Hi there,

I have just bought myself a Roden Fokker D.VII. The kit looks nice and is seemingly well detailed. After studding the instructions for sometime I set to work building. The engine fits into the body fairly well, but that is were the easy part ends and it ends quite abruptly. The two body halves, when together, are a good 2mm wider than the aperture on the lower wing where the body is meant to sit. There appears to be no way that lower wings will fit to completed body. It’s quite hard to explain, unless you have seen the kit.

The only way I have been able to do it is to split the lower wing into two halves, glue them to the sides of the fuselage and then run a support beam inside, along the floor to offer a bit of support. This has resulted in a big gap in the lower wing which needs to be filled. This can’t be right. Can anyone please offer me some help as to how this kit goes together?

Thanks

Hi Sim

I've heard the lower wing is a bit of a tight fit, but fear not! I'm sure Stephen (Jackflash) will be able to sort you out as soon as he reads your post!

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

I couldn't resist checking my copy of the kit. The fit is tight - it causes the fuselage fire-wall to bow slightly, but it's nowhere near 2mm out. On mine, the tightness is nothing that sanding the edges of the fuselage halves won't cure:



Are you sure there's not something forcing the fuselage halves apart in your build?

All the best

Rowan

Hi

Thanks for your help - I should have said it’s the 1:72 version not the 1:48. Typically all my camera batteries are flat so as soon as they are charged I will upload a picture. I have opened another Roden Fokker I bought at the same time and it is the same - The cross member that links the two wing lower wing halves together is the wrong shape - It’s too narrow to allow the fuselage to fit and it also too long it that even if it was wider, it would overhang across the front of the fuselage towards the engine cowling and would not sit flat without some major work. So it’s completely the wrong size.

Thanks

Hi again

I was assuming you were talking 1/48. I'm afraid I can't help with the /72 scale version - but Stephen may well know about the problem.

All the best

Rowan

You rang?

Greetings all, Welcome Braystaff and thanks Merlin for your kind words.

Lets get to it then. There are three ways to fix the problem. I will keep it simple, as is usually best.

Step 5. Assembles the lower wing parts (1, 4, 5, 12, 13 A.) One could actually insert spars held in place with double sided tape or glued in place. This type of wing assembly is great for the modeler who wants to simulate damage. By thinning down the inner surfaces, internal structure is easy to replicate. Also, before putting the lower wing together sand down the butt edges of the lower wing surfaces that contact the fuselage (PP 1, 4 & 5.) The unmodified fit between the lower wing an fuselage is tight. This will eliminate the fit problem. Do Not narrow the whole fuselage by taking away from the center union area. Sanding the edges far more effective than to cut this bridge area and fill in with sheet stock. The 2mm limit is a guide for you. If you have already glued them together it will be less time consuming to accomplish. Since you have already split the bridge just glue a locator tab / scrap piece over the split that over laps on the bridge interior.

Hey Stephen I've had to do that on all of my DVII's I also had to file down the fuselage to make the wing fit after paint you can't tell this was even done.

Here is a bit of fun on the subject right here at Aeroscale.

Just for the sake of having them in one place. For more reading on the various license built Fokker D.VII represented in 1:48 kit form.
Click here I Eduard Royal Feature
Click here II Eduard OAW Feature
Click here III Eduard Schwerin Dual Combo review
Click here IV Roden Schwerin kit #415 Feature
Click here V Eduard Schwerin Weekend kit blog
Click here VI Eduard 2nd OAW issue Review
Click here VII Eduard MAG Dual Combo Review
Click here VIII Eduard Johannistahl Review
Click here IX DML / Dragon Kit Review
Click here X Hasegawa Kit Review
Click here XI Jager Kit Review
Click here XII Roden Early Schwerin kit Review
Click here XIII Eduard OAW 1st Issue Review
Click here XIV Eduard mid OAW Limited Edition

1:28 scale kit
Click here XV Revell Kit Review.

1:32 scale kit
Click here XVI WNW Schwerin 32011
Click here XVII WNW Alb. 32027
Click here XVIII WNW OAW 32030
Click here XIX Battle Axe Schwerin 3201
Click here XX WNW Schwerin 32031

Eduard 1:48 Royal Blog