SBSX03 1/72 Lithuanian Fokker D.VII (Product code: SBSX03)

This Fokker D.VII was a late Fokker-built machine, one of several secretly purchased by Lithuania after the Great War. For some time it was stored at Military Aviation Workshop in Kaunas and was returned to flying condition only by fall of 1920. Aircraft was equipped with BMW Illa engine driving Axial airscrew and most probably was completed using parts of several aircraft. So its German serial is unknown, in Lithuanian service aircraft was given number 2 and completely new paint job.

Most of the aircraft reportedly was painted in dark ochre, a brownish color that could not be matched to any paint standard. Fin and rudder were white, also there were wide white bands on upper surface of upper wing and lower surfaces of the lower wing. It was said that these bands were 2 meters wide, but it seems that their width was determined by ribs pitch, and, if on the lower wing band was 7 ribs wide and indeed close to 2 m, on the upper, unlike all previous reconstructions, it seems 9 ribs wide. Moreover, all upper surfaces of ailerons were painted white. Radiator was unpainted, upper engine cowling panels were removed. Undercarriage legs were black, as well as wing struts.

No.2 was first flown on 20.09.1920, on 02.10.1920 Lt. Jurgis Dobkevicius (former Imperial Russian aviation technician and future aircraft designer) flew from Kaunas to Vilnius on it, returning to Kaunas the next day. Four days later No.2 and Dobkevicius were on their first combat mission to intercept two Polish aircraft trying to bomb Kaunas. Engagement ended with nothing: Poles were in retreat even before Lithuanian Fokker could reach them, Dobkevicius did not get a kill and bombs Poles had dropped did not explode.

Service life of No.2 was quite short: after forced landing in 1921 it was damaged and never repaired.

The kit recommended is Roden’s 031 Fokker D.VIIF. Although among its decal options already there is this very aircraft, Rodens decals are inaccurate and are not of good quality. This decal is printed in Russia by Begemot company and fully compatible with Microscale Decal Set/Sol or similar products.

Placement of decals is pretty straightforward, and their positioning is clearly seen on pictures. Really you need only red shields of insignias, but if you are not fully satisfied with them you could apply white Vytas crosses atop.

It is not known how the side number looked like on the left side of the fuselage and even if there was any. On some photos of the N°2 side number is not seen at all. Anyway, when building and painting the kit please refer to actual photos of N°2, you can find them at Lietuvos Aviacijos Istorija 1919 - 1940 m. site (http://www.plienospamai.lt). It is in Lithuanian, but modem online translation services will help.