1/48 Albatros D.III
This is the old Glencoe kit that came out in 1989 or 1990. The WWI Group Build inspired me to pull this out of the back of the display case and have a look at it. I built it as soon as it hit the LHS shelves. It was pretty crude by today's standards but it was an important kit in my mind nevertheless. In the late ‘80s, there wasn't a lot available for 1/48 WW1 modelers. Glencoe acquired several old Aurora molds and re-issued them. I met Glencoe's owner, Nick Argento at one of the Chicago Hobby Shows back in those days. It was at one of those shows that he revealed plans for this new tool kit and an Austrian variant. He was a nice guy and lots of fun to converse with. He also had several other new tools in mind that never materialized. Glencoe helped popularize WW1 modeling in a big way in those days. It wasn't long before Blue Max, Dragon, and Eduard started flooding us with new 1/48 kits in the early ‘90s.
I scratchbuilt most of the interior on this one and cobbled together or hand painted the markings for Joachim Von Bertrab's purple D.III. I also remember using Tom's Modelworks PE Spandau guns and seatbelts on it. So there it is, warts and all. You definitely don't see many of these built. Happy modeling!
Very nice John. Mine became landfill
Thanks, George! My Austrian Oeffag version joined yours in that landfill about 25 years ago.
Excellent build, John.
Thanks, Rafi!
Fantastic result, John! What a departure from the original kit!
Thanks, Spiros. I avoid stuff like this these days,😂.
This is a really nice Albatros, John @j-healy
Very interesting scheme as well.
Thanks, John!
nothing wrong with that build John.
Thanks, Ian. It held the gap until I built the excellent Eduard kit in ‘98.
Gorgeous build, John @j-healy. Now come help me with my rigging on the Walrus 🙂
Thanks, Felix!
Lovely shade of purple, John, and a very good build with a great over-all finish, especially that outstanding prop. Did this start out as the Aurora kit I built back in the late 1950s before Glencoe took on the molds? However it got to you, your skills have brought it to a higher level. Indeed, it's hard to imagine this version being better done. Congratulations!
Thanks, Christopher. No, this was Glencoe’s only original tool kit.
Very nice vintage build!
Thanks, Greg!
I like this especially the color. When I was a kid I built and played with the Aurora WWI kits but today I don't have any WWI kits in the stash..
Thanks, Dale. Aurora got me hooked on WW1 at an early age and I’ve built planes from that era off and on ever since.
Nice little Albatros, John. There are more famous WW1 German aircraft, but the Albatros series of fighters are definitely my personal favorites. You've did a great job with this little beauty. It goes to show, with a little effort, you can turn any kit into a beautiful build.
Looked like a simple pleasure to build, love the color, John.
That is so cool, John @j-healy! 👏 I came into one of the old Aurora Albatross kits in a deal made some years ago. They were such an elegant airplane! 😊
Excellent build of an older kit.
That looks excellent! I built one of those once, it didn’t turn out as nicely as yours did, but I I enjoyed the project.
You've done a great job on this kit. I love the paint scheme, makes this an eye catching build!
Beautiful, I like it very much. Very interesting coloring.