Torque and Rotary Engines

When did the Dr1 change it's configuration?

Hi,Mike.Re your question on the Gyroscopic Effect,I'll try to explain it briefly.One of the qualities of a gyroscope is that of precession.It works like this..picture a disc turning clockwise with you sitting behind it.If you gently nudge it at the top,it will tilt forward.As it does,the point at which you had nudged it(at the top of the disc)would have by now moved to the right side of the disc(because the disc is turning clockwise)and this nudging action makes itself felt with the disc turning towards the left(ie.,getting pushed from the right side towards the left side).The same thing happens to any prop-driven aeroplane(notwithstanding whether the engine is a rotary or stationary)which has a tailwheel.When you open power and the aeroplane lifts off the tailwheel,the effect on the prop is exactly as described above.Thus,on an aeroplane where the prop turns clockwise,the Gyroscopic Effect will make the aeroplane swing left.Where it turns anti-clockwise,the aeroplane will swing right.Regards.Mukund.

Chuck,
According to Profile Publications #55 (Fokker Dr1)
the change in aileron style happened shortly after the October 1917 accidents, when two pilots were killed when their a/c lost portions of their ailerons, leading to wing failure. The German High Command was to conduct experiments on the aerodynamic characteristics of these ailerons and their horn balances. It appears Fokker took it upon himself to have the changes made before ordered to. It appears that flight characteristics did not change, and in fact these ailerons were used as interchangable parts at times.

Hope that answers your question.

Regards
C.Grube