the Wrench is right about lesser known types often > being better documented than the more obscure and/or less numerous > types. *But!*, the well known Roland D.VI photo he's refering to that > shows the "2000th" wreath on the D.VI refers to the 2000th plane built > by Roland (I believe?), and *NOT* the 2000th D.VI nicht wahr?. > > Steve H. It was indeed the 2000th Aircraft built by Roland. See Datafile 37. I couldn't find reference to the total number built, but apparantly 350 D.VIs were ordered. There were some good shots in Windsock a while back of the progress in re-building the D.VI in Poland. Always handy for detail. _____________________________________________________________________ Mark (An Employee at Kites & Other Delights in West Edmonton Mall) ------------------------ mnelson@compusmart.ab.ca ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 22:54:16 -0800 From: agrafix@ix.netcom.com (Richard G. Ivansek ) To: wwi Subject: Re: WWI digest 34 Message-ID: <199602160654.WAA24534@ix11.ix.netcom.com> You Wrote: DH-2, Pfalz DIII, Fokker DR.1 have disappeared often without a trace. The Wrench I think it is probaly safe to assume that the reason that there are no examples of the above aircraft left, is that by the time the war ended these aircraft were rather old. Germany would certainly not keep these for their token airforce, and the allies were certainly not interested in the older types for study. So were left with D7's, D 12's, D 6b's, D 5a's, ect. A prim example is the predominant types of WW2 aircraft survivors. Too bad that nobody ever seems to have the forsight to save things that will someday be historical treasures, but I guess you can't save everything. Even the Smithsonian donated a majority of it's WW1 Artillery to scrapmetal drives during WW2 (My god what were they thinking!), and all for nothing because none of the metal collected was ever put to any use. Rick Ivansek ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 23:54:59 -0800 From: bshatzer@ednet1.osl.or.gov (Bill Shatzer) To: wwi Subject: Re: WWI digest 34 Message-ID: <199602160754.AA10356@ednet1.osl.or.gov> Rick Ivanse wrote: > > I think it is probaly safe to assume that the reason that there are no >examples of the above aircraft left, is that by the time the war ended >these aircraft were rather old. Germany would certainly not keep these >for their token airforce, and the allies were certainly not interested >in the older types for study. So were left with D7's, D 12's, D 6b's, >D 5a's, ect. A prim example is the predominant types of WW2 aircraft >survivors. > Too bad that nobody ever seems to have the forsight to save things >that will someday be historical treasures, but I guess you can't save >everything. Even the Smithsonian donated a majority of it's WW1 >Artillery to scrapmetal drives during WW2 (My god what were they >thinking!), and all for nothing because none of the metal collected was >ever put to any use. > Germany preserved MvR's Dr.I 152/17 - alas, it was destroyed by Allied bombing during WW2. And on the related subject of scrapping historical artifacts, we here in Portland, OR happily donated the -entire- Battleship Oregon to the World War Two scrap metal drive. The superstructure was stripped off for scrap and the hull converted to a lousy ammunition barge! The hull was eventually sunk in a cyclone at Guam and, post war, was ignominously, hauled off to Japan for scrapping. When I first moved here to Portland, all that was left of the Oregon was the main mast in Waterfront Park and the two funnels, the anchors and the anchor chains owned by private owners. The funnels, the anchors, and the anchor chains have now mysteriously disappeared (no one knows, supposedly, what happened to them but the recycling yard seems a real posibility) and all that remains is the main mast which is slowly rusting away, having had no maintenance for about 15 years. And the Parks Bureau has recently passed an umpty-ump million dollar bond measure for parks and not a single penny is allocated for any maintainence or restoration on the Oregon's main mast. About another five or ten years and we'll have no alternative except to send that to the recycling yard as well. And another piece of history will be turned into razor blades or Toyotas. Dang, this sort of thing tees me off! Soap box mode off! Cheers, -- Bill Shatzer - bshatzer@orednet.org -or- aw177@Freenet.Carleton.ca - "The only duty we owe to history is to rewrite it." -Oscar Wilde- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 02:22:50 -0700 (MST) From: Randy J Ray To: wwi (WWI Mailing List) Subject: Announcing new WWW pages Message-ID: <9602160922.AA02621@voodoo.ecte.uswc.uswest.com> Today I officially launch "The Internet Miniaturist", a home page devoted to the genre of our hobby that deals with figurines, historical and fantasy alike. At this time, the pages are lean on graphics, as I am awaiting answers from several publishers from whom I have asked permission to use some of their covers and images. Should I get a really poor response rate, I'll just look to friends and fellow artists for pictures to scan and decorate my pages with. Please feel free to visit: http://byzantium.mckusick.com/~randy/figures/im.html Note that this is a non-U S WEST machine. The mail links on it tend to send the mail to me at that machine. But I do check that mail almost daily, so that's not a problem. Also accessible from my home page on byzantium is what I call The Canonical List of Scale Modeling Links. It can be found at: http://byzantium.mckusick.com/~randy/modlinks.html Enjoy! Randy -- ^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^ Randy J. Ray -- U S WEST Technologies IAD/CSS/DPDS Phone: (303)595-2869 Denver, CO rjray@uswest.com I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 06:58:03 -0500 From: SCLexicat@aol.com To: wwi Subject: Re: DH-2 information Message-ID: <960216065802_223590952@emout05.mail.aol.com> Thanks, everyone, for the DH2 sources. It's much appreciated. Simon ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 06:58:13 -0500 From: SCLexicat@aol.com To: wwi Subject: Re: FYI - Airfix 1996 Releases Message-ID: <960216065811_223590976@emout08.mail.aol.com> In a message dated 16/02/96 01:06:08, you write: >It had a huge >seam just out board of the engines on each wing. Of course, I filled and >sanded and then painted. You couldn't even tell there was a gap there when I >finished. Then, I found a picture in Airfix magazine and the darn thing had >its wings folded back! HMMMMM, right around where the gaps were. :( Glen >(bravely making his first posting) Know what you mean, I just made the same mistake with a Gladiator (okay, it's '30s, but at least it's a biplane). Filling the top wing joints on the Lindberg re-issue, then looked at the one in the RAF Museum, and assembly joints clearly visible. So I had to rescribe them. Simon ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 21:47:35 EST From: NPWE28A@prodigy.com (LCDR KENNETH L HAGERUP) To: wwi Subject: Re: DML aircraft going away... Message-ID: <096.01297390.NPWE28A@prodigy.com> OK, OK. The F4F did have some fabric covered parts, and it is a Grumman product, so it can't be bad. The DML kit IS the complete Hasegawa kit, with additional parts for the folding wings (typically DML - super detail, but fit is slightly off), bulged tires and and a nicely executed portion of flightdeck. The Hasegawa Wildcats are around $15 so the extra $8 or so isn't too exorbitant for the extra parts (just a set of True Details wheels is $2.50). I plan to make myself an RTV mold of the flightdeck so I'll have a home for SBDs, F6Fs, F4Us, ~SB2~Cs, ~TBFs and ~TBDs. I'm still working on my 1/72 A7V, trying to get the rivets uniform in appearance. Anyone have any thoughts on the 1/72 ~Ilya ~Murometz? The decals are poor, but the national insignia should be easy to paint. I'd like to do the ~grey fuselage, natural linen wings, but haven't yet found a reference to this version in this scheme. Ken "Any landing that's over in 2 seconds is a good landing." ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 05:39:23 -0800 From: t_eisen@ix.netcom.com (Thomas Eisenhour) To: wwi Subject: Re: Clear-Doped Linen Wings? Message-ID: <199602161339.FAA26584@ix2.ix.netcom.com> Charles wrote: > >I'm interested in any suggestions for painting wings with the new Polly-S >paint Clear-Dope Linen. In the past when using a linen color on wings, >I've felt that they looked 'flat'. How do others paint them to highlight >rib detail and give them some shading? I have seen the following technique used very effectively: Paint the entire wing gray. Mask off the spar(s) and ribs. Paint the wing linen color. Remove the masking, then spray a light coat of linen color over the entire wing to tone down the gray. What you get is a very convincing _trompe l'oeil_ impression of a translucent linen covered wing. Bon chance! Tom ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 07:57:13 -0600 From: "Matt Bittner" To: WW1 Modelers Subject: Gotha oops Message-ID: <199602160758.HAA26851@cso.com> Well, turns out I listed the club member's prices on the Gotha. The retail is: Connoisseur Kit: $79.95 Builder's Kit: $49.95 Hmm...I wonder just how bad Meikraft's business is going to be. Tack on the $3.50 shipping charge, and you have an $83.45/$53.45 kit. A little exorbitant? I think so. Even if I had the money (which I don't) I don't think I would buy one, even at the club member's price. Matt ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 07:39:13 -0600 From: "Matt Bittner" To: wwi Subject: Re: FYI - Airfix 1996 Releases Message-ID: <199602160740.HAA26662@cso.com> On 15 Feb 96 at 19:57, GRBroman@aol.com typed diligently: > Oooooohh, I have two, the first one was so good I had to do another! The > rigging was a real bear. I started back in '64 and finally wrapped it up in > 93! :) I must admit that I screwed up he first one a little. It had a huge > seam just out board of the engines on each wing. Of course, I filled and > sanded and then painted. You couldn't even tell there was a gap there when I > finished. Then, I found a picture in Airfix magazine and the darn thing had > its wings folded back! HMMMMM, right around where the gaps were. :( Glen > (bravely making his first posting) Well, welcome to you, Glen! Glad to have you aboard. What a project. I've got two, and have been waiting "for the right moment" to start either of them. I wonder if that moment will ever come...;-) And thanks to those who offered me an O-400. I was only venting (who, me?) that Airfix needs to reissue this, since I've been approached about selling my two (yea, right...). Matt ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 07:18:49 -0600 From: "Matt Bittner" To: WW1 Modelers Subject: Lloyd 40.15 Message-ID: <199602160720.HAA26385@cso.com> :-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o:-o And what to my wandering eyes should appear, but a miniature box bearing the name of Meikraft... Egads. Everybody sit down. Now. Oh yea, who types standing up? Well, in the mail yesterday was a box from Meikraft. First this going through my head was "he's trying to atone for his sins, by sending something else of his out", to tide me over. Second thing that ran through my head was...nah...couldn't be... Sure enough, open the box, and it contains another box, bearing the text "Lloyd 40.15", the infamous - and almost four years late - Lloyd Triplane. My heart actually skipped a beat. Anyway, on to a review of the kit. First thing one notices is that awful plastic he's now using. More brittle than resin, "marbled", and parts are translucent. You would think that people would learn. However, plastic type aside, it's not a bad kit. Sure, the gates are a little thick, requiring you to "saw" the parts from the trees. But the overall quality - IMNSHO - is nice. Neatly engraved "panel lines", with the ribs represented as "tapes", ala Pegasus. Here's a parts breakdown. Fuselage: two halves, split laterally, as per usual practice. Once the sprue connection points are sanded down, then sand the mating surfaces on sandpaper, ala vacuform. It definitely helps with the construction. My starboard fuselage half - towards the rear - is a little warped, but nothing that gluing it the the other half won't rectify. Word of warning: since this plastic is so brittle, don't try to straighten parts out by hand. Definitely heat the plastic first. Some flash is evident, but that will be removed after gluing the halves together, and sanding the joint. Nice detail, but some of it is so "soft", or undefined that it will be erased when the halves are sanded on the outside to remove some of the roughness. Upper wing: the worst part, as far as flash is concerned. Also thicker (?) than the other wings. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be, but it is. Word of warning on all wings: you will lose - and have to reinstate - all scalloped trailing edges. First off, because you have to straighten out the edges (just a little), and in the case of the top wing, to remove the "ridge" of flash on the trailing edge. Strut location points are "molded" in. Middle wing: amazingly thin. Probably the best of the three wings. Again, not sure if it's supposed to be thinner than the other two. Lower wing: not much to report. There is an attachment "lug" to line up with the fuselage. A great idea, but the mating "hole" on the fuselage will require some trimming. Tail surfaces: horizontal are nice and thin. Vertical isn't as thin, but passable. Another ridge of flash around the vertical. All detail on the horizontal will be removed, since the plastic came out extremely "rough", and will need to be sanded to make smooth - which will destroy the molded in detail. Detail parts: in my kit, only the wheels, spreader bar and landing gear/lower wing struts were provided. The instructions show a cockpit floor and seat, but aren't included in my sample. Metal parts: propeller, 3 Schwarzlose's (only two were carried on the plane, so you have an extra one) and exhaust's. A little soft, but not bad. (Meikraft is claiming that he's going to supply these as separate items.) Photoetched brass: consists of the radiator grill (!), control column, instrument panel, tail skid, upper-wing struts, various access panels, and control horns for the tail surfaces. Decals: consists of crosses on white backgrounds, plain crosses, and plain white backgrounds. Not sure who made them, but the don't look bad. Recommendation: paint the white backgrounds on, then cut the crosses from the backgrounds, and just use these. Not sure what they are, but it looks like a couple of my backgounds has dark "specks" in them. Overall impression: not a bad kit. Actually, once you overlook the type of plastic used, I'm quite pleased. Still shocked, as well. Should be an easy build, since there are no known photographs, and only two references. The first Meikraft lists as Air International, December 1984 (anybody have this they're willing to photocopy for me?). The second - which Meikraft doesn't list, which is quite strange - is the awesome tome on all aircraft of Austro-Hungary (you know, the "boat anchor"-heavy). Did I mention that I was shocked when I saw this? ;-) Other items: Meikraft sent a flyer with things to look for in the future (can you say hold your breath - NOT!). These include a Fokker B.III (MAG) Series 04.3 (which, according to the flyer, is a Fokker D.I as used by the A-H's) (at $19.95); a Fokker D.I (according to the flyer available now, and also $19.95); and...Well, make sure you're sitting down, because this is sure to get some type of laugh...and a Gotha G.IV (listed as two types of kits: Connoisseur kit at $59.95, and a Builder's kit at $37.50). (Can you say Caproni?) Also listed on the flyer is a 120hp Mercedes, at $4.95. Also listed for a "future release" (aren't they all?;-)) is a Siemens Schuckert D.IV - hope he just doesn't clone the Pegasus, and comes up with correct molds (are you listening John?). Well, if this is all to be believed, then it should be a good year for Meikraft. If they all follow the Lloyd Triplane, then expect to wait for years for them...I'm thinking the Gotha, here, especially. About the Gotha, he says he's only making as many as he has orders for - plus a small percentage. If you're really interested, ask, and I'll provide details. Don't blame me, though, if it turns out to be another Caproni... Matt -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ Matthew Bittner WW1 Modeler, ecto subscriber, semi-new dad, meba@cso.com PowerBuilder developer; Omaha, Nebraska Disclaimer: opinions expressed by me are my responsibility only. "You cannot make anything foolproof, because the fools are so ingenious." - Christian Walters -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 96 10:10:32 -0500 From: hsr@unx.dec.com To: wwi Cc: hsr@unx.dec.com Subject: Re: Lloyd 40.15 Message-ID: <9602161510.AA03037@velantia.unx.dec.com> > ...and a Gotha G.IV (listed as two types of kits: Connoisseur > kit at $59.95, and a Builder's kit at $37.50). (Can you say > Caproni?) ... About the Gotha, he says he's only making as many as he has > orders for - plus a small percentage. If you're really interested, ask, and > I'll provide details. Don't blame me, though, if it turns out to be > another Caproni... Ok I'll bite. Are you refering to the delivery of the Caproni being in geologic time or the rumor I keep hearing that it is unbuildable? If the latter, what is the problem? I have one, and I'll admit that when I first looked in the box I told myself "well, not this year", but that is just humble me and I used to think that of Pegasus kits and now I do several of them a year. If it truely is unbuildable what is the problem? Howard ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 10:37:01 -0500 (EST) From: Jesse Thorn To: wwi Subject: Re: Gotha oops Message-ID: On Fri, 16 Feb 1996, Matt Bittner wrote: > Well, turns out I listed the club member's prices on the Gotha. The > retail is: > > Connoisseur Kit: $79.95 > Builder's Kit: $49.95 > > Hmm...I wonder just how bad Meikraft's business is going to be. Tack > on the $3.50 shipping charge, and you have an $83.45/$53.45 kit. A > little exorbitant? I think so. Even if I had the money (which I > don't) I don't think I would buy one, even at the club member's > price. > I missed the original posting on this kit. Could someone email me the info? Many thanks, --Jesse ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 09:30:25 -0600 From: "Matt Bittner" To: wwi Subject: Re: DML aircraft going away... Message-ID: <199602160931.JAA28911@cso.com> On 16 Feb 96 at 7:24, LCDR KENNETH L HAGERUP typed diligently: > Anyone have any thoughts on the 1/72 ~Ilya ~Murometz? The decals > are poor, but the national insignia should be easy to paint. I'd > like to do the ~grey fuselage, natural linen wings, but haven't yet > found a reference to this version in this scheme. Hmm...All I have listed in my database is an Airfix Magazine article in the May 1985 issue. Didn't Windsock due a one or two parter on it? Odd, if so, and I didn't include it in my database... Matt ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 09:34:02 -0600 From: "Matt Bittner" To: wwi Subject: Re: Lloyd 40.15 Message-ID: <199602160935.JAA28950@cso.com> On 16 Feb 96 at 10:25, hsr@unx.dec.com typed diligently: > Ok I'll bite. Are you refering to the delivery of the Caproni being in geologic > time or the rumor I keep hearing that it is unbuildable? If the latter, what is > the problem? I have one, and I'll admit that when I first looked in the box I > told myself "well, not this year", but that is just humble me and I used to > think that of Pegasus kits and now I do several of them a year. If it truely is > unbuildable what is the problem? I don't think it's unbuildable, but there's a lot of work to be done, if nothing else for the photoetch. I was referring to the *major* passage of time between the announcement, and the actual delivery. If memory serves, I believe this one was two years in the coming. Small time frame now, especially since it took almost four years to put out the Lloyd. And I think that the newer Pegasus kits aren't that difficult to build. Sure, more work than your "average" Hasegawa, but a lot less work then correcting the latest Merlin! :-) Matt ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 11:34:47 -0700 From: hartc@spot.Colorado.EDU (Charles Hart) To: wwi Subject: Ilya Murometz kit Message-ID: Ken has typed: >Anyone have any thoughts on the 1/72 ~Ilya ~Murometz? The decals are poor, >but the national insignia should be easy to paint. I'd like to do the >~grey fuselage, natural linen wings, but haven't yet found a reference to >this version in this scheme. > Back in early November I posted a review of the new kit of the Ilya, however I can't find the complete item in my files. I did come up with this: A few comments on my example. This kit is pretty well molded in grey plastic with not too much flash. The upper wing comes in 5 panels with rather heavy rib detail on the upper surfaces that will need to be removed, the same goes for all flying surfaces. Trailing edges will need refinement as well. The fuselage is well molded with clear parts for the windows that are of good quality. There is some heavy detail of fuselage former positions on the fuselage sides coupled with three nice mold release pin circles, the interior of the fuselage halves is beautifully smooth. There is little inthe way of interior detail and the guns, engines and props are rather basic items that will all need replacement to make a sharp model. The struts are a little thick but should work in the little holes molded in the wings for them. The decals are basic, cockades and penants for the sides of the fuselage. The colors are debatable when compared with the Russian cockade fabric on display at the USAF Museum, this suggests that both the blue and red should be much darker. This kit is the basis, I think, for a nice model on this subject although it will require a fair bit of work to add details. A later post dealt with the specific machine represented by the kit OOB and referred to this reference: >> Actually the Windsock piece is a Three part article by Harry Woodman >> on the Ilya Muromets found in Volume 6 Numbers 3,4,5. This includes very >> good drawings of a Type B "Veh" machine. Working from memory, there are some outline and size problems with the horizontal tail and rudders in the kit. However, it is well molded and is a good basis for making a nice model. In addition to the Windsock piece, and now the Russian Flying Service book, a good reference is a book published by the Smithsonian called "Sikorsky- the Russian years". Actually this is a translation of a journal kept by one of Sikorsky's assistants during the period when the Moromets multi-engine machines were being used. It is a fascinating account of use of these aircraft. I'm afraid the book is out of print, I found mine in a used book store. Charles hartc@spot.colorado.edu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 10:41:07 -0800 (PST) From: Erik Pilawskii To: ww1 mailer Subject: FYI: World War I Document Archive on the web (fwd) Message-ID: Might be somthing of use here.... ---- SUBMITTED via H-Net Central by Jeffrey Garrett