Roden 1/32 Siemens Schuckert D.III
By Patrick Gilmore
This kit has been a shelf-queen for years but I finally have pulled through and finished it up. I had no end of troubles with it - mostly my own doing - and it is great to get it completed. Build logs started on two forums (both now defunct or not allowing discussion on models any more) but never could get it wrapped up till now.
The aircraft as depicted was flown by Heinrich Dembrowsky of Squadron Kest 5; in November 1918 this aircraft along with several others of Kest 5 were flown to Switzerland to avoid turning them over to the Allies. The logo on the sides of the aircraft is the crest of the pilots former Grenadier regiment.
Also used Gaspatch turnbuckles (both 1/32 and 1/48 sizes) Master Spandau barrels, Pheon decals for the national insignia, the logo on the sides of the fuselage artwork was done by Peter Thierstein (back in the Aerodrome forum days) and I had it printed on decal paper in gold by Fireball Modelworks. I created "templated" lozenge decals to fit the kit based on the lozenge patterns done by Doug Baumann again back from the Aerodrome forum. Rigging is black monofilament looped through the turnbuckles at one end, secured with a small section of micro tube and I used Bob's Buckles eyelets at the non turnbuckle end of each rigging line.
There are some areas that are pretty rough and the years sitting on the shelf did not help but I am happy with the result.
© Patrick Gilmore 2014
This article was published on Saturday, February 08 2014; Last modified on Saturday, February 08 2014