Wingnut Wings

1/32 Albatross D.Va 'The Bavarians' decal sheet

Product # 30016 for $19.00

Product Article by Jeff Herne on Feb 24 2011

 

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

Photos and text © by Jeff Herne