I’m almost starting my new scale project! I was looking for a large and unique WWI scale subject when I remembered a thread Ramses started a few years back.. I contacted him and after some mails and a nice meetup we agreed I can start building the 1/3 scale version!! It goes without saying I’m thrilled with this honour!

You can find the thread of the design process by Ramses over here: http://www.modelbouwforum.nl/threads/fokker-v-23-fokker-d-23-de-schelde-s-21-%E2%87%A8-bouwplannen.210959/

The Fokker V.23 is a fighter plane from 1918 with a modern cantilever mid-wing. Only one has been built with a minimum of information still being available. I think it’s a beautiful plane. It has been modelled a few times to date, but to my knowledge not yet at the level of detail and accuracy Ramses designed it.

It’s going to be my first gas engine. A long time ago I flew some small two stroke OS engines, but since my re-introduction into the hobby I’m flying electric power only. I already chose the engine for the Fokker: it’s going to be a four stroke 70cc Valach! I hope this engine will marry beautifully with the Fokker.

Here’s two of the three images left of the V.23:

On this photograph you can just see the lozenge covering of the fuselage. The typical location and orientation of the exhaust is one of the remarkable scale features I aim to replicate:

One of Ramses’ beautiful renderings showing off the construction of his design:

I want to stick as close as possible to the original and I think this static model does a wonderful job on the colours. On multiple forums and via Google you’ll find some V.23 models with D.VII liveries, but they actually did never exist. Considering the limited information available, it’ll be difficult to get accurate proof of the colours, but this will fit the bill for me:

There’s one debatable feature: were the wings dark green as with multiple Fokker models from that period, or were they finished with clear lacquer? On the pictures above it is hard to tell, but at least you can see the panel lines very well, which could indicate the wings have a clear finish. So this is something I did not yet decide on.

Currently, a fellow club member of Ramses is lasering the parts:

Once I have all the wood, I will continue to blog about my progress!