I'm building 2 of these how much should I clip off the wing ends to make Luke's Spad?

Here is Tom's Modelworks instruction sheet for their plypockets. It illustrates how much alteration it takes to make the early wing tips into the late production types.

Thans Stephen that's really handy.

Did Luke fly a SPAD with rounded wingtips? on page 34 of Medal of Honor Aviators of WWI, it shows him leaning against the wing of a squadron SPAD, which had the later squared wingtips. Given that he was shot down less than two months from the Armistice in September 1918, Would those SPADS have had the earlier wings? I'm not sharpshooting here, I really dont know, it just seems those later SPADs would have had the modifications or the newer wing. Profiles in several references I've found show the later squared wing tips as shown in the old Revell kit, but I suppose they could be wrong.
VR, Russ

On the subject of Spad types remember that the US relied on contracts to be filled by French manufacturers for their supplies. The short answer is yes, early rounded wings were seen on AEF Spads. Most often these had the the wing pockets added. The early wings are seen on Smith IV, a late war Spad XIII from 22nd Aero Sqn. Restored in the NASM in Washington D.C.

As to Lt. Luke he flew several Spad XIII aircraft. Usually coming back from patrols with battle damage to one degree or another. Observation Balloons were highly protected. And getting to one usually meant flying through a rain of gun fire. There is an article in a "recent" issue of Over the Front on Luke and his aircraft. Also the book "The Stand" has tremendous information about Luke's service. (Reviewed here at Aeroscale). #26 was just one in a series of Spad XIII aircraft he flew.

Russ the old Revell kits have the rounded wing tips.

Steve,
Yes, I've built at least 4 of the Revell SPAD's starting with the 1962 issue, but the last was in 1998, so I'd forgotten about the rounded wingtips and I misinterpreted your 1st email, thinking you were trying to "clip" the wings further. I've got a modest library on WWI aircraft subjects, and I was noting that most of the photos of SPAD's in USAS service either had the later wings, to include two references showing Luke standing next to SPAD's in late 1918. Windsock Datafile 32 on the SPAD 13.C1, page 7, state's that most of the problems besetting the type were corrected by the time they came into USAS service. However, I have great respect for Stephen, and whenever he posts a subject, I take note. He really has done his homework, so I'd go with him over skimpy info in other sources. Good WWI references seem to be elusive to modelers, so I depend a lot on folks like Stephen who've spent years studying the subject. Also, having served myself for many years in more modern times, I know there are always exceptions, as Stephen pointed out, and although Windsockdatafiles are very good, they can sometimes be "an inch deep and a mile wide" with information.
By the way, The Revell kit is very good for it's time, but I think the best injection SPAD on the market is the 1/32 scale Hobby Craft kit. Hobby Craft seems to have dropped off the face of the earth, but their SPAD was quite good, had the later wing, and the rib/interior detail was very refined. Their newer Camel kit was also pretty good (not to be confused with the early Hobbycraft/Academy/Italeri Camel kit, as they are different kits). I wish they'd re-release the SPAD and Camel since they are at a lower price point than other WWI aircraft on the market. VR, Russ

Well more good news for this kit, I had bought some Gold Metal Models decals for Luke's Spad since the kit one's are about 50 years old tested them on the rudder first (easier to paint) if they failed and guess what? they failed crumbled coming of the backing atleast one side so far. So kinda upset about it if I wanted a rough kit to build I would work on the 2 Battle Axe kits I have.

I guess i'll push on Stephen is there a 1/32 DVIII out there besides the mentioned Battle Axe kit?

DVIII in 1/32? There is another manufacturer, I can't recall the name-- check out Des Delatore's wwiaircraftmodels.com site-- he has a build log setup for the other DVIII (not Battle Axe). If you meant DVII, Wingnut Wings and Battle Axe are the only 1/32 manufacturer's I know of for DVIIs in 1/32. There is a 1/28 Revell Germany DVII offering, but it has quite a few shape problems in the wings and rear fuselage. Stephen-- do you have any more info?
VR, Russ

If iI recall there is a kit that was done. I'll have to do some checking but I seem to recall a white box with a black line drawing. Possibly multimedia. Maybe "Falcon" was the company.

After checking on line AVIS made a D VIII. It looks like a slightly better quality then the Battle Axe kit, and as Stephen mentioned it is a multi-media kit.
VR Russ

After checking a little more, I found the 1/32 Avis Kit is a Fokker E V, whereas the Battle Axe kit is a Fokker E V/D VIII kit, at least that's what the boxes say, I can't tell the difference in the plastic, I know there's a distinction, perhaps Stephen can elaborate. I have the Battle Axe kit, and I used to own their DVII and Eindecker kits, but they were fairly crude, so I traded them up to Wingnut Wings kits, since WNW has not released a D VIII, I kept that one.
As for your decal problems, if you can find Microscale Decal solution, you can coat old decals right on the paper and they should hang together when you soak them. Another option would be to copy the decals onto blank decal paper using a printer (I do this frequently for suspect decals). Printers don't print white, but the solution for that is to airbrush blank decal paper flat white, or find white decal paper-- if you use a bubble jet printer, make sure you flat coat your decal paper or the ink won't stick.
VR, Russ