In Air E-Z Build Fokker D.VII
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Introduction
Around
the turn of the century I read a comment from a major model manufacturer
that stated by 2010 our hobby would consist of nothing but prepainted
screw or snap together die cast kits.
Hopefully that will never come to pass. But screw together die cast kits ARE making a big mark on the industry. Where you and I may have gotten our start on an 89 cent Revell or Airfix 1/72nd kits, many kids today are being introduced to the hobby through these planes and cars.
Oklahoma City is an odd place for a plastic modeler. Because the Hobby
Lobby craft store headquarters are in town, and we have no less than 8
stores in the local area, it is hard for a mom and pop hobby shop to survive.
Our only other “classic” hobby shop in the area is a Hobby
Town about 40 minutes south of me in Norman, Oklahoma. I rarely get an
opportunity to get down there, 
but
last week I got that chance and was very surprised to see a large selection
of pre-painted and die cast models. I’m always looking for this
type of kit to display in my office at work. I work in an aircraft over
haul facility, and because of that all the visitors to my desk feel they
are qualified to pick up my models. If it were a conventional kit, I usually
end up having to repair something. So for the last five years or so, I’ve
stuck to putting inexpensive die casts out to be handled.
So, it was with a bit curiosity when I ran across the “IN AIR E-Z BUILD” line of models. Having a big interest in WW-I topics I picked up the Fokker D.VII for a little over $7 US including taxes. The WW-I line appears to be 1/32nd, the WW-II line 1/4th8 and the contemporary jets 1/72nd and smaller.
The Kit
The in-box review; the kit comes in a nicely vacuuform clear box, which holds the major components out for display. Opening the box you also find a plastic bag holding the stand and other smaller components.
Assembly is a little confusing in that the instructions on the sheet are for all four WW-I topics offered by this company, and the print is rather small.
Construction begins with attaching the struts to the landing gear fairing. This assembly, along with the tail assemblies and the radiator/propeller assembly, is then trapped between the two press together fuselages sides.
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(I really did want this to be a step by step, but I got so wrapped up in what came next, before I had a chance to take another assembly picture, the model was done.) The lower wing is attached with screws into the lower portion of the cockpit assembly, which drops into the top of the fuselage. The N struts at the outer wing are attached with screws, and the model is finished.
Snap
the stand together, and place it in the slot provided in the bottom of
the fuselage.
Depending on what you measure, the model scales out to one of three numbers. Wing span says it’s 1:43rd. From the prop to the tail works out to 1:38, or just the fuselage length; 1:45th. Below is a comparison to the Eduard 1:48 Fokker D-VII.
Conclusion
If you need a “kit” to start a youngster off in our hobby, I strongly suggest you hunt down this line, for an inexpensive place to start and have fun putting them together with that youngster.
