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Early Aviation
Discuss World War I and the early years of aviation thru 1934.
REVIEW
Pfalz D.IIIa
JackFlash
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Colorado, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 09:44 AM UTC

The shark-like profile of the Pfalz D.III appeared on the Western Front in late summer / early autumn 1917. Soon a modified version began making its debut with a more powerful motor and improved control areas it was known as the Pfalz D.IIIa. Wingnut Wings has given us a beautiful mould of the Pfalz D.IIIa in 1:32.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
thegirl
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Alberta, Canada
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Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 11:40 AM UTC
My hat's off to you Sir for a very well done review !
Kornbeef
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England - South East, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 08:41 PM UTC
Great review Stephen

This one is high on my * I wanna* list and once I get caught up with some other projects I might well order it. Your review has whetted my appetite as I sit and wait for Parcelforce to process my Roland and advise me it's ready for collection upon paying taxes and their *administration fee*.


Now if I might ask something? The new lozenge for this kit, how does it look in comparison with their Lozenge from the LVG which was a little dotty when viewed close up? Presuming of course you have access to A LVG

Keith
JackFlash
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Posted: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 01:56 AM UTC
Part of my review will be to add a comparison of the WNW and the Doug Baumann lozenge. There are some questions in my mind about both versions. I will try to make the WNW sets work on my up coming build. More in the near future.
JackFlash
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Colorado, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 07:27 PM UTC
I have added some images to the review. I taped a few items together and was very pleased with the fit.














JackFlash
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Colorado, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 07:33 PM UTC
Here is a bit more.











JackFlash
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Colorado, United States
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Posted: Sunday, January 16, 2011 - 07:41 PM UTC
1:32 Lozenge decal comparisons are next.
Kornbeef
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England - South East, United Kingdom
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Posted: Sunday, January 16, 2011 - 08:56 PM UTC
Nice additions Stephen, I see WNWs attention to detail in this kit is as good as the Roland. Clever ejector pin positioning I have to say *checked the Roli and its the same in the inspection hatches

Guess this one is raised to next on the list for me unless WNW decide to release the DVII of course

Kb
JackFlash
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Colorado, United States
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Posted: Monday, January 17, 2011 - 03:14 PM UTC
Thanks Keith,

Now for some wing lozenge application notes:

1. On the lower wing panels the application went chordqwise from the wing root to the tip.
2. On the upper wing the center section was covered seperately chordwise.
3. On the upper wing panels were also covered chordwise from their wing root out to the tip.
4. On the ailerons they were covered separately spanwise.
5. Rib tapes were strips of 5 colour upper surface loz.

Historian Dan San Abbott states
"There were a considerable number of Pfalz D.IIIa in the January 1918 order for 340 D.IIIa machines, serial numbers D.8000/17 to D8339/17 that were covered with the intermediate dark 5 color printed fabric on the upper surfaces of both wings, elevator and rudder.

The ribs on the wings, ailerons, elevator and rudder were taped with cut strips of the five color intermediate dark pattern approximately 25 mm wide. The photo on page 27 is Pfalz D.IIIa 8052/17 is covered with five color fabric intermediate dark pattern, with matching rib tapes. . .The 1918 order for 120 Pfalz D.IIIa serial numbers D1250/18 to 1369/18 were covered on the upper surface the same way, however, some had the lower surfaces of the wings and elevator with plain unprinted unbleached linen fabric. The under surfaces were were over painted lt. blue, Pfalz D.IIIa 1284/18 is an example. See photos on page 20 of the Pfalz D.IIIa Datafile 21.. . .

I believe the center-section of the upper wing was covered with fabric. . . .On page 20, these two photos I think were taken at the Pfalz Flugzeugwerke, these photos are of Pfalz D.IIIa 1284/18 and this machine is unfinished. The fuselage and rudder crosses lack the white borders and the spinner has not been installed. There is a man in the bottom photo in a suit, white shirt and tie in the back ground. the strut end fitting are probably a black japaned finish. This was a fairly common method of finishing metal parts.

On page 27, is operational Pfalz D.IIIa 8052/17, with a dark band and a white E. The lower wing shows the five color fabric, the fuselage, struts were, wheel covers and axle-bar were finished in aluminum paint/dope. The upper wing faintly shows a lozenge, just forward of the trailing edge cut out, this is on on the plywood area of the upper wing center section."
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