Albatros D.Va - Lt Max Nather
1/48 Eduard

Witold Kozakiewicz

Leutnant Max Näther

When I bought Eduard's D.Va I started thinking about markings. I saw Näther's plane in "In Action Albatros Fighters" but first I thought about some better known pilot. When we started the Albartos cook up I got the Propagteam decals set which included his markings. Then I tried to find something about this pilot. I only knew that he served in Jasta 62 and achieved 26 victories. Otis Goodin has found that he was very young pilot and died in border war between Poland and Germany in early 1919. That was very interesting. Few days later Tom Gronczewski send me his picture, short biography and victory list (thank you guys). That moment I decided. I'll build a plane of the Jasta 62 ace, probably the youngest WWI ace and real balloon buster (10 of total 26 victories). Max Näther, an East Prussian, was born in Tepliwoda on 24 August 1899. He entered the German infantry in late 1914 as a 15-year old. Twice promoted, wounded and on 11/08/1916 commisioned. He decide to became pilot in the summer 1917 - basic flight training in Bucharest then FEA 7 at Brunswick and finaly Jastaschule 1 at Valanciennes. On 31/03/1918 he was assigned to Jasta 62. Before his 19th birthday he became an ace (one of the youngest in Great War) and commander of Jasta 62. On 27 September wounded by a SPAD XIII (probably 147Aero). Awarded Knights Cross with Swords of the Royal Hohenzollern House Order and both classes of Iron Cross. Nominated for Pour le Merite on 29 October but the end of the war prevented its approval. He was shot down and killed by Polish groundfire on 08/01/1919 over Kolmar in Silesia. He had achieved all this six months before reaching his 21st birthday.

Näther's Victory List

1	16 May 11:00	Spad XIII	Trignieres
2	1 Jun	Balloon, 54 Cie	Cuvilly
3	5 Jun 14:45	Balloon (Fr)	Cuvilly
4	7 Jun	Balloon	Montigny
5	16 Jun 10:02	Balloon	Amienois
6	27 Jun 09:51	Balloon	Ailly
7	28 Jun 09:15	Balloon, 51 Cie	Mesnil
8	1 Jul 12:50	Dolphin, 23 Sqn	Guerbigny
9	15 Jul 15:00	SpadXIII	Prosnes
10	16 Jul 12:17	Spad XIII	Thuizy
11	22 Jul 12:50	Spad XIII	Courtagnon
12	6 Sep 18:42	Breguet XIV	Sillery
13	14 Sep 16:35	Balloon, 76 Cie	Mailly
14	26 Sep 07:10	Spad XIII	Trescauvoux
15	26 Sep 15:35	Balloon, 9th USBC	Thienville
16	26 Sept 15:45	Spad XIII	Avencourt
17	27 Sep	Spad XIII	Montzeille
18	9 Oct 17:40	Balloon, 7th USBC	Montfaucon
19	9 Oct 17:45	Spad XIII	Montfaucon
20	10 Oct 12:03	Breguet XIV	Haumont
21	10 Oct 12:23	Spad XI	Haumont
22	18 Oct 14:25	Spad XIII	Gercourt
23	23 Oct 13:40	Balloon, 7th USBC	Cierges
24	29 Oct	Spad XIII	Exermont
25	29 Oct	DH9	Sivry
26	29 Oct	DH9	Montfaucon

Accesories

Albatros Model

When I started building my model I decided to add the Eduard PE set for the Albatros D.V Also I used a compass from the Eduard WWI gauge set. It fits perfectly.

Interior woodgrain is Propagteam rest of decal sheet from my earlier project H-B D.I

Ready to paint model with all metal details and resin control surfaces. All scratches removed using Mr. Surfacer 1000 - the lighter parts of plastic seen on the front of fuselage.

And ready model

For painting I used Humbrol colours Green Hu-149, Mauve Hu-153 (red)+Hu-25(Blue)+Hu-65(Light Blue) 1:1:1, Light Blue Hu-65 and Black Hu-33. I slightly drybrushed all the model with very dark gray. I do not like heavy weathered models. I added pipes from the wing cooler to engine made of brass wire and I left it unpainted. Main problem was to fit the wheel struts. I had to glue them several times to get the proper alignment. Rigging made using my preferred method, black panty hose thread. Nather's personal marking - German flag is litle oversized but I left it as it was. Also oversized was crosses for upper wing on Propagteam set. I used the kit's ones.