To PE or Not to PE, that is the Question - 1/144 Scale Valom Kits

 A recent Facebook post in the "Official Wings of Glory..." group prompted me to provide this journey of building 1/144 scale WWI aircraft from kits by Valom (The Czech Republic) easily obtainable on eBay or directly from the Valom website.  The Facebook post was about Valom kits of the Sopwith Pup and how the included photoetch parts (for struts etc.) were "impossible" as quoted by the author and how he replaced the PE parts with spare plastic he had on his bench.  He did do a commendable job of building the Pups with the replacement parts.  While challenging, it is my hope that modelers will not discard the use of PE.  Sure it is fiddly work, but the scale is correct and the results can be quite satisfactory.  I don't deny that I have PE experience with the building of 1/350 ship models, so I have less trepidation when it comes to the application of photoetch parts.  It takes a keen eye and a steady hand and a good Cyano adhesive!  So, for my example:

I bought a Valom two pack.  Valom often packages their kits in pairs or in combat two packs - one Entente and one Central Powers - and the cost is usually under $10 (for scout aircraft).  This build is a pair of Se5s.  The box label is Se5As, but the two blade props included (instead of 4 blade) is not consistent with that label.  On with the work!

The above shows the layout of the plastic and the PE (the PE photo was taken in progress of building the second of the two Se5s).  The decals supplied for the two planes provide for a choice between 4 different pilots.  I chose Edward "Mick" Mannock,  the RAF pilot with 61 victories, all but 15 in his Se5a.  My second pilot, and the reason for painting the stripes on the struts above, is Gwilym Hugh "Noisy" Lewis, a quiet fellow and friend of Mannocks.  It was Mannock that invoked the rule of opposites and gave the quiet Lewis the nickname "Noisy".

There is one incredibly thin and useless appendage on the PE Lewis Gun which I presume to be for mounting the gun on the wing.  It was seriously thin and weak so I knew that I would have to provide a scratch built mount - more on that later.

I have 1/144 scale figures in my parts reserve in order that I can add a pilot to the seat after attaching the seat to the inside of the fuselage. 

 The fuselage halves are then glued together, painted and then decals applied.  This process works well for me.  It's difficult to apply such small decals after the kit is constructed as there is too much in the way - like wings and tail and such!😄

Now we can attach the bottom wing.  Note that I have washed in the panel lines for the ailerons and painted the camo olive around them.  Again, this makes the final painting easier for me.

Now the tail plane is installed and painted as well as the two resin exhaust pipes supplied with the kit.

Next the vertical stabilizer/rudder is attached, painted and decal applied.  After which I went a bit nuts and added a piece of left over crafting floss that my wife had as a scarf for the "Daring Flying Ace"!!

Next we flip her over, complete the underside painting and decals.

Now for the fiddly PE strut installation.  There are many opinions on the order of strut attachment regardless of material.  I glue the struts to the bottom wing and the cabanes to the the upper.  I did make a cardboard jig to hold the wings in place as I finagled the struts in place and glued them down. Note that the underside of the upper wing has been painted prior to strut attachment.

A rather annoying part of the instructions call for a wind screen to be cut from a piece of sheet styrene included, but the diagram is not to scale so it can't be used as a template.  You are strictly on your own if you want to add this detail.

Here is the jig in place, although this a later photo during the repair phase.  Note the Lewis gun!  I realize now that I have no photos of the Lewis gun attachment.  It was a little frustrating as it is a piece that has to be folded back on itself and glued.  The ammo drum, likewise is two halves that have to be folded.  I used a piece of 26 gauge wire as the Foster mount for the gun.  It turned out fairly well as seen later.

This underside view shows the undercarriage completed.  The two V struts attached easily to the attachment points.

This completion photo shows off the Lewis gun better.  The final process is a spray of dullcoat to even the coat and seal the decals. 

I followed the same order of construction for "Noisy's" Se5 and show this photo as a progress pic indicating the markings and strut painting.

Ok, so I had to go down the rigging rabbit hole and get out the monofilament for the Mannock kite.

 I had to have bases for gaming so I ordered from Keith Upton at the Wings of Glory Aerodrome website store!

We are ready to enter into a dogfight scenario, but the very first time I bring her to play - Disaster!!  It slipped from my hand and hit the concrete garage floor - Hard!  The following picture still makes me get teary😭

YIKES.  It's like the old joke - Hey Doc, it hurts when I do this - well then don't it!!  Well, back to the work bench for you!

 

I used this photo earlier to show the jig, but in reality it shows I had to use it again to effect repairs.

All is well as after the wing repair I was able to straighten out the V struts and reattach the wheels - Whew.  Valom kits are sturdy enough for gaming - as long as you don't drop them.