I just picked this one up from my LHS. Looks like a decent kit. I will post some pictures later.

See;
images from Roden

I got up this morning and fired up the scanner. Also did a quick review. I will be submitting the review very shortly.

Nice one Carl!

Give a shout if you have any problems submitting the text or pics.

All the best

Rowan

I´m waiting for it. I´ve got my kit yesterday and already preordered the next 32-scale realese.
Cheers
Lars

I got a review done up this morning. After numerous computer problems, I managed to get it sent in. In my spare time, I started the build. Almost done with the engine. I will post pictures in a few days.

Anybody have recomendations on a paint scheme? I am open for suggestions.

Hi Carl

I've got your pics and text OK - look out for the Review this weekend. Many thanks for submitting.

All the best

Rowan

I finished up the engine this morning. Just started on the framework around the engine. Remember guys, this is going to be a double o bee build. I think I might get another one as the possibilities for scratch building on this one seem to be endless. Six very nice decal options also.

The engine went together well. But that was to be expected. It is the same engine used in the Albatross D.III. It will probably find its way into an Albatross D.V, D.Va and maybe even some Fokker D.VIIs one day (wishful thinking). The framework around the engine also went together well.

I test fitted the fuselage and lower wings. Real tight fit as Eduard would say. It will probably need some sanding. I also found some minor flash that wasn't there the first time I inspected the parts. Must have grown over night. The fit did seem to be a good one though. No gaps to be seen, though that might change when glue is involved .

Did any of the Pfalz D.IIIs ever get the lozenge top wings?

In researching alternate schemes, I saw one in the lozenge. I later saw the same aircraft with white wings. I tend to think the white wings are probably correct though. I guess I am not the only one who can blame mistakes on artistic license.

Pictures will be posted when I have something more to show you.

Great start M8, I´m waiting for some pics. Good luck on your build
Lars

I finished up the engine. The pilots office is almost finished. The interior consists of the engine module, the gas tank/machine gun module, the floorboard/control stick module, and the seat module. I have been test fitting the modules inside the fuselage halves. This is proving dificult because of some fit issues. There are also some mistakes in the instructions regarding part numbers and placement. I thought this would be a quick 2 or 3 day build. After 3 days, I am less than half way completed. I will take some pictures after I finish the interior.

Well folks, I have been taking some frustrations out on the driving range instead of building. I am going to take the rest of the day off and start up again in the morning.

By the way. I had a hole in one on the driving range. It is a little embarrasing though. I was aiming at a different hole and duffed the shot. I did manage a 380 yard drive though. Frustrations are gone.

Greetings Carl;
The Pfalz D.III from the factory did NOT have lozenge wings. Some later D.IIIa types did.

The Pfalz D.III had either green and mauve (the very earliest batch in fall 1917) or Silbergraü over all. Theoretically a D.IIIa wing could be mounted on a D.III as an in field replacement. I have never seen this done. Be cautious about the references that are out there. If it does not have the name Peter Grosz, Dan San Abbott, Alex Imrie or Greg van Wyngarden attached as writer or source I wouldn't trust it . Here are some of the better references.

Colors by Greg Van Wyngarden, Over the Front Journal Vol 2 #4,Pp.371-5, 1987.
German Army Air Service in WWI by R. Rimell, Osprey Vintage Warbirds #2, 1985.
German Fighter Units June 1917-1918 by A. Imrie, Osprey, Airwar #17,1978.
Jagdgeschwader Nr.II by Greg VanWyngarden, Osprey Pub. Aviation Elite Units 19, 2005.
Lafayette Foundation Archive, Denver CO. USA.
Pfalz Aircraft of World War I by Jack Herris, Flying Machines Press, 2001.
Pfalz by P. Grosz & E. Krüger, WWI Aero Pub. inc. 1964.
Pfalz D.III by R. Rimell, Datafile WWI a/c Part 1, Windsock, Albatros Pub. Ltd. Pp.20-31, 1990.
Pfalz D.III by P. Gray, Profile Pub. #43, 1965.
Pfalz D.III Technical evaluation by ‘Flight’ Cross & Cockade USA Vol.1 #4, Pp. 29-53,1960.
Pfalz D.III 1370/17 evaluation by ‘Flight’ Cross & Cockade USA Vol. 2 #3 1961.
Pfalz D.IIIa by P. Grosz, Windsock Datafile #21, Albatros Pub. Ltd. 1989.
Pfalz Scout Aces of World War I by Greg VanWyngarden Osprey pub. #71, 2006.
Pictorial History of the German Army Air Service by A. Imrie, Ian Allen Pub. 1971.
Spandau Machine Gun by David Watts, WWI Aero,1998.
World War One in Plastic by Brad Hansen, Great Auk Pub. 1979.

I thought the upper wing panels of the D.III and D.IIIa were the same. I know the lower ones were different but interchangable.

Roy

The top wings were the same dimensions. The top and lower wings began being covered in 5 colour lozenge in late 1917 - early 1918. By then the production had changed to strictly D.IIIa types. This was probably due to some shortages or Idflieg was wanting to go to the lozenge as a alternate standard. Either way, a block of aircraft with in a production series could either be covered with the aluminum dope or the 5 colour camouflage every 50 - 80 machines for instance.

The lower wings varied in their areas as the Pfalz D.IIIa were more rounded and thusly had greater area. The D.III had angles tips and less areas.

What, No daffodil?

I am making some progress. Golf balls all over the world can sleep better tonight.

In this one, the interior moduals are fit in place. It is very difficult to get the spandaus to go into there respective slots. It is much easier if everything is glued into the right fuselage half as shown. Then the spandaus can slide into their correct positions. If the moduals are attached to the left fuselage half, it is nearly impossible to slide the right spandau into position when joining the fuselage halves. Glueing the seat into the right fuselage does not interfere with the joining process.

No decal for the one instrument visible in this aircraft. Also no seatbelts.This is strictly an OOB build so I wont be adding the seatbelts or decals for the instrument panel. Why won't Roden Supply these things. It would improve their kits wonderfully.


Closerup of the moduals in place. Not having clearly defined attachment points makes this kit more of a challenge to build. I will join the fuselage halves this weekend. This is going to be a complicated join because the fuselage halves are full of thing that are creating a small gap in the join.

On this kit as well as all other Roden kits I have built in 1/32 and 1/48 scales, the thing to remember is test fit everything, or you will induce a severe headache.

Haven't chosen a paint scheme yet. Well I'm falling asleep typing, so Blue Skys to All.

I got the fuselage joined up yesterday. Fit is awful. It looks like I will be spending the next few days filling and sanding. I also test fitted the lower wings. It appears they were not even made to fit this fuselage. The length (about 2 mm) and width (about 4mm) of the mating surfaces are both off considerably. I can understand the width being off because of the poor fuselage joint, but not the length, which is an obvious engineering error. I have had trouble with the fit on Roden kits in the past, but none of them so severe as to make me want to just toss the entire kit into the trash. If you have not purchased this kit yet, don't, unless you plan on a lot of frustration and scratchbuilding.

Sounds like a challenge I would enjoy!

Hi Carl

I'm obviously missing something. Earlier in the thread you said you'd test-fitted the lower wing and fuselage and found them a tight fit... but now you say the length is out by 2mm (did I read that right?)... what happened?

I love the way you've tackled the interior detail - and despite your reservations as the build has progressed, I'd really like to have a crack at this kit myself!

All the best

Rowan

I am actually sitting here, sanding, eating a burrito, with a golf tournament in the background, and the laptop in the foreground. Who says old people cant multitask.

It is a challenge, but not beyond the skills of a good modeler. I think if you know the problems are coming, you can plan for them.

Hello,

Nice review. Did you use decals for the interior woodgrain?


Greetings, Nico

The wood grain is my own brew. Paint the base a wood colored enamel. Then I use a darker color, in this case mud to paint the wood grain. Last, overspray with a mix of tamiya clear yellow/clear orange in about qa 4:1 ratio. That gives it a varnished look. When deciding how to paint the wood grain with the mud color, look at a piece of plywood, and mimick that grain pattern. Be sure to use a real fine brush.


I took my time using this technique on this 1/48 scale Albatoss. It works pretty good


This is as close as I could get with my camera. It shows detail. I actually was photographing a D.III also. When I picked it up, the wheel snagged and I pulled off the upper wing. And yes, I know I haven't finished the rigging. I hate rigging. I would rather be blasting golfballs.