History

In 1916 it was the Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke that manufactured their C.V as a two-bay wing cellule and either a Conrad C.III 150 hp or Benz Bz.IV 200hp. Predictably, the more powerful Benz engine gave significantly better performance. The C.V main designer was Heinrich Oelerich, and it was produced in larger numbers than any other German aircraft during World War I. About 2000 were manufactured in DFW and about 1250 licence maufactured by the Aviatik (DFW C.V (Av), designated also as Aviatik C.VI), Halberstadt, LVG, and Schütte-Lanz. It was a biplane of mixed, mostly wooden construction. A fuselage of a wooden frame, covered with plywood. Two-spar rectangular wooden wings, canvas covered. Upper wing of slightly greater span, with extended ends with ailerons. Tail of metal frame, covered with canvas. Straight engine in a fuselage nose, with a chimney-like exhaust pipe (LVG-produced planes had horizontal exhaust pipe). Engine was initially covered with an aerodynamic cover for the cold winter months. Two-blade wooden propeller, 2.8 m diameter. Water radiators on both fuselage sides, later water radiator before upper wing. Fixed conventional landing gear, with a straight common axle and a rear skid. Besides Germany this machine was use in the post war fledgling air forces of Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland and Poland.

Kit history

This Karaya 1/48th scale kit is a very high quality resin kit. In addtion to their very unique and rare WWI subjects. Karaya includes several high quality features such as custom photo-etch parts and water slide decals. Other unique Karaya features include embedded copper wire inserts in their strut assembly parts, making for stronger joints and precise placement much easier. Better than many plastic kits! The resin fuselage halves, for example, fit well together. Altogether a good kit but there are some challenges.

Box Contents

102 Resin pcs.
40 Metal pcs.
02 Plastic pcs.
01 Decal option.
02 sided sheet of insructions
01 sided half page on decal locations.

List of Caveats

Anyone trying this should know the following:
1. Not all Karaya boxes have wire re-inforcement in the struts and some don't always protrude through both ends.
2. This first production batch kit has a forward firing Spandau MG. unfortunately the fuselage half doe not have a cutout for it, But there is a gap for it in the nice PE control panel?
3. Colour scheme is based on a single photo in the Windsock Datafile. I think Dan San Abbott's interpretation in his writings on the DFW are closer to correct.
4. The winter cowling was absent at the time of the photo.
5. Other modelers say that the decals go on nicely, but the DFW logo for the nose appears too large for 1:48.
6. The cabane struts don't seem to have attachment points for them on the forward fuselage deck.
7. The kit offers nice detail for the cockpit, but there are no ammo boxes and empty belt chute as well as the Telefunken transmitter. So you may need to scratchbuild them.
8. If you do have the winter cowl and want to use it, it won't fit with the completed motor in place. You will have to make a choice. to have the motor exposed or just do the build with the cowling and exhausts in place.
9. The radiator header tank that sits above the motor is the wrong size for the winter cowl. The length is actually too long even without the winter cowl. If you do fix the tank as is the water pipe is too close to the small windshield.

The finished build images included here are from Aeroscale member and all round good fellow, Mikko Saarela of Finland. His input on this build is greatly appreciated.

When contacting manufacturers and publishers please mention you saw this review at AEROSCALE