This is a
full-color 1:144 3D print of Albatros D.I 435/16 of Oberleutnant Hans Bethge of Jasta 1. 435/16's fuselage had previously been painted in camouflage colors, but when Bethge took it over, he had it painted in a single dark color. Dark blue is assumed, as it was in Bruno Schmäling's
Jasta Colors Volume 2. Bethge flew two-seaters and then, briefly, a Fokker Eindecker with Kagohl I, but he joined Jasta 1 when it was formed in August 1916. By January, he was given command of Jasta 30, which was later famous for its orange-diamond Pfalz D.IIIs. In the spring of 1918, after twenty air victories he was nominated for the
Pour le Mérit, but he was shot down before he could receive it.
No painting is necessary -- this model comes printed in full color, ready to use. It comes with an integral flight peg for mounting on game flight stands (not included), which can be carefully removed with a cutting tool, if desired. The peg is designed for a fairly tight fit; you can file it down slightly if you prefer a looser fit. The model does not come with a flight stand, maneuver deck, or plane card. You can find an unofficial plane card for this plane in this paint scheme at
https://linen.miraheze.org/wiki/File:AlbD1-Bethge-card.jpg.
Material choice: High-Definition Full Color has a smoother, satiny surface and deeper colors; Full Color Nylon 12 (MJF) makes a less expensive alternative, with a rougher, matte surface and less deep blacks. Both are robust materials and fine for gaming. Attached here is a picture that shows the difference between the surfaces. "Matte HDFC" choice means the prints are spray-coated in the factory, and the difference with the coating is subtle. You can find more material photos and comparisons at
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/showthread.php?35581-Material-HDFC-vs-Full-Color-Nylon-12-(MJF).
If you are willing to prepare and paint models, you can find an inexpensive single-color print of an Albatros D.I at
https://shpws.me/OKne. Plane statistics and gaming information may be found at
https://linen.miraheze.org/wiki/Albatros_D.I. Please see this notice for information about fixing slight warping of Shapeways prints:
https://poeland.com/Shapeways/shapeways-warping.html.