RE: Pfalz DIII resources -- Photos, Drawings, Plans, etc.
Great thread guys!
I love the Pfalz DIII too. I have a set of 1/6 scale plans for the DIIIa designed by Alan Spievack. They do look good with lots of scale details. I don't know how accurate they are though. I wanted to use them to scale up to 1/4 scale.
I am working on a Halberstad DII and am making the wings with airfoil, built in washout and trailing edge droop. Building washout and reflex is easy with thin wings too. Your ribs should have the reflex built into the airfoil shape. Start by glueing the leading edge on. To set the washout block up the assembly to get the correct washout. Then glue each rib to the spars. I used spruce for my spars. Last, you will have to put a bend in the TE that follows the reflex and glue it on when it's dry. If your washout has flattened after the glue is dry, use your heat gun and twist the wing to get the correct washout again.
The wing tip reflex is easy to make. I started with a sheet of balsa and cut the outline of the wingtip bow from the last rib to the tip, less the amount of laminated wing tip bow. Then I bent the airfoil out line and reflex with my heat gun after I soaked the balsa sheet. after it is dry I glued this below the top outline of the last rib between the LE and TE, like the ribs. If your tip bow is, say 1/4"sq and your balsa sheet tip is 1/8", then the sheet should be 1/16" below the upper surface of the last rib. When you follow the trailing edge lines it will aline itself. Cut and shape the TE and LE of the tips. Last glue on the soaked laminated tip bows right on to the wing tip sheet and onto each other. You can cut the sheet balsa out if you don't want it there. Use strong wood laminates for the bows if you do remove the sheet. Sand all to shape and you get a very nice strong thin washout out, reflexed wing. I build my wing cut out the ribs and add my alierons after the wind is framed to make sure the reflex and washout are correct.
When you cover it start with the bottom. You should make a cradle that will retain the washout when the wing is placed upside down in it. The covering will help retain the the washout with out extra strain. Use the flying wires to set it up and maintain the rigging.
ZZ