Eric Berg (@eb801)
Welcome aboard !
This looks like a great one to build. I have a similar kit of the same kind of plane. Mine is a 1/32 Roden Albatros D-I. I have plans to eventually build it for this group.
I never realized it, but they only made around 150 of these planes before they switched over to the newer D-II version.
I have found out the main differences between the D-I and the D-II were the wing cabane struts. The earlier D-I had the upper wing placed higher and it blocked the pilot's upper view. They changed this by rearranging the cabane struts and lowering the upper wing to where it was more in line with the pilot's eyesight. It was still above the pilot, but not nearly as much.
Like Tom C mentioned, the radiators also interfered some with the forward and down view for the pilot.
I think the upper wing was dropped by something like 8 or 9 inches in height on the D-2, because they changed the design of the cabanes and shortened the outer struts to compensate. The inner cabane struts were a totally different design between the D-I and the D-II. The D-II looked more like the later D-III and D-V style.
Then on the later D-II's they removed the "elephant ear" radiators and went with one placed in the center of the upper wing. So some of the later D-II's will look somewhat like the later D-III.
These Albatros planes are gorgeous. Thanks for starting this one, and welcome aboard.
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