(re)New to WW1 aircraft

[DanL]

Built WW1 planes back in the late 1960's. Retired now and seeing the beautiful models today, this forum, and TimC's database, I'm really getting interested.
1/48 or 1/32 seem good to me - old guy eyesight, ability to add detail and add animation are the reasons.
I think I'll likely build no more than 6 -8 models - the "standard" fighters, but would like t have at least one big bomber like the Gotha.
I build detailed R/C ship models in the 3 to 6 ft long range and enjoy detail and animation (firing naval cannons, revolving radar, sound, working winches, anchors, etc). Enjoy photographing models in realistic settings (a ship model pic attached)
Is animation - rotating props, exhaust, sound, moving control surfaces - something that is typically done with static WW1 models, or is it not a typical approach?
Searching/reading leads me to Roden and Eduard/Gavia as generally the more detailed and accurate models. Is that a good assumption?
Has anyone run a poll for best kits in a given scale, eg "best 1/48 Spad kit", or "best 1/32 Fokker D VII,etc.?

Sorry for the newbie questions, but any comments/advice really appreciated.
Looking fwd to building and photographing.

[tcrean7828]

Originally Posted by DanL

Built WW1 planes back in the late 1960's. Retired now and seeing the beautiful models today, this forum, and TimC's database, I'm really getting interested.
1/48 or 1/32 seem good to me - old guy eyesight, ability to add detail and add animation are the reasons.
I think I'll likely build no more than 6 -8 models - the "standard" fighters, but would like t have at least one big bomber like the Gotha.
I build detailed R/C ship models in the 3 to 6 ft long range and enjoy detail and animation (firing naval cannons, revolving radar, sound, working winches, anchors, etc). Enjoy photographing models in realistic settings (a ship model pic attached)
Is animation - rotating props, exhaust, sound, moving control surfaces - something that is typically done with static WW1 models, or is it not a typical approach?
Searching/reading leads me to Roden and Eduard/Gavia as generally the more detailed and accurate models. Is that a good assumption?
Has anyone run a poll for best kits in a given scale, eg "best 1/48 Spad kit", or "best 1/32 Fokker D VII,etc.?

Sorry for the newbie questions, but any comments/advice really appreciated.
Looking fwd to building and photographing.

Mate,
Welcome to the flagship of the Aerodrome - where the greatest minds on the planet get together and talk about their favorite subject - WW1.

ttfn

tcrean7828

tom

P.S. Werner Voss fan here.

[Kaiser Bill]

DanL...welcome to the 'drome. Someone should be along shortly to answer all your questions.

Kaiser Bill

[DanL]

In 1/32:

Fokker DR1
Late Spad (lafayette?)
Albatross D3 or 5
Nieuport 28
Fokker D8
Fokker D7
Sopwith Camel
Pfalz D3
SE5a
Gotha G something

Picked up the only larger scale WWI model at the local hobby shop today - a Revell 1/48 Sopwith Camel - to get re-initiated...

Other favorites?
Thanks

[stevedrew]

DanL,

Welcome to the Forum. Many helpful chaps and ladies here to assist.

If you wish to build a selection of the most common/most popular/most colourful etc aircraft of WW1, and you'd like to build a Gotha too, unfortunately 1/32 will be out of the question (no Gotha Model in that scale - not that I/m aware of anyways).

Wingnut Wings are a relatively new manufacturer from New Zealand, and manufactures solely in 1/32 scale, and their models are superb, and contain photo etched parts and excellent detailed manuals with many colour photos. You won't see them at your hobby shop. They are only available online.

I guess you will be looking at 1/48 or 1/72 scale, although they will look positively microscopic next to your ships (great pic by the way).

Typically, animation is not done in these scales. The only "animation" you are ever likely to see would be control surface placement. Typically, models are manufactured with control surfaces (ailerons, elevators, and rudder) in their neutral position. Some modellers may choose to offset these surfaces to make their model more "interesting" or "different". Some manufacturers provide for this by having the control surfaces on a seperate sprue to enable you to set them in this fashion of you desire. Other modellers cut these surfaces carefully and re-position them. Others scratch build their models and choose to create the off-set surfaces, but (again) typically, they are not "movable".

Hope that helps in some way. I'm a novice at this myself, and I hope that some of the experts here will help you out.

[charlie bucket]

Originally Posted by stevedrew

DanL,

Welcome to the Forum. Many helpful chaps and ladies here to assist.

If you wish to build a selection of the most common/most popular/most colourful etc aircraft of WW1, and you'd like to build a Gotha too, unfortunately 1/32 will be out of the question (no Gotha Model in that scale - not that I/m aware of anyways).

Wingnut Wings are a relatively new manufacturer from New Zealand, and manufactures solely in 1/32 scale, and their models are superb, and contain photo etched parts and excellent detailed manuals with many colour photos. You won't see them at your hobby shop. They are only available online.

Wingnut is indeed working on a 1/32 Gotha:

Wingnut Wings - Coming Soon

And Dan, I think Eduard is a good one to start with in the 1/48 stuff, and I personally consider that scale the "Goldilocks" one in terms of size per display space and choice detailing, but of course that depends on your space and tastes. A typical WWI one-seater in 1/48 will take up about as much display space as a typical 1/72 modern jet fighter, more or less.

Eduard's kits tend to go together quite easily - nice "Tamigawa" fit - they have clean mold shapes, and they have lots of PE goodies and interesting schemes with the exception of the more limited weekend kits (no PE and only 1 scheme on those), though there are sometimes inaccuracies that need correcting (strut length on Eduard's Albatros undercarriage is particularly short, for example, and their color suggestions are often suspect for the stickler). Research and a little homemade diligence will easily take care of this stuff. I like some of Eduard's combo kits too (2 of the same plane in 1 box at what seems to me a very reasonable price).

It just depends on what you're looking for in terms of what particular plane you want to build. Advantages and disadvantages always, and one manufacturer might make a bird that nobody else does or have some better accuracy in [x] ways compared to another kit maker's [y] ways, or be easier to make, given the same aircraft by two different kit makers.

Roden is also great, although they have no photoetched parts and sometimes their parts go together in an awkward way compared to the Eduard stuff. There are separate aftermarket photoetch sheets for various planes though, in addition to the tons of different aftermarket decal sets for various schemes.

There is also Special Hobby, and they make a few very interesting planes in 1/48. Karaya also has a few great kits in the WWI realm. For the hardcore modeler there's Copper State (and a few others I'm unqualified to comment on, not having any of their stuff), who make resin kits of usually more rare aircraft, but these tax your modeling abilities extensively as they are hardly ever consistent in molding and often have more complicated designs, crazy rigging, planned scratch-building of certain parts not even included in the kit, etc. I have CS's Lohner B.II, for example, and the wings don't match at all (I think one was mis-molded), so it's going to be a challenge to make the necessary corrections. If you're used to doing ships it shouldn't be anything you can't handle, particularly if you do your ships plank-on-frame ala Harold Underhill!!

[nice ship indeed, btw!]

In 1/32, you really can't do any better than Wingnut (pricey, but extraordinary quality and fit).

[Familyman]

Originally Posted by DanL

In 1/32:

Fokker DR1
Late Spad (lafayette?)
Albatross D3 or 5
Nieuport 28
Fokker D8
Fokker D7
Sopwith Camel
Pfalz D3
SE5a
Gotha G something

Picked up the only larger scale WWI model at the local hobby shop today - a Revell 1/48 Sopwith Camel - to get re-initiated...

Hi Dan and welcome to the Drome!

Revell 1/48 Sopwith Camel is a good kit to start with. I think the kit was around already when you built ww1 models in the 60s. It's good to rehearse the basic skills in biplane building. No use to try to make the model look accurate, tho.

There are usually not many choices for the 1/32 kit for a certain WW1 scout. If there is a Wingnut Wing kit on the subject, it is the most accurate and most buildable, too. Roden kits are usually also quite accurate, but somewhat trickier to put together ( actual 1/32 builders, correct me please, if I'm wrong). Avis and Special Hobby have put out some decent kits in 1/32. Hobbycraft 1/32 ww1 kits usually have serious accuracy problems, but with some types they are the only choice there is as far as injection molded kits are concerned. I've understood, that some modelers have had also very bad experiences with Battle Axe short run injection kits in 1/32. At least they seem to be quite expensive.

I build mostly in 1/48 so I let the 1/32 boys and gals do the kit listing for you.


Mikko

[DanL]

Thanks for the advice. Now that I've seen the Wingnut stuff, I think I'm hooked on 1/32. Between Wingnut and Roden , here's what the shopping list is looking like so far. Maybe I'll wait out Wingnut for gaps in the list.

Fokker DR1 ----------Roden 601 or WNW ?
Spad -----------------Roden 615 or WNW?
Albatross D3 or 5 --WNW Albatross DV
Nieuport 28 ---------Roden 616 or WNW ?
Fokker D8 ----------- ? ?
Fokker D7 -----------WNW Fokker DVII
Sopwith Camel ----- ? ?
Pfalz D3 -------------WNW Pfalz D3A
SE5a -----------------WNW SE5a
Gotha G something-WNW Gotha GIV

[Familyman]

Originally Posted by DanL

Thanks for the advice. Now that I've seen the Wingnut stuff, I think I'm hooked on 1/32. Between Wingnut and Roden , here's what the shopping list is looking like so far. Maybe I'll wait out Wingnut for gaps in the list.

Fokker DR1 ----------Roden 601 or WNW ?
Spad -----------------Roden 615 or WNW?
Albatross D3 or 5 --WNW Albatross DV
Nieuport 28 ---------Roden 616 or WNW ?
Fokker D8 ----------- ? ?
Fokker D7 -----------WNW Fokker DVII
Sopwith Camel ----- ? ?
Pfalz D3 -------------WNW Pfalz D3A
SE5a -----------------WNW SE5a
Gotha G something-WNW Gotha GIV

Dr1 ( or F1, kit #605. ), Spad and Nieuport 28 would be Roden, since these types are not coming from WNW in the near future. Guys here at the Drome have turned every stone to find out what's cooking in NZ . See here:

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/mo...leases-21.html

There is the Avis Fokker D.VIII, which is supposed to be a fairly decent kit. See here:

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/mo...-v-1-32-a.html

Sopwith Camel is only available in 1/32 as a Hobbycraft kit, or two kits as matter of fact: The old one still boxed by Academy and the new one boxed by HobbyCraft. You can build something, that looks somewhat like a Camel out these kits, but nothing really accurate. Unless you do a lot of fixing and scratch building.

Yours Mikko

[stevedrew]

As said earlier...

In 1/32, the model manufacturer par excellence is Wingnut Wings without a doubt. Pricey, as some have said, but worth it. Check for the thread on VAT and GST etc to see if you're likely to get "slugged" with extra payment to pick it up (your location is still a mystery). No extra GST required to be paid in Australia though!

Given that WNW is manufacturing a Gotha, they are the guys for all of your builds. They are just starting out, so don't have much available now, but given that it will take some time to build these to the exacting skills of your ships, you will have a few on the shelves, a few on order, a few in mind to order when you can afford it, and a few on the "WNW Coming Soon" page. By the time you have a few good builds under your belt, the "Coming Soon" kits will be on the "Available Now" page, and some more goodies (hopefully those on your "To Do" list) will have appeared on the "Coming Soon" page.

Happy modelling mate.