fokkerd7.pdf

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MOST FAMOUS GERMAN SHIP!

The recognition granted by Americans to the Fokker D-7 as Germany's

leading World War battle plane is by no means ill-deserved. For had this

craft been in the bloody game prior to those few final months, the Allied

song of victory might never have been sung. Read the full story of this

great ship in Henry Struck's article below, and then take his fine model

plans and instructions into your workshop and prepare to-

Fly a Fokker D-7

Trail Blazers of the Air – No.9

***

by Henry Struck

EARLY in 1918, undoubtedly

aware of the fact that she was

nearing her last chances for victory

in the World War, Germany

desperately launched a vast program

of expansion and improvement for

her flying force. And among other

feverish activities, an open

competition for a new single-seater

fighting ship was announced by

General von Hoeppner, commander

of the Imperial Air Force.

what might constitute the ideal

pursuit ship.

So, armed with this knowledge

right from the skies of war, Fokker

had taken great care and much time

in the design and construction of his

entry for the competition. But when

construction was completed, the ship

showed an alarming tendency

toward spins!

Naturally, the leading aircraft

firms entered ships, and among the

new craft was a unique biplane

developed by Tony Fokker. Fokker,

it seemed, was pretty sure of his

ground--for just a few months before,

he had presented that now-famous

red "tripe" to Baron Manfred von

Richthofen, and with this ship as an

introduction he had been able to chat

with the Baron and other

experienced action-airmen about

Undaunted, Fokker and a

couple of mechanics sawed off the

rear of the fuselage, inserted an

extra section, added a larger fin, and

tried the ship again. The "bug" was

killed-and the ship flew perfectly!

And the open competition proved the

new Fokker far more maneuverable

than any German ship of the day. It

is true that other ships were faster-

but the front line aces who had test-

flown the biplane stated their

preference was for peppy combat

performance rather than speed.

With the introduction of the new

ships-which became known as the

Fokker D-7, the subject of our Trail

Blazer model this month-a definite

change occurred in aerial combat

tactics. Mass formations were

emphasized, as opposed to the

earlier days of the war when

individual air duels formed the

greater part of sky fighting. This

change took place because the

easier maneuverability of the new

ships made it possible for flyers who

were not "born birdmen" to handle

their crates in closer quarters. And

so satisfactory were these new

group tactics of the German army in

the World War the basis of air tactics

throughout the world is almost

entirely laid upon the system which

they devised.

Like most truly great

achievements, the keynote of the

Fokker D-7 was simplicity, and

clean, efficient lines marked its

external appearance-there was no

"birdcage" of wires and thick struts.

The fuselage and tail group were of

welded steel tubing, a type of

construction pioneered and

perfected by Fokker .

The wings were entirely of

wood, and the very thick "high lift"

airfoil tapered off to a thin section at

the tips. With the 160 h.p.

Mercedes power plant, the Fokker D-

7 could make a speed of 120 m.p.h.

which, while not quite up to many of

the Allied ships she met in combat,

was close enough to give her pilots

satisfaction.

CONSTRUCTION

AND now for our model D-7,

which you'll find simple to build, and

sturdy. The scale is 1/2" on the

model to 1' on the original ship. The

three-view drawing (Plate 1) is half

the size of the model, while the

layouts on Plate 2 are drawn to full

size.

The fuselage sides are cut from

1/32" sheet balsa to the pattern on

Plate 2. Stiffener strips of 1/16" sq.

are cemented across the inside of

each blank as indicated. Glue the

sides to the nose bulkhead of 3/16"

sheet balsa. The formers are cut

from 1/16" sheet, and Nos. I, II, and

III are cemented in position at the top

of the fuselage.

Connect the bottom with 1/16"

sq. cross pieces, pull the rear of the

body together, and insert former IV

and the remaining bottom cross

piece.

The bottom section of the nose

back to the rearmost landing gear

strut is filled in with 1/8” sheet, the

grain running crosswise to the body.

Round this off to match the contour

of the nose bulkhead. The top of the

fuselage is covered with 1/32" sheet,

and a wedge shaped sheet, not quite

reaching the fuselage sides, covers

the turtle back as shown in the three-

view. Cut away the cowling for the

dummy motor and cockpit.

WINGS AND TAIL

THE taper of the wings

naturally requires ribs of different

sizes. Toward this end we have

developed the following simple

system. Cut out the tip and center

ribs as shown on Plate 2. Then

arrange a block of 1/32" sheet balsa

slats and the shaped ribs, as shown

in the rib taper detail sketch on Plate

1. With knife and sandpaper, using

the finished ribs as templates, shape

the wood into a tapered block. Spar

slots are now cut, and you have a

set of perfect taper ribs. Since there

is no taper in the center section, five

No.1 ribs are required.

The trailing edges (1/16" by

3/16" balsa) are pinned to a soft

board. Cement the end ribs against

them. Pin the leading edge (3/32"

sq. stock) to the nose of these ribs,

after which the remainder of the ribs

may be slipped into place.

Add tips of 1/32" sheet and a

spar of 1/16" sheet which is tapered

from 3/16" at the center to 3/32" at

the ends. Note that the spar and

trailing edge of the lower wing are

continuous and fit into slots at the

bottom of the fuselage sides.

The tail group is flat in section,

and is simply constructed of 1/16"

sheet and 1/16" sq. balsa.

The nose plug is a block 1/2" by

1 1/4" by 1 3/8” carved and sanded

to meet the fuselage lines smoothly.

Drill a hole at a slight downward

angle and cement bearings of

washers with bushings inserted.

Dummy cylinders and the

exhaust pipe are shaped of suitable

scraps of balsa and are then

cemented to a flooring of 1/32" sheet

fitted between the top edges of the

fuselage sides. A door is cut at the

rear of the body as shown, and a

motor hook of .028 piano wire solidly

cemented therein.

The landing gear consists of

V's made from 3/64" by 1/16"

streamlined bamboo struts. The

upper ends are pointed and

cemented into the fuselage bottom.

The small spreader wing between

the wheels is built up of 7 ribs, a 1/8"

sq. leading edge, and a 1/16" by

1/8" trailing edge. When dry, this

frame is attached to a triangular spar

bearing an axle of .028 wire and

which (the spar) has already been

cemented in the apex of the landing

gear V's. Mount a pair of 1 1/4"

balsa wheels with thin tires, and

we're ready to begin work on the

COVERING AND ASSEMBLY

SANDPAPER the entire

framework evenly, removing any

bumps that might prevent a perfect

finish. A simple yet striking coloring

is the basic color scheme on von

Richthofen's famous "Jagdstaffel

One"-all red with white rudder and

insignia outline. The various white

bands and other designs that

marked the individual members of

this squadron may be selected from

the many photos of Fokkers that

have been published.

Cover all exposed parts of the

fuselage and the airfoil surfaces with

colored tissue. Apply it in separate

sections at the tips and other curved

places.

All wing struts are of 3/64" by

1/16" streamlined bamboo. Struts C

are pointed, then cemented into the

bottom of the fuselage just above

landing gear struts A. They are then

braced with the short struts D and E.

A single pair of struts, F, also

support the upper wing.

sandpaper, dope the prop for

strength and smoothness. The prop

shaft, formed of .028 piano wire, is

passed through the nose plug and

prop and embedded in the hub, with

a couple of washers included for

bearings.

Four strands of 3/32" flat brown

rubber are required to fly a D-7

model weighing. 75 oz., and four

strands of 1/8” flat brown rubber are

needed for a heavier job. The model

should be adjusted with clay so that

it balances level at point 1” from the

leading edge of the upper wing.

Minor adjustments can be made by

warping the elevators up slightly in

case of a glide that is too steep, or

warping them downward to correct a

tendency to stall. Adjust the model

to fly in fairly tight right circles, and

then lubricate the rubber and wind it

with a winder for flights that will

make this ship one of your favorites.

Mount the upper wing panel,

allowing the struts to project slightly

into the wing on the outside of the

No.1 ribs, to provide ample surface

for a strong joint. Check the

alignment and the 1/16" incidence of

the wing. The bottom wing and the

elevator are cemented directly to the

fuselage at zero incidence.

The entire model may now be

sprayed with water and doped lightly

to tighten the tissue. Keep an eye

on all surfaces and correct any

tendency to warp before the tissue is

dry. The interplane struts G, H, and

I, are now cemented in the given

order to the outside of the No.4 ribs

and the inside of the No.11 ribs.

Two thin bamboo struts, J, brace the

stabilizer.

Details not needed on a flying

model such as steps, hand grips,

radiator, guns, and the like-are

shown on the three-view plan and

can be easily made up from balsa

scraps and pins.

Flying Aces – April, 1938

PROPELLER AND FLYING

CARVE the prop from a

medium hard block 5/8” by 1 1/8 " by

5 1/2". After finishing with fine

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