Has anyone built one of these kits?
I recently purchased a Dr.1 for a good price (I guess-still exhorbitant) on Ebay. I haven’t seen a build review or even many pictures of the kit. I’d like tips so I don’t ruin it.
Additionally, does anyone sell the 1/8 Sopwith Camel and 1/8 S.E.5a? These appear occasionally on Ebay but I haven’t found one yet for sale anywhere else. The ones on Ebay currently have inflated prices it seems…
Thanks,
Lplanch
I’ve got the 1/8th Dr1 Triplane. I hate to say it but, I bought the kit in 1982 and it still
isn’t finished. For tips, I’d look up John Reid’s Jenny build article. He does a lot of things I wish I’d done such as staining the wing ribs while they’re still in the sheets.
That would give beautiful contrast between the ribs and cap strips. For reference
material, I wrote to the Smithsonian and they sent me a complete set of drawings.
I don’t remember how much they cost but, it wasn’t too much. Surprisingly, the kit is very lacking in detail and does take some liberties such as scalloped wood pieces
for the wing trailing edges. On the real Dr1, that scallop was created by the fabric
shrinking over a steel cable trailing edge. The wheels could be better, too. The rubber tires are on plastic rims that represent spoked wheels with fabric covers. You could get
real scale spoked wheels from a good RC hobby shop. The LeRhone rotary engine
and Spandau machineguns are, I believe, Williams Brothers kits and are quite nice.
All in all, it’s a VERY nice kit that with a little extra work would truly be "museum quality.
BTW…In 1982 I paid about $150.00 and ordered it from Squadron Hobbies.
I was living and working on Guam at the time.
Ray