Hello, I have this older kit with a few extra parts that did not come with it originally. The kit has 20 parts, a nice large decal sheet and 3 extra parts that look like machine guns which are not called out in the instructions. I have only built 2 bi-wing airplanes and rigged none. I did a Testors 1/48 Spad XIIIC.I and an older 1/48 Pfalz D.III similar to this kit but the brand name I don’t remember. Here are the extra parts and decals with profile images. Where did these machine guns come from and are they correct for this kit?
If I remember right, the DIII had it’s guns mounted internally and firing over the top of the engine. Problems with the difficulty of clearing jams made them move them above the fuselage on the DIIIa.
Thanks, I am no expert having built 2 biplanes and over 200 jets and WWII props over the past 50 years. I looked at the 1/32 Roden Pfalz D.III instructions and the guns seem to be below the carburetors buried in that housing that surrounds the engine, internally as you said. Are those machine guns I have that came with my E Bay Glencoe kit the right size? They are about 25mm long in 1/48 scale or 1200 mm in full size or 47-1/4 inches full size in inches, just shy of 4 feet long.
No worries. Happy to help.
According to a Google search, the LMG08/15 was 44 inches long, which scales out to around 23.3mm. So about a millimetre and half too long, but who’s going to notice really?
Thanks.One more missing detail that puzzles me. On top of the upper wing above the engine area there is a rectangular protrusion that reminds me of a periscope on a tank. Is it anything to do with the radiator? Should not be hard to scratch build. Thanks.
Something to do with the radiator. I’m not sure what, but I’ve always assumed it’s an air vent maybe? You see the same feature on Albatross radiators. Hopefully someone can shed a bit more light on it.
Thanks again, if all goes well with this build I am looking at Von Richtofen’s Dr.I. I am leaning towards the German planes, my father’s great great grandparents were from Baden-Wurttemburg Germany in the late 1800s.
I found a model picture showing where the guns are on a D.III. They exit the “shroud” that surrounds the engine near the strut that connects the upper wing to the forward fuselage. I also saw them on Roden instructions.
I am going to try and add some cockpit detail, hopefully a floor, control yoke and instrument panel. I have the cockpit side walls painted light green.
Seat, instrument panel and floor in and painted. I need some touch up around the outside of the canopy leather trim.I need to scratch build a yoke to complete the cockpit.
From what I can tell from photos and profiles, they were always painted silver or whatever colour the rest airframe and wings were. I’ve got a suspicion they might’ve been aluminium rather than wood. Somewhere I’ve got a very good reference book on Pfalz, I just need to put my hands on it to confirm!
Thanks, I have seen some decent pictures from WWI and they don’t show any wood grain or wood color. The struts I have seen on silver doped schemes look like the struts are the same color as the fuselage and wings.