Next up: WNW Roland D.VIa

Making progress on my next Wingnut Wings kit, the Roland D.VIa. The cockpit has been assembled and painted and the fuselage closed up with the seam puttied. I will be doing the scheme of Hans Jungwirth with the speculative blue butterfly on the fuselage sides. I will be using the new cookie cutter lozenge from Aviattic and machine guns from Gaspatch.

Finished: Wingnut Wings Fokker DVII (OAW) "U10"

Almost...

Getting close to calling "U10" finished! Still waiting on a wooden prop from the Micro Group and still have to finish painting the dog. I purchased cabinet "pulls" and screwed them to the bottom of the frame to lift it about an inch in an attempt to make it look a little different than just a frame. I took the glass out of the frame and replaced it with an 8X10 oil painter's palette onto which I added the groundwork, and static grass...painted it with an airbrush, oils washes, and finished with powders.

Pilot #2

Trying to get everything finished for the Chicago Show this coming weekend. I don't have time to complete the fuel cart and figures right now but managed to get a second pilot painted and am working on a dog too. This pilot and the dog will be positioned next do the DVII as if he's in conversation with the pilot of "U10". Painted in oils, this figure was also sculpted by Steve Warrilow.

Winding Down...

About ready to secure the tail...

Upper wing...

Upper wing attached. This wing fought me a little bit (unlike my first DVII build) but after walking away a couple of times I finally got it into place. Still have to finish the tail. Pilot is covered in saran wrap in preparation of spraying the plane with a clearcote before final weathering and rigging.

Rigging...

I used Bob's Buckles and EZ Line for rigging the undercarriage. It was easier than I had anticipated even for my 54 year old eyes!

The Guns....

Making progress... still have to do some detail painting on the guns.

"U10"

All of the online research I've done and the pictures that I've found show the quotation marks on the "U10" only appeared on the port side and the upper wing and not the U10 on the starboard side. After much hemming and hawing I removed the quotation marks from the starboard side decal...I hope I am not proven wrong!!!

Decals...

Being a high school teacher my time at the workbench is rapidly decreasing but I am plugging away. Started laying the "U10" decals. I weathered the fuselage with oils paints first...trying to keep it subtle. After the decals are fully dry, I will overspray them with a satin clear cote and weather a bit more. The plastic jig is from Vertigo. It arrived missing the piece that holds the tail...I've sent two emails and haven't had a response yet.

Plugging Away...

More progress...crosses added to the upper wing. These are from the WNW set and I don't use the Solvaset. They sat down nice and tight over the Aviattic lozenge with just water. I sprayed the fuselage and lower wing assembly with Polly S satin finish and then pulled the Saran Wrap masking off and am currently doing a bit of touch up work.

Progress...

More progress....waiting for the upper wing lozenge to dry. Time to gloss coat the fuselage/lower wing and start some washes (glazes), weathering, and picking out the small details.

Upper Wing...

Applying the Aviattic lozenge to the underside of the upper wing. I thought I would try something different...I usually work over a gray primer but for the upper wing I lightly over sprayed it with Vallejo Air White. Though it looks really white in the picture, I just kind of covered the gray, not spraying it a solid white. I am really happy with how it is looking so far. Kind of fun experimenting with the Aviattic lozenge!

Painting Continues...

Preliminary colors sprayed...I used Tamiya Red Brown with a couple of drops of White for the cowling and Tamiya Dark Grey for the fuselage. Most accounts describe "U10" as being painted slate grey, almost black. I also highlighted the louvers a bit and painted the gas cap covers. When fully dry I will seal it with a gloss cote in preparation of weathering and decals.

Masking and Painting...

I masked the cockpit coaming with green painter's tape and airbrushed the lilac and green camouflage. I also sprayed the axel wing and the wheel covers. Second picture shows the green painter's tape has been removed and touchups on the paint were completed by hand. Still have to paint the gas caps brass and then I will pick out details with oil paints later. Too bad most of this detail will be tough to see with the upper wing mounted.

Primed...

Small steps but still moving forward...covered the pilot and engine with Saran Wrap and sprayed the fuselage with my usual gray primer. Next I will do some masking and paint the cockpit coaming lilac and green, the front cowlings chocolate brown, the fuselage a slate gray, and touch up the other details.

Lower Wing...

Lozenge in place on the lower wing. The wing is just temporarily fitted for the pictures.

More Lozenge...

Aviattic lozenge applied to the upper flying surface of the lower wing. This was put down over a glossy gray primer. I used a touch of Solvaset followed by a blast from the hairdryer and everything snugged right down. Just a little trimming to do when fully dry.

Fuel Cart Crew

Started some preliminary work on the fuel cart crew from Aviattic. Some assembly completed and putty added where the upper and lower torsos come together on the first figure. It looks like a small swipe of filler will be necessary at the arm joins, but that is pretty standard. Clean up of seam lines was a breeze. Both heads and the reaching arm of the second figure are just held in place with blue tack for these pics. Final placement of the heads, arms, and fuel hose will not happen until it starts to come together at the end of the entire build. The set comes with three heads giving you a few options for the figures. A very nice set sculpted by Steve Warrilow...who also sculpted the pilot in the cockpit.

Lozenge

Taking a break from the fuselage, I started applying the lozenge. I am using the Aviattic OAW, 4 color, faded, with blue ribs. This is my second go at the Aviattic cookie cutter set...I used it the first time on my Fokker built DVII. I prepped the wing with gray primer followed by a clear gloss coat. I used some Solvaset and then hit it with a blow dryer and the decals set down quickly. I will eventually be using oil paints for some shadow and weathering effects...that's a ways off though.

Engine cowls...

Working on the engine cowls. I had to remove three small louvers from each of the cowls (just to the right of the puttied seam) as per the "U10" instructions. WNW instructions call for filling these seams on both sides of the fuselage...I use Squadron Green putty diluted with a little Testors liquid cement. I'll sand them flush when the putty dries. The exhaust is not cemented into place yet. I will do some painting first and then attach.

Small steps...

A little more progress...the coaming has been drilled out and ready to be cemented into place.

Fuel Cart

Also working on the 1/32 scale German fuel cart from Aviattic. Nice little resin kit that will make an interesting addition to the "U10" scene. I replaced the resin kit-supplied push bar with some brass rod. This will eventually have a 2 figure crew.

"U10"

This is U10 as pictured by Ronny Bar for Wingnut Wings and, also from the WNW archives is a photograph of U10 after its capture and with the US 95th Aero Squadron's kicking mule insignia applied. U10 has an interesting history: Fokker D.VII (OAW) 4635/18 captured by the 95th Aero as the pilot, Lt. Heinz Freiherr von Beaulieu-Marconnay, landed his aircraft at their forward field. This took place on November 9, 1918...two days before the Armistice. Older brother to German ace Olivier von Beaulieu-Marconnay Cmdr. of Jasta 19. Heinz saw his brother linger in death after wounding by friendly fire. When he landed he seemed tired of the conflict and commented. "...The war will be over in a few days anyway..." U10 is now at the Smithsonian.

Fokker DVII (OAW) "U10"

Decided to commit to building Fokker DVII (OAW) "10". I will use the markings to represent the morning of its final flight before capture. The pilot is finished and placed in the seat. Now I can finish building the cockpit around him without worrying about squeezing him in later and possibly damaging the small, fiddly parts. I will be using Aviattic lozenge and the "U10" markings from Wingnut Wings.

Another Wingnut Wings DVII

Haven't been motivated to paint or build anything in months so I decided to take a crack at another Fokker DVII. Started work on the cockpit and decided to add a figure. This 54mm pilot was sculpted by Steve Warrilow and released by Wings Cockpit Figures. After some test fitting I have decided that the figure will be painted and positioned in the cockpit before construction continues. I think it will be too difficult to get him into place later. This DVII is the OAW version and I will keep the markings under wraps for now.