Albatros

Albatros W-4 by Pegasus 1/72nd scale.

Designed for the German Navy in June 1916, the Albatros W-4 was developed from the successful Albatros D.1 fighter. The W-4 was intended to initiate a new German marine fighter arm. However, the W-4 was not used to the extent of it's abilities. Of the 89 airframes built, only nine were based on continuous active service.

The kits is built Out of the Box using Pegasus Imperial German Naval Lozenge Camouflage. Since it was not uncommon to mix the "Blue Scheme" for upper wing and fuselage with the "Brown Scheme" on lower wing and float surfaces, this model is shown in that color scheme.

Albatros D.Va by Pegasus Models 1/72 scale short run injection. The Albatros D.Va entered service in late 1917 and by the end of the war, over 1600 were produced by Albatros and OAW. By April 1918, the D.Va provided over half the front line strength of the Imperial German Air Force. This kit represents the D.Va flown by Lieutenant Helmuth Dithey of Jasta 40.

Albatros D.IV converted from a Revell Albatros D.III. The Albatros D.IV was to be used a test-bed for investigation of the 160hp Mercedes, an experimental engine. The engine was to be completely buried in the fuselage. Due to strong vibrations the tests were concluded and the geared engine was not developed. Three machines were ordered but only one was ever built. This kit was built following the example of Ray Rimell on pages 12-15 in the 1988 WINDSOCK.

Albatros D.I by Miekraft Models, 1/72 scale short run injection.

The Albatros Fighter entered into service in August 1916 equiped with either a 150hp Benz Bx.III or 160hp Daimler D.III six cylinder water-cooled engine. It also carried twin Spandau 7.92 mm machine guns. About 60 D.I's were built before production stopped in favor of the D.II. The model depicts # 391/16 flown by Lt. Buttner.

The kit is built out of the box with the exception of the wings which were replaced using Roseplane vacuform wing forms. The kit allows for either the D.I or D.II to be modelled and provides decals for at least five different planes.

Albatros D.III by Revell 1/72nd scale injection molded

The Albatros D.III entered service in early 1917 and is one of the classic WW1 German fighter biplanes and enjoyed widespread service on the Western Front in 1917 and 1918. The D.III adopted the sesquiplane (literally, 1 ½ wing) layout. Although officially superseded by the Albatros D.V during the summer of 1917, production of the D.III was not halted, with both types being turned simultaneously until early 1918.

This model depicts the D.III flown by Ltn. Werner Voss when serving with Jagdstaffel 5, Spring 1917.

This kit was built in 1984 is 100% Out of the Box. With the exception of the cockpit detail, there are no after market products used, mainly because there were none available at this time. This is one of the best kits in my collection and is one of those kits where everything went together perfectly.

Albatros D.V by Eduard Dual Combo kit no. 7021

The D.V prototype is believed to have been completed in early 1917 after Albatros had received orders for 200 D.V airframes. Soon after the D.Vs reached Jastas in May 1917 that the wing failures of the D.III appeared in the D.V. Despite subsequent testing and intensive design studies, the problem would remain unsolved for the duration of the war and the precise causes have eluded the most eminent of aero historians ever since. A total of 900 D.Vs were ordered and the plane was used throughout the war. (Rimell)

The model depicted was flown by Richard Flaschar, Jasta 5, 1917-18.

A build article can be found in Internet Modeler, February 2008.

Albatros D.V by Eduard Dual Combo kit no. 7021

The D.V prototype is believed to have been completed in early 1917 after Albatros had received orders for 200 D.V airframes. Soon after the D.Vs reached Jastas in May 1917 that the wing failures of the D.III appeared in the D.V. Despite subsequent testing and intensive design studies, the problem would remain unsolved for the duration of the war and the precise causes have eluded the most eminent of aero historians ever since. A total of 900 D.Vs were ordered and the plane was used throughout the war. (Rimell)

The model depicted was flown by Olivier Freiherr von Beaulieu-Marconnay, Jasta 19.

A build article can be found in Internet Modeler, February 2008.

Albatros Dr1 Triplane by Eduard with Roseplane conversion in 1/72sn scale

After the appearance of the Sopwith Triplane, manufacturers in Germany were requested to give thought to the triplane format. Albatros merged three wings of equal span and narrow chord to a DVa airframe. All three wings had ailerons connected by vertical steel struts.

The official Idflieg monthly report for September1917 stated that tests were stopped due to cooling problems and that new radiators were awaited but the aircraft showed no special promise. There is no further mention in the reports so it would appear the type was abandoned.

The Eduard kit was mated with a Roseplane Albatros Dr-1 Conversion kit # 609. The conversion kit consists of the three wings and a fairly detailed instruction sheet. The wings are resin and very thin. In fact, they are flimsy until all struts and rigging are in place.

The decals are Americal five color lozenge and the national marking came from the scrap box. My Americal decals are getting old and brittle but went on without a lot of protest. I used a lot of Micro Sol to get them to lay down. I wanted to use Solvaset but it is too hot and made the colors run. The blue rib tapes were made with a Sharpie Ultra Fine Point permanent marker in about 10 minutes.

The fuselage is a light yellow with brown streaks. All metal parts are RLM02. This was a fairly complex build and took about 20 hours to build.

References: Windsock International Volume 3 No.4, Winter 1987, pages 10 - 12
Windsock International Plans Service, WS/21

Albatros J.2 by Xtra Vac 1/72nd scale vacuform

The J.2 armored reconnaissance biplane was an improvement on the J.1 with the armor plate extending to the nose to protect the 220 hp Benz IVa engine. Per A. Imrie, twenty machines were at the front in August 1918. The plane originally had two downward firing machine guns exiting through the fuselage floor between the undercarriage legs. This arrangement was abandoned since low altitude operations made sighting very difficult.

This is my first vacuform by Xtra Vac and I was pleased with the results. It is a basic vacuform kit with one sheet of parts, a small amount of resin parts, some strut material and two sheets of instructions. There are no decals. There is a nice interior.

The grey is RLM02; the wood grain is unbleached linen streaked with wood brown to depict a wood grain. The lozenge is Aero Master four color, the crosses are Americal and the rib tapes were made with a Scripto Ultra fine felt tip pen. Alb J.2 on the tail is hand lettered.

Building time was about 15 hours. This is the first plane that I attached the upper wing with the Aeroclub Biplane Jig.