Fokker Dr.I colour....

[itifonhom]

Hi again fellow OFFers,

 

I'm into modeling again and I'm thinking of making the W.Voss triplane. I noticed that the triplanes showed some "streaks" on their colour, those that were green are a good example. Like the initial colour was bleached or wore off for some reason. Anybody knows why? I can hardly imagine it was a desired effect but I'm not an expert so maybe someone who really knows?

 

Thanks in advance for any feedback, itifonhom.

[Rooster89]

Hey itif, The streaky color comes from how the aircraft was painted at the factory. The paint was a wash made up of a mix of linseed oil and a dark green/brown. The surfaces were hand painted in long strokes one at a time. The brush wasn't re-dipped in the wash until it was almost dry, thats why there are lighter and darker strokes.

 

Hope this helps,

 

-Rooster

 

 

[itifonhom]

Oh, so it was "intended" after all! Thanks a lot Rooster, super info!

 

itifonhom

[+Olham]

Yes, it was intended. I had a picture of the paint work at the factory. It showed two men with

big washes in the room, working on two part of canvas. So I asume, the canvas of Voss' Fokker

was first painted light blue. Then the other guy did the green streaks.

[JFM]

Which opens the can of worms whether Voss's F.I triplane was painted light blue at all (save for the undersurfaces)! Not to mention the raging debate over cowl color!

[itifonhom]

Just another modeling question, this time about the Albatros D.III, I just don't want to open a new thread about it. The colour of the engine cowling was natural aluminium or neutral grey? From what Revell suggest the first but in profiles I see the second, anybody?

 

Again, thanks in advance. itifonhom

[Rickitycrate]

I am a modeler too iti and from my experience the more recent profiles and information from the likes of Dan San Abbott and Bob Pearson would/should be considered as more accurate/reliable than the Revell instructions that may have been first printed in the early '60's and based on common misconceptions. If you are terribly seious about your modeling accuracy you will find profiles by both of these men online and they both have cd's for sale with thier research and opinions for you extensive reference.

[itifonhom]

Thanks a lot Rickitycrate! I'll check around the net for a while. And I thank you also for the Wingnut Wings link in an other thread, these guys look dead serious about what they're doing! My next model will be from them for sure.

 

itifonhom

[+Olham]

They where painted differently, as you can find here in the OFF skins.

There was a grey-green used by several Jastas, but also the colour the pilot chose.

The Jasta 11 D.V (or D.Va ?) had got a red cowling. Others where black.

Get yourself the free program "DXTBmp" and browse through the skins.

You'll be amazed, how many have been made by OvS, Paarma, Makai and Pol.

[JFM]

Here's my take:

 

[itifonhom]

Hey JFM,

that's exactly the one I'm at now in 1/72 from Revell. Quite old model but it's going good as it's rather small to care for too many details. But it's nice to see some mistakes of the Revell instructions such the engine cowling colour, the propeller cowling colour and the wheel cowlings colour. Of course the swastika is also missing since it's forbidden here in Germany.

 

I'm going to post some pics of the model when it's over. itifonhom

[+Olham]

Iti, in good model shops, you will get decal sheets with half Swastikas on. They are not allowed to show

the whole ones, so they made half ones, which you can, of course put together to get a complete one.

 

It's ridiculous - they should care for the school kids more, to get them off any Nazi ideas, instead of

forbidding a symbol that is definitely much older and was much longer lasting than the Third Reich!

[+Olham]

Have just found the picture showing two men painting the Fokker Dr.1 wings.

 

 

[TSmoke]

The dreaded swastika shown in JFM's picture in his post is the original and has a total different meaning to the one used by Germany in WW2.

 

If you notice the original is hooked to the right, and the Nazi one is hooked to the left.

 

Totally stupid and ignorant of a country censoring a freakin symbol, thats my opinion.

[itifonhom]

Thanks Olham, very nice info indeed!

 

When I visited my first modeling show in Germany I was ignorant of this law, so I walk around and see really beautiful WWII airplane models with their rudders covered with self adhesive tape!!! After a couple of models I couldn't stand it and asked receiving the answer "Swastika ist verbotten!". I couldn't believe my ears!! Ok, maybe it's forbidden to draw a swastika on a wall but how can you hide a swastika on a model, how can you deny History? I live now for almost ten years in Germany and still can't get it. I still think it's better to accept things and try to make them better than ban them, hide them and deny their excistance! And what about a figure model of an Persian warrior of 800 BC bearing a swastika on his shield, was he an SS member? And for whom did Voss did what he did, for the Chinese? If only he knew....

 

itifonhom

[+Olham]

After the shock about the whole terrible truth of the Nazi regime, they forbid this symbol

to be shown in Germany again. And as it may be difficult to be specific, they did a complete

"Verbot". Maybe typical German again, but I think they didn't want to "leave a backdoor open"

for neo-Nazis to comeup with it again.

But really, it would be much better, to care more intensively for young people going that direction,

at school already, and in a grown up way.