Review of FCM 1/72ND SCALE
Albatros D.III/D.V. Decal Set
no. 72017
By Ray Mehlberger
Available at Sprue Bros for $14.49 marked down from $16.00
By Ray Mehlberger
Available at Sprue Bros for $14.49 marked down from $16.00
HISTORY:
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte) during World War I. A modified licence model was built by Oeffag for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service (Luftfahrtruppen). The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Wilhelm Frankl, Erich Löwenhardt, Manfred von Richthofen, Karl Emil Schäfer, Ernst Udet, and Kurt Wolff, and Austro-Hungarian ones, like Godwin von Brumowski.
It was the preeminent fighter during the period of German aerial dominance known as "Bloody April" 1917.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Albatros-Flugzeugwerke
Designer: Robert Thelen
First flight: August 1916
Primary users: Luftstreitkräfte, Luftfahrtruppen
Number built: approximately 1866
Developed from: Albatros D.II
Developed into: Albatros D.V
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte) during World War I. A modified licence model was built by Oeffag for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service (Luftfahrtruppen). The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Wilhelm Frankl, Erich Löwenhardt, Manfred von Richthofen, Karl Emil Schäfer, Ernst Udet, and Kurt Wolff, and Austro-Hungarian ones, like Godwin von Brumowski.
It was the preeminent fighter during the period of German aerial dominance known as "Bloody April" 1917.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Albatros-Flugzeugwerke
Designer: Robert Thelen
First flight: August 1916
Primary users: Luftstreitkräfte, Luftfahrtruppen
Number built: approximately 1866
Developed from: Albatros D.II
Developed into: Albatros D.V
THE SET:
FCM is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
This decal set comes in a self-sealing clear cello bag. It contains one decal sheet and the instructions.
FCM is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
This decal set comes in a self-sealing clear cello bag. It contains one decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single sheet that is printed on both sides in color in 7 ¾” x 21 ½” format, folded 3 times to fit the cello bag.
The face side has 6 color profiles on it:
The left side of a Albatros D.V, flown By Fritz Rumey, March 1918 with Jasta 5. It has a white fuselage with black diagonal bands around it, a red spinner and white wheel hubs Its rear fuselage and rudder is dark green with red trim color and fuselage stripe. It carries the German cross on its side and rudder.
The face side has 6 color profiles on it:
The left side of a Albatros D.V, flown By Fritz Rumey, March 1918 with Jasta 5. It has a white fuselage with black diagonal bands around it, a red spinner and white wheel hubs Its rear fuselage and rudder is dark green with red trim color and fuselage stripe. It carries the German cross on its side and rudder.
A profile of a Albatros D.V, flown by Vzfw Manfred Stimmel, with Jasta 32, 1918. It has a natural light wood fuselage with a black tail and rudder and a gloss white spinner. It has the pilot’s initials M.S. on the side of the fuselage in black outlined in white, dark green wheel hubs, nose and nose cover. The German crosses are on the fuselage sides and rudder.
A profile of a Albatros D.III (Oef) Flik 63j. It has a natural light wood fuselage and rudder flap with a grey nose. The German cross is on and the rudder and it has vertical alternating green and white stripes on it. The wheel hubs have black and white triangles on them. It has a yellow 2 outlined in black on the sides of the fuselage, followed by black serial no. 153.255.
The next side of the sheet contains two profiles and has the right side of a Albatros D.V, flown By Fritz Rumey, March 1918 with Jasta 5 (as described above).
The second profile of a Albatros D.V, Flown by Paul Strable, 1917-1918, with Jasta 18. It has a Prussian blue fuselage and rudder, a red nose and spinner, light blue undercarriage and wheel hubs. It has a large white axe on the side of the fuselage ad the German cross on its rudder.
There is an illustration line drawing to use for placing the cockpit instruments decals. A listing of reference book titles suggested. And a color listing that includes the FS (Federal Standard) numbers for the colors. However, it says the numbers are conjectural.
The last profile is a top view of a Albatros D.III (OAW) pilot unknown, with Marine Jasta III, 1917. It shows a fuselage of natural light wood with dark green spots, a gloss yellow nose. Wing and elevator tops are in a splinter pattern of violet and dark green with the bottom of the wings painted light blue.
The reverse side of the instructions has 4 color side profiles and 7 top views and views of below the wings and a bottom view of Fritz Rumey’s D.V (already described above).
The first profile is a Albatros D.Va, flown by Gotthard Sachsenberg, with Marine Jasta 1, July 1917. It has a dark green fuselage spotted with violet spots, a gloss yellow rudder, nose, undercarriage and wheel hubs. It has a natural metal panel on top of its nose. There is a black and white wide checkerboard band outlined in yellow around the fuselage followed by the German cross. A cross is also on the rudder.
The second profile is of a Albatros D.III (OAW), flown by Unteroffizier Fritz Lieze, Jasta 50. It has a natural wood fuselage, medium blue spinner and wheel hubs, 5 color lozenge pattern diagonally on the rear half of the rudder, a black and white chevron on the sides of the fuselage and a grey nose upper panel and nose tip.
The third profile is of a Albatros D.V, flown by Ltn. Ulrich Neckel with Jasta 12. It has a natural wood fuselage with a black tail and rudder a black nose, white spinner and a metal upper nose panel. It has a black and white chevron on the fuselage sides, followed by the German cross on the fuselage and rudder.
Next is a bottom view of the fuselage of Fritz Rumey’s D.V (already described above).
Next is a bottom view of the fuselage of Fritz Rumey’s D.V (already described above).
A profile of a Albatros D.III (OAW) pilot unknown, with Marine Jasta III, 1917. Its fuselage is in a spotted pattern of natural light wood and dark green. Its nose, rudder and wheel hubs are bright yellow. It has a grey panel above the nose. On the fuselage sides there is a horizontal bar with alternating black and yellow bands on it connected to the German cross. Another cross is on the rudder too.
Next is a top and bottom view of Fritz Rumey’s D.V. It shows the upper wing, reading left to right, as being white, violet, dark green and white, with the German cross on the white sections. It says that later the white sections were painted dark green with the German crosses on them. The bottoms of the lower halves are shown as light blue with a black letter R and the German cross under the lower wing in 1917 and as it was marked in 1918 with a diagonal black bar and the German cross.
Manfred Stimmel’s D.V (already described above) top view is shown. Its upper wing is in a splinter pattern of violet and dark green and its elevator tops are jet black.
Fritz Lieze’s D.III (already described above) top view is shown, it has a lozenge pattern atop its upper wing of 5 colors. Its elevators are light blue with red stripes. Atop its lower wing it is also in a lozenge pattern of 5 colors.
Paul Strehle’s D.V is shown with a 5 color lozenge pattern above the upper and lower wings, with Prussian blue elevator tops.
The Albatros D.III with Flik 63j (already described above) has yellow upper and lower wing tops and rudder tops.
Gotthard Sachsenberg's D.Va (already described above) has 5 color lozenge patterns above the top and bottom wings and atop the elevators.
Ltn. Ulrich Neckel’s D.V (already described above) has 5 color lozenge patterns atop the upper and lower wings and black elevator tops.
Fritz Lieze’s D.III (already described above) top view is shown, it has a lozenge pattern atop its upper wing of 5 colors. Its elevators are light blue with red stripes. Atop its lower wing it is also in a lozenge pattern of 5 colors.
Paul Strehle’s D.V is shown with a 5 color lozenge pattern above the upper and lower wings, with Prussian blue elevator tops.
The Albatros D.III with Flik 63j (already described above) has yellow upper and lower wing tops and rudder tops.
Gotthard Sachsenberg's D.Va (already described above) has 5 color lozenge patterns above the top and bottom wings and atop the elevators.
Ltn. Ulrich Neckel’s D.V (already described above) has 5 color lozenge patterns atop the upper and lower wings and black elevator tops.
There are very colorful patterns and Albatros models painted in any one of these schemes would be a real eye-catcher for sure.
Colors are bright and vivid on the decal sheet and in perfect register. The decal set was made in Brazil and printed by Micro Scale.
I want to thank Mr. Felipe C. Miranda, owner of FCM for this review sample. All FCM decal subjects can be seen on their site at:
Colors are bright and vivid on the decal sheet and in perfect register. The decal set was made in Brazil and printed by Micro Scale.
I want to thank Mr. Felipe C. Miranda, owner of FCM for this review sample. All FCM decal subjects can be seen on their site at: