Meng has taken up the mantle to continue the work of Wingnut Wings and present us with the 32nd scale kit of the Fokker Dr.1 Triplane. We have scant information so far on the kit, but we do have some CADs, the artwork, a few sprue close ups and a little on the original aircraft in our preview...
Preview: Meng takes the mantel with the new 1/32nd Fokker Dr.I Triplane
Preview: Fokker Dr.I Triplane
From Meng Models
Product No: #QS-002
1/32nd scale
Product Dimensions 180.44mm long and 225mm wide
So it seems the rumour were true... We had been waiting for another company to take on the proposed Fokker and other forthcoming moulds from the now sadly defunct Wingnut Wings. It seems logical that the team who were involved with the kits in the moulding stage went on to market them, Meng has emerged as that candidate, and now they bring us the kit that everyone wanted, the Dr.I Triplane, and this one is in the colours of the Red Baron!
The Fokker Dr.I In History
In autumn 1917, machine guns, barbed wires and shell craters were all over the quiet and wet Western Europe. Accompanied by death and rats, a soldier who curled up in the muddy trenches looked into the sky. That’s the only pure place he could watch. But even in the sky, there was a dominator. From time to time, the specially shaped German triplanes appeared and fought with British and French planes.
The Fokker Dr.I triplane produced by the Fokker company in 1917. Its three wings were arranged in order from top to bottom with the wing areas reduced sequentially. In this way, the triplane could get more lift than biplanes and monoplanes and wouldn’t suffer too much drag. Most metal bracing wires were hidden inside the aircraft to further reduce the drag. Two MG08 air-cooled machine guns with synchronization gear were installed in front of the cockpit. Its firepower was far better than the British triplanes.
The tiny Fokker Triplane has emerged as the most famous of all German planes of the First World War. The Triplane was created in response to the performance of Great Britain's Sopwith Triplane, which had amazing maneuverability and a startling rate of climb. Anthony Fokker tasked Reinhold Platz to match the Sopwith Triplane.
Despite his disdain for complicated structures, Platz succeeded admirably with the Dr I (Dr for "Driedecker" or triplane). Using the available Oberursel rotary engine of 110 horsepower, Platz created a handsome aircraft with three essentially cantilever wings that exceeded the English Triplane's performance. The Fokker Dr I, while relatively slow, had matchless maneuverability and a rate of climb that amazed opposing Allied pilots.
Among those German triplanes, one red aircraft stood out in the blue sky. By flying excellent maneuvers, this red triplane could always defeat those British and French aircraft which tried to shoot it down. The red triplane was the dominator of the sky, and its pilot called “Red Baron”.
The Red Baron
Manfred von Richthofen (1892- 1918) went down in history under the nickname of the “Red Baron”. The leading ace of German aviation, Richthofen was the most celebrated aviator of the First World War: in less than two years he had 80 confirmed kills, and it was during an air duel where he eventually met his demise: in April 1918, he was struck in a hail of bullets and died soon afterwards.
Nicknamed by his comrades, but especially by his opponents, the “Red Devil”, the “Red Baron”, “Little Red” or the “Red Knight”, Manfred von Richthofen still remains an aviation legend. When the First World War ended, he scored the most victories in air battles: he had shot down 80 enemy planes (some even say 81). French captain René Fonck came in a close second with 75 planes shot down. However, the two never met in battle.
If one had to assign a percentage factor to this fame, about ten percent comes from the fact that it was the mount in which the leading German ace, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, was killed, shortly after his 80th, and last, victory.
The Kit from Meng:
Now your wishes come true as the latest MENG QS-002 Fokker Dr.I Triplane model kit will be available soon. This 1/32 scale model kit features accurate exteriors, wing structure and realistic fabric covering. This aircraft’s cockpit interiors and engine construction are completely replicated. Exquisite PE cooling jackets and sights are provided to replicate the complete aircraft machine guns.
The eye-catching “Red Baron” paint scheme is included. The finished model will be 180.44mm long and 225mm wide. It shows the classic shape and colourful appearance of this classic fighter aircraft. It can become the brightest star in your collection.
we also have some very fresh sprue pictures of the kit, controls of the kit here with moulded don control lines.
The seat looks like it has some wrinkles in the seat cushion...
The cockpit floor...
Look at the detail on those tyres!
The lines holding these canvas parts look very convincing...
The Photo Etched cooling jacket around the machine gun is usually something for aftermarket companies, this one looks good enough not to have to replace, especially compared with the simpler all in one moulded part it is compared with.
For more on this kit, you can visit the Meng Website
