Revell 1/72 Fokker E.III

REVELL 1:72 FOKKER E.III
'INBOX Review'

Reviewer: Richard Stracey (rec.models.scale)

Kit Details: Revell # 04188 1/72 - FOKKER E.III

As with the Fokker Triplane being “inspired” by the Sopwith Triplane so the Eindecker series was influenced by the French Morane Saulnier Type H monoplane. Anthony Fokker’s E.III was developed from his M series of light observation aircraft. It was an E.II with larger wings and increased fuel capacity. Although not any better in performance than other fighters, the Eindecker became the “Fokker Scourge” due to its interrupter gear which allowed its synchronized machine gun to fire through the propeller arc. In all 249 E.IIIs were produced, entering service in December 1915. It was powered by a license built Gnome, an Oberursel 9cyl. 100hp rotary engine and armed with one Spandau IMG08 7.92mm machine gun. The wingspan was 10.04m (32’11”) and length 7.30m ( 23’11”). The E.III served with the German, Austro Hungarian and Turkish armed forces.

This 2008 kit is a reissue of Revell GB’s 1965 kit #H645. It consists of 26 detailed parts in light brown plastic with no flash and includes a pilot. Decals are for one machine. The single page instructions consist of a seven stage construction sequence, sprue map, rigging diagram, history, four view painting/decal guide and colour guide quoting Revell colours. You can no doubt blame the EU bureaucrats for the warning sheet in twenty one languages. As one reviewer said they only have missed out on Esperanto and Klingon….and Chinese! The parts come sealed in a plastic bag and the attractive end opening box is also sealed.

Revell class this kit as “Skill level 3” due partly to the painting and rigging. If the pilot is not used to plug the ‘ole some work needs to be done with the cockpit. The seat isn’t too convincing so an Aeroclub VO54 seat would be handy but not the Sopwith type joystick. There are good pictures of the interior on the internet so it is up to the modelers as to how far they want to go in this area. The engine could be replaced with an Aeroclub EO19 Gnome and the gun with a GO03 Spandau. Other than that things look pretty good although according to the plans that I have the propeller and wheels look a bit under sized but judging from photos they appear to be OK! Construction looks to be quite simple but I will be super gluing or epoxying the wing warping/rigging strut (22) to make sure that it doesn’t come adrift when the rigging is tightened up. There are feint marks on the wings to assist one to drill holes for the wires which should be attempted otherwise how can the wing warping work? I prefer hemming nylon to “black thread” as recommended by Revell.

The one decal option is for Ernst Udet’s (1896-1941) machine on the Western Front in the winter of 1915/16. The decals look first class and include the compass (4) and metal strips (2,3 & 6) which would be very fiddly to try to paint or cut from Bare Metal Foil as I have had to do with other kits. Some pretty accurate painting is required on the fuselage to get the white band right although the edges will be covered by decals. For this Revell fortunately supply a diagram. Udet certainly wanted everyone to know he was German having a total of ten crosses on his aircraft! As usual Revell have annoyingly quoted their limited range of paints and that on the rear of the painting guide so that one has to keep turning over the sheet. The entire aircraft except the nose is a greenish colour that entails mixing 75% Light Olive 45 and 25% Yellow 15. I think Xtracolour make this as X241 WWI Topside Green. I presume that isn’t PC10? Most or many E.IIIs were all over clear doped linen so if you want to do an alternative scheme I would recommend using radome tan and when dry, rubbing in brown powdered chalk with a soft cloth. I find it to look very natural and convincing. If you look at photographs, the cowling is not smooth metallic but sort of mottled so a bit of experimenting is called for to achieve this effect. The tyres would have been light grey and not dark grey as Revell suggest.

There is a great deal of information on both the E.III and Ernst Udet on the internet and Profile Publications #38 “Fokker Monoplanes”, Windsock Datafile #15, Squadron Signal “Fokker Eindecker in Action” #1158 and Aeroplane December 2004 “Database” includes a cutaway and 72 scale plans which would be of use. ICM make a Fokker E.IV and Eduard a 1/48 and two 1/72 Eindeckers, one in “skeleton” form in photo etch. In conclusion, a very nice little kit of an important aircraft in the history of fighters and of WWI. Welcome back.

RHS/08

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