In the years after World War II there were Airfix, Aurora, FROG, Renwal & Revell model kit manufacturers. The first WWI aviation kit subject was FROG’s 1/72 Avro 504K in butyl plastic. In 1960 Cross & Cockade USA was born. In 1968 Cross & Cockade Great Britain rose into publication. Then, our very own Leo Opdyke brought us WWI Aero. The early sixties saw a resurgence in WWI aviation interest and with it Hollywood gave us “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines” and “The Blue Max.” In a little out of the way swamp near Pougkeepsie, New York a man named Cole Palen carved out an airfield where even today the cough and roar of rotary engines can be heard throughout the summer months.

I remember the dark days after 1966. Airfix, Aurora, MPC, FROG, Revell, with some minor exceptions, all seemed to aim their kit productions away from WWI aviation subjects of any scale . Fortunately the old Profile Publication issues were still in print. They covered many types of aviation subjects. Then it was the fledgling cottage industries that gave us vacuform kits, slush molding and resin castings that kept alive the interest in modeling subjects of First World War aviation. These were Veeday, Merlin (both run by Vagn Espensen), Pegasus/ Blue Max (Chris Gannon), Classic Plane (D. Schörsch), Formaplane of London, By-Planes (Pamela Veal), Rareplanes of Canada, AirFrame (John Tarvin), CramerCraft and countless others all gave us a steady stream of ‘historic plastic.’ One of the premier companies at this time was of course Contrail, part of Gordon Sutcliffe Productions, Somerset, England. They were using female molds to draw the heated plastic into their recesses. This allowed for more detail to be represented on outside surfaces than was seen on vacuforms made with male molds. Now as we have entered the new century, vacuforms tend to be passe to most modelers. While they seem to have been replaced by the use of resin/ rubber vulcanizing or low pressure, short-run injection molding there are still several superb companies that manufacture high quality vacuform kits. Long live multimedia !!!

Then in late 1976 ‘the cottage industries’ started moving steadily away from their beginnings with vacuforms to small short run injection molded kits. For various personal or financial reasons many companies closed their doors while others flourished. Fortunately we have a fairly comprehensive record of these events as chronicled by two historians that followed this same path of success. Brad K Hansen gave us WWI in plastic and the indefatigable Ray Rimell. Brad has not been heard from in many years. Ray has been the greatest force in the publication of informational data on modeling WWI aviation subjects. Avlon Hill gave us the “Richthofen’s War” board game. Since the early 1980's anyone who has ever sought this type of info has had the great fortune to be able to turn to Albatros Pub. Ltd. and purchase Windsock magazines, Datafile monographs and other Special related issues. Ray had moved away from writing for Scale Models (Nexus Pub.) And opened his own shop. But in late 1986, Cross & Cockade USA fell silent. But in late 1988, Over the Front was the phoenix that rose from the ashes of the old C&C USA. When Soviet Russia fell in 1991 suddenly there was hope for all. A small Ukrainian company began pumping out some fine 1/72 scale kits. ToKo, led the way.

In the area of aftermarket productions we can not forget the decal companies that have provided so many great scheme markings. For many years Blue Rider and Krasel industries (Microscale and Superscale) gave us great profiles. Today it is Aeromaster and Eagle Strike that we rely on.

Finally in 1992 company from China, Dragon Models Limited gave us kit #5601, their Fokker Dr.I also in 1/48 scale. In the following years they gave us a Spad XIII, Fokker D. VII and a Fok. D.VIII all in 1/48 scale. Then they fell silent. Now simply called Dragon, they have closed their WWI aviation line and sell large scale multi-pose WWII figures and small scale WWII aviation and armour subjects. In the same year another small company (named after a an ancient knight from the region of what is now the modern Czech Republic) that opened up the way for hope to grow. With their main thrust being the production and sales of aftermarket photoetch metal parts, Eduard gave us kit #8001. It was their Siemens Schuckert D.III in 1/48 scale. To show you what I mean I am providing a partial list of 1/48 scale WWI aviation kits that Eduard has given from 1992 to 2004. That is at least 52 kits in 12 years.

We are in the “Golden Age of WWI aviation modeling.” In all my years of building their kits I have never found an Eduard kit in the bargain bin of any hobby shop. They keep their worth. But Eduard is growing and as such it is changing its direction. What it will leave behind is the contact with our era modelers. While we will continue to buy and build, modelers are looking to some new up and coming companies to fill the gaps that Eduard has left behind in it move away from WWI subjects. It is about survival. For a company to grow it has to touch other markets. The comparative new kid on the block is a company called Roden, based in the Ukraine. They began producing1/72 scale kits and only in the past two years have started cranking out high detail, modestly priced 1/48 scale subjects. While Eduard has promised that 2005 will be their year of the “Fokker” their recent subjects of the Sopwith aviation type are as detailed as a modeler could expect and it can be said that they lead in the multi media market. Roden is a strong contender in this area and what they have in store for 2005 will be astounding. A giant leap in modeling is promised. With the world economy striving for a free - trade community and the internet bringing all of us closer together I wonder, where we will go from here?

WWI aviation history is preserved in national record offices and private museums. One such repository is the Lafayette Foundation in Platteville CO. http://www.lafayettefoundation.org/

Research fiends, enthusiasts and devotees regularly visit its hangars to study their model displays, documents, uniforms and to watch full and 80% scale replica WWI fighters take to the sky. A warm greeting and a hot cup o’ coffee is always on the stove every Friday and Saturday or by appointment.

The “internet super-highway” allows us to transport to various websites on a daily basis. Modeling sites have popped up like little towns that line the highways from here to there. Here's to the hope that we can become one of those fine recreational venues

Others provide links to the image based or informational sites. Even the top membership society journals of real history like Cross & Cockade Intl and Over the Front magazines have their own websites. One can find that large scale control line, free flight or radio control subjects have several companies with plans or complete kits for purchase all on the internet. For the individual looking for that old kit, uniform or photo there is e-bay. There are even personal computer flight simulation games with our favorite aviation subjects.

Today, general subject modeling magazines are beginning to turn their backs on publishing 1914-1918 aviation kit build ups. Will our arena of scale kit modeling eventually phase out due to lack of interest? Will kit prices continue to climb to where they can not be afforded? Will all of our modeling eventually be 3-D and done on a computer screen? Or will the future see a group of adults that come back to kit modeling as a way to revisit their youth? It may be that in that future time we come full circle and see cottage industries again purchasing old injection molding machines and pressing out long forgotten subjects. As for today, we the WWI aviation kit builders are having our day in the sun.

I intend to stay here, so I'll bring out the sun chair and a cold drink. Start off easy with a Albatros D.III, V or a Va with not too much rigging or even Fokker D VII.....
What do you say Master Stephen, is that a good idea?

Here, have a

I already have hired some hostesses to apply the sunblock. The deck has 50 lounge chairs to start.

As long as you're willing to share them.....don't want to get burned.... :-) :-)

NIce post, Stephen, nice walk down memory lane.

WW1 is fading from most people's vision. 50 years ago, we still got "pulp magazines" on the subject and the old flying novels were in plain view on home bookshelves and in old book shops.

I think WW1 is just too daunting for most modelers who are more comfortable with newer stuff sans rigging ... although I admit that is a simplistic statement ...

I would think that we still have some hope & life ... there should be momentum as we move to and into the centennial anniversaries, but I suspect after that out options will taper off rapidly ... (especially if all we get is four years of red triplanes!!!)

I started long ago interested in WW! aviation, shifted to WW2, then added WW1 back again. But I also found my WW2 aviation interests shifting backwards to the early days of WW2 and into the Golden Age and I suspect at some point I will move forward out of WW1into that same era.

John, just rambling ...

Hmmmmmmm...any pictures?

Well yes I do!

I am sure that there will always be guys around like us who are in love with the old airplanes.Yes ,I think that we are in a bit of a golden age in modeling,older guys with money but no kids in hobby shops syndrome.
But there will always be craftsman/artists around that can't resist getting involved in the wood -n- wire era, in one way or the other.Much like the age of sail there is just something about it that will always draw us to it.
Cheers! John.

I've sorted myself out here Stephen when it comes to get oiled up.....
Called in a favour from my old friends.... :-) :-)

WOW!!! That is one way to get this 66 year old up in the morning.But I think that four would be about my limit!

Egads man when I was talking "models" I wasn't talking swimsuit models...I need a nap. Back to t... th.. th...the... iss... iss... iss... issue. Great now I am stuttering. What are your opinions folks... (the ladies forum is gonna be peeved.) Opinion about our hobby... that is you know...models! Ah er biplanes, triplanes and (hoa boy...) Egads Jan...

How's that then Master Stephen?

Thats cool. But if the ladies forum comes up here with pitchforks and torches I'm giving you up!
http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/frank/sounds/thnkuvry.wav

Thanks for the trip down memory lane Stephan.
After looking at bi-planes for many years in the old magazines, one night at our local club, one of the guys did a demo on rigging bi-planes with invisible thread. This was back in the days of hair and teeth. So the next day I went out and bought a few bi-plane kits. Back in those days after market was far and few in-between, Eduard was still unheard of, Tom's Modelworks just released his etched cockpit sets, and Foto-Cut was the only other other source I was aware of, and I quickly bought up the prop bosses, and instrument, seats and guns sets in various scales. After several terrible tries that never left the work shop, I finally finished my first fully rigged bi-plane. The old Lindberg Jenny. Nothing special, but I was amazed how strong the rigging made the model. The next bi-plane I did was the old Merritt/Smer/ DH-2. This I ventured into using the Tom's cockpit set, and my newly found skill of rigging, and again I was amazed by the strength the rigging added. I also learned on this one that it was best to rig it the same as the old wooden ship modelers did, one line on the port side, the same line on the starboard side. Doing this kept everything aligned.
I built bi-planes for the next several years, but like most things, and it's my ADD, I lost interest in them and changed focus. Which is still a continuing character defect of mine. I still have a few Tom's and Foto-Cut sets, a few bi-plane kits in the stash, and also picked up a few newer ones along the way. (Including 1/32- easier to see you know! :-) )

Your work and John Reed's have rekindled my interest in the area. Keep up the good work!

Thanks Dave for the kind words. I understand how interests can change. Me, I just wanted to know more about the Spad that Luke flew and who was this Red Baron that Charles Schultz had in effigy. That was at the age of 9 back in 1965.

So much has been lost in history then I found there were enthusiasts, devotees and research fiends that were very much into this study. We are a strange breed. Yet some of us are as different as night and day. Personally I think it is a strength. Whether it is models or the actual diary of a WWI pilot its one more nugget we can bring up from the mine into the light of day, one more piece to the puzzle. A finished model done the way history says is reasonably accurate is highly satisfying. Its great to be where people appreciate your voice on something. Here we can share what we know. It sure takes the edge off a hard day at work for me. Life is short and as another modeler says "...you don't get out alive."

Model On Dave!

Greetings All;

With the passing of Mr. Peter Grosz and Mr. J.M. Bruce in the last couple of years let me take this opportunity to advise all readers that The information they left us modelers in the Windsock Datafiles is most important to understanding the details of your chosen model project. I am not a shareholder nor do I profit in anyway from this comment except to pass on a bit of wisdom.

http://www.windsockdatafilespecials.co.uk/

....no?
How about that selection case with 12 bottles of Scotch then....single malt too it was....hmmmm? :-)

??? ok I'm lost...barkeep hand me that bung starter.

Just noticed a plain box with 12 single malts ranging from 12 to 25 years and with your name on it.....
Explanation pleeaaassee......

Oh drat! Silly rabbit, you have found holiday gifts for the members here... now that you have been peeking into the stash I'll have to come up with new gifts... Guess I'll just have to get summer sausage for all and save the spirits for Batman Ursula and her all girl ground crew. Oh well.

Shoot!

I have been asked not to discuss the specifics, but something is in the wind at Aeromaster / Eaglestrike. More later.

Not even if I gave you one of these barrels of lovely 14 year old single malt Glenmorangie that I just bought??

Well Summer Sausages have been shipped to Aeroscale members. I just hope the postal service doesn't confiscate them... Ursula and her all girl ground crew were very appreciative of the ...single malts.