John_M_

Mark, I removed the "offending" comment from my post.


Stay as #1 Mark, but as RCKen has stated you need to "Just keep a healthy respect for everybody here and you will do fine"... everyone has a voice, and sometimes you hear (read) things that you may not like... you just have to be the "BIG" brother is all.

No hard feelings mate !... I can put it all behind me, how about you?


John M,

3136

I said a number of months ago, that although I started the balsa USA brotherhood, I thought an American should be the No1 and president.
I never called myself president as I didn't feel my competencies in modelling warranted that, I merely started it for a place for the BUSA fellas to congregate and swap stories, pics etc.
My time has passed and now it is in the hands of Rich, who is a great builder and proponent of BUSA products.
Happy building

Steve Percifield

My Feedback: (14)

most in this area are flown with G-38's. But, I have 2 friends with D-VII's, both with a DLE 30 in them and it is adequate power. Flies it fine, loops, rolls, are easy. It will not hover or go vertical forever which seems to be necessary today. But flies the model fine. That's what I would put in mine.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

We have a club member that has a DLE 30 in his. At 5200' it is just adequate.

s3nfo

My Feedback: (14)

Thanks Steve, Thanks Vertical. I just happen to have a DLE 30 sitting around doing nothing, so DLE 30 it is. I'm at sea level, so should be more than "just adequate" (Humm, hoping to get to Warbirds Over the Rockies one of these days though, guess I could just bring the L-4 or the L-19 or the Stearman).

Karp050555

I'm of the opinion you're supposed to fly scale and hovering is not scale with a WWI airplane. I was at an event recently where someone was hovering a 1/3 Pup. I did a loop around him while hollering "Daka, daka, daka, daka, daka". Everyone except him loved it.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

The thing about the DVII is, it is a big airplane, and it likes a big prop. Ideally, maybe a reduction drive on the DLE 30-35. I replaced a G38 after 7 years with a DLE 55, and it was the best thing I ever did to mine. I never get over half throttle, but it sure likes that big prop, especially on landing.

MRadu

Hello All,

I just saw this build thread and now I'm watching. I like the idea of the brotherhood. I want a place to show my so so work and ask questions. I hope this is that place. This is how we get better at building and flying these planes.

The following photos are of my ¼ scale Fokker D.VII and my almost finished ¼ scale Sopwith Scout "Pup"
Both are Balsa USA kits and I have a build thread on both.



So my question is this. I have placed an Evolution 26-GX gas engine in this Pup and want to hear from others if you think this is a large / powerful enough engine for this plane?

Thanks

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Great work Mradu, I really like those goggles!

Here is a source for that pesky DVII radiator item. Scroll down the page until you see it. This stuff is the cat's meow! You may decide to replace the screen door material one day. http://www.iflytailies.com/store/custom-items/

MRadu

Thanks Grimm,

I checked out the link and the radiator item. Looks great. Are the photos of your Fokker? Have you used the stuff? Does air flow get reduced from such tight honey combing? Is it durable?

Also I have some questions for you?

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Yah, that is my Fokker in the pics. I had contacted them to have the material created to my specs. It is 3/8" thick, so it has a great scale impression. I have had no cooling issues, and it does not melt, and it is right up against my engine. It is a very durable product, and will not crack. I found cutting it with the table saw was best. The downside is it will melt when cutting if not done properly. The dremel is out, and the bandsaw is OK with the right blade.
I have over 50 flights since I installed the stuff, and honestly, am surprised it works as well as it does. This would be a good candidate for an Albatros radiator as well, if a scale look is desired.

MRadu

Thanks Vertical Grimmace,

I think I'll give it try. I do get a ton of stuff from IflyTailies.

My question to you is this or everyone. Back in 2011, 2/20/11 to be exact Vertical, stated while working on my Fokker D.VII the following:

"On my gear and axel wing, I did scratch build mine as well. Everything. I made mine almost scale. The wing does need to be thicker to allow for travel of the axel. I want to mention though that I would NOT make your gear bungeed. I had a bungee on my triplane and my DVII for a long time and it gave me a lot of trouble. I am sure many will disagree, but I will tell you it performs much better stiff, with the 1/4" Axel. The other item is to pull the axel back in the middle so you create some toe-in. You may be able to accomodate this with the wing, but I have 2 spreader axels running the length of the wing, in front and back of the main axel. This was done to support the gear at the strut attachment. I pulled the axel back to the rear spreader and lashed it with wire and soldered it.
I built my axel wing to split in half. If you look at your documentation you will see these halves were held together with straps. I just used metal landing gear straps. It is nice to be able to have access to the gear for servicing. It will need service!
It may sound confusing, if you need pics I will see what I can do. I currently have the gear off the triplane as I am doing some serious maintenance to her. She is getting a new engine and smoke system."

At the time I did not understand what you meant by all this as this Fokker was my first WWI airplane. After making my own scale sub-wing with axle, I continually have trouble. I used bungees and found even with light landings I was denting almost every part of my landing gear. At first I thought is was the axle so I made it bigger. Then I thought the bungie was to tight or then to loose. I'm constantly repairing this section of my plane.

This is what I have come up with for my Pup and I'm worried because it is so stiff. I don't even need bungees. Take a look at my photos and let me know what you think? Should I cut the channel larger in the middle so as to bend the axel a little to have some toe in?

Karp050555

I've seen DVII's flying with a G-26 and they barely move. That's why I've stayed away from this plane. I can see why you like the bigger prop.

MRadu

Thanks Karp,

Yes that prop on my Fokker D.VII is a 22x8.

The Fokker D.VII is much larger than the Pup and in my case my BalsaUSA Fokker is much heavier than this BalsaUSA Pup. This is a good time for me to replace the engine. I have a G38 on the bench. Would you change it?

I was saving the Zenoah G38 for my SE5a. I can always get another.

What do you recommend?

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Mradu, in looking at your pics, the thing that stood out to me primarily is what are you using for landing gear struts? Is that the GTM strut material? It is going to bend. You need to have some cross bracing with at least .032" wire crossed and bracing it. Possibly even .062 (1/16") .

Toe in is a good thing, and if you mark the center of your axel, then put a slight bend there, it may help you out. Of course then, you can lay the axle over your wood spreader and scribe a line to properly receive it. I would use a 1/4" axel, with no bungee, and make sure your struts are braced and strong.

One of the things I do not like about the BUSA Sopwith designs (please don't kick me out of the brotherhood!) Is the way you have to remove the rear landing gear mounts from the bottom wing when putting the plane together at the field! If I were to build a Sopwith model, the first mod I would contemplate, would be a 2 piece bottom wing, with a fixed area on the fuselage to avoid such grief.

MRadu

Thanks Vertical,

Yes I have GTM's gear struts and they are much thicker walled. I picked up all he had left in stock. Glenn told me that he had to special order the struts.
I also added ⅛ wire inside with epoxy glue. On my D.VII I have NOT had as much trouble with the struts as with the wheels and axle.

I'll place a wire for bracing to connect each strut and try to add toe in. Also I plan on adding landing cables as these were a great help on my Fokker.

Also I have notice that on others (looking at photos) they have placed the axle on the top of the wood brace bar?
Any thoughts

Oh yes I agree, It's not fun having to remove part of the landing gear to remove the lower wing. This design also hinder the ability to make scale.

Thanks a ton,

Michael

MRadu

Also Vertical,

I took your advice on making the sub wing on my Fokker D.VII removable.



Best advice I ever listened to!



Thanks,

Michael

jwrich

My Feedback: (17)

3136, I have sent you a PM, please respond to my email address listed in the PM. If you did not get the PM, please post.

Thanks
Rich

Karp050555

Yes, you have to do the same with the Nieuport kits. That's why I like the DR-1. No wires and the wheels stay on. I know many people who are flying their DVII on a G-38 and are very happy.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

One trick I added to my latest Triplane, and also to my old DVII, I ran a brass tubed own one of the landing gear struts. This tube runs up into the fuel tank compartment, and then down, just under the axel wing. This allows the overflow fuel to run to the ground without effecting the axel wing. Raw fuel hitting those things really shortens their life. This set up has worked out very well so far on both planes.

jeffEE

My Feedback: (5)

I have had both set ups for my DVII's landing gear. Stiff and sprung. I liked the way the sprung gear was more scale, but hated fixing the gear every other trip to the field. I have replaced it with the 1/4 in. rod and no bungie. I have flown all year without any problems. And Mr. Adu, if your builds are just "so so", mine are junk! I love your builds and have used many of your ideas for my aircraft.

jeffEE

My Feedback: (5)

So as to the problem of the landing gear being attached to the wing. A two peice wing sounds nice. But some of us are not that great at changing major parts of kits. I found this picture of the Camel on wicapeedea (or how ever its spelled). It showes the underside very well. I would love to see some ideas about a two peice wing set up as I have this kit on the table right now.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

I think the way I would do it, is to build a fixed section of the wing to be mounted to the fuselage, the same way they have it designed. Not sure if that bottom wing has dihedral or not, but I would use a wing tube. Build the wing panels so they stop at the fuse sides, and cap the ends with a plywood rib. Then you can leave that center section installed, along with the gear, all of the time. When you put the plane together, just slide the wing panels on the tube. I would add an anti rotation pin near the trailing edge, and fasten the wing with a bolt going into the wing tube. It really would be a pretty simple mod. Hope I did not confuse you! lol

AndyF

My Feedback: (2)

I have the 1/3 scale BUSA Sopwith Pup, it has the two piece bottom wing. I also have the BUSA 1/4 scale SE5A. I am thinking of converting that to a two piece wing as well. I trying to decide how to secure the wings to the fuse, but I haven't put a lot of thought into it because I am deep in to the build on the Pup. I'm thinking that I could use the wires to hold it in place like it does on the Pup and that would be the easiest thing to do or I might use a small diameter heavy wall aluminum tubes with dowels in the wings and then use a something like a 4-40 allen screw to hold each side in place (on for each down on the wing.. (My old Bud Nosen Citrabria used this method to hold the wings to the center section.

Andy

jeffEE

My Feedback: (5)

I was looking at pictures of the full size Camel. It appears to have a gap between the wing and fuse. There is also a big amount of dihedral in the bottom wing so a wing tube might not work. More research is needed thats for sure.