Tee Bee

The latest project: Great Planes Electrifly Fokker DVII. Hacked it up with a Dremel tool and modified the fuse to fit an OS 10LA and a 4oz Dubro tank. I guess you'd have to see one of these in stock form to notice how much different it is now. I just love to stare at WWI aircraft. Those were some brave men who flew them in battle.

Tee Bee

I"ve been wanting to do one of these for a while but have been too busy to get around to it. I finally finished my Little Extra ARF and got the El Pongito back together so I pressed on. I followed a thread on the other RC forum site and mine is being done very similarly. Cut out the lecky mounts and battery tray, installed a plywood firewall with reinforcements, and filled in the gaps with balsa. I reinforced the ABS plastic cowling with fiberglass on the inside. More pics to come later.

A pic of my completed Lil' Extra. It looks like many others I've seen but this one is mine.

skaliwag

My Feedback: (1)

Chuckie looks a little concerned about hanging from the ceiling and no canopy.

Tee Bee

Good eye. Chuckie it is. His older brother Tommy pilots a Pong Two.

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

I've been playing with the idea of converting the new GP spad they have, I always loved the spad and sopwith camel. I did get the little speed 400 pitts made by wattage in the air a few times but the airframe is a bit weak seeing how it's made of molded ABS plastic, but she still flies just fine.

skaliwag

My Feedback: (1)

And what does Angelica have for a Sunday get-about?

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

A tricycle.

Tee Bee

Tee Bee

I'd consider converting the Spad as well if this thing works out ok. Another guy has done both the DVII and the SE5A over at RCGroups. They say that the DR1 kit looks too lightweight for glow. One of the Nieuports would be neat, too.

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

I was thinking of one of these two, I'm more partial to the spad though.


[link]http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXVTD5&P=0[/link]

[link]http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXVKS0&P=0[/link]

What do you think, I've been thinking a PAW .09 diesel.

rcuser004

My Feedback: (287)

Did you reinforce the wing and tail surfaces? If so, what did you do?

Regards,

Tee Bee

In short, no I didn't. I've been very busy working overtime and doing home repairs lately. Haven't had much time left for model building or flying. I'll probably just attach the stock tail surfaces with epoxy to the fuselage. I know a few others have done it successfully. Several of my small scratchbuilts have tails built of sticks in a similar fashion. I hope to get caught up around the house and resume this project in a couple of weeks.

jeffie8696

Just posted to keep an eye on this thread. I have also thought the DVII would make a nice glow plane.
What engine are you running on the Extra? My buddy has a Magnum 15 and is loving it. If I ever get the money together I will get one from Sig since I have way too many 15 size engines here without a home.
(what am I saying, I have a buttload of engines here without a home)[sm=lol.gif]

Tee Bee

The Little Extra is running an OS 15LA. I've only flown it once but it was great. Can't wait to get back to it.

jeffie8696

He is currently running an XL15A but I hope to send him my XLS15 to do some flight testing.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

I have the DVII but left it electric. A glow conversion is a good idea and the only area I think that needs reinforcing is the firewall. It is a great flying plane. It spins really good. One thing really cool is how they tapered the ribs just like the full scale. The other isse with E to glow conversions is fuel proofing. They glow fuel finds it's way everywhere. This thread has me thinking of converting mine. Electric has not worked well for me.

jeffie8696

Electric has it's place. But so does glow. I have both. I love electricity for my Slow Stick but could not even consider it for my C/L planes or eventually my large glow planes.

Tee Bee

I also wonder how the paint will hold up on the struts, gear, dummy engine, etc when the nitro hits it.

Tee Bee

I've been tinkering with the little Fokker again the last couple of months. Mounted the little OS .10 on it's side after finishing the firewall compartment mods.

Tee Bee

Installed a 4oz Dubro tank. Used a 3-line setup. A fill line, a carb line, and the vent line will also empty the tank when the plane is inverted.

Tee Bee

Fuel-proofing everything with finishing resin. This stuff takes forever to set up and stays tacky for a couple of days but brushes on easily. Using a Berg 7 channel rx with a Futaba 600mah batt. The feaux sheet metal on the fuselage side has been trimmed to fit the engine head. Will glue them in place later. After a lot of debate, I've decided to go with the stock tailskid setup for simplicity and historical accuracy. If it's too hard to handle on the ground, I can always cut it off and install a tailwheel later on.

Tee Bee

The original servo rails were mounted in the forward compartment where the tank and battery now reside. I installed new servo rails in the wing compartment. I put the battery under the tank to attempt to reduce the top-heaviness problems associated with this design. Hopefully it'll balance pretty close with this setup since I'd hate to add any more weight. Ran the throttle cable under the tank and added a brace to keep it from moving around. Hitec 81s in the fuselage.

jeffie8696

Awesome really. Loving it.

buzzard bait

Are you flying off grass? If so, a tail wheel is completely unnecessary. If you want to steer it on the ground, make a steerable skid from a bent wire and a bracket to hold it, with a tiller to the rudder. You'll hardly notice it, and it will work every bit as well as a tailwheel, on grass. I'm sure you know that the real D.VII couldn't be steered on the the ground. Jim

Tee Bee

It will be flown from short turf/packed dirt and paved runways. Just depends where I'm flying that day.