Albatros D.Va

Wingnut Wings, 1/32 scale

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An unheralded parcel postmarked from New Zealand arrived at the front door yesterday. Imagine my surprise as I peeled open the lid and the light reflected from the bright metallic border of four brand new Wingnut Wings boxes.

Wingnut Wings burst onto the modelling scene in April 2009 with their four debut releases. These 1/32 scale WWI aircraft kits raised the bar in terms of engineering, moulded detail, reference inclusions and luxurious packaging. I am delighted to report that these four new kits continue Wingnut Wings' rich vein of excellence.

The four new 1/32 scale Wingnut Wings kits are:

32009 - Albatros D.V

32013 - Sopwith Pup RFC

32015 - Albatros D.Va

32016 - Sopwith Pup RNAS

In addition, Wingnuts Wings has advised that around 70 additional marking options for the Albatros kits will be released over the course of 2010 and 2011 as special edition kits and after market decals.

I rarely discuss the price of a kit in my reviews. I strongly believe that regardless of the price, the value of a model is a very personal matter. A kit that might seem outrageously expensive to one modeller may appear perfectly affordable to a true aficionado. In most instances it is difficult to rate value, so I will generally make a note of the price in the summary and get on with describing the model. I will make an exception in this case though.

All four of Wingnut Wings' new releases will be priced at USD$59.00, including free shipping worldwide. In an era of spiralling prices, especially in our hobby, this represents truly outstanding value.

Before I go further, I should emphasise that these kits are not available quite yet. Wingnut Wings will release all four kits in mid-March, and they will be available exclusively from their website at www.wingnutwings.com . Keep an eye on HyperScale’s “What’s New” page for the exact release date.

In the meantime, we will examine the contents of these early samples over the next few weeks. First up is the Albatros D.Va.

Wingnut Wings’ Albatros D.Va comprises 146 parts in grey injection moulded plastic, three parts in clear, a modest photo-etched fret and markings for five colourfully marked aircraft.

The kit features simply beautiful surface texture, including subtly stretched fabric, fine strips and stitching, crisply recessed panel lines and raised details where appropriate.

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Kit engineering is conventional and designed to make construction as painless as possible while not compromising on detail. The upper wing is moulded in a single piece with separate ailerons, while the lower wings are presented as single left and right halves.

The struts are all fitted with good-sized locating tabs that fit into corresponding holes in the wings. Locating positions are marked for rigging, which should be drilled out with a 0.5mm drill to a depth of at least 1mm if required.

In addition to their exterior detail, the fuselage halves are moulded with interior structures in place too. These will supplement the beautifully detailed bottomless cockpit, complete with bulkheads, ammunition bins and fuel tank. The instrument panel is adorned with individual authentic decal instruments.

The Mercedes D.III engine of the D.Va is a real masterpiece. It is a model in its own right. The various fuselage stations are all present in the engine compartment too, along with the oil tank.

The upper cowl covers are offered as separate parts, so all of that lovely detail may be displayed if the modeller chooses.

Four different propellers are supplied – a Heine, Axial, Wolff and Neindorf. Alternate wheel hubs and outer struts are included too, but these are not used for the D.Va. More goodies for the spares box! Other options include alternative radiators (Teves 7 Braun and Daimler-Mercedes), a pair of Anemometers, two styles of flare racks and three different windscreens. The clear parts are thin and free from distortion.

Where optional parts are provided, the instructions direct the applicable marking options.

The Spandau machine guns are provided with the option of photo-etched cooling jackets too. The photo-etched fret also has harness straps and gun sights.

The 28 page instruction booklet is presented in the same format as its predecessors, with 3D construction views supplemented by generous reference photos of wartime machines and detail shots of Museum examples, both before and after restoration.

Marking Options

Five marking options are provided.

The two large decal sheets are printed by Cartograf. They are brightly coloured with perfect register and thin surrounds. Stencil markings along with the aforementioned instruments accompany the unique aircraft decals.

All five marking options feature upper wing surfaces in disruptive Green and Violet with Light Blue underneath. Four of the fuselages are in varnished wood, with one of these being mottled.

The final making option features a green and blue fuselage.

Wingnut Wings 1/32 scale Albatros D.Va clearly demonstrates that this new company intends to maintain and even improve on its impressive first efforts.

This Albatros D.Va is beautifully detailed and should be eminently buildable. With the vast multitude of wonderful markings available for this type, I predict that we will be seeing a few Flying Circuses at model shows in the very near future!

Thanks to Wingnut Wings for the review sample.

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2010 by Brett Green
Page Created 19 February, 2010
Last updated 19 February, 2010

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