Kempf Triplane - ACE 11 (1 Viewer)

[unglesbeemj]

I just opened the box and unpacked the new Kempf Fokker Dr1 - and it's stunning! It is definitely going to be one of my favorite triplanes. Sorry I do not have pictures, but it looks even better than the stock JJD photo. Appears to have slightly more weight in the hand than previous versions, nice feel. The factory camo is very nicely done and looks great. This is sure to be a stand out example for the German side. I also purchased the new half pilot figures, and they are nicely detailed also. Highly recommended!

Mike

 

[lancer]

I just opened the box and unpacked the new Kempf Fokker Dr1 - and it's stunning! It is definitely going to be one of my favorite triplanes. Sorry I do not have pictures, but it looks even better than the stock JJD photo. Appears to have slightly more weight in the hand than previous versions, nice feel. The factory camo is very nicely done and looks great. This is sure to be a stand out example for the German side. I also purchased the new half pilot figures, and they are nicely detailed also. Highly recommended!

Mike

Congratulations, Mike. A great get. I will be getting the same sets, but I have to wait until after Christmas. It does give me something to look forward to. Thrilled to hear the tripe is so nice looking. The sample I saw was outstanding but I couldn't put my hands on it. It is a beaut. -- Al

 

[unglesbeemj]

Congratulations, Mike. A great get. I will be getting the same sets, but I have to wait until after Christmas. It does give me something to look forward to. Thrilled to hear the tripe is so nice looking. The sample I saw was outstanding but I couldn't put my hands on it. It is a beaut. -- Al

Well, christmas is not so far off..I needed an early christmas as I will be stuck in Beirut over the holiday. Forgot to mention the streamers are a really nice touch, delicate, and packaged accordingly with extra protection. As you probably already know, the camo is different than that found on the Lothar triplane (ACE 05), it has much more color and is very striking, esp. with the white lettering.

 

[45thdiv]

Yes, one of my favorite paint schemes. The streamers are really nice, but are very delicate. The Red tips are peeling so I'll have to touch them up.

Al - you could have gotten your hands on it, just ask. Have I missed the pictures of the painted versions of the planes we saw at dinner? I really want to see how he paints up the Se-5 (??? I am terrible with names of planes)

Matthew

 

[lancer]

Yes, one of my favorite paint schemes. The streamers are really nice, but are very delicate. The Red tips are peeling so I'll have to touch them up.

Al - you could have gotten your hands on it, just ask. Have I missed the pictures of the painted versions of the planes we saw at dinner? I really want to see how he paints up the Se-5 (??? I am terrible with names of planes)

Matthew

Hi Matthew. Appreciate that you would have let me handle the Kempf tripe, but I prefer to see with the eyes, not hands, when it comes to other's valuable collectibles.:wink2:^&grin I have not seen any pictures of the SE-5 in paint published but John did indicate it was going to be Mannock's plane so it will be a khaki drab all over upper surfaces and a light tan on wing bottoms. It will have 74 Squadron's ID of a white, horizontal bar on the sides of the rear fuselage area, with Mannock's personal letter 'A' in front of the bar. There is also a white ID bar on top of the fuselage behind the pilot's seat and a large letter 'A' on the upper right side of the top wing. It will be a good one. -- Al

 

[45thdiv]

Hi Al,

That does sound like an interesting paint scheme. Just curious, on the bottom of the plane, from the photos and what I saw in person, it looks like a tarp or some cloth is laced under the bottom of the fuselage. What was this use of this for? I've just not seen any other plane with this. I would think it would cause drag during flight.

Thanks.

Matthew

 

[lancer]

Hi Al,

That does sound like an interesting paint scheme. Just curious, on the bottom of the plane, from the photos and what I saw in person, it looks like a tarp or some cloth is laced under the bottom of the fuselage. What was this use of this for? I've just not seen any other plane with this. I would think it would cause drag during flight.

Thanks.

Matthew

Matthew, just looked at the SE-5 John gave me and I do not see what you are referring to. What I think you are remembering is the fuselage fabric, which has waves in it, giving the visual effect of tied and pulled fabric where it is sewed to the frame. This is accurate for the SE-5 as the side fabric on the fuselage was not as "tight" as on other craft, thus the waves. Don't know what the reason is, though it is a design feature and possibly something to do with the fabric being undone for field maintenance on a regular basis, but I'm just guessing. This "loose" fabric effect is noticeable in almost every photo of the SE-5. -- Al

 

[45thdiv]

Hi Al,

yes we are looking in the same spot. I think your thought on the need for maintenance is correct. It makes me wonder what maintenance was different on this plane that was not needed on others. It just seems odd to me, not in a bad way as I think the look of the plane is very striking, same reason I like the pusher planes. I have just never seen this plane before. I don't recall it being in any films or old film footage I have seen.

Thanks for the help with this. It will be the next allied plane I get my wife. She'll complain if I just keep getting her tri-planes.

Matthew

 

[lancer]

Hi Al,

yes we are looking in the same spot. I think your thought on the need for maintenance is correct. It makes me wonder what maintenance was different on this plane that was not needed on others. It just seems odd to me, not in a bad way as I think the look of the plane is very striking, same reason I like the pusher planes. I have just never seen this plane before. I don't recall it being in any films or old film footage I have seen.

Thanks for the help with this. It will be the next allied plane I get my wife. She'll complain if I just keep getting her tri-planes.

Matthew

Matthew, I think you can find flying repros of the SE-5 used in such films as "The Blue Max", "Darling Lili", and "Richthofen and Brown". Not sure about others. I know the repro SE-5's were used as British and German aircraft in "The Blue Max" in th crowded dogfight scenes. -- Al

 

[Combat]

Nice picture that I found on the Internet:

 

[45thdiv]

Al - I have the Blue Max film - I've been wanting to watch it again, just have not had the time. I'll see if I can watch it this weekend. It's been a very long time since I saw it last, which is most likely why I don't remember. My viewing time is clogged with Elmo at the moment. I can't wait until Ian is older and can watch some of the earlier films with me. I think I'll have to save the harsher reality type films for when he is 14 or so.

Doug - thanks for the picture. That looks very nice.

Matthew

 

[lancer]

Nice picture that I found on the Internet:

Good picture. That is Mannock's 74 Squadron SE-5 with the 'A' letter. -- Al

 

[lancer]

Al - I have the Blue Max film - I've been wanting to watch it again, just have not had the time. I'll see if I can watch it this weekend. It's been a very long time since I saw it last, which is most likely why I don't remember. My viewing time is clogged with Elmo at the moment. I can't wait until Ian is older and can watch some of the earlier films with me. I think I'll have to save the harsher reality type films for when he is 14 or so.

Doug - thanks for the picture. That looks very nice.

Matthew

Got plenty of Elmo while babysitting the granddaughter some years ago. Not a bad show.:wink2:^&grin -- Al

 

[lancer]

I meant to ask of anyone that has gotten the Kempf Triplane, is the nose (engine cowling) black with a white face or black with a silver face? I'm not sure if one or the other is correct or if it is possible both are correct within the Jasta itself. Just curious. Thanks. -- Al

 

[unglesbeemj]

I meant to ask of anyone that has gotten the Kempf Triplane, is the nose (engine cowling) black with a white face or black with a silver face? I'm not sure if one or the other is correct or if it is possible both are correct within the Jasta itself. Just curious. Thanks. -- Al

Al - the nose is black with a silver face, will try and post some photos over the weekend if I can manage to upload using the blackberry..

 

[lancer]

Al - the nose is black with a silver face, will try and post some photos over the weekend if I can manage to upload using the blackberry..

Thanks Mike. I'll look forward to them. -- Al

 

[unglesbeemj]

Here are some photos of ACE-11, sorry for the poor quality, taken using blackberry...however the colors are accurate using natural daylight.

Al - the nose face is really more of a silver/white color, it could be interpreted either way, very close.

Mike

 

[maddadicus]

Some know that I am a tinplate ( Heco ) WW1 airplane collector, but I have seen these at shows and am finding it very hard to resist the allure. The big favor JJ did for himself was to offer sitting pilots for his planes. Till now, that was a deal breaker for me..Maybe, Louis who has Heco and JJ airplanes , can tell me if the 2 are close in size to each other..Michael

 

[lancer]

Thanks for posting the pictures, Mike. They give an excellent rep of the aircraft. I'm really impressed with the green streaking over the blue base color. The green streaking was applied with a brush at the Fokker factory, thus no two planes would have been identical, but would be similar. JJD did a nice job simulating this camo. A very pleasing looking craft and, as usual, very detailed. Can hardly wait to get mine and as Michael said in his post, the sitting pilot figures are a fantastic addition. Just got to have a pilot sitting in the cockpit of at least a couple of my tripes.:wink2: -- Al

 

[unglesbeemj]

Thanks for posting the pictures, Mike. They give an excellent rep of the aircraft. I'm really impressed with the green streaking over the blue base color. The green streaking was applied with a brush at the Fokker factory, thus no two planes would have been identical, but would be similar. JJD did a nice job simulating this camo. A very pleasing looking craft and, as usual, very detailed. Can hardly wait to get mine and as Michael said in his post, the sitting pilot figures are a fantastic addition. Just got to have a pilot sitting in the cockpit of at least a couple of my tripes.:wink2: -- Al

Yes, the green streaking over the blue camo really came out well. The photos are a little washed out, but wanted to add that the weathering applied to the plane also looks good, but you cannot see it on the washed out lighter surfaces in the photos. All of the white surfaces have a light weathering wash, the underside blue is weathered (similar to ACE-05), and the nose has a light weathering applied that you can make out in the photo. I think JJ's weathering of the planes really set them apart, and would like to see more of it over the entire plane. My red tripe has the heaviest weathering and it really gives it a lot of character.

Mike