Eduard''s newest scale wonder is a 1:48 version of the Albatros D.III licence built Autro-Hungarian concern "Oeffag". It was a finely improved version of the German originals from Johannistahl Germany.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

http://www.eduard.cz/info/photos/8242/

Lets also remember the fullscale airframes that are being built today.

Austrian Replicas

Gear legs now appear proper length?

Length and scale thickness looks good.

Eduard have really out done themselves with this lastest offering in their line of WWI kit's ! This is also the best build up I have seen from Eduard , My hat goes off to them .

One thing that I have notice and it may not be a big deal to some , but to me it does look out of scale and that is the PE control horns ( they look a little big ) Nice how they have the turn buckle as part of it as well .

Good eye Terri. Next comes the time when the rubber hits the road as it were. The instructions appear thorough. Keep in mind there are multiple profiles and these have some differences in their build ups. To get the creative juices going can you name the external physical differences between the German and the Austro - Hungarian versions? The lack of the spinner on the 253 series is obvious but what is not so obvious?

Well it wasn't the right one working at the time had my finger in it !


Yes , even though they look the same in shape and profile but there are a few differences . One noticible diff is on the 153 , 253 series is they didn't have side cowl panels and no panels on the fuselage there are two horzontial running down the side top and bottem side of the fuselage .
Used 180hp Daimler and 200hp when they became avaiable .


Another one to note is the 53 series has an axle wing were the German built ones did not minus the OAW which has an axle wing . Albbie built didn't .

Acess hatches are also in a different place and on the 53 series on the left side just forward under the cockpit is a hatch for the switch panel inside the cockpit .The cockpit had a different arangment for the instruments and gun mounts . Panels are part of that as well . only two cooling slots . Rad is always center .

Lower wing construction was differnt( better wing construction ) in being better reinforced making it stronger . Wing span , gap and area differ as well . There was wash out to the ailerons and lower wing tips . some models had a wire trailing edge on the elevators and ailerons .





PS there is more , but that's enough for now

along with the lower tail fin being DV style. the different engine, exhaust, buried gun arrangement and different radiator, making it a markedly different but still familiar Albatros shape

Just had a brainstrom with out any damage being done !

Would be nice to see a dual build of this aircraft . One of the German built D.III and the other Eduard's new release of the D.III (Oef) showing the differences in the two aircraft .


Okay . no more thinking - will return to my morning coffee

I swear its like she can read minds. . .(Insert maniacal laugh here.)

Sorry can't hear the manincal laughter , my fingers are in my ear's now

So when are you going to start the build Stephen ?

Working on it now Terri.

Here is a bit of fun on some differences noted by fullscale builder Koloman Mayrhofer

". . .hallo,
well there are a lot of differences of the kind you will never notice. very small details in construction of bulkheads and so on.

The most noticeable difference is the fuselage length due to the different engines used ,the way the plywood covering is attached and that the sizes of the cabane , Vee interplane and under carriage struts are beefed up on austrian planes. The more serious differences between German and Austrian D.III lays in the wing construction and most likely design . I am currently working over recently discovered original datas and was able to study the D.Va wings in Canberra last year when they was uncovered . it looks that the austrians not only changed the construction of the spars and ribs but also the aerodynamic layout a bit ,so retaining the same profiles . it could be that the austrians incorporated more washout than in the original german design. but this had to be checked again and will take some more time. I have very good datas on the austrian wings but on the german version there are several divergent figures so not an easy task to study. as time allow i will carry on on this subject but please be a bit patient. Cheers . . ."

Koloman Mayrhofer continues. . .

". . .To illustrate a bit the difference in the way the plywood covering was attached to the fuselage frame on German and Austrian built examples, the German way was to form from sections of plywood which are precicly cut to a template. Then scarf jointed together over a wooden mold a shell which was nailed and screwed to the frames. This gave some noticeable steps in the covering where panels meet.

On Austrian planes this shells was formed in making curved cuts into sheets reinforce this cuts on the backside with plywood strips and everything was glued and riveted together. A very smooth surface with no steps can be achieved with this.

Needless to say this preformed shells had to be cut to very close tolerances as they are enormesly stiff once glued on the mold and can not be forced onto the frame. they must simply fit. Lots of fun. . ."

Well here it is.

You find this here first. I had some concerns about the kit and I addressed them to Koloman Mayrhofer the builder of the full scale replicas we have discussed here previously. Here is his response.

"Hallo Stephen,
just had a problem with the computer. do not know if my answer got through so here it is again. No eduard did not consult me in there model planning. Obviously they used my plane as a basis. As they repeated the same inaccuracies which I had to incorporate for various reasons.

1. The hatch on the bottom side of the lower wing beneath the Vee-strut can only be found on German planes. The Austrians just covered this area with fabric. You would have to cut this open any time you inspect or grease the pulleys. that is why I used the German detail.

2. The chord on top and bottom wing are the same on Austrian and German planes.

3. The hatch below the cockpit cutout is only on the left side. Eduard did it on the right side too. Also not all 253 series had the metal hatch on the right side behind the engine. it helps in fixing the fuel gauge connection.

4. My research had shown a different outcome in the star marking of 253.24 showing the yellow on the bottom. But I am not insisting in that. We will never know for sure.

Otherwise and especially the engine are very nice. have not build a model for more than 15 years but i still buying them. My nitpicking comments should not detract anyone to build this model. For someone(like me) who has grown up with Merit, Artiplast and Aurora models, I find it unbelievable how the quality has developed.

cheers
koloman

Hi All – just dropping in to this thread from a warm summer day...

This Eduard kit is really looking very nice, hoping to see a build somewhere here soon

Thank You Stephen for publishing the detailed info from Koloman, most fascinating read indeed. Also points out a couple of mistsakes in my own conversion that I wasn't aware of – mostly to do with the access panels on the wingroots. – Oh well live and learn... Next time it'll be perfect...

Warmest summer regards to everyone

Mikael

Greetings Mikael,

Your 1:32 build is one of the finest scale works I have ever seen. The great thing about modeling is that there is always the next build! Model On please!

Greetings Stephen

Thank You – I am my own greatest critic I think... You're quite right – there is always the next build, and it'll be (almost) perfect

Big question right now is which one will it be? Leaning towards something Wingnuts from my stash...

Best Regards

Mikael

Mikael, I think we all are our own greatest critic, well I for one am. We know every error, every flaw, every shortcut or makedo in our builds....others see them without that knowledge.

You know your work inspires others, I look forward to your next project.

Now this kit tempts me so much, I dont do a lot of 1:48th but this is calling me.

Keith

Here is a bit of fun from Eduard. A virtual build of the Alb. D.III Oeffag kit.

The video is really fun!! Don't forget to set the volume very loud!!!

cheers

Steffen

I don't believe it takes only 3 minutes to build the model and place the decals...

What a wonderful modern age we live in.

Hi there

The video may be fun - but the actual kit is far more so! It's odd though... I can't hear an orchestra playing while I tinker with it! Must build faster! - that's obviously what's wrong!

All the best

Rowan

LOL Rowan