APC Decals 1/72 Albatros (Oeffag) D.III
By Matt Bittner
Overview
During WWI, Miroslav (Friedrich) Navratil flew Oeffag Albatros D.IIIs. He had two that were assigned to him, 253.06 and 253.116, 253.06 being the one he used to achieve all his victories. In fact, on his almost-last flight, Navratil's seat failed in 253.06 and he crashed that aircraft, resulting in a long recovery period so he never saw combat again.
253.116 was, on 21 November 1918, flown by Adolf Blaha to Switzerland where he and the plane were interred until 1919 when it was flown back to Czechoslovakia.
The Decals
This decal set is for Albatros (Oeffag) 253.16 after re-painting and re-marking. According to the instructions:
"Oeffag 253.116 was most likely to be camouflaged on the upper and side surface by gray-green, gray-yellow and dark green splashes applied with a sponge to the original color of the material. The colors have been applied very carefully so that they can be distinguished from each other and do not melt with each other. The lower surfaces of wings and elevtor were in clear doped lined color, as a part of fusselage (sic).
"On the upper wing, the original Austrian-Hungarian insignias were covered with a light, probably green, color, same as the rudder. On the lower wings, a not valid czech insignias were applied, covering A-H crosses. The left wheel was used from the Aviatik Berg D.I, it was in canvas color and a serial number 238.18 was visible. On the hull below the engine, on the left was a table with the Oeffag sign, serial number and weight. There was only the Oeffag sign in the same place on the right. The aircraft was unarmed, leaving only the barrel extension. The engine cover was removed on the left side."
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I think what the instructions mean about the underside of the fuselage was that it was left natural, which means wood, and not in clear doped linen.
Decals are nicely printed and appear in register. Eons ago I built Navratil's WWI aircraft but definitely had it painted incorrectly, even for during the war. Be that as it may, that model is now resting in the model graveyard.
Huge thanks to APC Decals for supplying these decals to review.