Hi there

I found this on the way home from work!! Roden's new Fokker DVII in 1/48! :-)



A quick check against the Windsock Datafile is quite encouraging... :-)

I'll try to do "the works" on a preview of this one! The Main Site only allows a few pics so, as usual, I'll put the extra stuff over on A-UK :-)

It's a shame this one wasn't released in time for the Age of Aces campaign...

All the best

Rowan

:-) Oh great, looks like I throw out my old DVII :-)
Mal

That's interesting !
EDUARD IS ALSO ANNOUNCING THE DVII for pretty soon !

Hi there

Yes it caught me by surprise too!

I must admit to mixed feelings when I saw it, because I've been waiting for Eduard to bring out a DVII (and an SE5A - please, please, please....!)

I don't want to give the game away to much... 'cause no-one will bother reading the preview , but (apart from some dodgy lozenge decals - what's new!?) this has got a lot going for it; detailed engine and cockpit, separate control surfaces and, most importantly, what looks like an accurate wing profile.

I can't be too sure until I cut the parts of the sprue - and I won't do that until I've taken some pics... but I'll then do some comparison shots against the Windsock plans...

Stay tuned...

Rowan

There have been several reviews on either Hyperscale or Modelling Madness.

Kit builds-up into a nice early DVII.

The decals for the Lozenge are a weak point as the colors are pretty inaccurate. Aftermarket will be needed here. (My logenge decals were a bit out of register as soemtimes happens with Roden. But, not too bad.)

If you read the reviews, there are some fit issues when the engine nacelle is being attached to the fuse.

But, it looks like a very nice kit and a great foundation for anyone wanting to super detail. There are lots of posts about this on the WWI modeling list.

Steve

Hi Steve

Thanks for the heads up on the other previews...

I think my appraisal may differ slightly... certainly (in my example...), the lozenge decals are NOT "superbly printed"... they suck!!! Out of register AND poor colours

Hopefully, I'll come up with something still worth checking out...

All the best

Rowan

Merlin, roden is announcing the SE5A for soon !

Hi again

My Dream Machine!!!

All the best

Rowan

as a ww1 fan ive had my eye on this kit since i read the first reveiws,don,t really work in 1/48 though but could be tempted.i have a 1/28 revell d.vii in my stash (on sale couldnt resist) when i eventually build it, theres a lot of a/ms around i,ll put in there :-)

Greetings all; First posting, over here TDY from another forum. If your interested in the Roden Build here's abit of something. I have a review on my website you might find intereting.
All the best JJF

Hi Jack Flash :-)

Welcome to Armorama - great to have you aboard - I think you should really enjoy this place.

Thanks for the link - that's gone straight into my Favourites folder - I wish I'd known about it when we did a WW1 build last year. I recommend anyone building the Roden kit should follow that thread, because there's masses of helpful tips and info in there!

I did an inbox review of the kit here and over on A-UK, where I compared the parts against Windsock plans.

All the best and, once again, welcome to the Big-A.
Rowan

Be aware the Roden isn't an easy a build as the Dragon/DML. In addition, individual kits seem to have their own gremlins. For example the loz in the kit I bought was perfect, and doesn't have the lower wing fit problems (induced anhedral) in other kits. I haven't gotten to assembling the nose bits, yet, so I 'm curious to see if I have the same problems others have had.

Thanks Merlin, You want to try a tough D.VII build try the Battle Axe kit. Here's a bit of fun for you;

Just for the grins of it, here is a bit of fun. one of my 1/48 Roden Fokker D. VII builds. This is kit #417. With the kit lozenge. The figures are modified Eduard items.

Stephen, did you have any trouble getting the kit lozenge decals to stick? I've encountered some problems with my Roden 1/72 Fokker D.VI. I have a nice coat of clear gloss down, but they have given me fits.

Greetings Tony_Frey;
Actually I found them (1/48 sheets) typical of short run decals. They are placed on a carrier film with the design on top using coloured inks. These are not sealed with another carrier on top. So before you get them wet and before you cut up the sheet shoot it with a gloss coat. Let dry thoroughly. Copper State Models lozenge is the same and certain concerns should be dealt with. These types of decals tend to be brittle even wet and the best thing to do is use very warm water to immerse them in. This will tend to soften the carrier film enough for immediate placement on the glossy kit surface. As the water tends to cool off you will need to replace it with warmer water. The drag comes with the rib tapes. But this is needed to do the lozenge that way is was originally. Always use a very sharp Xacto #11 blade when cutting the tin strips. and lightly score the decals before cutting all the way through. This will keep the surface ink from fracturing. Work with an optivsor and be very deliberate. Easily Eagle Strike is the best decal going for either 4 or 5 colour lozenge. But if you intend on using the Roden kit decals then bear in mind the concerns I've outlined and it will go easier.

Hi Steven

I don't suppose we could tempt you into a Feature on using lozenge decals, could we?

I've bought a couple of sets - Techmodel and Pegasus (completely different colours! LOL!!) . The instructions aren't great, so I could certailnly benefit from more guidance before tackling anything...

All the best

Rowan

Thanks for the advice Stephen. I'm definitely going to keep trying with the kit decals until I 'advance' a bit. Decaling never has been my strong point.

I agree with Merlin, a lozenge decal feature would be most helpful.

Hi again

Just looking at the sheets, Techmod's seem to be printed span-wise...and Pegasus's chord-wise...

For beginners (me! ), some help at even this basic level would be invaluable...

Cheers

Rowan

Certainly Merlin nothin up my sleeve ...presto! I'll do some scribbling and get back to ye! On the Techmod...I would rank them with ...DML / Dragon decals. are you about the colours?!

Hi Steven

It'd fantastic if you can write an article.

The colours which manufacturers use are completely bewildering! Pegasus make big claims for their sheets, which are completely different from Techmod and Roden.

I recently bought Eduard's Albatros floatplane and I've read that the naval lozenge supplied in that is also wrong.

An overview of the different lozenge decals available, with a comment on their accuracy would be a great help.

All the best

Rowan

Greetings Merlin.

I will start on that piece in a couple of weeks. Just came up from the sub-basement. There are some bloodthirsty folk down in dioramas.

In the mean time here's a bit of fun for the ragwing enthusiasts in the crowd. While I have several 3 ring binders full of available decals and few I've done myself, I like to do the unique markings best. The stuff that decal companies haven't the time for in some cases.



The above cover is from a 1970 reprint of the second book in Paul Hogan's 1930's pulp series of "G-8 and his Battle Aces." "Purple aces -- purple faces ! Coming to kill at dawn!" A dying yank gasped these words. As he did so he pointed to his own forehead where, emblazoned on the skin was a small purple ace of spades! What was this dread emblem? Who were the suicide pilots that fought like fiends under the Order of the Purple Ace? The Allies wait in terror while G-8 and his sky pals take up a fighting trail against this mystery staffel of death!

http://www.vintagelibrary.com/pd.cfm?pcode=g8002
For those of you interested in perusing pulp.

The 'closest machine' on the cover has a serial number between the tail and white fuselage band of VII 517. I took this to interpret as Fok. D.VII D.517/18. It has the early styled Iron Cross on the rudder and fin from the first few machines of the first production batch. Since D. 517/18 is from the last part of the first batch I thought it would be great fun to do a psydo-or hypothetical profile keeping with known aspects of the first Fokker (Schwerin) production batch.

These are;
1. 4 colour lozenge.
2. Rib tapes in 4 colour loz.
3. Narrow full chord crosses on the wings. Partial white border.
4. 5:4 ratio crosses with full border on fuselage (overpainted.)
5. Normal layout for the tail insignia.
6. Fokker Grn interplane, cabane, and landing gear.
7. 'Lift here' (in German) in white letters on black eliptical patches on wing tips.
8. Fuselage overpainted 'Mauve' with white band, mauve Ace of Spades with a white skull at its center.
9. Serial repainted on fuselage in white.
10. Wheel covers "mauve'.
11. Engine will probably have to be the Mercedes D.IIIaü 180hp or D.IIIav 200hp. But I can still change it if new info comes up. (Checking the Fokker allocation lists.) With low side mounted exhaust.
12. Upper engine cowlings removed for summer months.

Here are the results.