The question that truly interests me is not how we can alter the design of our models to make them fly "better" but rather is it possible to use scale airfoils, scale incidences, scale dihedrals, scale empennage and still have a flyable model. I'm not necessarily talking about an "easy flyer" but one that flies pretty much like the original.

My SE5a is a good case in point. While it doesn't use a scale RAF airfoil, it does have a "scale-ish" airfoil. The wings are mounted at the same AoA as on the original (about 5 degrees) and use the same amount of dihedral (also about 5 degrees). The engine is mounted parallel with the main longerons as per the original. The main aerodynamic difference is that the stab on the model is at +3 to the center line, while the tail on the original (which was adjustable) was also level with the longerons. I'm hoping that now that I've gotten all the kinks straightened out my SE5a will fly as it was intended to fly. And if it can't...well...then I will have learned something.

I trust the original WWI designers and don't feel it's necessary to "re-design" models of WWI aircraft. I especially don't feel it's necessary (or desirable) to "improve" the design. Would we improve on the Mona Lisa? Sure there are inevitable differences. But I believe that the wonderful WWI scale models that have been built and flown in top competitions show that completely flying scale WWI models are indeed possible.