Hi, this is my first build log (and first WWI model..!), I'm doing Eduards excellent kit, will make some improvements (hope they turn like that!) and will use Pheon decals for the camouflage (already have 2 sheets for the camo, still to get one more sheet...!). Model was started on the second week of January, spent the time mostly cleanning attatchment points and some minimum flash, interior was done with the standard Tamiya Buff + Siena/Burnt siena/yellow oil colors varnished with Future tinted with food colors.




Some more work was donde yesterday with the guns, the blast tube was substituted with 0.8 brass tubbing as I find kind of difficult getting round sections... well, that and also being tube it's already hollow... Also some work was done with the buckles.




I kind of feel that the wood came somewhat darker than I wanted, I did some more work on the wood floor and laterals, just oil filters, i kind of like how they came out, but will need to take pictures... hope I can improve on that also!

Welcome to the GB. It looks like you are off to a great start.

Hi Antonio:

Welcome to the build, as Carl wrote, looks like you are off to a good start with a neat subject. I am hoping that at some time it will be released in 1/32nd scale.
Looking forward to seeing pictures as you progress.

Best

Mark

Hello Antonio, welcome to the group.

Beautiful work there, very impressive so far.

Keith

Greetings Antonio and welocme,

A very beautiful start to a beautiful plane  – looking forward to more.

Best Regards

Mikael

Welcome to the GB

Agree with the others you are doing a very job so far !

Thanks all for the warm wellcome! Will keep posting next week and will try to improve on the pictures, this was the first try... Maybe after this one I'm doing the Blue Max Roland D.VI... Have a nice weekend!

Rivas

Great choice of subject! I purchased this kit and eventually intend to do the same markings option you're doing. So i'm very eager to see how your Pheon decals turn out...i'm planning to either hand paint the camo or print my own "swirl" decals if the hand painting doesn't work out.

Andrew

Great start! Cool subject. Plan on following this build along!

Hi Antonio,

Welcome to the wonderful world of WWI modeling!

I'm also in the process of building that same kit and if I may, I'd like to offer a bit of advice. By the way, what you've done so far looks very good!

Something I noticed in your picture with all of the parts laid out, in particular, the upper fuselage deck/cowling piece - it appears that you have not removed the two ejector pin nubs on the inside, right at the edge of where the metal and wood sections meet. You may have discovered this by now but if not, you will find that they interfere with the fit as that is right where that part meets the upper edge of the firewall. So, grind them down flush with the inside and don't worry about damaging the paint work...you can't see that area once the fuselage is all together.

Another thing, I also replaced the extended gun barrels with metal tubing and found it easier to first glue the gun breaches to the back of the firewall and then install the barrels after the engine is in place. The barrel on the left side actually goes between the intake manifold pipes and the engine block. This picture should clarify the matter:



I look forward to seeing your progress. You're off to a great start!

Cheers,
Eric

Hi Antonio:

You are making good progress here. The seat really looks neat.

Best

Mark

Uhh, Mark...please forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think you are mistaking my Albatros for Antonio's. I certainly had no intention of thread-jacking his build blog. I just included the photo in my post to show how the one gun barrel extension passes behind the engine's manifold pipes.

Cheers,
Eric

Hi Eric:
You are correct, I thought it was Antonio's and was taken at how quickly he had progressed. The seat is still neat.


Best
Mark

Hi, sorry for the slacking, having a busy week at work and not really with any modeling time...
Andrew: I'm also curious as how will the decals work, I plan to try them on one aileron first, but I don't expect any issue with them, I already have two sheets and it seems they won't make it for full coverage, I will use Tamya X-7 for the red but I still have to check if it doesn't come too dark.
Eric: Your model looks great! Thanks for the tips! I haven't trimed the nubs, I forgot to paint the engine side of the firewall...! also the picture wih the guns is of great help, I already did the two mg's but your way would have been easier, I'll try that on the next one; a question if I may: did you enhace the springs of the valves? I was thinking on making some copper "springs" + the eduard parts, don't know if this would be visible enough...!

Thanks all for your comments and looking, next week I'll have some more pictures!

Rivas

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the comment on the seat! Eduard provides the back and lap belts as photo-etched pieces and the barely visible cushion is made from a blob of two-part putty I formed and sanded to shape.

Eric

Thank you for those kind words. Don't agonize over the firewall too much. Just paint it best you can - most of it is hidden in the shadows once you get the engine and cowling cover in place.

I did not enhance the valve springs. What you see is just the kit part. I painted the areas between the springs flat black to give the illusion of depth. Trying to make wire springs to scale will be difficult. They are tiny! Also, once everything is in place, you can't see them all that well.

I look forward to seeing your continued progress.

Cheers,
Eric