prpbstr555

My Feedback: (3)

I am interested in building a Fokker D7. I happen to have a Sterling kit NIB however, I was wanting to find out if this is a good choice for this project. I have heard that there is a Flair kit of the D7 and there are also a few Orline kits around. There may be other kits that are also available in the 60 to 72 inch wingspan size. Which of these are true to scale? Are there any problems that I will encounter with the Sterling kit? I like to build and this is my first scale project. I just want to make sure that it would be worthwhile to spend my time on this kit. I would appreciate your comments. Thanks

CTDavies

I started a Sterling Fokker D.VII about 11 or 12 years ago. I remember the plywood was awful (I replaced all of it) and the pre-bent wires were totally out of shape. You could tell it was well aged, but I can't remember any serious problems. I remember the top line of the upper wing, when viewed from the front, wasn't a straight one, which it should have been, if it were to be true scale, it took a downward bend on the outer wing panels, like the Revell 1/28 plastic kit - did they use the same refenrence material? I tried to fix that and accidently built in a very pronounced wing tip wash in(!) which was the end of that project. I also started replacing the stab, as I didn't like the way it way done in the kit. I never finished it, but it was the only game in town back then and it was fairly cheap.
Chris

Stuka Jon N

My Feedback: (33)

Those old Sterling kits were awful. The worst wood selection and die smashing I ever saw. Built two of their Stinsons but only threw much patience and perseverance. GOOD LUCK Stuka Jon

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Here's some advice for what it's worth.. The kits are relatively cheap compared to ones time. If you start out with inferior products it takes a lot of time and $ to get it right.
In contrast if you start with some quality.. your on your way to a rewarding project. Just something to think about.

bobripley

How timely,

I just bought a Sterling Fokker D VII from a gent at the Bob Evans scale contest last weekend. The plane was never flown and was built fairly well. The paint job, however was very heavy and not well done so I have striped it. I am going to correct a few thing and then recover for use as a Sunday flyer. My question is this. Where is the CG suppose to be located? I appreicate your feed back.

Rip

papermache

My Feedback: (35)

prpbstr,
I only built a couple Sterling kits back when I was a teenager. They were lousy kits then and I'm sure they probably never improved much. I would not recommend any of them
There are a few kits of the D-VII that I know of in the size you want. Hobby Hangar makes the Rich Uravitch design kit. It's not true scale by any means, but it looks the part and should be an easy build (I built this one from plans and it's a very nice flyer). The Flair kit is nice and would probably be your best bet. I've never built one, but they have a solid reputation. If you want a very scale kit, Arizona Modelcrafters makes a 1/6 scale fokker D-VII. Be prepared for a hefty pricetag.
Hope this helps. Good luck.

papermache

abufletcher

It's amazing really that there aren't a million D7 kits out there given how famous this aircraft is. Of the kits I am aware of, none are very scale. Maybe it's that pesky lozenge fabric!

BTW, I also bought a couple Sterling stick and tissue kits as a kid and I found them VERY disappointing compared to the Guillow's kits I was used to.

abufletcher

Oh my! How could I have forgotten the Proctor Museum Scale DVII???

http://www.proctor-enterprises.com/p.../dvii/dvii.htm

Prop Nut

My Feedback: (3)

If you want a really nice scale DVII in that size, buy the Proctor 1/4 scale plans and have them scaled down. Or purchase the Balsa USA plans and have them scaled down instead. You can make changes to the Balsa USA plans to make it more scale. That is if you dont mind building from plans. I have recently "discovered" (ok, had my nose rubbed in it) how easy it really is to build from plans instead of paying the high price for a kit.

Jim Messer

My Feedback: (2)

Well, it's been so long ago when I built my Sterling D-VII that I truly don't remember anything about the kit - good or bad. What I do remember is that the airplane flew very good, and I flew it in scale competition for many years. Mine was powered by a Webra Speed 61 which was the largest engine available at the time. If I recall correctly, the airplane weighed in at 11 lbs.

Although the kit you have may not be of superior quality, it doesn't mean that you have to use all the inferior parts, if there are any. If they don't meet with your satisfaction, then replace them with home-made parts that do.

I suggest that you go ahead and build your kit, keeping in mind to keep it light as possible. All the old Sterling kits were overdesigned - more to crash than to fly. Look at the parts - and decide before gluing it into the airframe whether it would work just as good if it were trimmed lighter.

Attached are a couople of photos of mine - last flown at Rhinebeck in 1974.

Red B.

The Flair kit is a nice scale model (stand-off). A fellow club member has built one and he likes it a lot (picture below).
The flir kit is a fairly straightforward build and from what I have seen it flies very well.

Some specs:

Span 61" (1550 mm)
Weight 3.6 kg
Engines .40-.60 2 strokes
.48-.80 4 strokes

I would recommend this over the Sterling kit.

/Red B.

edit: added picture

bucksboy

I've built the Flair D7, it went together very well and flew beautifully. It really hung in the air on landing, I had a 65 size 4 stroke engine in it. I slightly modified it by building in two servos for the airlerons rather than one central one acting via rods and bellcranks. This was easy to do and worked very well. I would recommend the Flair kit especially as you can buy covering with the lozenge pattern already printed on. You still have to paint it though!

nicostoffi

Hello,

I had a sterling kit, but never end the building.
Also a Flair one with an Magnum 91 4-Stroke, flies very well.

aeroscale

Kits from Hobby Hangar, .40 -.60 or electric, D-7 and SE-5.
Rich

Dolan

I just finnished the Great Planes Fokker D.VII ARF, It's a great kit in 36" wing size. It's realistic scale apperance sets this plane off. I was impressed how they scaled the wing ribs down to size to the real full size Fokker D.VII. It's an electric fitted with the recomended RimFire motor from Electrifly. Great Planes left enough room for your own imagination to really finnish this plane off. I visited verious web site to on Fokker D.VII's to prospect the details. Here are a few pic's

ChikkenNoodul

AerodromeRC has a 36" kit

http://www.aerodromerc.com/WWI/Fokke...erDVII_36t.htm

According to their website, it looks like a 54" version is in development

starcop

Hey Nice Plane Dolan.

stz28

I built one of these years ago. Like other poster mentioned, the wood is not the best, but it looked nice when done and flew (okay). I powered mine with a Saito 90 swinging a scale sized 14-6 prop. The kit came out way tail heavy and I had to add a ton of weight. Would suggest you try to lighten the "ass end" as much as you can. Other tips....the plane ground loops easily. Use light ply or a ply brace on the rudder. You will bust the balsa the first or second time this happens.....consider using dual aileron servos instead of the long linkage and bellcranks, since this will give you crisper movements. I used lozenge fabric that Coverite used to make, but this is pretty scarce now. Would suggest plastic film or other lightweight covering instead. Plane is not hard to fly, but don't "horse" it up. Take a long, slow take off. There is more, but this is all I can think of right now. Most important, build the tail light.

STeve

PS. I eventually sold mine on eBay since I knew I was going to crash it sooner or later. After all the hours I put into building it I didn't want to see that happen. Current scale flyer is a Uravich OV-10 twin. Now THAT is a fun plane to build and fly.

Michaelj2k

For the Sterling kit:
1. Open box, remove plans, decals, plastic parts, hardware, etc.
2. Make patterns of all parts and replace with quality balsa and ply.
3. Keep the weight out of the tail!
4. Keep the completed airframe RTF @ 10lbs.
5. Power with at least a .90 two stroke or 1.20 four stroke.
6. Install radio as far forward as possible.
7. Add a wire strut to the aft of the landing gear Vee's similar to the forward strut. The airplane WILL nose over no matter how hard you try not to. The addition of the extra strut stiffens the gear preventing it from flexing aft causing the noseover.

The Sterling D-VII is an excellent flyer if you follow the above advise. My uncle built one years ago but added 1 inch and 10 ounces of lead to the nose to help with the Cg issues.

For the other D-VII kits:
1. Build
2. Fly
3. Have fun

If you are interested in selling the Sterling kit, send me a PM.

XH2OMANN

Hey Dolan,
Nice job. Do you know of any forums for this plane other than this one? I am bulding one now and would like any tips. thanks Jim

Dai Phan

My Feedback: (2)

In the Scale section, I am giving this plane a completetly makeover including new paint scheme, engine and machine guns bay.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5488840/tm.htm

I am going to make a new post called " Improving Great Planes Electrifly FokKer DVII" this week. DP

XH2OMANN

cool Let me know when and how to find your new post. Sounds great!

JIM

chaz1940

Here are some pics of my fokker 7. Need to ad a little rust to it.

abufletcher

For you DVII fans:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoRsO...eature=related

TFF

The newest Sterling D7 kit has to be 20 years old and it was made the 20 years before, so you kind of have to take it in the terms of the the times it was designed for. I would also think that because so many of these things are out there, that it flooded the market for D7s even for now in the .40-.60 size. This plane and the Top Flite SE5a were the standard for WW1 scale for the 70s-80s.