Wingnut Wings has six special limited edition Albatros kits on the way - each with a different theme of markings for this aircraft and five choices in each of the new style boxings. See exactly what they are offering in these kits in our preview...
Wingnut Wings announce six limited-edition releases of their 1:32nd scale Albatros
Albatros D.V/D.Va - Limited Editions
From Wingnut Wings
1/32nd scale
156 plastic parts
Exclusive decals in five different versions
Wingnut Wings are re-releasing their excellent 32nd scale Albatross kit, and that is not big news one might say, but the nature of these new releases are that the six new boxings are all themed, they each come with five different marking choices - so that means if you are a real Albatros nut-case you can have thirty new schemes to choose from.
Each of these kits feature:
All Limited Edition Albatros D.V/D.Va models feature;
-156 high quality injection moulded plastic parts.
-Optional Daimler-Mercedes 160hp D.III, 180hp D.IIIa or 20hp D.IIIau engines.
-Optional D.V & D.Va parts, windscreens, flares, radiators and propellers.
-11 photo-etched metal detail parts.
-Fully illustrated instruction manual.
-All-new “Limited Edition” packaging with a rustic, raw cardboard box with a full-colour sleeve with item details.
History of the Albatross D.V/D.Va: (With pictures of some of the kites from the boxings in real life)
Johannisthal based Albatros Flugzeugwerke GmbH was responsible for some of the most graceful and effective fighters of the Great War. Their twin-gun, semi-monocoque plywood fuselage Albatros D.1, powered by a 160hp Daimler Mercedes D.III engine, arrived at the front in September 1916 and achieved instant air superiority over its main opposition of Nieuport 11 and DH.2 fighters. Followed immediately by the slightly improved D.II and in December 1916 by the much-improved D.III, with its V strutted sesqiplane wing greatly influenced by the successful Nieuport fighters. The D.III was more manoeuvrable than the D.II and its single spar lower ‘half’ wing afforded greater visibility for the pilot but was also the cause of numerous, frequently fatal, structural failures. Despite many efforts, this problem was never fully resolved. Nevertheless the D.III remained in production well into late 1917.
Even as the excellent D.III went into production plans were underway for its successor, the Albatros D.V. Retaining the wings of the D.III but with aileron controls routed through the upper wing and with a redesigned fuselage completely oval in section, the D.V was arguably the best looking of all Albatros designs. Unfortunately, the D.V inherited the lower wing structural failure problem of the D.III and turned out to not be any real improvement over it performance-wise either. Despite this, the Albatros D.V and the D.Va (with aileron controls cables reverted to D.III configuration), were manufactured in greater numbers than any previous German fighter of the war (only surpassed later by the Fokker D.VII, of which Albatros manufactured the great majority).
The Albatros D.V weighed 620kg empty when production commenced in April 1917 but, following strengthening, the empty weight had increased to 680kg before production of the D.Va started in August 1917. While Johannisthal built D.Va remained 680kg throughout production, those ordered from Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW) in September-October 1917 weighed in at 717kg empty, almost 100kg heavier than the initial D.V.
When the Albatros D.V started appearing at the front in May 1917 it was effectively outclassed by the improved SE.5a, Sopwith Camel and SPAD fighters being fielded by the allies at the time. Even after the introduction of the superb Fokker D.VII the Albatros D.V and D.Va could still be found equipping front line Jastas, although most had been relegated to training or home defence duties by the time of the Armistice.
Colours: (Six examples of schemes in these new boxings from the talented Ronny Bar)
WW1 colour schemes are contentious at the best of times and WNW has done their best to provide what WNW consider to be accurate painting information for this model.
The colourful unit and personal markings applied to the various German fighters of the Great War have attracted more than their fair share of debate over the years and, while WNW has been as meticulous as they could be, some will not find WNW choices to their liking.
Albatros D.V/D.Va fuselages were usually clear varnished resulting in a yellowish plywood colour. The fabric-covered wings and tailplane were finished in either of 2 ways, painted (with medium grey-green & mauve or dark grey-green & lilac on top with light blue below) or covered in pre-printed lozenge camouflage fabric, some of which was almost certainly overpainted with a transparent (brown?) glaze to tone down the vibrant colours.
Metal fittings were painted in pale grey-green, as was much of the engine bay. Exterior metal panels and fittings were usually painted in this same pale grey-green colour although some late production D.Va was finished in a darker grey-green colour.
There was considerable freedom for German units to apply their own colour schemes to their aircraft with some using drab camouflage paints, usually applied with a "loofah" type sponge, while others preferred highly visible colours to aid identification at a distance.
Additionally individual pilot"s markings were also applied in a fashion dictated by the unit commander.
These new boxings all feature:
- Limited edition available exclusively from wingnutwings.com #32906 - Albatros D.Va 'The Bavarians', #32901 - Albatros D.V 'Jasta18', #32902 - Albatros D.V 'The Bavarians', #32903 - Albatros D.V 'Wooden Wonders', #32904 - Albatros D.V 'Camouflaged', #32905 - Albatros D.V 'Flying Circus'
- Model dimensions of 28cm x 23cm
- Relatively simple rigging
- High quality Cartograf decals for 5 aircraft including 5 colour lozenge camouflage
- 156 high quality injection moulded plastic parts
- Optional radiators, headrest, propellers, flares and 160hp D.III, 180hp D.IIIa & 200hp D.IIIau engines and Albatros D.V & D.Va parts
- 11 photo-etched metal detail parts including LMG 08/15 Spandau cooling jackets
- Fine in scale rib tape detail - Full rigging diagrams
The new kits available and links to each of them:
32902 - Albatros D.V 'The Bavarians'
32905 - Albatros D.V 'Flying Circus'
32906 - Albatros D.Va 'The Bavarians'
32903 - Albatros D.V 'Wooden Wonders'
32901 - Albatros D.V 'Jasta18'
32904 - Albatros D.V 'Camouflaged'
These new incarnations of the Albatross are now available for preorder for US$79 for an October-November release from the Wingnut Wings Website
