History

The Roland D VIb, successor of the D VIa, had a more powerful engine but didn't closed the gap against its competitors, the Fokker D VII and the Pfalz D XII.

Characteristics :

	Engine : Benz D.IIIa
	Wing span : 9.40m
	length : 6.40m
	Height : 2.60m
	Weight empty : 655Kg
	Weight loaded : 845Kg
	Speed : 190km/h

References

	Windsock Datafile n°37
	The site of Tomasz Gronszewski
	Internet Modeler, April 2003 issue
	And of course, The Site of WW1 kits planes

The kit

It is the MAC kit 1/72 which is built here. It is a good kit, however, there are some points to be modified, improved. I will talk about them along the build.

The fuselage is already closed, the landing gear built and a lot of parts filed, ready to be fitted.

The fuselage opening are closed with "Wiping paper" (I am not sure of the translation, but it is often used in the kitchen) for the cockpit and with Tamiya masking tape for the engine. The whole assembly is painted in white with a spray can (Citadel "Skull white"), used as primer to detect the defects, lack of filling, and to improve the fixation of the paint.

The whole assembly is then sprayed with Humbrol H63, a wash of burnt Sienna earth is applied all over the fuselage. After that, it is slightly sanded to show the details (sand paper grit 2000). A coat of Tamiya X24 (clear yellow) is sprayed, et voilà, the wood of the fuselage is ended.

Onto the rudder, I sprayed a coat of white paint from a spray can. Now the decals. The one provided with the kit doesn't suits to me regarding my references (Windsock datafile n°37), I took some on an Americal Gryphon sheet (n°128 Jasta 13).

After that, I sprayed a coat of satin varnish (Prince August Air) to secure the decals and to have the same shininess everywhere.

 

 

 

Then, I painted some elements, of which the engine cover, in RLM02 Gunze Sangyo. I also glued the landing gear, after some adjustments and strengthening with spring steel wire 0.3mm.

 

I started to add the lozenge scheme decals. I use the 4 colours version of the brand Eagle Strike (see Roland D VIa picture). They fit well and react correctly with the setting solution. Be careful, the decals become very fragile with the use of this product but close-fit perfectly all of the details of the kit.

An advice : it is better to paint the surface were you want to fit your decals.

After that, I added the other decals (with the help of the second type of setting solution) as well as the lozenge scheme of the upper wings. I have to add the rib tapes onto the lozenge scheme.

On this plane, the lozenge scheme is fitted chordwise, except for the ailerons and the mobile parts of the rudder where it is spanwise.

The lozenge scheme continue : the underside is completely ended, like the upper side of the lower wings, while the upper side of the upper wings will be decaled after rigging.

The rib tapes are in place, I spent some hours, there are 196 of them, not counted the ones which are on the rear wings and on the leading and trailing edges !!!

Applying of a slight weathering : washing of black on the different traps and openings, footstep and cartridge ejectors. Using of a watercolor pencil (409 Charcoal grey, Suppracolor II series from Caran d'Ache) for the hollow edges, mainly on the motor cover.

After that I glued the exhaust pipes (undercoat matt black with dry brush Humbrol 100 red brown matt) and the machine guns (undercoat mat black then Testor Metalizer Exhaust, then, after drying, rub the paint with your fingers to highlight the edge). I also added the control horns of the rudder (PART photoetched).

Addition of the 2 external counters and the windscreen (left). Modification of the lower wings fitting : removing of the locating plots, replaced by brass wire (0.7mm). The holes in the wings are drilled at  0.8mm in order to adjust the position (right).

 

Upper wing fitting onto the cabane struts. As they are provided in one part for each side of the fuselage, I tried to add the upper wing. As I reinforced the link between the fuselage and the cabane struts, and between cabane struts and upper wing with some steel wire, the mounting went well.

The lower wings are glued in place, close to the right dihedral angle (slightly higher). When the glue is dry, I put the interplane struts in place. As the dihedral angle is too high, they stay well in place when adjusted. Then, they are painted in wood (It is easier when in place !!!).

 

Beginning of the rigging : prior painting and assembly, I drilled some 0.3mm holes half way through the lower wings and completely through the upper wings. Then, I use some invisible wire tinted in black (permanent marker) through the top wing to the lower wing where it is glued with a tiny drop of cyanoacrylate gel.

Then, each wire is tight : a tiny drop of CA gel is placed with a pin just before to tight the wire into the top wing. It is hold a few seconds, et voila!!! A tiny drop of CA superfluide is then put on the top of the upper wing to secure the gluing and to completely fill the hole.

After drying, all of the wires are cut of with a razor blade, and then filled (left). After a new drying time, the putty is sanded (right).

 

Then, the upper wing is covered with lozenge scheme and rib tape.

The ailerons are fitted in place and then the black crosses.

The hoses between engine and radiator are provided in the kit, photo etched. They are completely flat, so they are not usable IMO. I rebuilt them from brass rod 0.5mm thick, with the kit parts as guide. I painted them XF56 Tamiya "Metallic grey". I also added the rudder.

 

The wheels : At first, I airbrushed the tyres in matt grey (Humbrol 27). With a circle scriber, I trace and cut 4 disks of lozenge scheme decal which I glued in place. After that, I apply a lavish of black oil paint diluted with White Spirit, between the wheel rim and the tyre. Then, some brow pastel chalk applied with a Q-Tip overall the wheel.

The wheels, the propeller and its spinner are glued. The kit provides the propeller and the spinner in one part. I bought a wooden propeller from Martin Digmayer, removed the original one to keep only the spinner, some RLM02 paint and satin varnish, et voila, the last part is in place.

That's all Folks !!!