In today’s world of plastic kits, it’s very rare to find
markings for more than a couple of aircraft included in a kit. Wingnut
Wings changed that with offering modelers a choice of markings in
their Albatross D.Va kit. Despite five livery options, there were dozens of
spectacular aircraft that simply couldn’t be included, so it was inevitable
that the company would release decals specifically tailored to its existing
kits. These decals are printed in Italy by Cartograph, one of the best-known
decal producers in the business.
Wingnuts’ release of “The Bavarians” set provides markings
for five different Albatross D.Va aircraft, including three spectacularly
striped aircraft from Jasta 76b.
Of the five aircraft on the sheet, three will require
Wingnut’s 5-color lozenge decals, #32001 5-color upper Lozenge, #32002 5-color
lower lozenge, and #32005 Rib Tapes. One aircraft utilizes the earlier Mauve and
Medium Gray-Green painted wing, and the last wears a semi-gloss white wing.
Color callouts and mixes for Tamiya, Humbrol, and Misterkit paints are included.
Lettered A through E, the front page of the instructions include
a side profile of each aircraft, incorporating color callouts and decal
placements. The remaining pages are divided into quarters and each is dedicated
to a specific aircraft, including photos of the actual aircraft and a few
paragraphs of text outlining the history of the aircraft, pilot, and potential
speculations of the colors or markings of the aircraft.
Click on
images below to see larger images
Aircraft A is a blue and white
horizontally striped aircraft flown by Walter Böning, a 17-kill ace from Jasta
76b. The stripes for the aircraft are not provided, so the modeler will have to
mask the stripes. This aircraft wears all-white wing, and Wingnut even addresses
which optional parts are required to model this specific aircraft, C3, E1, F7,
and F8.
Aircraft B is a vertical-striped
aircraft of Hans Böhning, another 17-kill ace of Jasta 76b. Stripes aren’t
provided, so the modeler will have to mask the them. This aircraft requires
5-color lozenge on the wings, and uses optional kit parts C2, E24, E39, F6, and
F9.
Aircraft C is another aircraft
attributed to Walter Böning, with additional markings for Karl Hopf, who flew
the aircraft in 1918. This is the most-complex aircraft on the sheet, featuring
a blue diamond pattern aft of the cockpit. Modelers shouldn’t fret, since
Wingnut includes the decal halves with the diamond pattern. The modeler will
have to paint the tail of the aircraft in an offwhite color then apply the
decals over the top. The decals are sectioned in reasonably-sized pieces and
shouldn’t be too difficult to manipulate. This aircraft wears the earlier
Mauve and Medium Gray-Green painted wing and uses optional parts A35, C2, E46,
F7, F8, and D8.
Aircraft D is an OAW-built
aircraft flown by Michael Sigmann of Jasta 78b. This is a black aircraft with a
natural wood grain cockpit area and white rudder. The aircraft features small
white stars on the tail section and 5-color lozenge on the wings. Wingnut has
identified variations in markings of this particular aircraft, including the
changes to the balkankruez and the addition or removal of the large S painted on
the natural-wood section of the cockpit. This model uses optional parts C2, D13,
E23, E44, F7, F8, and F17.
Aircraft E is a simple all-black
aircraft flown by 35-kill ace Eduard Ritter von Schleich, the ‘Black
Knight’, commander of Jagdgruppe 8. This aircraft carries simple balkankruez
and 5-color lozenge wings, and uses optional parts C2, A35, E40, E46, F6, and
F9. This is the most-simple of all the aircraft on the sheet.
Like all Wingnuts products, these decal sheets are available directly from
Wingnut Wings and retail for $19.00 US.
Thanks to Wingnut
Wings for the review sample.
You can purchase this and other
fine products directly from Wingnut
Wings.
Jeff
Herne
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