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The Baron and his Fünfdecker Fokker

So I built it multiple times.

The Baron and his Fünfdecker Fokker was released in 1971. Being a fan of the comic Snoopy vs The Red Baron I remember seeing this kit for the first time in the 1973 Revell catalogue and wanting it but it took a couple of years before I got one and then I built it straight out of the box.
After some years I decided to remove two wings and the V8 engine to get a Triplane. I repainted it green and red like the box top on the Revell 1/72 kit.

(Model finished 2005)

The model didn't survive so I wanted to build this kit again for many years and in 2005 I finally found an old kit at a reasonable price, so I built a Triplane again. I added some struts in front of the cockpit this time and made a wheel cover.

It became red and green this time too. Those old kits had self-adhesive stickers so I had to make new decals for it.

Third time lucky?

I wanted a second kit to build as the Fünfdecker with the V8 as well but I found the kits to expensive but finally it was rereleased by Revell.

(Model finished 2019)

I had plans of building it straight out of the box and it started well.

But then something went wrong. As I had the V8 left over from the Triplane build I decided to make this one a double V8 engined plane. Strange. After waiting all those years to build it, I failed. But it was the same thing with the Tijuana Taxi I never managed to find as a kid. When I finally got the chance I messed up. I had to get a second kit and build it again.

Finally I managed to finish the Baron. It has been lurking on the desk for month waiting for the wheels and the propeller.

Here are both planes together.

Albatros D.III

This is not a Deal's Wheels model but heavily inspired by them OK. Normally I don't build in this scale but look what I found. I could not resist it.

(Model finished 2023)

I did finish the Avro 504 from Smer so I continue with quality models. I especially like that there is no doubt where the decals should go. The dual radiators are a nice touch.

A perfect model to prove that 1/48 planes are no good. Almost less detail than a 1/72 kit. (Esci's Viggen apparently made a big impression in my childhood).

I will remove the engraved markings but I think the file was too rough. It removed to much material.

The wing tip became decreased by almost 10 mm so I could just as well do the same with the other one, but now the lower wing was too long so it also got a reduced span. I also removed every second rib

Time to attach the wings to or something.

I made a new fuselage for it.

The span may look a bit short.

A plastic egg and a 1/48 scale Viggen nose make up the fuselage frame.

Then the tail was then filled with plastic strips

and a large amount of filler and Magic Sculp. A lot of filler will be used for this build. Do you think that I can get Tamiya as a sponsor.

But a small problem arose which I was almost prepared for. The nose feels too blunt. I had problems deciding on how to turn the egg. The pointed part forward or backward? I choose to point it to the back because it would look most like the Albatros fuselage. Turning it the other way would probably made it look to fat at the rear.

But with a good saw you can overcome everything. I think the answer to the problem is to cut another egg.

Adding the pointy part to the blunt nose should do it.

I have chooseen a large plastic egg for my build so it will be larger than Hasegawas Egg plane series.

Instead it will fit in with the Revell series of the Fünfdecker, Messaschnitzel and the Spitsfire.

I finally found a propeller for it. A 1/32 Fokker Dr.I from Roden came to rescue.

But I need to cut in the fuselage that I had finished puttying and sanding.

But I think it is the easiest way to do it so bring out the putty again.

Parts for the engine comes from the Revell "Messaschnitzel" I modified it and added something on the top to get the old engine look.

Finally it is time for some paint.

A plane of many shades

I will try wood decals for the first time.

Interesting effect but I should have chosen a painted plane. Much easier and quicker.

Wood decals are finished.

Now on to the task of fitting a top wing.

I was close to make a big mistake. I almost drilled holes for the struts for the top wing when I realised that I wouldn't have any space left for the guns so I need to get that sorted first. I decided to use parts from the Roden 1/32 scale Triplane with some scratch building.

With the wood done on the Albatross I decided to start painting the Fokker as well.

The guns are ready for paint.

To mount the top wing has worried me for some time but it turned out to be of no problem at all. Now I can go on adding the rest of the struts.

The wheels have given me some problems. The only ones I could find was the spare wheels from the JoHan 1931 Cadillac in 1/24 scale. I wasn't all happy with them. I found them to wide and the spokes was to much automotive for my taste. When I managed to crack all of the spokes on one of the wheels I had to improvise again. The wheels were made of polystyrene so I broke them apart ant removed 1 mm to make them thinner.

A couple of plastic discs replaced the spokes.

This feels better.

Now I'm getting to the stage where my models turns in to "the sleeping beauty"

When I can see what it will look like in the end my interest fades and the project goes to sleep.

But I will fight to finish this one now.

Getting closer to finish it. Got the decals on.

Now I need to decide if I should add a pilots head or a seat and a stick.

As you can see I decided on a pilot in the end.

I found a head on a Halloween key holder that worked and I still had the helmet from my very firs Fünfdecker build

I am pleased that it is almost the same size as the Fokker. I had to remove five years of dust before I could do the final work on it.

Stockholm November 20, 2019

Updated October 09, 2023

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