Tmoth4

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Just finished this Dr1, but still needs a little detail work around the cockpit. Nice kit and went together pretty fast. I modified it a little by undercambering the wings some and made more scale-like, bungee type suspension.

Color scheme is standard DR1 streaky Olive Drab. Markings are of WW1 ace Rudolph Klemke's aircraft. Covering is Sig Koverall sealed with Minwax water-based polycrylic. Clors are latex housepaint. Clearcoat is Minwax oil-based satin clear.

The engine I'm using is a Homelite 33cc conversion from their 14" chainsaw.

Tmoth4

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Here's a rear 3/4 view.

bps

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Very nice! Would like to hear flight reports when the weather gets good enough. How did you like the kit? Any changes and or building tips you can offer? I am getting set to build one of these as soon as I finish a scale cub.
JEB

Tmoth4

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I think it was a great kit. It went together very fast considering there's 4 wings (including the subwing). The parts fit together well. Be careful shrinking the covering on the control surfaces, especially the ailerons, because they'll get twisted. Covering the plane was the most time consuming part.

I flew one of a clubmember's and it handled nice in the air. I'm just a little concerned about the landing, these planes are notorious for nosing over.

Jim

R8893

My Feedback: (20)

I have had my BUSA triplane for about a year and it flys well. Has ST2500 and smoke system. The only time I had trouble with nosling over is when a solder joint on the bracket for the little sub-wing broke allowing the wing to twist. It changed the pitch control significantly and I couldn't flair for the landing. I also found that I had to seal the gaps in the ailerons to get good response.

bps

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What covering did you use. I am thinking of using the BUSA fabric covering. Interesting you should mention the ground handling. I have flown some other WW1 type planes and they have some of the same problems. The Pitts and Christian Eagle biplanes will bite you the same way. I built a full size Nieuport 11 a few years ago and that very nose over and ground handling problem worried me to death. I finaly flew the plane and found three point landings and take offs were the only way to go. Actually began to enjoy flying the plane after about 75 hours of flying.
JEB

rogue-RCU

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I think that your DR1 is outstanding. I have been thinking about getting one. How does it handle on the ground?

Tmoth4

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R8893,
That's a sharp looking DR1! I'm glad to see another one that's not all red. I have a smoke system in mine also. I put differential throws in the ailerons.

bps,
I covered my DR1 with Sig Koverall and sealed the fabric with Minwax water-based poly, then painted it with housepaint colors. I used BUSA Solartex on my Nieuport 28 with good results too. I like the silk-and-dope look that the Koverall gives better though, plus it's a lot cheaper. It's a little more work than the iron-ons like Solartex.

I've had very little problems with the Niueport nosing over. I hope the DR1 is the same.

Jim

Cabane

My Feedback: (2)

Your Dr1 looks super. Is that the Torrance cowl? Looks good!

I'm finishing up on mine now. I'm using 21st Century fabric. This is my first experience with fabric and WW1 type birds. Man, I got tired of covering wings LOL. I'm doing it in all black, so that is making me look cross-eyed too. I'm using the G23 for giddy up.

How did you mount your guns? I'm trying to think of a way to mount them in the wing screw hole and still access the screws. The guns are spread too far apart in the instruction manual views. Did you cut the bottom of the guns down? I'm also wondering what to use for cockpit coaming. I bought the Foremost brand coaming in large. I don't think it's going to look right. I'm going to experiment with some leather.

I'll post a pic of mine when I get done.

Tmoth4

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I drilled two new holes closer together for the screws and moved the guns closer together. I can still get at the screws between the guns. I cut away some of the top decking and have the guns resting on flat areas on the formers.

Here's a picture of the cockpit of a restored DR1 from the Memorial Flight Association website. This is a great website of restored WW1 aircraft.

You can go to a Goodwill store and get old handbags and such for pieces of leather. That's what I'm using.

Jim

rptrsn

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Nice job, looks real good. I sent you a PM.

Thanks Ron

SteveD-RCU

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Hey Jim: Whats the URL for the Memorial Flight Association.I'm in the final stages of my DR 1 and am looking for more details and pics...SteveD

Damnathius

Tmoth, that is absolutely beautiful! I wish I had the patience for the cockpit interior on my Nieuport. Maybe after I get some time on it in the air I'll start worrying about the finer details.

What does the plane weigh in at?

Dave

Tmoth4

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That's not a picture of MY cockpit! That's a shot of a full-size restoration. I wish it were mine!
I haven't weighed the plane yet. I still have to install some equipment.

Memorial Flight is: http://memorial.flight.free.fr/indexuk.html

If that doesn't work try a Google search under Memorial Flight Association. It should come up.

Jim

Damnathius

Oh! hehe... I guess I should read instead of just looking at the pictures!

SteveD-RCU

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Jim;That Memorial Flight Association website is excellent.I especially like were you can pan the cockpit ,zooming in and out.Also the details on the instuments.
I noticed the compass is very close to the floor on their DR1 was that the position for all the Carden type compasses? I have seen drawings were the compass is elevated up on a pedestal around the level of the seat.Anyone having any info on this would be much appeciated..Thanks SteveD

Tmoth4

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SteveD,
I don't know about the compass but I thought the wind driven airspeed gauge out on the strut was pretty cool in the pictures.

Did you see all the nice pictures of the SE5a restoration? They documented every step of the restoration process. There are over a hundred detailed photos of it. You couldn't get better documentation for detailing anywhere.

Jim

prangedit

Some years ago,as some of you may remember,we had a brief rebirth of WWI aviation right here in Alabama at Ryder's replica fighter museum,at Guntersville.They had two triplanes,one with a 180 lycoming,the other with a 165 warner radial.The DRI has always been a fascinating airplane to me,ever since reading Gibbons book as a boy.It was my first choice as a plane to build as a project,until I talked to them about it.The only way they could keep gear under it was to use Harley wheels and brakes.Their landing technique was to get it down on the mains and hold the tail up as long as possible and then get on the brakes to keep it up until it was about stopped.Then they would let it drop.TRICKY.If you look at original photos of these planes you will see axe handles under the lower wingtips.That is because a ground loop was an expected part of the landing.