X.Y is terminology that originates from the software world, where major releases (X) are specified with an integer and minor releases (Y) with a decimal. Considering that the actual state of the industry could be specified by let's say 1.1, 1.2 or whatever ... 3.0 just represents a significant leap forward ... as in not just an(other) improvement in the current line of thinking ... yet reimagining everything new from the ground up.

Number 1 ... number 1 and number 1 is a top quality product that is very easy to build. This is the yardstick by which we measure the end result. Top quality because we do not compromise on quality, as these should be models with which prizes can be won on modelling contests. Easy to build because it is one of the reasons why WWI aviation is a niche ... as there is a perception that biplanes are notoriously difficult to build.

Other subordinate requirements include the following. Don't get us wrong but from a working term perspective, we called this Joe's checklist:

• Does it look gorgeous?
• Can I find my parts easily (are they lying together)?
• Do they detach easily without breaking?
• How much clean up do I need to do?
• Does it fit without glue?
• Can I easily access everything for painting and applying decals?
• Do I see visible seams or joints?
• Do I risk losing parts to the carpet monster of or have them spring away while building?
• Can I easily dry-fit things and see the end result before final assembly?
• Can I not build it the wrong way?
• Are the instructions clear enough for me?
• Can I assemble first time right without having to try too many times?
• What is the risk of parts breaking off the assembly?

This checklist serves to benchmark the final product and has been inspired based on experience to take away all the pains and to enable all the gains.

Before the final product hits the market, it will subject to a build by an in-crowd test panel that is composed based on diversity of opinion (a newbee, an experienced modeller, somebody young, somebody less young, ...)

Absolutely not ... it is a model ... and one of the finest that has ever been designed & engineered to date. It's a 75 gram jewel. Experience it for yourself and you will see why. Many did @ SMC so you may seek their opinions.

#gothafit is based on the principle of being able to put parts together without the need for glue.

It has been driven by a negative perception in the market related to the fact that resin requires hit and miss CA glue for adhesion. We would like your model to stick together, not your fingers.

So instead of going with the flow ... as there is more than one way to skin a cat ... we turned the question completely upside down and asked ourselves the question: "What if we would not need glue at all ? " For sure, that is a daunting exercise at first ... when one looks at an existing product. We have built an existing model precisely to this purpose ... looking at each part to see how it could be done otherwise. On the one hand, it's a challenge that seems impossible at first ... but then gradually opportunity surfaces at the horizon.

The single biggest experience was the observation, or better discovery how the industry has stood still ... even in the advent of new technology. Let's take the simple example of a locator pin ... they are short because they only need to be short ... if you glue them together. Just make them a bit longer ... and one is already a step on the way to a new world.

#gothafit is not just about making locator pins longer. It's just one of the techniques up our sleeves.

It happens to be that WWI aviation models, in the way they are built and painted, are very much suited to #gothafit. It's not like a tank. One can easily build, unbuild, dryfit assemblies before the final assembly takes place. Say goodbye to holding your subassemblies half-assed together with masking tape.

No. Because at this stage this is not possible although we came pretty far. Maybe one day we will because that is still our ambition. In the end, there is a trade off to be made between the cost of design and the benefit of not using glue. We think that we have achieved a good balance until further notice.

We see glue as a fix-and-seal for final assembly, sort of an insurance policy. Mostly it can be applied at safe places without the risk of having spills on visible places, which are notoriously difficult to undo with CA glue. By the way, several parts can be glued together with white glue as opposed to CA glue.

As our page banner suggests, the Fokker D.VII is widely considered the best fighter of its time. We believe to bring out a radically innovative product. Fokker D.VII was chosen to live up to its reputation. Best meets best. That's the only reason. It's as simple as that. As an accidental consequence, let the Fokker D.VII also be a perfect example to illustrate the power of 3D and the limitations of plastic injection moulding. Given that a Fokker D.VII sports a lot of individual differences, notably, in the engine bay area, 3D allows to solve that in a very unique way.

We think offering multiple decal options in the same box is a(nother) result of plastic injection moulding technology constraints, where one needs to optimize the use of costly moulds. It results in waste, unused parts, more complicated instructions (if this > then that), etc ... 3D printing offers a whole new world of possibilities. Why continue a practice for the only reason because "it has always been done like that". 1 SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) 1 scheme has many advantages. Everything can be made unique and tailored to a particular scheme, it keeps thing simple, there is no waste, it ships lighter, etc ...

9 schemes just represent a initial set of schemes, 9 because it corresponds to the 9 dots of our logo. They were chosen to achieve a good mix of colors and interesting markings. On a regular basis we will release further schemes.

There are several options for that.

• If you cannot wait (and we cannot ;-), pick a Premium Edition that matches closest in terms of the actual set-up of the Fokker D.VII (Early, Mid, Late, ...) and paint it yourself. We have not tested as we have worked towards accurate scale ... but normally they should fit those of other brands ... in this case of the Fokker D.VII OAW it is Wingnut Wings ... so you might be able to reuse them.
• Shoot us a message with the scheme you would like to build. As we have foreseen further schemes, it may be in the pipeline already. We will be happy to assist and provide you with answers and guidance.
• We have foreseen a Naked Edition ... precisely for modellers that wish to paint it themselves and/or make schemes that are not available. Please note that this is not going to be availably anytime soon, because we intend to release that as a configurable product, a.k.a. a Custom Fokker D.VII, where you will be able to pick and choose and compose your own Fokker DVII, albeit naked up until full option. That is an industry first and requires a lot of things still to be done both on the website as well on streamlining the make to order process. We might change it to Custom Edition

Yes, that speaks for itself. However, our primary focus lies on releasing other aircraft, such as Fokker E.V/D/VIII which will be next. Fokker D.VII Fok, Alb and BMW powered F schemes will be released as go-betweens. We chose to start with the OAW as it is the most interesting of the lot.

Next up will be the Fokker monoplane, the EV/D/VIII, for the reason that it shares a lot of the fysionomy of the D.VII as well as a lot of shared parts. After that ... we will work on the Albatros D.III as it is a very popular aircraft with lots of exciting schemes, markings and colors. This will requires more reimagining due to the round fuselage. It sports a different type of fysionomy. Then Siemens-Schuckert D.III and Albatros D.V(a). In between as an ongoing program... we will release Fokker D.VII Fok, Alb and BMW powered F ones.

It is not our policy to become an aftermarket brand for other brands, even though we are convinced they would improve those a lot. This is because our models are engineered and constructed in a different way. Making parts available and compatible for other brands needs design & engineering work and we want to focus our resources to release further models. That being said there are certain parts that are compatible by definition, for as much as the other brands have followed accurate scale. These are things such as wheels, an exhaust, an engine, etc ... and those will indeed be sold as separate parts under the Gaspatch Models brand. Giving such parts the "Gothaforce Jewel in a Box like packaging" treatment would simply add too much unnecessary cost to such products.

The answer is yes. However, our primary focus lies on releasing a number of 1/32 models first.

Never say never ... we are not afraid of challenges ... on the contrary ... but humongous bombers do not fit in our strategy to bring out great products that are easy to build. Don't expect us to release a Caudron G.III ... for the same reason.

But we love floats. Stay tuned!