RITTMEISTER

I just bought a Flair Fokker D -7 kit. The wing span 61 in. Is there anyone who has put this one together?Info and pics video's super. please any info would be helpful. I have not been able to find this particular Flair model pics or videos. Can fly gas or electric? How does this model fly? Fast landings? The last Fokker I built had all kinds of issues. took 3 weeks to build. Would like to have someone who has built this particular kit to give me some heads up. Assembly pics would be awesome. Please pass the word along if you know someone who can..Thanks DJCIII

" My Fokker' in the Wings"

Dr1Driver

Ritt,

I've owned and flown two Flair 1/4 scale (72") Dr.1s. They built easily and flew/fly great. The only change I made in construction was the upper and middle wing attachment method. You might not need to do this with the two-wing D-7. The Dr.1 lands at a fast walk.

Dr.1

jeffo

My Feedback: (68)

Iacoon,
I built one years back.It is a straight foward build.A lot like a BUSA kit.The only thing I did not like was the ply ribs,they were all warped.The toughest part is setting up the cabane,it's all music wire bound and soldered.It takes a lot of patience,but can be done.The problem I had was the landing gear.I did not solder the center airfoil between the wheels good enough.It would rotate in flight and screw up the flight characteristics.Now it hangs in my basement I never took the time to fix it.My fault,I new someone else who built one and claims its the best bipe he has ever flown
P.S.Put at least a 90 F.S. in it,they are a little draggy

-Jeffo

RITTMEISTER

JEFFO,
THANKS FOR THE HELPFUL INFO. I JUST BUILT A DARE FOKKER D-7. THE WIRE BENDING WAS A PAIN. I BENT ENOUGH WIRE CABANES AND STRUT SUPPORTS TO SUPPLY THE WHOLE GERMAN AIRFORCE. I ENDED UP SOLDERING THEM TOGETHER. I DID NOT THINK THAT THEY WOULD SURVIVE THE VIBRATION SO..... I WRAPPED THEM WITH SPIDERWIRE FISHING LINE AND CA. ANY PICS????
THANKS AGAIN LACOONASS (RITTMEISTER)

RITTMEISTER

PICS???

djay

I built one last xmas, and flew it all last year. It is a brilliant plane to fly, you can throw it around or just fly it at walking pace, it lands itself at a very slow speed, and low fast passes with a hard over rudder turn at the end are real fun.
I have a 70 four stroke in mine, with an 11x7 prop and that is more then enough power.
This has turned out to be my favourite plane of all time, takes a while to assemble, but is well worth it.
cabanes are far easier then expected to make and build construction is easy.

RITTMEISTER

YOU ARE HEAVEN SENT!!!!!!!!!!! CAN WE POST THOSE AWESOME PICS HERE?? THANKS DENNIS " RITTMEISTER"

djay

I would but to many and take to long to post them jope you get the last 2 emails I sent as they are quite large
Darryl

RITTMEISTER

I CANT BREAK UP THE PICS FROM MY MAIL BOX. I WANTED TO AT LEAST POST THE COMPLETED PICS THEY ARE WAY TO AWESOME NOT TO SHARE WITH FELLOW FOKKER ENTHUSIAST!!!!!!! THANKS RITTMEISTER

Bruno Stachel

My Feedback: (4)

DJCIII,

I tried to reply to your PM twice, but I don't think you received either. My sent folder still reads "0". (?)

Anyway, my Flair DVII kit is still in the box. I can't wait to build it. But I took a GP Corsair off the table in favor of the DVII and caught a lot or grief from my son, who wants to see the Corsair. So the DVII will have to wait.

But djay's comments pretty well sum up what information I've been able to find. Fairly easy but long build. Very nice stable flyer.

I got mine because the DVII is my favorite WWI plane, and I didn't want a very large model. Although I'd like to get the Balsa USA 1/4 and then maybe the 1/3 scale versions.

BTW, what other DVII kits do you have?

It would be neat to see a "Show us your Flair DVII" thread. Think we could start one here, or are there enough of them? Maybe some of our European and Australian friends could provide some pics?

RITTMEISTER

BRUNO,
SURE I AM ALL FOR IT. I HAVE SOME ....... ALOT OF PICS FROM DARYL'S FLAIR FOKKER D7 BUILD. CANT BREAK FROM MY EAMIL BOX. I AM HOPING HE WILL POST THEM. THEY ARE VERY NICE AND VERY HELPFUL!! I HAVE A MARKS MODELS DAWN PATROL FOKKER D7 42" SPAN, A DARE DESIGNED FOKKER D 7 36' SPAN, HERR ENGINEERING FOKKER D7 24" SPAN, VERY OLD STERLING FOKKER D 7 32 1/2 "SPAN THE FLAIR FOKKER D7 61 IN SPAN, AND A HAND FULL OF DR 1'S. (SMALL 1's) DJCIII RITTMEISTER
HERE IS THE DARE KIT~~~~~~~~~~

RITTMEISTER

BRUNO,
YES I HAVE RECIEVED ALL OF YOUR EMAILS . ODNT KNOW WHY YOUR SENT SAY (0)..
STARTED A NEW THREAD ON OUR ACCOUNT
RITTMEISTER

"CUTTIN UP THE AIR" AMA 855224

djay

can some one remind me how to upload images on here, been a long time since I done it.
Thanks

RITTMEISTER

GOOD MORNING!!!
HIT THE REPLY, AND THEN THE CLICK HERE TO UPLOAD~ THEN PROCEED TO UPLOAD YOUR PICS
RITTMEISTER

djay

here are some pics of mine before its test flight, so no pilot or guns fitted yet.
( if the pics upload ok)

RITTMEISTER

VERY NICE!!! THANKS AGAIN!!!!
RITTMEISTER

johnyh

This is long but no excuse!
As promised even though a little earlier, due to it raining preventing a days flying some photos and an explanation of the finish I achieved. Unfortunately the construction diary was lost due to a computer crash!

The only deviation from the construction was the addition of direct drive by servos in the top wing. I don’t like bell cranks. The rest was as the instruction manual. I used mainly cyno but did a little strengthening of joints with pva glue. The covering used was white “solartex�, [the LHS had run out of natural and antique].

This model is worthy of a good colour scheme so I did some research and purchased “Fokker D.VII� published by Albatross Publications Ltd.

The scheme I chose was from Jasta 15
To achieve the lozenge pattern I enlarged the pattern from a “Lozenge Pattern� guide in the book. I then produced five different lozenge templates for each of the 5 lozenge colours. These were then traced onto the wings and underside of the tail. [This took several evenings using a soft pencil].

Further internet investigation I found charts on colour mixing to achieve first world war paint shades and patterns. This did mean I had to buy a lot of small paints and mix the colour required, which also meant that some lozenge shades do vary slightly when I ran out of the odd colour. This procedure took over two weeks alone, but I am pleased with result.
The skull and cross bones was another blown up template.

The whole lot was sealed with a satin finish fuel proofer. A note in the guide relates to the fact that the varnish used to seal the original planes would yellow after several applications and even streak. Because of this “hit and miss� method of finish I feel that a concourse finish, particularly WWI planes is not a realistic approach. [Or am I just inadequate at fine detailing. However I did enjoy achieving the end result].

For reasons of lazyness I still have to “timber� the metal supports. And a gun really need to be added.

A slight down side to my colour scheme is that as a camouflage scheme it does work when the light is grey. The plane has to be flown in good daylight as it will silhouette very easily.

The pictures show the wings and fuselage, due to current weather, HEAVY RAIN an assembled picture will have to wait.

RITTMEISTER

GOOD MORNING,
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE THIS GREAT INFO!! I READ THIS WITH SLEEPY EYES AND THOUGHT YOU SAID THE FOKKER HAD CRASHED........... NO DUMMY THE COMPUTER CRASHED!!! WHEW I WAS NOT
AS UPSET.... WHEN I RE-READ IT TWICE.. STILL ALITTLE UPSET.
BOY DO I LIKE THE COLOR SCHEME!!!!!!! ESPECIALLY THE SKULL AND CROSSBONES!! I TOO HAD THE SAME COLOR SCHEME IN MIND!!, BUT I CHOSE THE SKULL FROM A 2 SEATER RECONNISSAENCE FOKKER D7. THE SKULL WAS ALITTLE MORE TERRIFYING THAN THE ONE YOU CHOSE. THE ONE YOU USED I HAVE ON FILE. THE ONE I WANT IS ON OLD VHS TAPE.....HAVE TO PAUSE THE TAPE AND TRACE OR FREEHAND IT. IT REALLY IS AWESOME.IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED I HAVE GOT MY HANDS ON ALL AVAILABLE PICS AND FILES OF THE FOKKER D7. EMAIL ME IF YOU NEED OR WANT. I SPENT 6 MONTHS SEARCHING EVERYWHERE AND HAVE I THINK ALL FILES AND PICS AROUND OF ORIGNAL FOKKERS. AGAIN I AM LOOKING FOR R/C FOKKER D7 CONST.PICS AND COMPLETION/FLYING.
I NEED TO STUDY THE SOLARTEX. IT DOES ACCEPT PAINT??? I HAVE 9 YEARS OF AIRBRUSHING W/ EXTREME DETAILING. SO THIS LOZENGE PATTERN OUGHT TO BE FUN AND MUTUALLY REWARDING!!
IF YOU WOULD ELABORATE ON THE PAINTING PROCEDURES COVERING ALL (HA HA ) THE TECHNIQUES AND THINGS INVOLVED IN ACHEIVING THE SAME RESULTS. OF THE LOZENGE PATTERNS. ( COLORS ,PAINT MANUF., PROBLEMS, ALL INVOLVED PROCEDURES.) DID YOU SPRAY ANYTHING OR BRUSH ALL?
RITTMEISTER

lazyace

My Feedback: (126)

just go to flygtm.com and get his fabric great stuff very realistic

johnyh

All hand painted.

A couple of hours each evening taking over two weeks. Solartex is a fabric finish which shrinks with the application of heat. If I can find the mixing charts or paints I used in the region of twenty small cans of enamel paints to mix the colours. I don't have an airbrush.

The lozenge pattern template was enlarged to create "one pattern block". Five copies were made with one from five coloured shape removed. Each "block" was stenciled onto the wing using a soft pencil [2B] with each colour being systematically stenciled on to the wing. Due to it's complexity I numbered each shape 1-5. Bearing in mind that the original linen was just sown on to the wing lining each edge up did not matter, in fact it helped create the illusion. I didn't bother with rib tapes.

In fact I remember my Dad telling me that he helped to camouflage Hurricanes and Spitfires by just throwing a tin of paint over the plane for speed. [He was part of the flight crew providing air cover following the eight army].

Hope this helps [time for bed]

RITTMEISTER

THANKS SO MUCH!!! YES THIS WAS THE INFO I WAS LOOKING FOR. I LOOKED AT THE GLEN TORRENCE LOZENGE MATERIAL AND IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS FOR 1/3 OR 1/4 SCALE?? I HAVE A 1/6 SCALE 61 IN. SPAN.
RITTMEISTER

"CUTIN UP THE AIR:-}}} AMA 855224

RITTMEISTER

SO SORRY I FORGOT TO TELL YOU I REALLY LIKE THE WAY YOUR FOKKER TURNED OUT!!!! IT IS VERY COOL ALL MY KIDS THINK SO TOO!!! RITT

kodak

Hi Guys here is a pic of mine

RITTMEISTER

WOW!! GREAT!! This is as much as you have complete?? Any issues so far that gave you trouble? what color scheme have you decided on? Rittmeister

kodak

Rittmeister I have been building this on and off for 18 months, mostly off. This is my first kit build so I am learning lots of new things along the way. I also have a very basic tool setup. So far I have used all white glue for its ease of use. My lack of experience led to a small twist in the wing between the wheels, I figure that the wing is so small this won't matter. The ply ends on the stab and rudder posed a problem, they wouldn't hold end to end when glued. I made up new pieces out of balsa, you can see that in the pic by the different colour. Have fitted a larger fuel tank and will add gussets to the rear fuse for strength.
Haven't decided on a colour scheme, my lack of covering skills may be a deciding factor. Regarding engine size I was going to use a 90 4 stroke however it's too big. So a question for djay, how does yours fly with a 70? Does it have enough power to pull loops from level flight? The 70 fits nicely,not sticking up out of the cowl which looks like it only needed minor mods.