Dogfight Doubles: Fokker Fodder

The Fokker

This is a new retooled kit of a Fokker E.III: E as in Eindecker or One-Wing.

The Fokker E Models were essentially copies of a 1913 French Morane-Saulnier Type H. They were not particularly great aircraft but in Summer, 1915, an E.I fitted with an MG synchronised to fire through the prop turned the E.I into a lethal killing machine.

Monoplanes were not an optimum choice in 1915 compared to biplanes. Available aero engines were only about 100HP. Monoplanes needed long wings to get any lift with such low power units which increased the structural rigidity problems greatly adding to weight and lowering power to weight ratio even further. Biplanes wings gave more lift for less weight at slow speeds due to their inherent box-like rigidity. The biplane had a great deal more drag than a monoplane but, with the low powered engines, speed was never an issue.

The E.III could work itself up to about 87 mph.

The Fodder

This is an RAF (not that RAF) BE2C fighter and is another excellent retooled Airfix kit.

The BE2 first flew in 1912 and was designed for observation and reconnaissance operations at a time when planes were unarmed. It was a very well designed stable plane with the chauffeur at the back. In fact it was so stable that it was almost impossible to carry out anything resembling an evasive manoeuvre. Up against an E.III it was dead meat: it couldn't run, it couldn't dodge, and it couldn't fight.

They did fit a machine gun for the observer but he was in the front of the plane, in the middle of the wings and struts with the pilot's head directly to the rear.

This model is the night fighter version designed in 1915. The observer's place has been taken out and replaced by a fuel tank. A Lewis gun has been added, operated by the pilot and firing vertically upwards. The upward firing gun, filled with explosive and incendiary ammunition, and the stable flight characteristics made the BE2 a perfect nightfighter. In 1916, Leefe Robinson shot down Zeppelin SL11 in one of these in Sept., 1916. BE2 nightfighters went on to take down five more Zeppelins in three months halting Germany's strategic bombing raids on Britain - but by January it was obsolete.

Nevertheless, the 90HP, 72 MPH BE2C nightfighter had its brief moment of glory.

Review of Warlord Games Renault FT - 17, Bolt Action VBCW

The FT - 17 is one of Warlord's more recent kits and it shows. The attention to detail and crispness of the resin modelling is excellent. Everything fitted unambiguously together using lugs and there was almost no flash to clean up.

The kit consists of four resin sections: hull, turret, and left/right tracks. Added to this are a metal gun: you get a choice of two, the MG or the light canon, and the metal rear unditching plate which comes in two sections.

I painted it in original French colours.

The FT 17 was the first tank to adopt the universal tank layout of engine at rear, tracks to the side, and main gun in a rotating turret on top of the hull. As such it was a milestone.

FT-17s fought in WWI, the Russian Civil War, Polish-Soviet War,  various Chinese conflicts, Spanish Civil War, Winter War, WWII (on the western and eastern fronts), Franco-Thai War, Turkish war of Independence and the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

It is not out of place in any inter-war campaign including VBCW.

About 2,750 were produced, which prior to WWII was a big production run.

I think I may get another.

Highly recommended.

Review, Sarissa Open Lorrry (51)

The completed model

When finished the Sarissa Lorry is not too bad as a backdrop terrain piece for any conflict set between about 1914 to 1945 including Russia and other isolated places.

The finished model is also  robust and light so easy to store.

But that ends the good news and the rest is downhill.

Clock the awful steering wheel and the way the bonnet is made from stuck together layers. It is impossible to get those into line without a great deal more patience than the average wargamer is likely to enjoy. The rear had one of those tow bars you find on toy train sets. OK it's easy enough to snip off but the whole kit has a Noddy-Toytown feel.

The plans

Not the easiest model I have ever put together, the tiny chassis pieces and axles are very difficult to get off the sprue without fracture.

Including Empress driver

Scaling is another issue. I painted up a driver from Empress to go in the cab. Hmmm!  Empress models tend to be on the small size for 28 mm but they're not that small.

Empress driver in 1:43 diecast

To make the point here is an Empress model in a 1:43 (28mm nominally covers about 1:56 to 1:48) diecast model. 

Regretfully I can't recommend this model not even at its low price of £7.50. Spend more and get a resin lorry from one of the many  ranges from other manufacturers, notably Bolt Action, Sloppy Jalopy, Shattered Empires.

Peter Pig Pilots for Wings of War

Some of the earlier Wings of War planes came without pilots which looks a little odd. This Spad was one of them so I have added a pilot figure.

Peter Pig make a pack of pilot torsos, Range 6, Pack 72, that might have bee made for the WOW planes. One packet has enough for dozens of planes so the mod is not expensive.

And the results are fine. One can even position them a little differently to make it look as if the pilot is looking up or over the side etc.

Wings of War - Aces Falling

The WWI display at the Wings & Wheels show fired me up to get my Wings of War game out of storage. Rereading the rules took all of ten minutes and I was ready. I always play the game in its simplest mode since, in my opinion, extra complexity adds nothing to the realism of the game particularly but does impede the smooth flow.

I reverted to type as Rittmeister of the German air arm against my regular opponent Captain Shaun of the RFC.

We used a scenario of my own devising. You pile all the allied plane cards you have into one pile and all the German into another and shuffle. Then you deal one of each and dice for where they come on: repeat for the next two turns. The scenario simulates the sort of large chaotic battles that occurred at the end of the war.

The first photo shows the position on Turn 4 when all the planes are engaged (in combat, not nuptials).

C - Camel

A1 & A2 - Albatross DV

N - Nieuport 17

S - Spad XIII

F - Fokker VII

The first victim was one of the Albatri. The Nieuport was shot to pieces in return but somehow stayed in the air. Note the Fokker VII turning in behind the hapless Frog.

And the Fokker's guns jammed.

And jammed and jammed.

But it couldn't last and eventually the gallant avieteur was caught in a crossfire and blew up.

The Camel was the next victim.

The Spad lined up a perfect shot on the Fokker - and his guns jammed!

At that point the surviving allied pilot upon reflection considered discretion the better part of valour and legged it.

Bolt Action: Lancia IZM Armoured Car

Another great 28mm miniature from Copplestone, the Lancia armoured car made in WWI. It had a roomy rotatable turret with two MGs. Originally, it had another small turret with an MG on top of the large turret but weight distribution issues caused it to be removed. The MG was relocated inside and fired through a rear port. The Lancia had decent ground clearance and off-road capability.

The Lancia was used by Italy, the USA and Germany in WWI and Italy in the Spanish Civil War. Some were still operational in Italian E Africa in WWII. Later the Germans took over surviving vehicles and used them for antipartisan operations in the Balkans.

Internal layout: the rails were added to the upper hull to cut wire.

Lancia IZM Panzerspähwagen, PK 501 on anti-partisan duty.