by George Grasse

EDUARD 1:48 SCALE MULTI-MEDIA KIT BUILT FROM EU8113 ALBATROS D.V

EDUARD EU8019 ALBATROS D.V BOX ART

ALBATROS D.Va 3-VIEW

This 3-view drawing taken from Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War  compiled by O. G. Thetford and E. J. Riding, Harleyford Publications, 1954.  The D.V and D.Va were virtually indistinguishable at first sight.  Both used the same wingset as the D.III except for aileron linkage.  The D.Va had a reinforcing strut attached to the lower front portion of each wing strut.

THE MODEL TO BE BUILT

Albatros D.V, D.4409/17 flown by Ltn Paul Baumer of Jasta 5, Boistrancourt, January 1918.   Profile by Ronny Bar from his work German Fighters of the Great War, page 207, Aeronaut Books.  The Albatros D.V was intended to be a lighter version of the Albatros D.III which implied improved aerodynamics especially speed and climb.  However, though slightly faster, the D.V was not accepted well and many pilots preferred the more reliable D.III.  The lower single-spar wing was the problem and was partially improved with the D.Va by adding simple reinforcing strut attached to the bottom of the outboard wing strut.   Consult the bibliograhy for more materials that explain the problem in more detail.

This photo of Uffz Baumer at Jasta 5 is taken from Bronnenkant's epique work The Blue Max Airmen v.25, pg.58.  Baumer was an unteroffizier (Uffz) as of 29 March 1917 and transferred to Jasta 5 on 30 June 1917 when he shortly began his 43-victory record most of which were attained at Jasta 2 starting in August 1917.  He eventually was promoted to Leutnant de Reserve in April 1917.  After the war, he resumed his studies and became a Doctor of Denistry.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.1

This photo shows the usual array of "beginnings".  This step concentrates on all interior work for the engine and cockpit.  Several details are not yet completed and will appear in the next photo.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.2

The top wing's radiator (topside not shown) was carefully applied using super glue.   The fuselage halves were glued together with significant but small gaps.  Rubber bands were used to eliminate gaps.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.3

The lower wing as simply glued to the bottom of the fuselage.  The tail unit's horizontal tail plane required several dry fittings for a perfect fit.  Next, the vertical tail plane was glued.  Lastly, the tailskid fairing and tailskid were the last to be glued.  Alignment was checked constantly.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.4

Landing gear was tackled next.  Using the kit's plastic landing gear parts, I measured the length required for the front and rear struts which are different.  Using small diameter brass tube of 1.3mm OD, I duplicate the kit's landing gear, added small diameter brass rods as inserts and test fit the struts to the fuselage.  The fit was perfect and the struts were glued into place.  I decided to save the axle assembly but cut off the plastic axle, drilled out for small diameter brass rod, added a brass tube bushing, and fitted the wheels for a dry run.  All was perfect and the landing gear axle sub-assembly was glued in place as shown in the photo above.  Copper fuse wire from an electrical cord was wrapped around each wheel connection to strengthen the sub-assembly and simulate bungy cord shock absorbers.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.5

The fuselage and tail fin have been treated to roughly simulate the plywood finish.  First, I painted the area with Vallejo 913 yellow Ochre.  Second, I used Winsor & Newton No.41 Vandyke Brown thinned with gum turpentine and applied a coat over the wood-painted surfaces.  Third, using a large No.8 brush, I began stroking the painted area back to front, removing excess oil paint.  I continued dragging the brush over the surface and dabbing the brush to remove the oil-based paint.  I kept this up until the surface looked convincing to me.  On a larger scale model, one would have to address each plywood panel with its own "streaking".

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.6

The propeller was painted with an under coat of Vallejo 913 Yellow Ochre.  Over this was painted in Vallejo 984 Flat Brown in strokes simulating laminated wood.  Over all of this was rubbed five different colored pencil colors.  Metal parts (fuselage panels, engine access doors, landing gear struts) were painted in my mix of German Grey/Green.  The red is two coats of Vallejo 957 Dark Red.  The green is Vallejo 970 Deep Green.  The red tail stripes were hand-painted.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.7

Before decals were applied, the model was over-sprayed with one coat of Vallejo satin acrylic laquer.  When thoroughly dry after one hour in my modeling oven, decals as shown were applied.  I used the Print Scale's 48-022 "Albatros D.V, Part 1, which includes Baumer's D.V.  When decals for this stage were completed, I over-sprayed one more coat of Vallejo satin acrylic laquer to seal the decals.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.8

The top surface of both wings were painted and finished at the same time using my well-preserved Misterkit German paints:  GC02 Mauve and GC05 Albatros Dark Green.  Being an old Eduard kit, the decals disintegrated.  I used replacement decals from a Print Scale set on the top wing.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.9

This step shows completion of the armament including Spandau machine guns, port cartridge collection cover, and telescopic sight.   The windscreen was fashioned from thin clear plastic.  The fuselage struts were built from brass rod and tube and test fitted to the underside of the top wing.  Before proceding to wing attachment, the struts will be primed and painted.  Additionally, the underside of the top wing will be checked to be sure that necessary pre-drilled holes for the rigging are in place.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.10

This photo and the following are of the finished model.  The next step after Photo No.9 was the pre-painting of the fuselage struts and attachment of the top wing to them.  An additional bracing strut was added to form "N" on the port side and the opposite on the starboard side.  The top wing was had PE aelerong shrouds aluged to the topside and underside.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.11

Before the top wing was attached to the fuselage struts, it was painted in two coats of my German pale blue.  When completely dry, I glued all .006 rigging wires to their top wing underside pre-drilled holes.  The top wing was then attached to the fuselage struts and properly aligned.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.12

This step shows completion of the wing/fuselage rigging.  I used Eduard PE "stretchers" at the nose of the model to connect the drift wires on either side to the main struts.  In an instance of experimentation, I used the kit's plastic wing "V" struts which made modeling a lot easier.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.13

This photo shows details added to the center of the model: 1) the radiator expansion tank (sticking up on the top wing); 2) radiator wire lines painted in pale blue; 3) dark propeller decals; 4)  the engine exhaust pipe.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.14

This step shows the addition of the tail elevator control horns and their attachment into the fuselage.  Some minor touchup painting is still required along the wing edges.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.15

All struts were painted in my mix of German Grey-Green.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.16 and 17

-------------------------------  das ist alles  ------------------------------

 

 

Bibliography:

Bar, Ronny.  German Fighters of the Great War, Volume I.  Horncastle, UK: Tempest an imprint of Morton's Books. 

Bronnenkant, Lance J. PhD. The Blue Max Airmen: German Aviators Awarded the Pour le Merite, Volume 25.  Aeronaut Books, 2025.

Franks, Norman and Frank Bailey & Russell Guest. Above the Lines - A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval air Service, and Flanders Marine Corps 1914-1918.  London, UK: Grub Street, 1993. (see page 66 for Baumer)

Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford.  German Aircraft of the First World War.  London: Putnam & Company Limited, 1960.

Greer, Don.  Albatros Fighters in Action.  Carrollton, Texas.  Squadron/Signal Publications, 1981.

Kowalski, Tomasz J.  Albatros D.I - D.V.  Lublin, Poland: Kagero Studio, 2006.

Lamberton, W. M., Compiler, and E. F. Cheesman, Editor.  Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War.   Los Angeles, CA: Aero Publishers, 1962.

Merrill, G. K.  Jagdstaffel 5, Volumes One.  Berkhampstead, UK: Albatros Productions, 2004.

Rimell, Ray.  Albatros Fighters, Windsock Datafile Special.  Berkhampstead, UK: Albatros Productions, 1998 (3rd Edition).

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16 March 2026