A few months ago, a very skilled aircraft modelling friend of mine, who usually stays well away from WW1 models, decided to try his hand at some biplane models - he wisely chose the Albatros DVa from Eduard in 1:48 scale. Alas, a couple of weeks ago, she came a cropper off his work bench, and straight after became the subject of a fit of rage, ending up very battered, broken, unloved and in the garbage. He then told me about this mishap, vowing (in some colourful language) never to build a biplane again. I asked him if he still had the bits to the poor little Albie, which he said he would have to search through his trash to find out, but was doubtful. I asked if he please could and that I would give the broken bird a good home if there was anything left. The next day he remarked that he had pulled the bits and pieces from the trash literally minutes before it was due to get thrown out, and would gladly send me the bits of the old bus at no charge. So, about a week and a half ago, this is what turned up


Needless to say she was a very sad sight. Sadly, a full restoration was out of the question given the damage to the wings. So, what to do with a wingless broken Albatros? The same thing that would have happened to an original broken, wingless Albatros of course - put her out behind the back shed and throw a tarp or two over her until you work out what to do with her!

Some ideas came to mind, perhaps focusing around an old broken airframe stashed away behind a hangar, maybe a small diorama. So I set to work on repairing what I could of the Albie. After making some small additions, extending a set of undercarriage legs from the spares box, adding some more panel / fastener detail, and some battle damage, I was at the below point as a starting idea:


Am thinking about calling it "struck off charge" or something similar (ideas anyone??). The resin figure on the left was holding onto a small bomb, so I carved this out and added a book (ledger book perhaps) and a pencil, the idea being that perhaps the CO and technical officer are inspecting and striking the old bird off the Squadron's books... Not sure if the idea comes across, but probably better than throwing the Albie to the garbage hounds...
With this idea in mind, I set to painting the model in a fictional scheme - in this case, an Albatros from Jasta 5 in May 1918 markings. I obviously wanted a dirty and beaten up look. I made the tarps from tissue paper and white glue, flattened a tire from the spares box, and added a spoked wheel and other minor details. I think she looks pretty beat up?






Now before I progress any further with the ground work or figures, any other ideas as to what kind of setting I could put the beat-up old bird into?
Feedback welcomed!
BC