Need tips for a neat little Albatros

[melsharkskin]

I write for a magazine, and each month I get a shipment of new products from Eduard. This month, in the November shipment, was included a mysterious 1/72 Albatros D.V kit. It was a wonderfully-molded little kit on a single sprue with decals for Oliver Frhr von Beaulieu-Marconnay's Jasta 15 machine with the "4L" brand on the sides of the blue-and-red plane.

I never work in 1/72, and especially biplanes. Just too small for me. But this little jewel is calling to me and I'm going to try it. I just have some basic questions that someone with at least as much experience as I have should already know. But I admit to my ignorance. First, what's the best thing to rig this scale with? Also, were the inside walls of the late Albatrosses painted in light gray or light blue like the Rolands and the Pfalz's? Another oddity: The color diagram shows pink tires, and calls for that color. I've heard of this pink rubber used in tires of the period, but never seen it in a model color callout, and of course, we can't tell from period photos.

And, finally on the color, the diagram, which is quite nicely printed on the opposite side of the instructions, shows the wings' upper sufaces painted in the early Albatros mauve and light green. I hope this is accurate, because I want to try out the MisterKit colors here. But is it accurate? I know the light blue undesides are correct, as much as I know anything at least.

As for the kit, I asked Vladimir Sulc of Eduard where it came from. He explained that it was the "ticket" for the annual E-Day Eduard sponsors in the Czech Republic each year. Last year's ticket (I think Vladimir meant "party favor" when he wrote "ticket") was the Fokker Dr. I that wound up selling so many kits in bagged form that they had to make more. How many good kits can you get for $2.75? He said they might sell the Albatros, and for that price too, but no decision has been made. They simply had some left over and were throwing them in boxes for the press and some lucky customers. For those who work in this scale, it would be great.

Finally, has anyone else out there gotten one of these kits from Eduard and have you built it?
TOM

[Ocsi]

hej TOM,

Youre a lucky one. You just get the kits from Eduard I have to buy these.

- Cockpit insides are wood in a natural but varnished style. Check out the thread about the big Roden build D.III

- About rigging:

Rigging.....

Just a Albatros D.I

Mayby the easy, quickest and probably best way for a firsttimer is to use fishing line or monofilament.

- pink tyres I think they were light grey with a slighly pinkish shaddow. But do it in your own way.

- I think mauve and green is ok even for D.v's. Not all of them had lozenge camo.

I not own this particular special edition of Eduards D.v but the regular kit.

Regards
Öcsi

[bobs_buckles]

Hello Tom,
You lucky boy!

The best way of rigging this bird is with fishing line with a diameter no more than 0.06, which I think, is around 1/2 lb breaking strain. You can also use fine elastic. Do a search on rigging and I’m sure you will find all the info you need.

Good luck.
I look forward to seeing your mini masterpiece.

Bob Von Buckle

[John Masters]

Mel...Try .005 stainless from Small parts for the rigging. PM me your NY address and I'll send you a tube...or 2..

From the Factory on the hill,
John

[Laspalmas]

Originally Posted by John Masters

Mel...Try .005 stainless from Small parts for the rigging. PM me your NY address and I'll send you a tube...or 2..

From the Factory on the hill,
John

Wow, John, can I get in on that?

Mel, I just finished a 1:72 Eduard Albatros DV a couple of days ago. Picked it up at a tiny hobby shop in Georgetown, ONT for $9.99cnd. Only WWI kit in the store. Did Heinrich Gontermann's plane with a silvery finish and green camouflage squiggles. Will post some pics soon. Must have been on the shelf in that store for a while; this version is not on the Eduard's website.