ORIGINAL: Sethhunter
Great ideas here. Just thought I would add a twist according to the Smithsonian info on the Albatros DVa...
A 5mm tape is secured to the cap strip, under the covering, with cord looped through the rib every 30mm, and the cord runs along one side of the cap, from loop to loop. Covering gets applied over the tape, and gets stitched to the tape by passing a curved needle between the tape and cap, twice around forming a double loop, every 90mm. The cord zags across the tape from loop to loop, creating a saw-tooth pattern. 20mm wide finishing tape goes over the top.
I think what you are referring to is the strapping used to stablize the ribs from side to side movement. Longerons spanning the wing were also used to stablize the ribs.