Scale Plastic & Rail

1/32 Rumpler C.IV Late from Wingnut Wings

Wingnut Wings
Catalogue # 32037
Available direct from Wingnut Wings for $89.00USD with FREE delivery

At the age of 10, I borrowed from my junior school library an old, dusty blue book that had long since lost its dust cover. It was called "Biggles, Pioneer Air Fighter" by Captain W.E. Johns and was a collection of short stories about a fictional pilot in the Royal Flying Corps in WW1. I learned later it was an amalgam of parts of two other books by Johns. That book, in conjunction with my late Grandfather's stories about life in the RFC, lead me directly into my interest on first World War aircraft and, when I became a modeller, into the world of WW1 aircraft.

Two stories stand out in my memory today more clearly than the rest from that first book. "The Bomber" was a story about various pilots' attempts to shoot down a large nocturnal raider, which turned out to be a Friedrichschafen bomber. Then there was "The Decoy", a story full of tactical argument, in which a German observer plane, in the latter stages of the war, was luring British pilots to their death. Looking an easy kill, it was protected by 2 squadrons of Albatros fighters in 2 layers high above it who pounce on any pilot who attacks the decoy. After a new pilot is killed trying to shoot down the plane, "Biggles" shoots it down himself by flying high above both Albatros squadrons, diving down through them and making the long dive on to the decoy and destroying it with his twin Vickers guns; the Albatros fighters can not catch his Camel in a headlong dive. Why do I mention this? Well, the decoy was "a green-tailed Rumpler" and, at that stage of the war, it would have been a Rumpler C.IV, probably of the late production type, an aircraft I have had a soft spot for ever since....... (below)

Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rumpler_C.IV.jpg

Wingnut Wings have recently expanded their wonderful range of 1/32 WW1 aircraft kits with a pair of Rumpler C.IV kits. Our Editor, Jim, has already appraised the early production version of the C.IV kit, as well as outlined the history of the aircraft, which I will not repeat here. I have in front of me the late production variant of the aircraft. So how did it differ from its earlier siblings? Well, very little, in truth. The propeller spinner was removed to leave the blunt, rounded nose; this shape, as well as the loss in weight lead to both a more aerodynamic shape and improved the speed by 10 -15 kph – I also think it made the aircraft more purposeful-looking. Different small markings and stencilling was carried, as was a simpler windscreen and a lighter suspended observer's seat. Another change, the reason for which has been swallowed by the sands of time, was the removal of the standard Rumpler-style gun "ring" mounting and the substitution of a much simpler series of bars across the rear cockpit, the "sliding bar mount"; the fuselage around the gun position was cut away at the same time. This step is a puzzle, since the fields of fire and reaction time to threat would both have been adversely affected by this change. The only argument I have heard that makes sense would be the loss of weight, which would then enable the aircraft to carry more fuel or internal equipment.

Apart from the instruction booklet and decals, the contents of the two kits are the same, the differences being which of the optional parts are used in each version. I shall make a quick pass through the sprues, offering a few pointers different to those from Jim. Sprue A (below) holds a wide range of general parts for the interior, the front Spandau gun, the rear gun mounts, the optional stack exhausts, the nose formers and undercarriage. General casting and detail is easily up to WNW's usual standard without any flash. The only part I though a touch heavy-handed was the tail skid, which is slightly bulky. As noted in the instructions, the end of the exhausts needs drilling out.

Sprue B (above) gives us the fuselage halves, the ailerons, fin, rudder, rear gun ring, upper wing centre section and parts for the optional styles of Windhoff generators. The fuselage structure is really well done, complete with the spring-mounted steps carried on German aircraft at this time. The ailerons are gorgeous mouldings; the odd-shaped thin structures at bottom left and middle right are units that together make up the centre-section supports for the upper wing, a structure unique to Rumpler. Sprue D (below) is duplicated in the kit, giving the modeller the elevators, wheels, interplane struts and some control horns, amongst other parts. The tyres on the wheels are excellent executed. I felt that the optional undercarriage-mounted generator for one of the marking options could have been a touch more delicate in structure.

The parts for the Daimler-Mercedes D.VIa engine are contained on sprue E (above). As with every WNW engine, it is beautifully done and is amongst the best engines available in an injection moulded kit. However, this is one area where extra detailing and wiring can be added fruitfully by the keen modeller. The wings are held on sprue F (below). This time they are single mouldings and will be more difficult to put wire spars in, something I am advocating in all WNW kits now, to give strength over time. The moulding is simply stunning.

A close-up photo (above) shows what I mean; beautiful detail, just enough restraint, crisp moulding – you cannot ask for better. Sprue G1 (below) is the generic armament set that I covered previously in my review of the  .

Sprue G2 (above) has the feel of another generic set, this time being labelled "German Accessories"; I have not seen it in a kit before, but perhaps it is destined to make future appearances. It contains some small bomblets and grenades together with parts of a breathing apparatus. Sprue G3 (below) returns us to the world of variety in a big way. Four styles of airscrew, communications and photographic equipment, flare pistols, stools, ladders, step ladders and a toy bear mascot all put in an appearance. All of these are well done, the ground equipment being particularly welcome (though the ladders are a bit too "precise" for my taste, the real things often being more ramshackle and knocked together). I also, when examining the airscrews thought 3 of the 4 were spot-on, but the Astra product, offered as a possible fit for one aircraft, needs a little work with sanding sticks to get the tip shape a little more pronounced.

Sprue I (above) completes the major parts, giving alternate Spandau guns, pilot's control wheel, lower nose panels, fuselage bottom and cockpit floor. The wire detail on this latter part is a touch heavy and should be removed and reinstated with sprue or fusewire for a better effect. The same transparencies appear on sprue C (below) as are present the early version, though a different screen is used in this kit.

Now, we come to the decals. There is one major sheet that covers all of the options, then another 2 major and 1 minor sheet just for one of these options, which are a really a considerable point of discussion, which I will come to shortly. Anyway, the first sheet (above) does indeed contain dozens and dozens of markings for the 5 aircraft, together with all of the instruments and stencilling. Particularly eyecatching are the large beetle markings for one aircraft's fuselage. Called "scarabs" in the instructions, I do not know if this is from a German word, but in the UK this beetle species is a cockchafer and is nothing like an actual scarab. All decals are in perfect register and cleanly printed by Cartograf from Italy. It is the next sheets that are the big question area for the kit. They are pre-printed panels of upper 5-colour lozenge decal (below)

and lower 5-colour lozenge decal (above); nothing wrong with that in itself, but the issue is that WNW have printed in the rib tapes with the lozenge. Having canvassed some of my friends, amongst who would be considered some of the UK's best WW1 aviation modellers, the view is the same: this is a bad mistake. Rib tapes need to be laid over the lozenge to get the right effect on such a large scale model, as well as being difficult to keep universally in straight lines if any wing or aileron twisting is present or been deliberately applied. WNW recognises this fact themselves because they have made available commercial sheets of upper and lower wing lozenge with separate rib tapes. I can only surmise that this has been done as a cost-containment in this kit since it is only for one of 5 options in the kit and the rib tapes are also lozenge themselves. The truth is, I suppose, that general standard modellers who choose this option will use the kit decals but better modellers will have to use the generic WNW lozenge and rib tape decal sets to get the best results. The small decal sheet (below) offers a correction for two lower panels. Also shown is the etched fret for the machine gun jackets, gunsights, lap straps and modified observer's seat, all of which are perfectly etched.

The standard format instruction and reference booklet (above) remains the best of its type from any manufacturer currently in operation. One page spread (below) shows the optional accessories alongside some fascinating reference photos of cameras and breathing equipment.

The five marking schemes previously mentioned are for 4 "traditional" Rumplers in mauve and greens with blue undersurfaces plus the lozenge covered late war aircraft. Individually, they are:

A.   1421/17, mid to late 1917B.   1449/17, 'Black 6', mid to late 1917 (both above)

C.   8037/17, 'Scarab'. Mid to late 1918D.   8231/17, late 1917 to early 1918 (both below)

E.   'Good People', late 1917 to early 1918 (above)

I have no doubt that 'Black 6' will be the most popular choice amongst purchasers of the kit – a traditional Rumpler scheme but with just enough colour to make it stand out.

Finally, the kit compares very well with the plans available in the new Windsock Datafile from our friends at Albatros, though I am certain the rear fuselage does shallow out a fraction too much – but it honestly is not noticeable.

So What Do We Think?
Another cracking release from WNW that marks another step in their march across the domination of WW1 aviation modelling, which I can recommend to all modellers. The inclusion of below-par decals for one scheme is a disappointment but one that most will happily live with. I know many modellers would have preferred the earlier, more idiosyncratic Rumpler C.I but I have no doubt that will appear in time as well.

The best Rumpler kit of any variant ever released

Robin Jenkins.