CAMO for DVIII
 

Well WWI Ace/Fellas... I guess I'm asking for it but I will attempt to do a lozenge camo scheme on the DVIII. I am going to photo copy my Coat of Arms and shrink it to the proper size, then paste it to the fuse. Aerodrome RC has some interesting lozenge schemes you can print out and use. See the site for more info. If any more of you scratch builders want to swap plans, let me know. You know WWI Ace, I too build plastic models when the mood hits (I knew there was something I liked about you Ace). You probably are as obsessed with WWI aviation as I am. BTW Guys, I have a very extensive reference WWI aviation library that I continually add to (still have the first book I ever collected). I started my collection in 1969. I would be honored to help anyone who is seeking info. Just let me know. Hmmmm what shall I build next???? Decisions, decisions...... Martin

Martin. I do have a question for you since you have so much WWI documentation. The only picture I have of Lothar Richthofen's triplane says that it was red and yellow. Is that true according to the information you have? It shows that the front of the fuse and the middle and bottom wings are the streaked olive drab color. From about the cockpit to the rudder are yellow. The cowl, all struts, and the wheel covers are red. The bottom of the plane is the typical sky blue color. I'm not sure if this was the only tripe he flew but the serial number is Fok DRI 454/17. It says that it was in Jasta 11, March 1918. I've got an extra DVFlighttech tripe and I thought this would be both an interesting and colorful plane to build if it's correct. I don't think that in all the RC triplanes I've seen has anyone ever modeled one of these. Have you ever seen one? That is, if this color scheme is accurate. Don't worry about it if you don't have the time to look it up. I was just wondering. I got this information from the book; Osprey Aircraft Of The Aces 40, Fokker DrI Aces of World War One.

Here's a photo of the landing gear befor final trimming. The wheels are from an umbrella stroll and are close to the size my plans call for.

More photos tomorrow.
Walt

looking good Walt...I used Fibreglass to do the cowl on the DR1, and balsa and ply for the cowl on the D V111....both seem to work well...I have had absolutely no nose over troubles with the DR 1....and am hoping the D V111 is going to be the same . I built a smaller version of the D V111
72" span rwo years ago, ...and it was fine so I'm hoping the 1/4 scale one does ok too. The new D V111 will be lozenge camo as is the first one, it will be painted free hand just as the full scale one was, one colour for fuselage top and sides...another for the bottom...OD wing, black and white stripes on the horizontal stab/elevator, and white rudder. it's all framed up at the moment, and I'm just making the wing mounting system for it now.....
power will be adequate to swing a 28" prop. It will also have the MG sounds installed. This system ( RAM ) is currently being used in the DR 1, and works great.;)

can you elaborate on this mg system? web adress? price? cnan you post the sound?

Okay, my last Tripe build photo was of the partial landing gear with wheels.

Photo #1 of two pairs of umbrella stroller wheels that are close to the size I need. The red set weighs 3oz! It has about a hundred flights on my Jenny. The white set (1/2 in. smaller) weighs 4 oz! Take that Wms Bros (-:

Photo #2 is of the cabane. it is bent from on piece of 1/8 music wire and took about an hour to bend and get square. Just a vice, a hammer and pliers for tools (plus a square a ruler and a triangle)

Photo #3 is of the wing mount. The tips are electrical eyes.
Photo #4 shows fitting the cabane to the top wing.
Photo #5 shows the top wing mounted.

Next set will be of the cowl. I went with wood.
Walt

Lothar Von Richtofen's plane
 

WWI Ace here is a good look at the Tripe LVR flew: http://www.wingstrut.com/fokker_dr_i.htmat
http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Brother-Rich...ayphotohosting
More to come. Martin

Martin. I'm not able to pull up the wingstrut .com link but the Ebay one looks like the picture I have.Steve

LVRichtofen
 

WWI Ace, you have all the images that I do for a camo scheme for LVR plane. I would also suggest you look at the tripe with the white and black diagonal stripes on the top plane. Also do a search on:http://www.fokkerdr1.com/ look in the artwork section. Guys, here are some of my favorite sites. I right click on the images and set as background for your computer front page.
http://www.kitparade.com/features01/albatrosdvamm_1.htm
http://www.wwiaviation.com/lozenge.shtml
http://www.wwi-models.org/Images/Mil...nder/Albatros/
I do have several sets of plans for the ALBATROS series (from 1/4 scale to park flyer size). I plan to build one this winter. All the Best Guys, martin

Hey all you Fokker pilots .... you'd better keep checking your six for my SE5a :p

Gordon

luc:......I'm not able to post the sound, but I will post a link to the RAM site when I return home. Although it isn't " exactly " perfect sound wise, it's more than good enough to make bystanders go " Whoa....is that ever cool ! "

I forgot about Ernst Udet's black and white striped tripe! That would probably be the best one for the DVFlighttech triplane because it's so small (1/12th scale). This would definitely keep it lighter because I could just leave the depron white and spray the black stripes. I think I can do a good enough job on the olive drab streaked camo that I won't gain much weight. While we're on the subject of the streaked green camo, I have a question. I have read different books and some say the planes were O.D. green streaks over lighter green and some say they were painted all sky blue with O.D. green lightly steaked over it. Which according to your info is correct? I have two books and two different descriptions. What do you think? Sorry to keep bugging you but you are so knowledgable about the subject!!! Thanks for all the time you spend answering all my questions!!!! Steve.

Hey Gordon!!! You'd better be careful!!! There are a whole lot of Fokker pilots and only one SE5a pilot! Watch the sun because we're looking for you!!!!

Huns
 

Achtung Gordon!!! Ve are the Huns in the Sun!!! Ve are going to put the wind up your tail!! Better check your six!!!! He He He :D :D

Wl I decided to go with a wood cowl for my Dr.1 after I found a couple of blocks I had forgotten about.
Photo #1 the assembled blank
#2 rough cut blank ready to be faced
#3 faced blank tack glued to fuse. Note protective tape
#4 after 15 minutes of shaping w/ #60 sandpaper. Reference line is beginning of curved surface.
#5 after another 10 minutes. Reference line is for cowl face plate
#6 the result of less than an hour's work

I have sinced fitted the face plate and am now working on alignment before installing servos. Having a bit of a problem with the interplane struts. All the individual wing measurements are correct acording to the plans, but when I tried to fit the interplane the mid wing seems out of allignment. Have to study the plans some more.
Walt

Martin!!!
I got the Fokker DVIII plans! Man are these cool!!! The closest Hobby shop is 60 miles away and I can't wait to get some wood!!! I am so excited. Now I need a new outrunner for the front of it. Gotta use an outrunner to get the scale feeling of the real engines torque. After all, the real planes engine was just a fuel burning outrunner right? What are you going to cover yours with? Solite or something similar? Thanks again for the plans. I'll keep you up to date once I get started on the build.
Fellow Fokker pilot,
Steve

Plans
 

WWI Ace! the pleasure is mine! Please enjoy them and if you want, give a copy to someone else who just "needs" to build one also. Polyspan is an excellent covering material available from Aerodrome RC (comes in a 25 foot roll). You will need to use SIG stix it to adhere it to the airframe. It can be sprayed for that "official" look and feel. Just remember to only spray just enough to cover it. It will not crush delicate structures when you shrink it. What size Outrunner are you planning to use? I may just end up buying one too. Perhaps we should do a simultaious build. I think that would be cool don't you? I have a geared 350 GWS drive I could also use. I place orders with Balsa USA or Lonestar for wood. I also strip my own to get the proper size. On the airlerons, I think I can hide a single servo in the wing for the airlerons or I may opt to use 2 PICOs or Blue Birds. Let me know what you think. Hey Guys, who else wants to do a WWI build? Come on don't be shy, step up to the plate. Martin

Dri
 

Walt, I am blown away by your build on the DRI! Please keep the pics and progress reports coming. You are doing an excellent job on the tripe!. I'm jealous I'm not building one too. Perhaps this winter. All the Best, Martin

Scalercflyer. I have a Eflite Park 400 940kv outrunner that I'll probably use. It will fly a plane up to 20oz. I like the outrunners because they are easy to mount, no gear ratios to figure out, and they are very quiet. I think I can run up to a 11x4.7 prop. Should have more than enough power. I want to sit down and "study" the plans so I can start thinking about the build. I do that with plastic planes too. I like to look something over and then give my brain time to digest it. It gives me time to get a battleplan together. You smart guys probably don't have to do that. Anyway, I was also going to ask you what your technique is for rib cutting? What do you use to cut out the ribs? Enough questions for tonight. I was up until 3:30am finishing the marathon build on the Fokker DVII parkflyer. Not a scale plane but it looks okay. Didn't get to maiden it today because once again the wind was blowing 20mph. Maybe tomorrow after church!! I'm gonna get some sleep, talk to you guys tomorrow!!!

Hey Ace,
studying the plans and coming up wioth a "batttle plan" is a big part of the fun (-:
Walt

Brushless motor
 

WWI Ace, what is the part number for the motor you are going to use and what is a good price? Also what are you using for a speed controller? I would like to see the motor you are talking about. martin

Here's the last batch of photos on my Dr.! build (I've spent more on film and developing than I did on the tripe).

Photo #1 built up control surfaces instead of the 1/4 slabs called for in the
plans. I'm using robart hinge points because they'll look more scale even
though this is far from scale bird.
#2 framed out rudder. Note ply doubler from lower rib to bottom. There's
not a lot of mass there and I know it'll take a beating in a nose over.
#3 reinforcing blocks for mid wing bolts.
#4 fitting fuse top blocks to mid wing
#5 external dry fit of sprung tailskid.
#6 midwing alignment
#7 looking a lot like a Triplane (-:
#8 weight as shown in previous photo. Bare airframe only. All up weight of 6lbs looks very attainable.
#9 checking botom wing aglignment. Dead square at 2 degrees incidence. Just what the plans call for.

Scalercflyer. Go to horizonhobby.com and look up the E-flite Park 400 920Kv brushless outrunner. If I'm reading this sheet right the part number is EFLM1305. I will probably also use their 20amp brushless ESC because it's fairly inexpensive and I've had good luck with it so far. It is also made by E-flite and its part number is EFLA311. I like this stuff because it comes with gold bullet connectors already installed. The motor comes with an extra set of gold bullet connectors, motor mount with screws, and an aluminum collet type prop adapter. When you buy an AXI all this stuff has to be purchased seperately. The motor is supposed to fly a 16oz. plane 3-D so it will have plenty of power. The motor weighs 2ozs. I got the motor at my LHS, (which is actually 60 miles away!). It had a $59.99 price tag but when I took it to the counter they only charged me $49.99. Cool huh!! I try to buy stuff from them when they have it. Anyway I've rambled on long enough. Take a look at this power system and see what you think. It will swing up to a 11x4.7 prop. Steve.

Walt. That tripe looks great!!! I would love to have the building skills you possess! Your building style looks so clean. Must have taken you more than a plane or two to get that good! Can't wait to see it finished since you won't tell us which pilots tripe your going to do. Steve.

DRI plans
 

Walt, would you be so kind as to identify those DRI plans you have for me? I do not have a set of plans for the DRI. I do have a set of plans for the Sopwith tripe (and just about every other fighter there was in WWI). Are those plans available anywhere? I have some suggestions for camo schemes if you would like. See some of the previous replys I sent to WWI Ace for websites. BTW, I have just about every book on the DRI that was ever printed ( it's my favorite plane). I have always been fascinated with it. I am currently reading a book called Three Wings for the Red Baron. A very interesting book and well worth the price. I buy a lot of reference material from AMAZON.com. I know it cost you a few bucks for the pics you posted, but I for one am grateful you posted the pictuers. I feel as though I am there with you on the build. All the Best, Martin

Thanks guys.

Scalercflyer: the plans I am using are from Model Builder in 1976 or 78. It is a Bryce Peterson design. In some ways it's been a tough build because there are no instructions even in the accompanying article. you really have to think about what Peterson intended. I'm sure part of the problem is that I'm looking at a 70's plan though 05 eyes.

WWI Ace: every writer keeps a little something for the last page (-:

Finished squaring everything up and fitting the interplane struts yesterday. Aileron servos arrived yesterday also. Tried fitting my circular battery pack from the Camel, but it's just a litttle too big. I could go with a sixteen and a four cell pack, but will probably go with a double row semi-circular pack of ten cells each.
Walt

Just came accross this thread and thought I would post a pic of the group of WWI planes we had out this weekend.

Mine is the Dr I it is a kit from Aerodrome rc
Fokker DVII kit from Aerodrome rc
DH2 kit from Kavan
Spad scratch built

I just checked my Dr.1 plans they are from Flying Models not Moidel builder. I can't find a date, but the accompanying article show a first generation Orbit proportional radio which puts it into the late 60s or early 70s.

Confession time: the reason I was having trouble fitting the interplane struts is that the top wing was an inch too far forward. I've come up with a relatively easy fix. Cut an inch off the leading edge of the cabane mounts and add it to the TE with a brass coupler. With a little care and a jig, I should be able to use the same screw holes in the top wing. Will document it with photos.
Walt


















e

Nice to have you with us Backyardace!!! The planes you posted look great! I really like your triplane. I've been looking at that kit for awhile. Was it a good build? Did all the parts fit together well? What power system are you using in it? Tired of the questions yet? I just like to hear about what people are flying and what they're flying it with. What did you cover it with and did you have to paint the covering? Help us keep this thread going. There are some really great guys on hear with alot of helpful information and they aren't afraid to share it. Except for Walt not telling us whose triplane he is building. That's okay though, I like the mystery!! Walt must be a great card player because never lets you know what cards he's holding until the very end!!!

Hey Walt! I meant to ask you why you don't use lipoly batteries? I guess though that with short nosed planes like the Fokker tripe the extra weight of "normal" batteries might be a benefit to keep from adding nose weight right? Hope you get your strut problem worked out! It sounds like you have a plan.

Scalercflyer! Did you check on that motor yet? What do you think? You have to admit that these Fokkers will be alot more scale with a motor spinning around under the cowl.

Kurt's kits are very nice and the parts fit together well. The guy who has the DVII in the picture is building a smaller DR I from Aerodrome with a 24" wingspan. It will be his 4th kit from them.

I have a Himax 2025-4200 with a 6.6 to 1 gearbox. More motor than it needs but I needed the weight up front.

I think the covering is Ultracote or Ultracote Light. It is black covering, not painted.

Here is another pic.

Very impressive!!!! How did you do the markings for Jacobs triplane?

Three reasons I'm not using LiPos: cost, weight and poor experience so far. I've ruined four Thunder Power packs so far. Apparently their minimum discharge is really their maximum. Just heard that Keith Shaw really likes KoKam's 20C cells. guess it just proves the old adage buy cheap buy twice and double that for electric!
Walt

Motor
 

Yeah, WWI Ace I did look at the motor. Looks good to me. I sure agree with you about the look and feel with the motor. I suppose you can whip up a rotary engine real quick with some balsa. BTW guys, I attended the NEAT fair in up state New York 2 weekends ago. I was blown away with the performance and variety of the aircraft and equipment. I spent 2 days in a fog. I talked to a guy who built the Formosa by GWS. He showed me the motor etc he was using and said "hang around I'm going to fly it". So I see this plane with no landing gear and figured he was going to hand launch it. WRONG!!! He gave it full throttle and just dropped it!! It went STRAIGHT UP and out of sight in seconds!!!!! I promptly went and bought the the whole setup battery, motor and controller (it just so happens I have the kit)!!! Talk about hook line and sinker!!! The setup is a HACKER 20-20L, 20 AMP controller and 1330MAH, 11 Volt battery. I also bought a spare motor through the mail a week later. I figure I can find a WWI fighter to stick this motor eventually!!! Any suggestions Guys??? Martin

Dri
 

Backyardace, you did a tremendous job building the DRI! How does it fly? Any problems landing?? :confused: Kurt does indeed do a great job on his kits. The only problem is which one to pick!! How about hearing from you other Guys about the one you just have to have. I'm going to be poor....decisions, decisions. The tripe is on my hit list for "have to have kits". Christmas is coming. Hmmm maybe I should say something..... :D :D Martin

Scale RC
 

BOY, do I love this hobby!!!!!!!!!!

Just for laughs, guys, Built a DR1 a long time ago and found out on the real one, the left ail. has more area than the right one.:p

Martin, did you get my PM?
Walt

Views
 

Hey Guys!! This thread has been viewed 1500 times!! WOW! Scale is the Best!! Martin