ALBATROS FIGHTERS!

ABOVE AVERAGE ALBATROS!

BY early 2002, Roden of the Ukraine  had already produced some excellent 1:72 WWI scale aircraft kits such as Gothas and Fokker D.VII fighters in all the major versions. Now they began to turn their attention to the Albatros single seaters, eventually producing over a dozen high-quality kits, from the D.I to the W.4 floatplanes. Kit No.001 offered a highly ambitious and comprehensive set of parts that shared multiple choices over five crowded runners. All of these are in mint condition as is the five-option decal sheet, and the internal card stiffening, designed to protect the contents, was a surprising and welcome addition. Evocative artwork adorns the box top of this accurate and well-detailed Albatros D.I with colour views and Humbrol paint call-outs beneath. Apart from some flash, typical of these Roden kits, contents are  in mint condition.

*CONTAINS EXTRA DECALS!

THE WINGED SWORD!

ONE of many great 1:72 WWI aeroplane kits produced by Roden of Kiev in  the Ukraine, their Albatros D.III set a high bar and this particular model remains among their best. Cleverly-designed mouldings offer a wide choice of variables and the standard of moulding is high throughout. With detailed cockpit and Mercedes powerplant, this is an excellent model of the Albatros D.III which includes an expansive decal sheet with over 10 options. In addition, our kit includes another two decal sheets with a further eight alternative markings choices-quite the package...

*CONTAINS BUMPER DECAL BUNDLE WITH COLOUR REFERENCES!

AN EARLY BIRD!

One of the very first Airfix Albatros kits (Pattern No. 1393) from the second production run when the header artwork was changed along with the company logo. Moulded in silver, it is complete and the plastic remains in very good condition although the decals are beyond their sell-by date and the wrapper decidedly worn and torn-it still bears the original pencilled price of 2/- and was probably purchased form F W Woolworths. For the period, the kit is basically sound although subsequent issues would be irrevocably altered by American MPC/Airfix-but that's quite another story...

BLUE BIRD!
 

This 1963 Airfix Albatros D.V reissue was moulded in a mauve-bluish plastic and had the benefit of some much-needed retooling thanks to early American Airfix distributors MPC. Our example 's plastic is near mint although the decal sheet and paper header have suffered a little over the decades. Basically accurate in outline, the kit's upgraded surface detail is far superior to the original 1957 release improving a reasonably sound model even further, one which still holds up pretty well despite its age. This particular kit was reserved for a 10-year-old Rimell by
The Model Shop in St. Anne's Road, Harrow which explains the  customer reference in Biro on the header's reverse!

 FORGOTTEN FIGHTER!

JUST one of myriad WWI 1:72 scale all-resin kits from prolific Choroszy Modelbud of Krakow, Poland.  This little gem is an exacting miniature of the 1918 Albatros D.XI prototype (L41) 2209/18 (w/n 5045) that first flew in May1918*. With its tightly-cowled 80-hp Siemen-Halske rotary, 'wireless' wing geometry and spindly undercarriage it was a radical departure from previous Albatros fighter designs. It never entered production, neither did its partner 2208/18 -both performing poorly in Fighter Competitions.However, it's an interesting design that deserves a place in any collection of model Albatros fighters. This resin kit is of superb quality, finely-detailed and accurate in outline with fully-appointed cockpit. Decals and windscreen material are also included and all content is near mint.

*Reviewed in WINDSOCK International  Vol. 20, No.4, July/August 2004.

THE ANCIENT MARINER!

RELEASED in January 2003, this Roden W 4 represented the early version of the 'sea-booted albatross' and contained five runners of well-moulded and highly comprehensive parts*, some being intended for the late version which followed. Other than some excess of flash, the kit features exemplary surface detail throughout and the Ukrainian toolmakers can be commended for their prowess in producing such a fine set of parts. The pontoons have their upper surfaces co-joined via fine struts which may prove problematic when removing seam lines from the joined main sections. Decals provide a choice of three marine numbers in the correct font for the plain finish applicable to the options offered depicted in colour under the box. Aside from a few minor creases to the latter, this is a mint example of one of Roden's best Albatros kits with first-class instructions  that include two useful rigging diagrams.

* The kit was reviewed in WINDSOCK Internatoional Volume 19, No.1, January/February 2003-please see the link below...

AURORA KIT NO.104-GERMAN ALBATROS D-3

Very good example of a very early issue of Aurora's Albatros D-3 and one of the first in the series to feature their iconic oval logo on the box. Contains 32 parts in dark green and black with ground base, figure and nameplate. It has some well-known deviations from true 1:48 scale, and deep-bellied fuselage aside, outlines conform closely with currently-available general arrangement drawings. Despite being marketed as a D.III the over-cooked piscine fuselage marks it down as  later D.V/D.Va versions which demand  rounded rudders and extended tailskid fairings to complete the illusion. Wing and tail parts are slightly too large for true 1:48 scale but there is sufficient plastic for allowing them to be cut down to size relatively easily. This early issue bears one of Jim Cox's timeless art pieces with a pair of Albatrosse set against a deep yellow skyscape-so typical of the period and simply dripping in nostalgia!

LE DIABLE ROUGE!

MERIT's 1956 copy of an Aurora Series B original, the 'Albatros D.III Scout' comprised 29 parts and our example is vivid red although others could be found moulded in dark green. This 1:46/1:48 scale kit has a number of issues including an over-corpulent fuselage that more closely resembles  D.V/D.Va variants and too deep even for them. Parts are actually crisper than Aurora's and fuselage detail is more refined. Originally, our kit was missing the miniscule gunsight, pilot and intake manifold. These have all been reinstated from other kits, which explains the black and grey parts shown. Scale outlines of most other parts are OK but the fin/rudder are undersize and to represent later types will need replacing along with the tailskid. Decals are basic and probably unusable so a more recent Smer sheet is provided with Werner Voss' well-known markings. Our kit contains  missing parts slip and a fascinating mini catalogue of  Merit's kit ranges which included a diversity of cars and marine subjects as well as aircraft.  

SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND, SIR?

 2016 Eduard release of their classic Albatros D.III re-issued as a 'vanilla' Weekend Edition sans any PE items-just pure plastic and a reduced two-option decal sheet.Plenty of internal detail including a full Mercedes, the two runners also include optional rudder and main-plane configurations. Accurate overall with subtle and convincing  surface detail this is Eduard on their very best behaviour. Decals feature two perennial favourites flown by two leading  aces of WWI -one Albatros being red overall, the other bearing three red hearts... An extra bonus is a mint sheet of 1995 AeroMaster decals with a pair of colourful D.III fighters supported by two D.Va subjects.* One of the former offers a an OAW -built Albatros of Jasta 49 so now you can make use of that alternative rudder in the kit! Our example is as new and complete with all parts repacked in zip-locked polythene bags-none of that sticky-backed cellophane nonsense!

*CONTAINS EXTRA DECALS! 

EDELWEISS! EDELWEISS!

From 2010 comes Revell's re-issue of the classic Eduard 1:48 scale Albatros D.V which has been re-boxed by the Czech parent company multiple times over the years since it was first introduced in 1995. This example is mint, aside from the slightly worn-edged box, but is complete with the original Revell decals. These offer the black-fuselaged D.V flown by Ltn. Otto Kissenberth in Jasta 16b bearing the large Edelweiss marking that also adorned his Pfalz and Roland fighters. Udet's D.V from Jasta 37 -inevitably monogrammed 'Lo'- is the other option with  diagonal tail striping on both surfaces being provided. This attractive Revell re-pop also comes with an extra three sets of after-market decal sheets for The D.V and D.Va as well as a few for the earlier D.III version-also by Eduard, and also on the shop. Over 10 different aircraft feature on these exclusive extras!

*CONTAINS EXTRA DECAL BUNDLE!

MIXED DOGFIGHT

Here is a 'dogfight double' in 1:48 from SMER which contains  'strange bed fellows' combining an old Aurora/Merit Albatros of yore with the much more recent Eduard Sopwith Triplane*. It's a mismatch in several ways of course but it it does come with new decals and the 'Tripehound' is a welcome inclusion as the original kit is now somewhat scarce. The decals feature a well-known Jasta 5 D.III with the Bavarian diamonds emblazoned on the fin and rudder, whilst the Triplane selected is N6290 of Naval 8 in 1917. It provides the wing and fuselage bands and a stab at the fuselage Dixie II legend  which has been misinterpreted as Dixie Lee...The sheet is well-printed however with detailed colour views and Humbrol paint codes under the box. Contents are in mint condition. 

*Reviewed in WINDSOCK International  Vol.14, No.4,July/August 1998

ONE of the most popular of Wingnut Wings kits, the Albatros D.V is an accurate and relatively easy to assemble model that has almost endless scope for exotic unit markings and camouflage variations. Five examples of these are supplied on an expansive decal sheet that features D.Vs flown by Eduard Ritter von Schleich; Ottomar Hagenmuller; Otto Kissenberth; Fritz Rumey and Ernst Udet: Ronny Bar provides his usual stellar colour art in support. The kit is in mint order with all original poly bags intact, and comes packed with some great extras from HGW Models in the form of a comprehensive detail collection plus a decal set that enables complete fuselage nail heads to be applied. Rounding off this unique package is an LSK seated Albatros pilot figure, fully painted and ready to perch on your completed model's fuselage...