Where it all began. Airfix 1/72 Albatros D-Va

[John Symmons]

Where it all began.
Airfix 1/72 Albatros D-Va

An exercise & practice in rigging.

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Albatros%20DVa%20pack%20art%20Web%20Safe_zpsbzlklayq.jpg

As can be seen from the header picture this is a very old kit I think it even pre-dates the Ju-52 from my last build. I actually started this kit before the Ju-52 , but was unsure what I wanted to do with it. The Albatros model was the first kit I ever made to completion, made it somewhere about 1956 / 57 ish. One Saturday afternoon from start to finish, assembly, paint, decals, the lot, and I was quite proud of it at the time, Although I couldn’t understand why the fuselage was yellow, sort-of at odds with the camouflage scheme, I now know it was ply-wood covered.

This was done as a practice session to test some new thread for rigging, and to gain some experience in rigging these models as I have quite a few of them. The rigging thread I’ve used is Madera Monofil embroidery thread No-60 colour 1000 which is a smokey dark grey, here in SA it’s only available through the Elna sewing shops and at R 75 quite expensive, but it’s very fine being much thinner than the normal invisible thread that’s available. While the thread is very thin and looks really good when finished, it;s not the easiest to work with being almost impossible to see when trying to finding the ends. You will need some from of magnification and a really good light. All holes were drilled before assembly being 0.3 mm or 0.4 were two threads had to go through, one end being secured to the fuselage before the top wing and undercarriage was assembled, being glued into the fuselage holes with 5 minute epoxy. That gave me the problem of sorting out all the various threads but it can be done. One tip is to stick a small piece of masking tape to the ends of each thread, that way you can find the easier and it helps reduce tangles. When you want to use that thread just snip the tape off and dip the end into some bright paint to make it more visible. Once threaded through the required hole the thread was secured with either super glue which I found to be not that secure as it seems to not really like sticking to the thread and easily could come loose. The best method I found was to use some very fine stretched sprue and push that into the hole with normal styrene glue trapping the thread into the hole, only problem this gave was waiting for the glue to dry and trimming off the excess sprue without cutting the thread. I also re-enforced some of the awkward joins with 5 minute epoxy. Holding tension on the threads while waiting for the glue to set can be done by either weighting the thread with spring tweezers or sticking the free end to the model with masking tape, I used both methods and found the masking tape the easiest to work with, as it allowed me to go onto the next thread. The only ones not done in this thread were the control wires to the ailerons there, I used fine copper wire, much easier to work with but, very awkward to get and keep really straight.

The kit was made basically OOTB (out-of-the-bag) with a few additions or corrections done. The spinner is too small but can easily be corrected by adding a disc of evergreen at the back and shaping it to fit the fuselage and spinner contours, I’ve also added some wheel hubs as the wheels had holes in the centres, these were made of stretched sprue and mushroomed over a touch; same as the undercarriage blanking plates I made for the Ju-52; and the exhaust drilled out. I didn’t bother with the water pipe to the top wing or a wind screen as I was getting a bit jaded by then. I also added some interior as the kit, typical of the 1950’s, it had none, namely a generic floor, seat and instrument panel, not that much can be seen with the pilot in place. Jimmy Goggles was retired wounded and a new pilot recruited from the Dark Dream Studio set of WW 1 pilots & crew. If you’ve never seen this set and are keen on WW 1 aircraft I do recommend it you get 8 sprues two each of British, German, French and Russian figures in various posses that’s 42 figures. I’m not sure if it’s still available. but could be worth the search. Sorry the new pilot was not available for the photo shoot something about a Fraulein in the village.

Basic construction was done as per the instructions if not in the suggested order, and the basic paint scheme used except I did the fuselage as a sort-of varnished ply-wood finish with the engine panels and spinner in steel, wooden propeller: not silver as in my original one: and the wheel discs in plain bleached canvas. Two things I would recommend is that the undercarriage bosses to be bent inwards by about 10 to 15 degrees to the u/c struts, and the rear carbine strut locating holes be lowered by about 1 mm otherwise the top wing will not fit true.
As mentioned the paint scheme was the recommended one sort-of. Paints were all brushed free-hand and no masking used. I’ve used some old Humbrol Authentic Enamel for the blue underside, and some pale yellow acrylic, the rest was Vallejo. The wooden fuselage was first painted with a light Humbrol yellow then scrubbed over with a dry brush of various browns and varnished with Humbrol satin finish and finally with Humbrol Clear. I’ve noticed that Humbrol Clear doesn’t give a deep gloss with one coat and seems to loose it’s initial gloss after a few days ending as a sort of satin finish. The mauve / brown colour was made using Vallejo scarlet & transparent blue as I had no mauve paint, so that’s the best I could do. The engine panels were Vallejo natural steel as I felt the normal silver was too bright.

The decals used were the 60 year old kit ones, some slight yellowing of the whites, but the carrier-film looks reasonable, the wing ones were matted over with Vallejo matt varnish, the others receiving another coat of Clear. I did try Micro-Sol on the decals, but after 60 years the decals were as though as old boots, still maybe I should be grateful they went on at-all.

Did I have fun with this kit? Yes in a sort-of-nostalgic way, it was more interesting than fun, and I was again able to practice some things without being to concerned over the finished model. As I see this model is no longer available, (I do have a more recent re-boxed issue which is identical to the 60 year old one except for a better pilot figure.) recommending it is a bit useless. I doubt Airfix will re-tool as far better ones are available from Roden and Eduard, the Eduard being more expensive, but the Roden one was about the same price as the re-boxed Airfix one.

A few photos of the finished model, it’s a vast improvement of the one of 60 years ago, even if it did take me about a week to complete.

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Albatros%20D-Va%20port%20front%20web_zpsrgx1tikg.jpg

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Albatros%20D-Va%20port%20rear%20web_zpsbipnxanu.jpg

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Albatros%20D-Va%20stbd%20front%20web_zpsbiwnil2t.jpg

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Albatros%20D-Va%20stbd%20rear%20web_zpszqfu2wa9.jpg

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Albatros%20D-Va%20top%20rear%20A%20web_zpsjsobjv1y.jpg

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Albatros%20D-Va%20top%20rear%20B%20web_zps3ch4yzur.jpg

Instrument panel

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Albatros%20D-Va%20underside%20web_zpsbbar9znt.jpg

Rigging seem from the underside.

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Albatros%20D-Va%20Front%20web_zps7atzwkcr.jpg

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Albatros%20D-Va%20top%20overall%20web_zpstbrrkxdp.jpg

Yes I know that some wires are a bit slack. actually that front one is the second one I'd installed then it came loose so I just glued it back as best I could.

Hope you’ve enjoyed my trip back to the start. I know it’s not perfect, but all comments welcome.
Remember we do this for fun. John the Pom.
P.S. Anybody want the old small Airfix stand?

[Discostu]

WOW John!  That kit art work at the top of your post took me back to my childhood instantly. I made this kit as a kid. The memory is a bit vague, but I think the sprues were molded in light blue and the kit came in a plastic bag clipped to a card featuring that art work. It was one of the very first Airfix kits I made.   Cheers, Stuart. 

[John Symmons]

Hi Discostu.

Yes you;re right it was a light blue even the re-boxed one is moulded in a light blue. I believe it was one of the first aircraft kit Airfix made after they did the sort-of generic Spitfire & Messerschmitt about 1956 they issued a small range of WW 1 kits.

Sorry the photos are a bit blown-out but the lifgt was not to good and I had to change them in Photo Paint.

Glad you found it interesting.

Remember we do this for fun   John the Pom

[John Symmons]

Hi all the pilot has returned from his dalliences with the Fraulein, and ready for the Johnny Pommies.

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Otto%20returns%20D-Va%20Pilot%20web_zpsqg0oviry.jpg

Hi I'm back.

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Ready%20for%20Johnny%20Pommy%201%20web_zpsbjprxvd1.jpg

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Ready%20for%20Johnny%20Pommy%202%20web_zpsqjxbf5tu.jpg

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y451/idiotone/Albatros%20D-Va%20Airfix/Ready%20for%20Johnny%20Pommy%203%20web_zpse2iiqokh.jpg

Ready for the Johnny Pommies.

The colours for the German flying suit taken from the Time Life book Knight of the Air

Remember we do this for fun   John the Pom

[Matthew72]

Excellent post.  The wood grain effect is fabulous.  I especially enjoyed reading your rigging technique description.  It'll be a great help as I tackle the Airfix Tiger Moth in my stash.  Thanks for sharing!

[Richard H Stracey]

 I guess that we all have problems rigging. I agree that superglue dosent always work so it needs something to grip onto. I do this by knotting the end of the thread and cutting off right up close to the knot. The knot can then be inserted into the hole and glue added sealing up the hole. By the way monofiliment fishing line is water absorbant therefor when the atmosphere gets damp the rigging will sag and when warm and dry it will tighten up again!

[John Symmons]

Hi Matthew 72

Thanks for the kind words but as far as the rigging goes I'm no expert and at 70 my eye-sight is not what it used-to-be. Check-out other post on this & Techniques & Tip  forum also over at Airfix Tribute Forum  for WW 1 aircraft builds for more info on rigging, there are several really good and informative builds, or thry Googling model aircraft rigging for more way from some real experts.

As I mentioned I've tried several things for rigging including my own hair, so I recommend you experiment and practice first. If you're in the UK or US you might try the Eazy-Line as I've heard very good results from others who've used it, unfortunately it's unavailable in SA. The easiest I've found is very thin copper wire (0.1mm from old redudent cell-phone chargers) but as I mentioned it's not that easy to keep straight, taut & kink free.

Good luck & enjoy your tiger moth.

Remember we do this for fun   John the Pom

[Pogo1]

In the dreaded carpet monster, i posted a hint about using an old pair of my wifes tights to find the missing part. As an addition to that, the same pair of tights gave up a fantastic amount of  material to rig aircraft. The waistband , when cut down the sides of the sown seam , will reveal tiny ends of the lycra/elastine  that  hold the tights up. If you hold the cut end to the light you should be able to remove , using fine tweezers , one of the hundreds of  threads. You will find they are about  10-12 inches long and will stretch for at least 4 times that length. I have used this method for years , and find super glue works well . I have used it to rig both Swordfish models. Gloster Gladiator, TigerMoth and antenna for all of my models. It is a cheap and easy way to get good results, and it can be painted or a permanent marker used to colour it. The only thing you need to remember is always make sure its the old pair you cut up!Hope this adds to the build. Cheers

[Matthew72]

Hi Matthew 72

Thanks for the kind words but as far as the rigging goes I'm no expert and at 70 my eye-sight is not what it used-to-be. Check-out other post on this & Techniques & Tip  forum also over at Airfix Tribute Forum  for WW 1 aircraft builds for more info on rigging, there are several really good and informative builds, or thry Googling model aircraft rigging for more way from some real experts.

As I mentioned I've tried several things for rigging including my own hair, so I recommend you experiment and practice first. If you're in the UK or US you might try the Eazy-Line as I've heard very good results from others who've used it, unfortunately it's unavailable in SA. The easiest I've found is very thin copper wire (0.1mm from old redudent cell-phone chargers) but as I mentioned it's not that easy to keep straight, taut & kink free.

Good luck & enjoy your tiger moth.

Remember we do this for fun   John the Pom

Thanks, John!  I have seen some pretty amazing results with EZLine - I am in the Comonwealth of Virginia so I could maybe find it.  I have rigged a Swordfish with monofilament but the results were a bit mixed as I probably started the rigging process at the wrong point in the build and realized too late that monofilament won't hold paint well.  I picked up some smoke colored monofilament and will use that on the Tiger Moth, to be started once my Vickers Valiant is complete.

[John Symmons]

Hi Pogo 1.

Thanks for the tip.

 Tell us all what happens if ther're not old ones, as from your warning you sound as if you speak from experiance, and it's not fair to give a warning without saying what the concequences will be.

Remember we do this for fun    John the Pom

[Pogo1]

Hi john

Yes you have it one! When i discovered the uses for the discarded tights, it was normal for my wife to give me first chance before they went into the bin. There is always a downside! When you have two pairs to chose from and the wife isnt exactly definite which pair you can have, you are bound by the law of averages to get it wrong. Anyway , after spending several hours disassembling the threads of the wrong pair , you soon get to know where you have gone wrong. She still loves me and it cost me a new pair. Big tip ........ Always check . 

Cheers