Review:

Toko 1/72-scale Pfalz D.XII

injection-molded plastic, decals. $9.98

The Pfalz D-XII was a sturdy, two-bay biplane fighter similar in conception to the French SPADs. Two-bay wings provided the additional bracing needed for swift diving attacks, the preferred tactic of German Jagdstaffeln during 1917-18, and reassured pilots who were leery of the structural weaknesses of the preceding generation of Alabatros and Pfalz scouts. The D.XII is a welcome addition to Toko's range of scale models.

The Pfalz lives up to Toko's reputation for quality manufacture. The fuselage is nicely molded, with crisp louver and panel detail and a detailed radiator. The propeller is oddly proportioned and has no wasp waist at base of blades. It cannot be an Axial propeller of the kind represented by the logos on the decal sheet. The four-piece Mercedes engine is, however, the most beautifully molded powerplant ever seen in a 1/72-scale WW-1 kit. It is a pity that it ends up buried within the confines of the nose cowling. The review sample had sink marks on the sides of the crankcase, but the flaw is well hidden after the model is assembled. A delicately molded seat and control column are provided for the cockpit. There is quite a bit of flash on the main airframe pieces. But the fit is very good, particularly between the fuselage and lower wing. Smoothing out the seams required only a little deft sanding.

Scale dimensions are close to what they should be, but not exact. Both the upper and lower wing spans are 1 mm too long. The fuselage appears to be 2 mm too short overall. The machine guns look a little undernourished, with rather skinny jackets.

The kit decals are crisply printed and very well registered. The national insignia and serial numbers sheet provides the serial number 2600/18, the machine presently preserved in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australia. This machine wore a basically stock factory camouflage finish. Lozenge decals are provided for the Pfalz, but they are no better than those supplied in Toko's Siemens-Schuckert D.III/IV. The decals do not differentiate between the upper- and lower-wing lozenge material, and they represent the four-color pattern seldom if ever used on Pfalz D-XIIs. The box also shows an overall silver and gray scheme as allegedly used by one "Lt. G. Klein," but this is probably totally spurious. There appears to be no available photographic evidence for such a scheme on any Pfalz D-XII.

While the Pfalz D-XII has been offered in both vacuum-formed and short-run injection-molded form in years past, this model is the best 1/72 scale Pfalz D-XII yet.

Highly recommended.