Encore Model is offering the older Roden kit of the Albatros D.II in scale 1/32 in a very special edition. The kit includes the old unchanged Roden kit, a new engine made of Resin parts in higest details, two frets of photo etched parts, metal struts for the wings and a resin figure of pilot Boelcke.

First I started with the engine. I added some parts of the plastic kit which I liked more (the resin parts had some bubbles on the lower area which was unpossible to correct). Some wiring and some etched parts.










The painting with Vallejo black primer, then the details with colours from Lifecolor, pigments and some oil color washing ....










The interior parts got a beige airbrush painting first as base colour for the wooden effect. This was achieved with oil colours (brown and beige), painted with a stiff brush. Also the other details were painted next.








Next step - putting the interior together. Adding some etched parts... some further detail painting .....

















Hope you like it so foar!

Cheers
Micha

Nice one Michael

Great start! It's going to look a beauty.

All the best

Rowan

Looks good. I like the wood effect.
I'm thinking of giving one Roden's big Albatros's a go in the near future, so I'll be watching your build and seeing how it goes together.

Excellent start and incredibly realistic wood effects.

Gary

Michael,
Great start! The engine looks fantastic, and your wood grain is very impressive.

Now, I have a question for you:

Were the Albatross fighters lacquered on the inside like they were on the outside?

Gaz

Nice work and good looking engine!
gr TC

Bene!

*** UPDATE ***

The parts of the interior are finished and glued on the right half of the hull... some colors are added and further parts mounted.










Once the two halfs of the hull are glued together, the seam is filled with putty and sanded, then further etched parts added on the outside.








Everything is masked then and ready for the painting of the exterieur. I began with an airbrush paint in a light beige as base for the oil colors.







Next steps are painting the wood grain with oil colors ....

Cheers
Micha

By the way, looking at your cockpit. Boelcke Never wore his seat belt. It was too restricting.

His death was in a survivable crash landing had he worn his seat belt.

Captn Tommy

Excellent start Michael! Love the engine

cheers
Bart

This is coming along nicely, great job!
Cheers
Dave

*** UPDATE ***

The wooden optic was made with oil colors which were painted over a beige airbrushed base-color. I have used a light brown/yellow color, darkend with a darker brown and lightend with a lighter yellow. Painted each panel by panel in different directions, lither in the center of each panel.

Now the oil color needs some drying time, then clear coat will follow, then the light grey area at the front and the metal details.







Cheers
Micha

That's just fantastic. The wood grain is very nicely done.
Your build has convinced me to order the D.III kit. I just hope I can get a finish as good as you have.

*** UPDATE ***

The oil colors of the wooden optic needed some drying time, then a layer of matt clear coat fixed the colors for the next steps.
The light grey areas were brush painted with colors from Lifecolor with a little black washing on it.







Cheers
Micha

Thanks, Micha, a lot,
for the motivation to go foreward toward my shelfware: a Roden 1/32 kit of the Albatros D.III - one OAW and one Johannisthal. My question is about a short sentence you wrote:




The birch structure of the plywood - could you kindly tell a bit more detailed how you've managed to get it this good? What paint is used? What brush made your day?
I've to admit my test with a brush was completly a fiasco and I binned the complete D.III kit - it was never shown to public not to be banned due to bedazzlement-hazard.


Christian

*** UPDATE ***

The wings were painted ... First the underside in a light sky blue, then the light green on the upper side, followed by the dark green and dark red/brown.

The scheme was painted free-hand without masking the colors.





Now clear coat, decals, clear coat and the painting of the ribs of the wings.

Cheers
Micha

Beautiful Michael! Your painting skills are impressive!

Gaz

Excellent progress and having tackled a Roden 1/32 WW1 kit before, I know the difference between these and WNW and how much work you are putting into this to get it to this standard.

It looks tremendous so far.

Gary

I love the way this one is turning out. I especially like the look of the oil painted wood grain. Nice work!

I want more close ups and walk through on the wood grain! How are we supposed to learn?!

Thanks a lot!
Yes, the Roden kit is far away from the Wingnut Kits. But in this combination from Encore models it is quiet good. The resin and etched parts are a real good upgrade to the Roden kit. But after building this kit, you know what you get with the Wingnut ones

@Matt: I will make some close ups of the wooden texture at the weekend!

Cheers
Michael

Looking fantastic Michael.
The woodgrain finish on the fuselage and wing camouflage are just beautiful.
I'm planning on getting started on a couple of big scale WW1 planes in the next few days.

Hello,

the Albatros received his wings... but first the two Spandau machine guns from Master Models from Poland were glued together, painted and mounted.
The wings were painted, received the decals and the rips were painted with Tamiya Smoke, finished with clear coat matt, then mounted on the metal struts. Now drying time ....










Cheers
Micha

beautiful, beautiful! Especially the interior! the plywood looks like Plywood

Captn Tommy

Michael,
Impressive!

Gaz