What I would like WNW to produce in 1/32 scale.

[Cees Broere]

For the last time a HANDLEY-PAGE O/400 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Please.

 

No please, not while I am still battling with the scratchbuild version.

Cees

[LSP_K2]

What one person sees as "ugly" another might see as character and the beauty of functional simplicity.

 

Jerry Peterson

 

Very true. There's been some chatter lately regarding a new Tempest in 1:32 scale; I'll never have one, as the plane simply does not appeal to me at all. The Typhoon on the other hand, appeals to me no end, and I'd jump all over a new one from a mainstream, quality manufacturer; (Hasegawa, Revell, and Tamiya spring to mind).

[krow113]

No please, not while I am still battling with the scratchbuild version.

Cees

 

 

 

I wouldnt mind seeing that,,,

[ssculptor]

I have those Battle Axe kits too Stephen - fun aren't they?

 

Also have a very nice Fokker D.VIII vac by Falcon...

 

And a pile of Pfalz D.III/IIIa's + Sopwith Tripes by Tom's Modelworks (and very nice they are too!)

 

I may have to dig out my Jane's Fighting Aeroplanes of WW1 and see if there are any conversions I can use them for...

 

Have fun,

 

Iain

Hi Iain,

Yes, I too have the 1/32 vacuforms:Sopwith triplane and Pfalz D.III by Toms Modelworks and the FOKKER DVIII by Falcon and the ALBATROSS DVA by ID MODELS and an Albatross D.III but I forget who made it and the HANSA BRANDENBERG flying boat by COMBAT MODELS. It is amazing how much I picked up over the past 20 years when there were so few models available in 1/32.

Problem now is why build a vacuform when an injection molded kit is available? I have become very lazy with age.

I even have the 1/24 vacs by contrail. I have their Nieuport, Albatros III and the SE-5a in 1/24. Stuff, stuff, stuff..

Stephen

[ssculptor]

In general I agree with WNW that is is not necessary to make their version of an aeroplane that has already been available in 1/32 scale by a different company. The Floh is a good example. One is enough.

Today I got my 1/32 Floh by Planet Models. That little airplane is just as cute as a bug. I am almost tempted to paint it as an American Ladybug, black polka dots and all. But I will probably apply some of my lozenge pattern decals and try to paint the rest in the large lozenge pattern like the WNW Hangover C1.II.

It is a shame that the Floh was not put into production. At 180 KPH (111.85 MPH) it was very fast for 1915. It was rejected by the powers that be for the same reason the USA Navy would not let the Corsair fly off the carriers in WW2. Bad forward visibility when landing. That did not bother the British navy from flying their F4Us off their carriers, though. Also the Floh was such a small aircraft that it would have probably been harder for the enemy fighter pilots to hit it in combat.

Fortunately, through my many contacts in the military world in various countries I have managed to get the plans and a few old photos of der Grosse Floh, otherwise known as the Wanze, as it was built and flown in combat for the Austro-Hungarian empire.

The Wanze was a two engine bomber version of the Floh. It was intended for use on the Austrian paddle wheel propelled Aircraft Carrier, Der Ganze Macher. The Ganze Macher was actually produced and, equipped with the Floh and the Wantz, aided in an action against the Italian navy in WW1. No one has heard much about this aircraft carrier because on its maiden voyage the Italians, instead of shooting at it became helpless with laughter. From the Admiral to the lowest stoker members of the Italian naval ships sent in pursuit of the carrier were rendered helpless upon seeing the craft. Sailors from the engineering staff on the Italian warships were called to the deck so they too could appreciate the ludicroouis aircraft carrier and its aircraft. The Austrian officers were so mortified that instead of attacking the now helpless Italian fleet the Austrians just turned their ships around and sailed home. The aircraft were finally, in great secrecy, sold to the Vulgarian Air force and the ship itself was converted back into a paddle wheel steamer cruise ship named Die Saftig Tuches. However, several Wantz's were resold to an American hillbilly airline located in Appalachia where they were converted to passenger aircraft and used to transport locally manufactured illegal whiskey to Chicago and other big cities during prohibition. The Wantz is one of my next projects.

[ringleheim]

WNW said right up front when they first came on the scene that they were not going to duplicate kits by other manufacturers where the other guy's kit was acceptable in their eyes. So that means no 1/32 Camel or DR.1. I recall that being one of the very first things I heard about WNW.

 

Interesting. I didn't know WNW wanted to specifically go in this direction.

 

Looks like I need to get on board with this Roden DR I I keep hearing about. Overall reviews of the kit do seem to be positive. There is still plenty of room in the model business for duplication of kits. Dragon and Tamiya are in a bit of a 1/35 scale armor war right now and each makes duplicative models of a variety of subject matters.

 

If WNW changes their policy down the road and pumps out a DR I or a Camel, I'm sure people will line up to buy them, regardless of who else makes those kits as well.

 

But WNW is entitled to run their business as they see fit, no doubt.

[petrov27]

Looks like I need to get on board with this Roden DR I I keep hearing about. Overall reviews of the kit do seem to be positive. There is still plenty of room in the model business for duplication of kits. Dragon and Tamiya are in a bit of a 1/35 scale armor war right now and each makes duplicative models of a variety of subject matters.

 

 

Concerning the Roden DRI - I recommend getting the "Encore" version from Squadron - comes with a bunch of extra resin, photoetch and a figure of Werner Voss. It is boxed as the "FI" triplane but you can easily build a DRI, maybe just need to get decals (Pheon has a bunch and others as well.)

 

Right now the Encore is $29.39 at Squadron with their 30% off sale (have to add it to cart and checkout to see that price) - IMHO this is a good deal for a decent kit. I have two of them and am damn tempted to get yet another at that price

[branchline]

Interesting. I didn't know WNW wanted to specifically go in this direction.

 

Compliments of the Season to you all from down under.

 

We here in Wellington New Zealand are most fortunate in having the WNW team close at hand with several being members of our local model group and one who is on-board here at LSP). Very early on in the piece a key player on the WNW team advised a small group of us at a meeting of this strategy and I think the words along the line of "it's our preference at this time not to make kits that other companies already have" but the Sopworth Triplane of course (and there might be others) is obviously a deviation from that preference.

 

I suspect if one was to take a look at the aircraft at Peter Jackson's Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre ( http://www.omaka.org.nz/ ) what lies ahead as possible subjects might come from the aircraft collection there. Many of these replica aircraft are of course made at Peter Jackson's own aircraft factory ( http://thevintageavi...s/aircraft-guns ) - note this is totally my own opinion, never heard it from anyone before but it's a bit of a no brainer really when you look at the list of aircraft the Vintage Aviator makes and the list of WNW models - there is a lot of commonality and after all why waste all that research undertaken building the real things.

 

I deliberately never took any interest in WW1 aircraft as I have too many other era's I'm interested in researching but when Tim, one of our sons, rang up a week before the 2007 Omaka bi-annual Easter airshow and said asked if I was attending I couldn't refuse - I've posted images before on the airshows but for those not familiar with the event, it's very much a WW1 aviation event with not just single copies of aircraft flying but multiples like seven Fokker Triplanes! I was at the 2009 show where WNW first released their kits and purchased an SE.5a and I remember a lot of initial scepticism on this very site doubting they could ever produce what they said they were going to on their website!).

 

I'm now hooked, but will only buy WNW kits (except for perhaps a Fokker Triplane and a Camel at some point in the future) and have nine WNW kits so far. Tim is with us this Christmas and we are going to do a double WNW build over the break, he with a pup and me with the triplane. They are just stunning model kitsets although rigging has me a little concerned.

 

Happy Modelling and all the best for Christmas,

 

Regards Brent

Edited December 22, 2012 by branchline

[is it windy yet?]

Well I'll wait for the WNW boxings of these kits. Say what you will about not doubling up on kits already produced, but eventually they will get around to making them. It may take a decade, but I'll wait.

 

Nieuport 17

 

Sopwith Camel

 

Fokker Dr. I

 

Another wish list item would be WNW to move into 1:24 scale. That would really be the cat's pyjamas.

[Fred Jack]

According to Richard Alexander, the Hobbits are eventually going to produce every WW1 A/C ever flown unless someone else, ex. Roden, Hobbycraft, etc... Has already produced an acceptable model. Wnw is not interested in competing with any good companies.

[Out2gtcha]

According to Richard Alexander, the Hobbits are eventually going to produce every WW1 A/C ever flown unless someone else, ex. Roden, Hobbycraft, etc... Has already produced an acceptable model. Wnw is not interested in competing with any good companies.

 

 

Not 100% the case, as Ive heard they now will be in fact putting out a Camel. This also IMHO does NOT cross into the previously mentioned "acceptable model" category. It might be acceptable to build.............if you can always find one. Neither kit is that easy to just "get" and although the newer HC kit is ok, the other is really not.

[OldTroll]

Just to stir the pot a little - after building a dozen WNW models and with 60+ still in the box I find that there are very few "acceptable" WWI 1/32 injection molded models out there and yes, I include Roden, Academy, Special Hobby and Battle Axe in my opinion (I own some of all.) I will welcome and purchase any WWI subject WNW produces because their models are head and shoulders above the rest in fit, accuracy of outline and bang for my (US) buck. In the cases where a "nose-to-nose" comparison can be made (Roden DH-2 and Sopwith Triplane vs. the WNW versions) there is simply no comparison IMHO.

 

Let me explain a little as to why I feel the way I do. I am 70 years old with not so great eyesight and not so steady hands but with a sixty year old love for WWI aviation and models. I have built hundreds of models of that era over the past six decades in scales from 1:144 to 1:18 in plastic, resin, vacuform and wood from scratch, kits, plans and original creations. At this point in my (modelling) life I will purchase any manufacturer's injection-molded model whose fit, positive part location (keyed pins and sockets), level of detail, variant options, color scheme options (decals), instructions, and overall production values equal or exceed those of WNW. No manufacturer can fill the bill (yet) so I cannot see sending them my modelling dollars. I am well aware that stunning models ("silk purses") can and have been made from less than perfect kits ("sow's ears") but I have not the skill, motivation or time left to undertake such challenges. I will leave those to the more than capable hands of the other members here. But enough of the blah-blah-blah and now...

 

...back to the original question:

 

RFC/RAF

Airco DH-5

Sopwith Dolphin

Blackburn Kangaroo

Any Armstrong-Whitworth

RAF F.E.8

Airco DH-4 and American-built DH-4

 

France

Nieuport 11/12/16/17/21/24/27/28

SPAD 7/12/13

 

USA

Jenny

Eberhart SE-5E

Thomas Morse S-4 and S-5

 

Central Powers

Early Fokker and Halberstadt bipe fighters

Fokker Dr.I (Roden and Encore F.I notwithstanding)

Aviatik-Berg D.I

Brandenburg Star-strutter

Macchi M.5

Albatros/Aviatik/AEG/Roland two-seaters

Taube

Early Albatros fighters (D.I, D.II, D.III, D.III(OAW)

Siemens-Schuckert D.III and D.IV with early/mid/late production options.

 

And the other hundred or so I have missed. Thanks for reading and may your model-building give you as much joy as mine gives me.

[LSP_K2]

I'd be onboard for a new WNW Nieuport 11 or 16 in a heartbeat. The Special Hobby kits of these two leave much to be desired, in my opinion. I am not familiar at all with the Amodel Nieuport 16's, but for $100 a pop, I'd rather just give the money to WNW.

[LSP_K2]

I know, Clunker, but those are just my preferences, (along with the Dr.I and Spad XIII and Taube, and,...)

[ChuckT]

Hey guys. Just to confirm, WNW has now changed its tune and DOES indeed have a sopwiith camel in development! It seems all the talk on the forums from those of us for whome only WNW will do has had an effect and the will now be offering one in the future.

 

In a published interview with WNW (I beleive it was Richard Alexander) they stated that the camel is in the works and will probably be out in a few years.

 

Let's hope they eventually offer a Foker Dr.I as well as a Junkers D.I (along with a whole bunch of ther cools planes from that era).

 

Good times indeed!