Model Forum / General / Models / August 2006

Hi Troops:

    For the benefit of those who are W.W.I enthusiasts, the Roden 1/32
scale Fokker F.1 (pre-production tri-plane) kit has arrived. Be ready
for a bit of sticker shock, Roden's price has gone up compared to their
Fokker DR.1. That said, it looks like a really nice effort. Decals are
for 101/17, the factory prototype, 102/17 which went to vonRichtofen and
103/17 which went to Werner Voss. The decal sheet includes Voss'
Japanese Face markings. I will not venture into the great argument about
whether Voss' tri-plane had a yellow painted cowl and rudder.
    One anomaly I did notice is that the instruction sheet tells you to use
the stabilizer with the straight leading edges a-la the later production
DR.I. Wrong! Voss' FI-103/17 had the stabilizer with the slightly curved
leading edge just like the other two FI aircraft.
    See the article by Terry Phillips and Aaron Weaver in "Over the Front",
Vol.20 #2. This is the journal of the League of World War I Aero
Historians, successor organization to the Cross & Cockade Society, USA.
I believe you can get a copy from Squadron Mail Order if you want the
article. There is one photo, #27, that clearly shows the curved leading
edge stabilizer.

                        Bill Shuey