Wingnut Wings | 32047: 1/32 Albatros D.Va (OAW)

Reviewed by Kevin Futter

Wingnut Wings has become something of a household name among large scale aircraft modellers, even for those who have little-to-no interest in WW1 aviation. Not only have they become a saviour to the otherwise largely-neglected WW1 aircraft modeller, but the quality of their kits is such that many modellers who have never had an inclination to build a large-scale WW1 aircraft model are suddenly filling their stashes with them!

This kit is based on the earlier Albatros D.V releases from Wingnut Wings (#32009 and #32015), and quoting from the potted history of the type on the front of the instruction booklet:

This model represents the strengthened D.Va manufactured by Albatros Werke Schneidemühl - Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW) in eastern Germany from September 1917.

From the outset you're greeted by sumptuous box art adorning a sturdy box. No flimsy side-opening units here! But it's what's inside that really counts:

6 sprues of mid-grey injection-moulded plastic, sealed in individual plastic bags
1 clear sprue, sealed in its own plastic bag
1 photo-etched fret
5 decal sheets
1 instruction booklet

Plastic Sprues

As you can see from the photos below, parts moulding is exceptional, with petite sprue gates, no flash and largely unobtrusive ejector pin marks. Some of the smaller parts may still be a challenge to remove and clean up however.

Even though some of the sprues in this kit date from 2007, the moulding detail and finesse is still impressive:

Photo-etched Fret

Inside the sealed bag containing the decals is a small photo-etched fret of detail parts, sealed in its own plastic bag:

Instruction Booklet

The instruction booklets supplied in Wingnut Wings kits have become legendary, and with good reason. The production values are equivalent to a glossy magazine, and to refer to them as mere instruction booklets does them a grave disservice.

The cover features a potted history of the type, and a specifications table at the bottom. This material is also available on the Wingnut Wings webpage for the kit.

The content features colourful and highly-detailed annotated assembly drawings, complemented by captioned reference photographs and painting instructions.

Decals and Markings

The kit includes five decal sheets: four large sheets at A4 size and larger, and a smaller sheet at around A5 size. Two sheets contain the aircraft markings, another two sheets contain the lozenge decals, while a fifth sheet houses the rib tapes.

There's an extensive paint chart on the inside cover of the instruction booklet, with paint colours listed from the Tamiya and Humbrol ranges. The painting and decalling guide begins on page 17, and features the following five aircraft:

Albatros D.Va (OAW) 6553/17, Jasta 73, mid 1918
Albatros D.Va (OAW)?, Jasta 18, May 1918
Albatros D.Va (OAW), Hermann Leptien, Jasta 63, mid 1918 (7 victories)
Albatros D.Va (OAW), Hans von Gössel, Jast 71, mid 1918 (1 victory)
Albatros D.Va (OAW), Friedrich Ritter von Röth, Jasta 23b, early 1918 (28 victories)

Check out the Wingnut Wings website for colour profiles of these schemes.

Conclusion

This release of the Albatros D.Va represents everything we've come to expect from a Wingnut Wings kit: exceptional moulding quality, excellent detail, superb decals and industry-leading documentation. What more could you ask for? Highly recommended.

Review sample supplied by Wingnut Wings.