IN MY OPINION THIS INTRUIGING CAMOUFLAGE SYSTEM WAS INSPIRED BY THE AGE-OLD WATER-OIL-AND-INK-REPELLING TECHNIQUE OF PRINTING USED FOR CENTURIES IN THE BOOK-BINDING INDUSTRY.
ADAPTED, LIKE THE GERMAN 'LOZENGE' DESIGNS, TO ECHO THE COLOURS SEEN IN NATURE TO BEST DISGUISE AN AIRCRAFT'S SHAPE WHEN VIEWED FROM ABOVE.
SADLY NO KNOWN SURVIVING REMNANTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR STUDY.
ADDED TO THE AVIATTIC RANGE FOR NO GOOD REASON OTHER THAN IT NEEDED DOING (!) I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT MY TAKE ON THIS REMARKABLE WW1 CAMO SYSTEM.
LET'S HOPE SOME MANUFACTURER'S PRODUCE SOME KITS FOR THEM TO GRACE!
THE RODEN ALBATROS SERIES IN 1/32 LEND THEMSELVES TO CONVERSION AND, OF COURSE, IN 1/48 and 1/72 WE HAVE SOME FINE OEFFAG SERIES ALBATRII FROM EDUARD AND RODEN AT LEAST..
DESIGNED WITH ARTIST DAVE DOUGLAS, REFERENCING THE RECORDED COLOUR NOTES IN PERIOD CAPTURE REPORTS, THEY ARE MATCHED TONALLY TO PERIOD PHOTOS TO BEST REPRESENT THE LIKELY COLOURS IN SCALE (BEARING IN MIND THE FILM STOCK OF THE PERIOD AND ITS SOMETIMES SKEWED REPRESENTATION OF COLOUR HUES). MY SINCERE THANKS TO HIM FOR PUTTING UP WITH MY CONSTANT CHANGES AND DEMANDS!
THEY ARE OFFERED IN THE THREE MAIN SCALES WITH AND WITHOUT AN AGED VARNISH EFFECT THAT I HAVE IMAGINED WOULD OCCUR AFTER A FEW SHORT MONTHS IN SERVICE.
SOME OF THE OEFFAG ALBATROS SERIES OF FIGHTERS WERE RE-FURBISHED AND PUT TO GOOD USE IN THE POLISH STRUGGLES OF 1919 - 1920 AND CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE LOOKED THEIR AGE IN THAT TOUGH THEATRE.
THIS PROJECT CAUSED MANY HEADACHES AND LIVELY DEBATES AND, THOUGH I CANNOT SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT THEY ARE "CORRECT", WE HAVE ARRIVED AT A "BEST EDUCATED GUESS" RESULT THAT I AM DELIGHTED WITH..
USE AVIATTIC LINEN OF YOUR CHOICE FOR THE UNDERSURFACES FOR THE PERFECT EFFECT!
ATT32214 (Clear decal) WW1 Austro-Hungarian printed linen "sworl" camouflage
"Factory finish"
ATT32215 (Clear decal) WW1 Austro-Hungarian printed linen "sworl" camouflage "aged varnish"
As WW1 varnishes were exposed to the elements the linseed content in their content discoloured. This is my imagined effect of several months of exposure and issuitable for machines of the "1919" Polish conflict.
ATT32044 (Clear Decal Paper) WW1 CDL (Clear Doped Linen) "bleached"
ATT32045 (White Decal Paper) WW1 CDL (Clear Doped Linen) "bleached"
Cut into strips for "solid" contrasting rib tapes against linen decals of your choice
ATT32094 (clear decal paper) WW1 CDL (Clear Doped Linen) "aged varnish"
ATT32085 (white decal paper) WW1 CDL (Clear Doped Linen) "aged varnish"
ATT32095 (clear decal paper) WW1 German/ Austro-Hungarian Linen (light)
ATT32096 (clear decal paper) WW1 German/Austro-Hungarian Linen (dark)
ATT32086 (white decal paper) WW1 German/Austro-Hungarian Linen (light)
