Posts: 1018
Score: 120 Joined: 11/18/2002 Last Login: 5/25/2013 From: farmingtom,
MN, USA Status: offline
I got to fly mine off grass for the first time. After flying in Las vegas off a paved runway for 3 years, the grass is WAY better for the Tri-plane. Landings are a breeze. It just rolls to a stop. No wandering all over the runway, very little wing tip. Grass is the way to go with this bird.
Posts: 736
Score: 100 Joined: 8/19/2002 Last Login: 11/28/2012 From: Austin,
TX, USA Status: offline
I had one of these, and enjoyed almost every moment... It's certainly a weathervane, but very challenging to fly well. I had a Super Tigre .75 on mine, and with all that drag, it wasn't over-powered. Always gathered a crowd, too. I changed it a bit by making the gun mount a bolt-on option, so I could hide the wing bolts. I never dissambled it except to check the gear, so transportation and setup wasn't a problem. the only time I got sweaty was when the engine quit... Yeehaa!
Rolling circles on this one were very cool, but not very scale...
phil in georgetown (and denver)
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Posts: 15
Score: 100 Joined: 12/5/2003 Last Login: 10/25/2009 From: Paragould, AR, USA Status: offline
Hey, great timing!!
I am considering taking my OS-70 4-s off my Dr.1 later in the year, and I was thinking about a SuperTigre engine on my Dr.1. How do you like the SuperTigre .75 on the Great Planes Dr.1? What prop are you using? How is the noise?
Thanks.
By the way, just saw at Tower where the GP Dr.1 is being discontinued. Bummer.....
Posts: 2628
Score: 250 Joined: 2/14/2002 Last Login: 5/24/2013 From: Vestal,
NY, USA Status: offline
crawf, I have a Super Tigre S-90 turning a 14x6 in mine, its about 94 db. It fly's well at 3/4 throttle and is trimmed for that, But full throtle in the turns realy makes them sharp.
Posts: 1018
Score: 120 Joined: 11/18/2002 Last Login: 5/25/2013 From: farmingtom,
MN, USA Status: offline
I just did the wildest thing in my life. I put my DRI on snow skis, and flew it off the frozen lake. Take off was quick, but the landing was just about what you would expect. The "wing" on the landing gear spreader box dug into the snow and FLIP. No damage. And the people watching thought it was great. I do not think this is a "do it more than once" idea. But it was cool to see.
Posts: 12484
Score: 233 Joined: 1/22/2002 Last Login: 5/25/2013 From: Acworth,
GA, USA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: crawf
For you guys that want to make it a little more scale without re-covering, there are a few simple things you can do:
1. Paint the cowl red (or any color you like). Richthofen's Jasta 11 had red cowls. Lustrecote works OK.
2. Paint the wheels and wing struts red. This was also a Jasta 11 marking.
3. Spray the model with Flat Lustrecote. A guy in my club did this, and it completely took the 'shine' out of the monokte
Actually, while most of the Red Baron's planes had red cowling, the one which he was flying when he was killed had a white cowl. The exact markings of that plane are not known, but believed to be the same all red plane with the cowling replaced with a white cowl. My preferance would be the one with red cowl, red wings, and camo fuse.
Posts: 277
Score: 100 Joined: 6/23/2005 Last Login: 5/14/2009 From: Willard,
MO, USA Status: offline
I never knew GP made a Tripe. Too bad they discontinued them. I would own one! Well, guess I will have to keep my eyes open. I was out of this hobby for 9 yrs until June so maybe that is why I missed it.
Some good looking Fokkers guys, keep the pics comming.
Posts: 12484
Score: 233 Joined: 1/22/2002 Last Login: 5/25/2013 From: Acworth,
GA, USA Status: offline
If you are willing to pay extra, you can buy the parts and build one from that. You can also buy a .25 sized one with 40" wing span from Polk's hobby. Hobby People has their Magnum .30 four stroke on sale that would be perfect for it.
Posts: 5438
Score: 126 Joined: 7/3/2003 Last Login: 2/18/2011 From: newton,
NC, USA Status: offline
Icyflyer--that is a wicked paint job--whose scheme is it, and what did you re-cover it with? I bought one of these last year, and just have got around to starting it. I stripped all the MonoKote off and re-covered it in white Solartex, and am just finishing the paint job. I am using acrylic latex house paint, and clearcoating it with flat Lustercote. The finish is very nice. I'm doing one of Udet's schemes, the one he "inherited" from Kirschtein when he took over Kirschtein's DR-1. There is so much argument about colors and patterns, I just picked a picture of a reproduction DR-1 and went by it, and a profile drawing. I'm putting a Saito .91S on mine. I also made a set of "sorta scale" wing skids, like the ones the full-size plane had. I lowered the inside of the cockpit floor, and am putting an Aces of Iron 1/5 scale pilot in it.
Has GP really discontinued it? I know it's not in the catalog any more, but last time I looked it was still available on-line. Here's a couple of pics of my project, and a couple of a friend's DR-1 on floats---flies great with an OS 91.
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Posts: 29
Score: 100 Joined: 9/10/2003 Last Login: 3/5/2013 From: Oklahoma City,
OK, USA Status: offline
Khodges, Thank you for the complement on the covering. It is done completely in monokote with the cowl and wheels painted with matching monokote paint. It is loosely based on an Udet scheme but I wanted something a little different.
Speaking of reproductions, I took some vacation and helped a friend build the airframe for his 3/4 scale DR-1. We had four guys and a lot of aluminum. At the end of 9 days it sat as you see it in the photo. He is going to finish it in the black and yellow scheme from the movie "The Great Waldo Pepper".
Please post progress photos of your DR-1. That is a cool scheme.
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Posts: 8
Score: 100 Joined: 6/23/2005 Last Login: 1/10/2007 From: , UNITED KINGDOM Status: offline
Thanks for all the good info guys. Mine is in the build stage and I was going to fit a Saito 65, I will now have to chuck out for a magnum 91fs it seems but I'm looking forward to getting it in the air fairly soon. I also have a flair SE5A which had a webra 70fs in it, I have remodelled it to take one of the RCV rotary valve 58s in it instead and that is near the completion stage. It did fly great with the webra and you could see why they rated it the best WW1 fighter tight turns loops both ways and stall turns are easy with it. The landings are good too just back off to tickover and float it in give it up e when it touches down, this too is a walk it out, ground turns with the tailfin are just not on. I like it so much I bought another to make but this will be covered in red fabric like a lot of the barnstormers after the war.
Posts: 1186
Score: 112 Joined: 6/2/2003 Last Login: 12/31/2009 From: Rochester,
NY, USA Status: offline
I've had my DR-1 for a couple yrs and Love it. No mater where I take it it draws attention. I used a Magnum 91fs in mine and it's a great combo for weight. I would recommend that combo to anyone. It's flys very light and easy to do manuvers that I wouldn't want to attempt with a kit that I've spent 2 yrs building. Leading edge of lower wing is weak and will crack so keep an eye on it. It will happen when you catch a wing tip from rocking while rolling out. I just put some CA on it patched it and went back to flying. I hope someone else comes out with one to replace GP's or maybe they come out with another version.
I fly mine at air shows with a Dog House. We chase each other arond and listen to the crowd... Always a lot of fun! PS mine fits in the van no need to take wings off...
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Posts: 8
Score: 100 Joined: 6/23/2005 Last Login: 1/10/2007 From: , UNITED KINGDOM Status: offline
Hey great pics bull rcu and I'm glad you rubber stamped the Mag 91fs, I placed an order with Tower Hobbies today for one. I also ordered a spare bottom wing as it seems thats going to be the first to go and I can then beef up the cracked one ready for an exchange. I guess they didn't sell loads of these and so it got the chop, really tees me off, I got a PT19 giant scale then they delete them ( flies a dream) then I took to the H9 large Taylorcraft and managed to buy the other kit out of the shop when I heard they were deleting that! got it at a knock down price too as he said it had gone obsolete, so not all bad! I think they are too impatient with kits, once a few get flown the word spreads and more buy them but it takes time.
Posts: 5438
Score: 126 Joined: 7/3/2003 Last Login: 2/18/2011 From: newton,
NC, USA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: IceflyerVII
Please post progress photos of your DR-1. That is a cool scheme.
Here's the first assembly pix of my GP DR-1. No engine mounted yet, no servos or tank yet, but the basic shell is together. Hope to get the engine (.91 Saito) in this weekend.
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Posts: 19
Score: 100 Joined: 10/15/2004 Last Login: 6/10/2012 From: houston,
TX, USA Status: offline
Good looking dr-1 !!! I am building one also. Could you tell about your wing skids? Where did you get the bracket the dowel goes thru? Thanks!! "Brink"
Posts: 5438
Score: 126 Joined: 7/3/2003 Last Login: 2/18/2011 From: newton,
NC, USA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: brink
Good looking dr-1 !!! I am building one also. Could you tell about your wing skids? Where did you get the bracket the dowel goes thru? Thanks!! "Brink"
The wood piece is 1/4 in. dia. dowel, 6-1/4 in long. Since I had the covering off the wing, I used some basswood stock and made a couple of hardpoints between the last two ribs; one is just behind the front spar, and the other is just forward of the rear spar. The brackets are scratch built from some scrap aluminum that was laying around. The front one is a piece of angle stock, cut to 1/4 inch wide and drilled on each leg, and the rear bracket is a piece of 1/16 in. flat stock that I wrapped around the dowel and closed together, then bent it at 90 degrees and drilled a hole for the mounting screw. The front bracket is screwed into the end of the dowel with a hex head servo screw, the rear bracket just slides over the dowel, and both are screwed into their respective hardpoints with servo screws, just inboard of the last rib, and with about 5/8 inch of the dowel sticking out behind the trailing edge.
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Posts: 5438
Score: 126 Joined: 7/3/2003 Last Login: 2/18/2011 From: newton,
NC, USA Status: offline
Well, here she is, only thing left is the covers over the wire gear, and the weight lettering on the side of the fuse, and running the exhaust (using a flex-pipe, on order). I also have to balance it, gonna need some nose weight, but so far, all-up weight is 8.25 lbs, about what the box says. I figure around 9-9-1/4 lbs flight ready.
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Posts: 1664
Score: 100 Joined: 8/12/2003 Last Login: 5/8/2010 From: Schiller park,
IL, USA Status: offline
I am trading for one of these, can't wait. YS1.10 going in......servo suggestions please.
Also, anyone EVER check incidence on this plane?? My Pop scratch built one of thse , Giant sized, in the late seventies. And he spent hours playing wqith incidence.
I will be flying on a grass field, too. Cant wait.
Posts: 1186
Score: 112 Joined: 6/2/2003 Last Login: 12/31/2009 From: Rochester,
NY, USA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: Bosshossv8
I am trading for one of these, can't wait. YS1.10 going in......servo suggestions please.
Also, anyone EVER check incidence on this plane?? My Pop scratch built one of thse , Giant sized, in the late seventies. And he spent hours playing wqith incidence.
I will be flying on a grass field, too. Cant wait.
I used standard servos Hitec 425hb. Maybe a little more for the rudder. I just built it and flew it... Tends to climb past half throttle. Most of the time you are flying it slow that's when it looks it's best.
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Posts: 5438
Score: 126 Joined: 7/3/2003 Last Login: 2/18/2011 From: newton,
NC, USA Status: offline
If you have a bit smaller engine, I'd use it. After I added 1-1/2 POUNDS of nose weight to balance mine, it weighs over ten pounds, but the wing loading is still less than 20 oz./sq.foot, and the .91 Saito will fly it straight up with a 16-5 Zinger prop. I built mine per instructions, and how the wings bolted up was how I left them. I did change the incidence of the undercarriage winglet to match the main wings; if attached per the instructions it was about minus 7 or 8 degrees relative to the wings. As Bull said, it wants to climb with anything more than 1/2 throttle, and it was not meant to be a fast plane, plus it tends to get a bit squirrelly in pitch and yaw, very easy to overcontrol, when flown faster than it should.
As for servos, any standard size will do, in your preferred brand. I used S3001 Futabas throughout.
BTW, I discovered the hard way what I've seen and heard a lot of people say about this plane being lightly built. I HIGHLY recommend reinforcing the bottom wing at least, and maybe the mid wing also. I maidened mine last week; the takeoff roll was about 15 feet at 2/3 throttle, it came off very nicely, was a kittycat around the pattern, but needed a lot of down trim until I was advised to slow it down some, then flew like a trainer. I'd also mix a fair amount of rudder with the ailerons; adverse yaw is terrible, but it makes great flat turns using only rudder and a little elevator
Landing was another story. Came in, slow approach, and I tried to 3-point it, should have come in on the mains and set the tail later. If you don't hit the mains evenly, it will rock severely, and I caught a wingtip and broke the bottom wing completely through on both sides, right where it meets the fuse. I see the problem as being the notch in the leading and trailing edges where the wing attaches to the fuse. The ONLY thing that goes straight through the center section as a single piece is the main spar, so it takes all the impact of a wingtip strike. Up-down flex of the wing is okay, but pushing the wingtip back, like a ground loop will do, will break the wing every time.
As you can see in the picture, I added a piece of 1/4 in diameter carbon fiber tubing along the bottom front of the spar; it extends to the outermost rib on each side, and I also added a piece of 3/8 hardwood square stock just above it, through the center section and out to the second rib on each side. I am also going to double the root rib, and add a corner block of balsa to both the front and rear notched areas. Yeah, it will add weight, but it's all very close to the c/g, or slightly forward of it, so it shouldn't cause any balance concerns. I also plan to add a smaller carbon rod to the mid wing spar and reinforce the blocks that the interplane struts screw to, they were pulled out of the bottom of the mid wing, and tore the cover, so I have to re-cover both the bottom and mid wing. At least they were easy to paint
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RE: Great Planes DR-1 ARF - 
