JohnF

Hi Don, I'll pick up the pace sooner or later but I build much better and am happier when I go slower and so is the wife . Too many things to figure out along the way and I have to rely on other peoples generosity to get some things done too. I have finally collected all the instrument drawings and photo's with the help of Koloman Mayerhofer and a fellow model builder is making them into the scale size I need which is 1:3.2. I made a mistake when I said it was 32% earlier. Anyway, yes, the key for me is to relax more. Once I get everything framed up and figured out I will return to my other "relaxed" build which is the SE5. Just have to finish the wings and rigging on that one. BTW, keep your eyes open for Alan Yendel's 1/4 scale Halberstadt CL IV build over at www.rcscalebuilder.com it's going to be a beauty!

JohnF

Well, yesterday was leaf clean up day so not much time to play. I did get the sworl's on the cowl finished and the rudder is done except for the fabric. I have to wait to sheet the fin until I have the stab. glued in so I can get at the inside of the fuselage. I bent the GTM tail skid bracket into shape and stuck it on. I am cheating here a little but it's easier and quicker than making my own. The fuselage will be glassed with very lite cloth except for the bottom which will be stained and clear coated like the full scale. I'll finish the tail skid bungee post installation once the fuselage is glassed. Time to get the stab. and elevator framed. Stay tuned!

Sethhunter

Looking good John. If you'ld like more fresh air, my leaves over in Princeton Junction still need raking!! My build's slow down around this time of year because the epoxy takes longer to cure. Maybe I should turn up the heat? I think this is the first time I've seen a tailskid bracket set up this way - looks like it is fixed to the tailskid, and pivots behind it on the "subfin". Am I interpretting that right? Is it scale? It has the advantage of not weakening the skid with a thru hole.

JohnF

Okay, I'll pass on those leaves! I have no clear photo's of the tail skid bracket on the 30.40 so rather than try to duplicate the D1 bracket I got lazy and did it the easy way by using the GTM Fokker item. It is fixed to the tail skid and pivots in the subfin. I think this is stronger and will be more reliable. The 30.40 was lighter than the Aviatik D1 and my model is lighter then the 1/3 scale GTM Fokkers. So, I think this is an acceptable compromise. Here's a drawing of the full scale Aviatik D1 subfin with tail skid attachment courtesy Koloman Mayerhofer.

JohnF

Here's the stab. done. very simple construction. Laminated bass and balsa with CA for the leading edge. Cross members are two balsa sticks laminated together with CA. Trailing edge is 5/16 carbon arrow shaft. The original drawing of the Aviatik D1 is courtesy of Koloman Mayerhofer. It shows how and where the stab and elevator L/E and T/E pass through the fuselage. The construction was the same on the 30.40.

JohnF

Should have the elevator done soon. Just have to make the control horns which will be done the same way as the rudder. Started fitting the 1/64 ply veneer instrument panel and ammo. box. I have silver soldered the center brass tube to the steel strap to make the GTM hinges. I'll CA the collars in place and then drill and pin them.

JohnF

A little more done today in between putting up the Christmas decorations and cleaning window's. Got the elevator glued together and all the hinges pinned. Just have to make the control horns and do a little more sanding. The elevator and stab. tips are pinned through the carbon arrow shaft were they join and CA'd together. Used tooth picks for the pins.

JohnF

Thought I would show how I am making the elevator/rudder control horns. First I traced the horns using carbon paper onto the G-10 and cut them out with a Dremel. Still need to finish shaping them which will be done after they are JB Welded and pin in the slot of the arrow shaft. I plugged the shaft with a piece of dowel first and then cut the slot with a Dremel and cutting disc. Also notched this end so it fits really good where it gets CA'd to the leading edge arrow shaft. The trailing edge side will get a tooth pick pin. When the horn is traced you should leave a tab so it can be notched with the arrow shaft.

JohnF

Time to put down my tools for the holidays. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous new year! I did manage to get the fin and rudder covered and just have to shape the control horns. Played around with the Schwarzlose guns some. The drawing is from the Arizona Models web site. I am not going to make really detailed replica's. Just good representations. Cheers.

JohnF

Got the fabric (Solartex) on the stab and elevator. The cable exit is a Dubro Lazer push rod exit which will be glued in from the inside. With a little shaping they look like the full scale cable guides/exits. A nylon tube fits inside. Next I will finish the rudder and elevator horns by adding some wood and sanding them to shape as shown in the photo I posted before.

JohnF

Here's how I am doing the cabana struts ala GTM. 3/16" piano wire JB Welded into the bottom of the struts. Top of strut is bolted to wing using GTM steel wing fittings. I will be filling in the top of the strut where the bolt goes through with JB Weld and then re-drill the hole. These are not the bolts I will be using. You can see I am using GTM "J" bolts to attach the rear struts. Small notch in the piano wire for the "j" bolt to site in keeps it from sliding. I glued a piece of oak underneath and drilled thru it. I made the jig out of some 3/8" bass wood sticks. Built it over the wing plan and marked out the strut attachment locations. Happy to say everything in lining up perfectly. The angle of the GTM fittings couldn't be better. I'll be using them for the wing struts as well. Now to figure out how to attach the diagonal strut which will have the servo wire running thru it. I'll probably notch the ends and JB Weld it to the other struts. Stay tuned.

Sethhunter

Hi John - quite a ship & coming along nicely! I know I'm jumping ahead but have to ask, how many sections will the wing be (1,2,3)?

Our club's jumbo jamboree is May 23-24. Hope to see it there if you can make it. (The April date I mentioned in my thread is our opening day/builders contest, which is internal). I'm trying to get my project done for that but definitely for the Jumbo. The really fun event for WWI birds is, of course, the Warbirds event on Sep 19-20.

Enjoying the build!

JohnF

Hi Seth, Okay, I remember the building contest. I was a few years ago a member of your club when Doug M. was still with us. Sure will try to make your other events. I was planing to build the wing in one piece. I know it's harder to transport that way but at 89+ inches it's not too bad. Since it is a parasol only this wing will carry the load and I am not comfortable having joints in it. It also does not have a sheeted leading edge like Fokker's. So, for safety's sake it will be a one piece wing.

abufletcher

Of course the alternative is to do a fixed center section with plug-in wings. How was it done on the original?

JohnF

Hi Don, I am still considering that. The full scale was a one piece wing. The exact same wing as used on the Aviatik DI,II. I really think I'll stay with one piece however.

JohnF

Finishing the cabana's. The diagonal strut has piano wire inserts which will be JB Welded in. The fuselage side is wired and silver soldered to the upright strut insert and I'll glue a hard wood block over it. The wing side insert straddles the fitting mounting screw and will be JB Welded in. I'll finish shaping the struts after the JB Weld cures. The nic's in the piano wire inserts give the JB Weld a better hold.

JohnF

Cabana's are done and I am working on the rest of the aluminum panels.

JohnF

You can see that the photo shows the side panels are open at the rear and also the bottom. Also, notice the stitched access panel in the top of the wing. This was for access to the cables that operated the ailerons.

JohnF

Got most of the sworls done. Resting my thumb before finishing the other side.

JohnF

Not much to show. I have been working on getting the instruments sized right and ran all the internal cable guide tubes. Finishing up the L/G too. Had to see what it looked like off the bench.

1bruno

John, I love this build, please get it finished soon. Any chance you will sell your plans to others that wish to copy you ???????????

JohnF

1Bruno, Thanks I'm glad you like it. As for the plans they are really not detailed model plans. I have been adding stuff to them as I go but they are still really only line drawings if you know what I mean. They were drawn for me by Dave Johnson in 1/4 scale and I enlarged them. I also enlarged the old Aerodrome model plan (available from Arizona Models) and use that for detail reference but there are many non-scale issues with that plan. Once I am done and know it flies I will consider making plans available. Stay tuned.

JohnF

The next task is to craft the instrument panel. Thanks to Koloman Mayerhofer for providing the full scale documentation and Henri Kaper over at RCSB for sizing and printing out the instruments in 1:3.2 scale. If anyone is building an Austro-Hungarian model and would like to use these instruments please contact Henri or myself and we will share them with you. As soon as I start building the instrument panel I'll be posting pictures as usual.

cocobear

My Feedback: (2)

John, your work is truly amazing. I have to say it has been amazing watching you progress. Just wish I still lived closer so I could take one for a spin!!!!!!!

DJ

JohnF

Hey Dave, thanks and that would be great. Maybe we will end up in the same place sometime this summer. Would be really cool if you could shake down the Aviatik.