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Thread: VALOM kit recommendations

  1. #1

    Default VALOM kit recommendations

    Hello fellow modelers, I am arguably putting my sanity at risk as I go down this road, but I would like to know which VALOM kits you would recommend trying one's hand at?

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    I would suggest the Fokker Dr.I. Two of the wings are integrated in the fuselage (no single wing construction) and it has the easiest struts assembly.

  3. #3

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    The Fokker D.VII has one-piece 'N-struts' which make the wing assembly much easier (automatic stagger!) than all the multiple-single-strut types like the Pup, Camel and SE5a.
    I have built 4 with no problems at all.
    I'll be trying a couple of Fokker Dr.1s shortly.
    I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!

  4. #4

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    I have built eight Valom kits - Fokker EIII, Dr 1 & DVII, Albatros DV, Sopwith Pup, Nieuport 11 & 17 and SE5a. Each Valom kit seems to have its unique tricky bit, but I'd agree that the Fokker VII and Dr 1 are the easier ones - or at least slightly easier.

    I find the Fokker EIII more difficult since its single wing is in two parts with the smallest pegs & holes to guide placement. The tail is in three pieces - 1 vertical and 2 horizontal (left & right) with hardly anything to guide placement and not much area for contract on the end of the fuselage. I nearly threw my first ones against the wall but I have built several since then.

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    Jeremy, get sure to take a duel set. You get four planes with all decal options of the double sets (dual combo?) and the price is almost the same. I don't know how much the shipping to the US is, but in Europe, ordering directly at Valom is the cheapest option.

    I agree, that the DVII is also an easy Valom kit, but the struts on the Dr.I are definitely the most easy to assemble of all Valom kits. As mentioned above, you start with mounting the under and middle wing to the fuselage. Than you put the two main struts through the middle wing and clue them on the under wing. So the struts are fixed and the top wing can easily be assembled. At last you have only to clue the triangle struts between top wing and fuselage and you are done.

    A disadvantage of the Dr.I is the resin engine. You have to cut off one peg and file the other peg, to get the part in the cowling.

    I suggest to avoid the Valom cockpits at all - it can't be seen afterwards and is not appropriate for a wargaming miniature. Put a pilot miniature in the hole. Also avoid the thin etched tail skid and use a stable instead, which you can glue in the fuselage after drilling a small hole into.

  6. #6

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    Great info, thank you! I'll definitely be looking at the Fokker D.VII's and Dr.I's then.

    It's hard to find any builds for these online, especially by modelers who actually explain what they did. I did notice people replacing the rear skids with bits of paperclips in their build logs, just as you suggested Florian. I'm assuming that I find pilots on Shapeways? Do you recommend replacing any of the guns or other parts?

    What do you all think of the Albatros D.V or the two-seaters? I don't think that I have found one pic of an F.2b build.

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    Quote Originally Posted by VonSquid View Post
    Great info, thank you! I'll definitely be looking at the Fokker D.VII's and Dr.I's then.

    It's hard to find any builds for these online, especially by modelers who actually explain what they did. I did notice people replacing the rear skids with bits of paperclips in their build logs, just as you suggested Florian. I'm assuming that I find pilots on Shapeways? Do you recommend replacing any of the guns or other parts?

    What do you all think of the Albatros D.V or the two-seaters? I don't think that I have found one pic of an F.2b build.
    Personally I like to stay as near as possible to the WoG design. So I scratch build the pilot out of sprue and use the Valom machine guns.

    The D.V is also an easy build, comparable with the D.VII. The cooler pipe from the cylinders to the top wing and the gaps on the elevator are the crunchpoints of that kit.

    I have never build a two-seater, because I have enough (?) of the two models by WoG.

  8. #8

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    Florian: I just saw your technique for making pilots on your SE.5a build. That is a nice build log! There is a lot of good and useful information in there. The kit came out quite nicely as well

    I may add the D.V to my first purchase as well, although I'm still on the fence about the F.2b and Rumpler kits.

    I'm guessing that the Nieuports will be next in difficulty to the E.III?

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    Quote Originally Posted by VonSquid View Post
    Florian: I just saw your technique for making pilots on your SE.5a build. That is a nice build log! There is a lot of good and useful information in there. The kit came out quite nicely as well

    I may add the D.V to my first purchase as well, although I'm still on the fence about the F.2b and Rumpler kits.

    I'm guessing that the Nieuports will be next in difficulty to the E.III?
    Yes, the Nieuport 11 has also a single (under) wing construction, and they are even more difficult than the E.III ones. Additionally there is the etched machine gun on the top wing. The Nieuport 17 is easier: no single wings, the easy to assemble V-struts and only an optional top machine gun.

  10. #10

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    Outstanding, thank you!

  11. #11

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    Having just finished a couple of Valom Fokkers - albeit with a 10 month gaps in the process, here are some things to watch when building the kit:

    1) The lower wing doesn't fit into the slot in the fuselage without some work. This is a common problem with Valom kits but, as shown by Florian with his posts, make sure that the wing is perpendicular to both the vertical and longitudinal axis of the fuselage. When doing that I find there's something asymmetric with the two halves of the front of the fuselage that tends to throw me off, but maybe it's my eyes.

    2) The marks for drilling holes for the inner cabane struts in the upper aren't symmetric. One pair are further out from the centre line by about 1mm, which is enough to screw up placing the photo-etched struts. The pair closer to the centre line are correct so drill ones on the other half that match. I've made the mistake of using the marked holes and then have done without holes on the wing, but this time I measured and drilled matching holes. It made gluing in the cabane struts much, much easier.

    3) The holes for the struts for the undercarriage aren't correct either but at least it's obvious. The forward marked hole on one side is too far back. Drill another one that matches the one on the other side of the fuselage. The rear holes should be just where the wing meets the fuselage.

    4) Definitely go with a drilled hole and piece of wire for the tail skid. I've used the stupid photo-etched skid up until this last pair. Do not use it. It's horrible the instruction on how you're supposed to bend the photo-etched will have you scratching your head.

    5) The rear horizontal stabilizer needs some filing to fit the fuselage properly. You will need to check the stabilizer for all three possible degrees of rotation for correct positioning - again a typical Valom kit problem.

    6) If you have the holes for the 'N' struts the correct depth it will make putting the upper wing on a breeze. The peg on the photo-etched struts might not be exactly the same so you may have to customize the depth of the holes for each 'N' strut. If you don't you might find the wings end up not parallel to each other.

    That's it. It's actually a fairly easy Valom kit....as Valom kits go.

  12. #12

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    Great intel Paul, much appreciated! As I stated, I'm sure that I'll be testing my sanity



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