Fokker E.1 Early
History Brief
The dreaded Fokker E.1 was the first fighter aircraft to enter service with the German Luftwaffe in World War I. When it arrived at the front in mid-1915, it set in motion a time known as the "Fokker Scourge," in which the E.1 and its lineal Eindecker siblings achieved air superiority over the Western Front.
The Product
My sample arrived in a higher-end box, commonly associated with quality model kits. The box top features a beautiful color print with the famous Wingnut Wings name found in the upper, right-hand corner. Inside the box, I found the parts well protected in the typical poly bags. The parts themselves were flawless and flash-free, featuring delicate detailing. Also included is a photo-etch fret; an unbelievable color instruction booklet printed on glossy paper, featuring vintage photographs and five full-color plates; and finally, the beautiful decal sheet printed by Cartograf.
The Five Decal Options
- Fokker E.1 1/15, Otto Parschau (8 victories), June-July 1915
- Fokker E.1 5/15, Kurt Wintgens (19 victories), FFA 6b, July 1915
- Fokker E.1 8/15, Uffz. Kneiste, FFA 62, August 1915
- Fokker E.1 13/15, Max Immelmann (15 victories) & Oswald Boelcke (40 victories), FFA 62, August 1915
- Fokker E.1 14/15, Eduard Böhme (2 victories), FFA 9b, August 1915
The Build
Starting with the cockpit, as with most model airplanes, I found this part of the build to be the most time consuming. I encountered no problems in the construction or fit. The internal rigging was simple enough, and required just a little time. Once completed, I then added the photo-etch seatbelts. The cockpit was then ready to mate into the fuselage halves. I closed the fuselage up, and then added the forward cowling and cockpit panels; once again the parts fit great. The kit provides a choice of two optional machine guns, a Parabellum LMG 14 and an IMG 08 “Spandau,” depending on which version you’ve chosen to build. Each gun is offered as either a single-piece, injection-molded plastic gun or as a multi-part construction of photo-etch and plastic. I chose to build the multi-part gun, and was easily able to add the photo-etch using a little super glue. Following the instructions, I soon had the engine completed and installed. Next, I added the landing gear, and it went on without a hitch. Then, before I knew it, I had the wings and tail feathers on and readied for rigging.
The Bottom Line
It’s a five-star kit! I recommend this baby to anyone!
Thanks To
Wingnut Wings and IPMS/USA for allowing me the opportunity to present such an awesome model!
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