Roden's 1/48 Fokker D.VII - the build

[StephenLawson]

Calling all Forumites/Modelbuilders:

We have been discussing the Roden 1/48 early- Schwerin built Fokker D.VII in another thread. This has been sort of a generic series of commentaries. I would like to propose this thread be specifically aimed at the actual build up of this same kit. this could be a future reference to all those who follow. Sort of a 'how to' with more than one author. If you disagree with someones approach feel free to comment. I would like to ask that we continue to give each other basic courtesies.

The general idea is: '... I had to take this much off of that to get the results I wanted...I found this aftermarket part here for this much...this other kit part works great as a replcement for...'

I also suggest that we preface each of our individual, installments with titles like
Step 1. Engine
Step 2. Fuel Tank
Step 3. Cockpit
Step 4 Tail
Step 5-6 Wings
Step 7 Undercarriage
Step 8 Radiator
Step 9a, 9b, 9c, 9 10a & 10 Engine compartment
Step 11 Fin & rudder
Step 12 Forward upper deck & Armament
Step 13 Fuselage
Step 14a, 14b nose attachment options
Step 15 Uniting Fuselage & Wings
Step 16 Undercarriage
Step 17 Propeller
Finally Decals
This is not a competition but a chance for everyone to watch the progression. Simply discuss how we approach the model to get the individual results. If its straight out of the box or with alterations, each posting will help some modeler somewhere with a similiar problem. While I don't believe it should be restricted to just the builders.

[StephenLawson]

Engine Very nice. They have gotten good representations of the Merc. D.IIIaü and BMW IIIa. For the price ya just can't go wrong here. I was missing the Magneto to the BMW left half (V3).

Nose / engine compartment is a separate assembly. The need to keep this plumb and square is very evident. *Engine bearers and compartment structures offer the builder a chance to show off the engine nicely

Fuel tank The filler tubes (6 C & 11B) for the pilots right side have their ID numbers switched. On an experiment I found that it was easier to align the filler tubes once I had joined the fuel tank to the upper forward deck (16B) as seen in Step 12.

[StephenLawson]

Cockpit interior The rudder bar column is attached to the column lower bar (15 B ) at its face and then the cable attachments should be added between the bar and the stirrups. Set the rudder bar column (31 B ) to the desired position to compliment the attitude you have chosen for the rudder. *Scratchbuild an aileron control “V” for cables and attach the “V” at the front end of the rudder control column (31 B. ) *Add the rigging material to the rudder control column(32 B ) that will go through pre-drilled holes in cockpit rear bulkhead (6 A ) when it is added later. Also add the compass (25 B. ) *Now add the elevator/aileron control column assembly (23, 32 B. ) Also here, add bent and shaped 'blackend brass' for the throttle and the cables for the Spandau machine guns. * Check your references for the various cables and wiring that are attached to this unit.

[StephenLawson]

I thought that I would add a note on the plastic used for this kit. It is soft with good working properties. It is important use a 'Sharp' blade in your razor knife. Anything less when cutting the small parts from the trees will 'tear' the parts from the tree. This can cause some damage.

[Rob_Owens]

Why does the stick throttle have TWO arms???

TOP WING: Started here since the "two halves/separate tips" intrigued me. Wide mating surfaces at the trailing edge keep warps at bay (Good Job, Alex & Co.!!) and result in a beautifully thin edge, but result in a "shadow" in the outer surfaces. Applied a sanding stick to two fore-aft mold lines on the inner surfaces which produce a slight "step"about where the cabane attachment points (which are nicely done, IMHO) are on the outside of the wing. Tacked the halves together, with four spots of Ambroid Proweld (Tentax would work just as well), prodded the wing 'til everything lined up, and ran more Proweld around the periphery. Warning here: I wouldn't use anything slower-drying or thicker than the above mentioned cements, as you could end up with "melted/sunken" areas on the outer surfaces. Also, any clamping other than finger pressure could mash the halves together, making the slight misfit of the tips worse. The tips are a tad short in chord, and deeper than the wing at mid-chord, as it is. I lined them up so that the "overage" was on the underside of the wing. Some Supafilla and sanding, and I predict that the joint will be invisible. The scalloped trailing edge, however, ends up uneven, almost disappearing on the starboard side, but I think sandpaper wrapped around a suitable diameter dowel, and some patience will cure it. The "nipples" *(what are those, anyway?) on the leading edge will be replaced as sanding around them will be well-nigh impossible. I fully admit the wing fit problems could be my ham-handedness, not a flaw in the kit. Just wanted y'all to "Check Six" before you proceed.

Stephen Notes:
I thought that I would add a note on the plastic used for this kit. It is soft with good working properties. It is important use a 'Sharp' blade in your razor knife. Anything less when cutting the small parts from the trees will 'tear' the parts from the tree. This can cause some damage.

I agree 100%,Roden's plastic is very easy to work. It works a lot easier than regular styrene. You have to go easy or you can over do a cut. I find it better to cut smaller parts away by cutting the spriues several mm either side of the gate and removing the part and attached gates & sprue ends completely. Then when you nip the sprue and gate from the part it flies off and doesn't stress the part. If you try to cut the part directly at the gate while still surrounded by the sprue, the seperation will stress the part and often break it.

sp

[Barker]

The "nipples" *(what are those, anyway?) on the leading edge will be replaced as sanding around them will be well-nigh impossible.

Those are for stacking the wings on their sides.
Imagine one of your wings, stood up along the wall of a hangar, resting on those two points and it all comes into sense.
The Anthologies show these nicely.

[StephenLawson]

Greetings all: sp ('super plasticman') has made a great point concerning the removal of small parts. Point taken.

[StephenLawson]

Horiz. Tail After painting or decals assemble the horizontal tail surface assembly (6, 8 B & 7 CX2) on a piece of picture frame glass. As this assembly begins to dry set the attitude of the elevators that you wish to reflect. *Now add the control horns (7 C X2) and let dry thoroughly.

Lower Wing includes parts (1, 4, 5, 12, 13 A.) With some thinning of their inner surfaces you could actually glue spars and ribs in place . This type of wing assembly is great for the modeler who wants to simulate damage. By thinning down the inner surfaces, internal structure is easy to replicate.

Top Wing assembles parts (2, 3, 7, 8 A & 4 CX2) does not have the mold casting problem found in most of the DML/Dragon kits. After construction I have painted and decaled all completed surfaces and they are thoroughly dry. Here you could drill out the Strut Sockets in both wings to add depth. Check your references and compare the Wing Gap using dividers. or even a inexpensive school compass.

As Rob Owens points out; '...Wing trailing edged commendably thin, but "scallops" very irregular once the halves are joined (plan to apply 400-600 grit around appropriately sized dowel, here.) WARNING not apply pressure to the wing halves as they're drying, as the fit of the separate tips is marginal at best. They're a tad short in chord, and deeper at mid-chord than the wing. Nothing un-fixable, jus a little fillin' and sandin' exercise (perfect target for "Supafilla".)'

[Rob_Owens]

LOWER WINGS: Nice sturdy assembly, but same fit "issues" (not enuf to call *"problems," IMHO). What are the panels/plates on the spars from root to first rib? Don't recall seeing them on any other molding of the D.VII.

COLOR QUESTIONS:
Inner surfaces of nose panels- Green or nat metal?
Fuel tank- copper or aluminum?
Axle wing- Roden says Matt Steel Grey, I'm guessing Streaked Green or Solid Green overall, No lozenge.
Underfuselage covering plate-Roden says Steel grey on the Jasta 15 machines, but everything I've seen says Solid Green (Berthold's, obviously red/blue on Shaefer's).