Eduard 1/48 Pfalz D.IIIa 'Weekend Edition' FL
By Rob Stewart
Overview
This is another release in Eduard's series of "Weekend Edition" kits (#8416), and again is great for modelers new to the genre who want to try their hand at a WWI subject or for old hands who want a nice colourful project for the display stand.
The Pfalz D.III grew out of a combination of the Roland D.IIs being built by Pfalz, but with added design characteristics of the impressive captured Nieuport aircraft that had been evaluated. Initial tests proved successful and production was ordered. After initial tests at the front were performed (some by the prestigious Jasta 10 of JGI), several design changes were made, and all further production became of the D.IIIa type. The noticeable differences being a slightly larger tail plane, and moving the machine guns to outside the fuselage, which made them easier to use. 750 D.IIIa's were built, and the type saw service with many front-line squadrons.
The Kit
The kit itself comes in 2 of the usual tan coloured sprues. There is a simple instructions sheet and a single decal sheet. The sprues are are crisply molded with a lot of detail. I couldn't find any sink or injection pin marks on visible areas. The couple that are inside the fuselage would be well out of site on a finished model.
Sprue A contains the upper wing, tail plane and fin/rudder. All of the control surfaces are molded straight, and will need to be cut off if you want them to look otherwise. Detail is sharp and the engine block parts look good as well. There are some small parts and all are straight and crisp. No flash at all, that I can see.
Sprue B contains the struts, fuselage halves and 2 lower wing assemblies. Both lower wings are molded as one piece with a bit of fuselage, to make it easier tho get the beautiful join of the prototype. Rigging holes are marked in the wings, and all pieces are crisply molded. Again, I can't see any flash or visible sink marks.
Instructions
The instructions are fairly straightforward. The first page takes in the interior, and engine assemblies and continues to closing up the fuselage and adding the lower wings and tail structures. The second page adds the upper wing and undercarriage, and finishes off with a rigging diagram, that misses one wire. This may not be important, but it is commonly done, and is actually shown on the box art. I'll talk about this more in the build article.
Markings
In common with other Weekend Edition kits a single marking option is given, and the one chosen by Eduard is a nice one; simple yet exciting.
Ltn. Hans Muller flew this D.IIIa with Jasta 18 in April 1918. He ended the war as Jatsa 18's 2nd highest scoring ace, after Berthold, the JGII commander. It isn't clear how many kills he actually got in the Pfalz, as he flew a Fokker D.VII as well. His aircraft had the traditional Vermillion upper wings and fuselage front and white aft and spinner of Jasta 18 with a black raven on each side, since the CO was named Raben, German for raven. There is some speculation that Muller's D.III was decorated like his D.VII and had black stripes on the fuselage and horizontal tail surfaces, but Eduard have gone with the traditional research and said they were all white. Suits me!
Conclusion
This is another beautiful, yet simple and affordable kit. The instructions are easy to follow and complete as is the rigging diagram, and together make the build well within the weekend series level of complexity. The single option given is a good uncommon choice, with bright colours which will look great in a display stand, or hanging from the ceiling!
Thanks to Eduard for the review sample.
