Bishop Hobbies

8/8/2026 Today I'm starting on my next model build, which is the Wingnut Wings 1/32 Fokker D.VII "Early". This should be fun.

The Fokker D.VII “Early” was one of the finest German fighter aircraft of World War I, entering combat service in the spring of 1918. Designed by Reinhold Platz for the Fokker company, the D.VII combined a strong welded-steel-tube fuselage with thick, efficient wings that gave it excellent climb, maneuverability, and unusually good handling at low speeds and high angles of attack. Early-production aircraft were commonly powered by the roughly 180-horsepower Mercedes D.IIIa engine and armed with two synchronized 7.92 mm Spandau machine guns mounted ahead of the pilot. Pilots quickly appreciated the D.VII because it was stable, forgiving, and capable of maintaining control in situations where many contemporary fighters would stall or lose effectiveness. Its combat performance was so highly regarded that the 1918 Armistice specifically required Germany to surrender its Fokker D.VII aircraft to the Allies.

8/8/2026 My workbench is set up; I'm ready to start.

8/19/2026 I’ve finally finished the cockpit. Here are the pictures:

8/6/2023

I have finally finished the companion cockpit to the ESCI F-16 in 1/12 scale.  This model F-104 cockpit was from the first offering which was ESCI so it's pretty old.  That said it held up well and was a real joy to build.  It looks great next to my 1/12 F-16 cockpit as the latter pictures will show.

Here is a picture of a couple of Lockheed F-104's in flight:

Here is a video of the F-104 COCKPIT.

And on to the pictures: