Albatros D.Va D.5360/17 'Tropical' 

‘Nice Landing Herr Leutnant’ 

The Albatros D.Va was the factory’s return to the earlier Alb.D.III wing control design.  The aileron cables ran through the lower wing to a point below the upper wing aileron.   There the cables rose from the lower wing to the upper wing.  Keeping the oval cross-sectioned fuselage and the now strengthened lower wing, the D.Va now had the Mercedes D IIIaü 180 hp motor.          

This is the  Eduard 1/48 kit #8109. At the beginning of 2002 we saw the introduction of Eduard's release their 'neu' mold of the Albatros D.V kits (Feb, #8109 and in March #8110 Profipack.)  The new process allows finer more exacting details be included in the overall plastic mold.  It easily competes with any of the ‘Tamigawa' companies processes. Some people groused about the redo even if it were a new molding   To simulate the Wood panel sections of the fuselage I used applications of acrylic and enamel paints.  Rigging is monofilament, The cockpit is detailed to include structure  and equipment using modified kit items and Eduard’s brass fret #48218.  Lozenge decals are Eagle Strike 5 colour Camouflage sheets. National markings are kit items.   Plumbing and landing gear struts are brass rod bent and cut to shape.  Propellor is laminated wood carved to shape.  The upper left wing tip was scratchbuilt and cover with layers of decal film.

This kit represents a Johannistahl built Albatros  D.Va 5360/17 flown by Ltn. Victor Häfner of FA300 & 304.   Sometime in June - July 1918 after the ground crew had completed repairs To this machine, Ltn. Häfner took it up for a test flight one morning in his pajamas.  At about 3000 ft  the pilot heard a loud ‘crack’ the resultant emergency landing was due to a collapsed upper left wing tip.  He managed to land at Afuleh airfield.  This was one of several instances where the Top wing tip of a Tropical Albatros D.Va failed.  An interesting note is that this machine doesn’t appear to have the outboard rigging wire seen typically on Western front Albatros D.Va types.