DFW C.V Progress
Progress on Karaya's diminutive resin model of the DFW C.V- 1/48 (quarter scale) is pretty small for Great War subjects, although the two-crew versions make for a nice-size model.
The cover image shows the resin wheels with the lovely P.E. spokes. After a little putty is dissolved around the rims, they are ready for primer, as here.
Here are a couple of pix just before the fuselage is buttoned up. The detail supplied is more than adequate for what remains on view. I still have to do a little tidying up on the seatbelts.
The upper wing has a centre plug to join the main sections. A clean fit here, and primed here ready for painting.
AK Interactive have a new product set of "linen" paints, which I thought I'd try. I've always made up my own in the past as it's a straight forward operation, but these looked interesting.
The diddy prop with a little work done. There's a prop hub so the centre area won't be seen in any case. I''ll probably add a few streaks of umber and orange to set off the laminate effect a little more.
Of great interest and practical assistance is Windsock Datafile 53, "DFW C.V" by Peter M. Grosz.
Here, the lower wing set is now on the fuselage. One of the sections had a slight anhedral warp - not unusual with resin, but half a minute with a hair dryer and all was well.
Although readying the main structure for paint, I'm also bringing forward smaller units, such as, here, the nice Parabellum for the observer's cockpit. Still a little work to do on it yet.
There are three paint schemes within the kit, German and, post-1918, a Ukrainian and a Polish machine. My project if you like is not a single build but a group of somewhat obscure Great War aircraft, in quarter scale, so I'll proceed with the German version here to maintain the 1914-1918 time frame.
Reading the Datafile I learned that the DFW C.V, although built initially by Deutsche Flugzeug Werke GmbH (DFW), was built also by three other manufacturers: LVG, Aviatik and Halberstadt. We tend to associate Great War aircraft camouflage with irregular patch-patterns of colour, but certainly two of the three firms, Halberstadt and Aviatik, instead utilised a mottled effect of three colours. This was achieved using a brush stipple or a spray unit fitted with a splatter cap. I personally think the mottle of pale grey-green, dark grey and purple is very attractive, so that's the next phase.
P.S. I know some of the photos here look a little rough, but the macro lens is taking particular images to about 20 times the actual object size; at Eyeball 1 they look fine.
Onward!
Looks really well done to date, Rob...nice work, sir.
Cheers, Craig.
Looking good!
Thanks, Greg. First aircraft in I-can’t-remember-how-long.
Hey Rob, that is off to a fine start. Looking forward to seeing it progress.
Looks great, Rob. Those macro lenses are crazy (imho, they make all builds look poor) but you can see the actual model in the regular lens, which is superb. Propellor looks amazing. Those wheels are fantastic.
Super craftsmanship.
Cheers, Tom. One of those models you keep revisiting to improve small details. Think it must be something about the combination of the scale and the type.
Really well done, Rob! Those PE spokes look great, just as you said!
Thanks, Jeff. There is also a pair of hubbed wheels, but the spokes were too good to pass up!
I can see why!
Ah, the missing Datafile! Was it in the loo or did Nurse Ratched have it?
Beautiful work so far, Rob.
Nurse is on holiday in Transylvania, and has locked away all my meds. Since I was already chained to the desk I decided to get on with a kit.
Need to keep you chained up more often. Seems to be good for you.
If you speak to nursey, have her pass on my regards to the Count.
I take it your listening to Soul Asylum to claim the nerves and steady the hands.