Trev

I'm looking for a suitably sized Spandau machine gun to go with my 1/5th Eindecker. I've looked at what Arizonamodels and Williams bros. have to offer but it seems they just manufacture (or list) 1/6th or 1/4th.
Anyone know where I could get a 1/5th?
Alternatively I'd also take it upon myself to build one, are there any detailed drawings or plans available?
The same question also applies to any LeRhone or Oberursel dummy engine kits.

cheers,

Trev

abufletcher

Note: The LeRhone and Oberursal engines look quite different and with it hanging out the front of the EIII this difference is very apparent. A model of the LeRhone would need to be extensively modified to look like the Oberursal (as I did with the 1/6 scale WB LeRhone kit). I lengthened the cylinders, reworked the crackshaft, and completely scratch-built new rocker arms and heads.

Also check very carefully into the actual diameter of any kit you end up buying. I got on the phone and called the people at WB to ask for the diameter to the top of the cylinder rather than some rather inaccurate measurement of a "maximum diameter".

abufletcher

Trev, on the guns, you might have to end up scratch-building them at 1/5 scale. I'm using one of the WB 1/6 guns and it's just a little long (I had this one lying around). If you do scratch-build I'd definitely recommend buying one the of WB kits for reference. Note also that both the Maxim and Parabellum (with stock!) were used on the EIII. Here's a photo of the WB Lewis and Vickers 1/6 scale guns along with the mini-versions I build to put on the the R.E. 8 in my avatar (a non-flying balsa and tissue model).

abufletcher

Oops. Forgot the photo. Also I know I've seen scale drawings of the Spandau someplace but can't remember where at the moment.

abufletcher

Trev, take a look at Arizona Models again. I think they list both a 1/5 scale Spandau and Parabellum. They are kinda pricey though to a kit AND they are only sold in pairs.

http://www.arizonamodels.com/guns_ammo.html

Trev

They are rather pricey, but still better than what a german company has to offer: 54 E for a single 1/5th Spandau...thats close to 60 US!!! I was shocked that plasic kits can cost such money.
Also I'm not happy that I'd have to wait on the order of 3 months for delivery.
You did mention that the parabellum was also used on the eindecker/ It just so happens that I still have a 1/6 WB parabellum...somewhere at least.
Taken of a friend's crashed Taube, I'm not sure if it's still in good condition but until I find a better alternative that would hopefully do.
How is your eindecker project coming along?
I've discovered that I DO need a false firewall after all....error of measurement on the engine..arrg! [:@]
Might decide to make the cheek sections hollow so as to allow air passage through the cheeks. Still it's a bit of a pain cutting up the firewall with an aircraft attached to it.

abufletcher

Bummer about having to cut up that perfect fuse of yours -- but probably inevitably. As long as you at it, have you considered using a FS instead. I love that fact that my .52FS will be able to swing a 12/6 or 13/5 scale size wooden prop.

On the gun, the parabellum would be an interesting variant to the ubiquitous Spandau. In fact on the earlier Fokkers the Maxim was the norm (and occasionally the parabellum). Here's a shot of Fokker himself sitting in an Eindecker armed with the Parabellum. I keep thinking how really cool one would look with a REAL wooden stock stained a dark antiquey color. I was actually going to use one myself but the parabellum is a little longer than the spandau and the spandau was already a little too long for my scale.

I am making progress on a lot of hidden fronts. I have now covered the (big fat) BUSA wings and alierons and installed the wing servos under little hatches on the bottom. Look quite nice for a totally non-scale feature. I'm thinking of using elastic monofiliment on the top rear cable attached to the top of the aileron in the scale location so that it would move with the aileron and sort of mimick wing warping. Also I went out looking for little pulleys today for the cable system and ended up picking up some very promising lugs to use on the landing gear. When I get a little further I'll post a couple more photos.

BTW, I'm in a bit of a rush to get the plane done and get it into the air. At the end of July I return to my teaching job in Japan (I'm currently on sabbatical) and that'll be the end of my RC flying until I get back here to the states.

abufletcher

On the firewall, I also had to hack out the old firewall to install the false one. I'm been building an awful lot of things of this plane bass akwards. Oh and I'd definitely make the cowls hollow AND open on the bottom as per the original. I still haven't had any luck forming them out of sheet metal so i just end up using the onese I made out of styrene covered with FliteMetal.

You didn't say whether or not you have the Fokker Team Schorndorf CD. I'd say this is absolutely required reading for a serious scale effort -- unless you happen to have an original eindecker sitting around somewhere for reference. It's well worth the $15 bucks or so they charge.

Trev

Well I am in fact planning to use an OS .40 sized FS. Smaller engine size than yours yet larger model scale so you might understand my quiet trepidation about the model being a wee bit underpowered. Though at a projected weight of 3 - 3,5 kg that should still be okay (Flew a 2 meter Flair Taube once that had ample power with this OS 40 FS, fueled up weight at 3,5 kg)
REason for the engine choice is purely financial (don't have to get a new one and me still being a university student without steady income[])
The muffler does not need to run through the firewall or the fuselage, it's just that for some stupid reason I didn't take into account that the motor mount and carb require some clearance and consequently the firewall has to be set back about 30mm.
Ranks under the many corrections that can't be avoided by first time scratch builders I suppose.
I don't yet have the Schorndorf CD but After reading your last msg I do feel compelled to order it, get around to it asap.
Much like with your construction effort this project is also evolving as it goes along, I'm not out to produce an absolute scale rendition of the E.III by any account (this could've been achieved with a proctor kit) , but rather see if I'm up to the challenge of reproducing some of the key technical features, i.e. wing warping, to within reasonable 'standoff' scale margins while keeping the project affordable. I could imagine a real 'scale' effort in the context of a future Eindecker project, perhaps at a larger scale and with the benefit of the experience I'm gaining with this one. So right now, a few scale concessions in favor of rc pramatism will be quite in order.
Also I'd quite like to see it fly someday wing warping or not, I don't think anything really comes close to the satisfaction of piloting one's own creation

btw Don, sabbatical? Are you a college or university prof? And Japan, just how many languages do you speak?

abufletcher

Trev, I also find myself backing off of the "TOTAL SCALE" mania a bit as I build -- partially out of reality. I just don't have the skill set at the moment to compete with the big boys. This is not only my first scale project it's the very first RC plane I've ever built (not counting assembling the ARF trainer I'm currently flying). Like you I'm shooting for the effect of realism instead of actual realism. That having been said I should admit that I spent the last half hour research the compass on the EIII's wing and trying to figure out how I can put the face on a functional toy compass!

And yes, I'm a university professor in Japan (and before that Mexico, Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia). I speak English, German, and Spanish passingly well and can claims some minimal communicative abilities in Arabic, Japanese, Danish, and (very minimally) Russian. In Japan I teach courses on Intercultural Communication, Language and Culture, Conversation Analysis, and Applied Linguistics -- nothing whatsoever to do with airplanes!!! I'm on sabbatical at UCLA until July 31.