1/48 Revell Albatros D.V as D.MM (Albatros 2000) (what if, of course...;-))

Gallery Article by Ralf Berger on Oct 3 2012

  Gemany National Day 

 

 

Due to restrictions, UCAV / Remote Piloted Combat Air Vehicle operations in German airspace are not possible.

In combination with financial issues that hampered the Eurofighter from being largely available and ready for the air to ground role, in 2012, on May the 2nd, which would have been the Rittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen´s 120 Birthday, a secretly developed, drone like equipped but manned combat aircraft, based on the WWI Albatros D.V Fighter, took it´s place with Germany’s JG 71 Richthofen. 

 

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This Albatros D.2000 provides assets like MQ-7 Predator drones with the combination of a pilot on board, who can take over the aircraft at any time, make decisions and employ force at the area of operations. 

But the Albatros D.2000 only bases at the first view on the legendary WWI Fighter! The aircraft itself is build from modern time composites, powerful, fuel saving engine and state of the art avionics, like the Eurofighter based head equipment assembly for weapon aiming, direct voice input and information display from the mostly internally mounted lightweight LITENING POD system. 

In combination with its Cal.50 synchronized machine gun, the kinetic effect Brimstone or Hellfire Missile with concrete “warhead” for avoiding collateral damage and two Stingers for the event of deadly force is needed to get down an aircraft, the Albatros 2000 is suited well for reacting to threats, caused from small and slow aircraft and acting against ground based threats in urban environment.

This revealed Prototype is build from the nice Revell/Eduard 1/48 Albatros D.V. Kit with some additions from the spares box, painted with Gunze Acrylics in German Norm 90 livery with the addition of Decals from Airdoc, Bafra and Peddinghaus. Due to it´s origin in 1917, aircraft are marked with 17 + xx codes. 

Happy Modelling and best greetings from Germany

Ralf Berger

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Photos and text © by Ralf Berger