Converting WoW Prepaints (4) Jasta 15 Fokker DVIIs

My starting point here is the WoW prepainted Fokker DVII (Schäfer) pictured below


To my mind this model needs quite a lot of work done on it before it is acceptable on a table. That big red line where the lozenge pattern transfers don't meet along the leading edge of the wings just has to go and I don't really like the look of those light grey tyres. So it's out with a paint brush.


I have painted the leading edges of the wings brown and then tried to continue some of the lozenges over the leading edge. I think it looks a lot better. I've also repainted the wheels dark grey and painted over the rear of the fuselage with Citadel Ultramarine Blue paint.

Here's my flight of three.


As far as I can make out all Jasta 15 Fokker D VIIs had the front of their fuselages painted red and the rear of the fuselage painted blue. All the emblems for individual pilots I've found on the web have been white. I've found images of the following pilots planes featured in a painting by Russel Smith

• Hugo Schafer: the winged serpent as featured on the prepaint
• Josef Veltjens: A rather strange arrow/crescent moon combination. (Picture of a model Albatros with the emblem here)
• Rudolph Berthold: A winged sword. (Also here on the rear cover of an Osprey book)
  
• Oliver von Beaulieu-Marconnay: The 4D brand used by his original regiment, the 4th Dragoons (also here)
  
• Gustav Klaudat: A Uhlan's lance (Image from a computer game here)

On the front cover of Osprey's Fokker D VII Aces of WWI there's

• Joachim von Zeigesar: Three feathers
• Georg von Hantelmann: Skull and crossbones emblem based on the cap badge of the Death's Head Hussars. (Another image here)

So having done some research and identified seven sets of historical markings what do I do? That's right I make up some emblems for fictitious pilots using transfers I've got in my collection.

Why? Well it's simply because I'm just not good enough with a paintbrush to do those historical emblems. I'm hoping that Dom of Dom's Decals will do some as he's starting work on some sheets of decals specifically designed to be used with the WoW prepaints. These ones would certainly make D VII conversions easily and if you think this is a good idea you could email Dom and promise to buy some of these decals if he makes them.

So what have I put on my planes? A Maltese Cross (from Veni, Vidi, Vici transfers), a chevron and an omega (both from games Workshop Space Marine transfer sheets). I think they look OK but if I could get historical decals I change over to them in an instant.


Nice planes - but that blob of a pilot is just awful