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John McKenzie · 28 June 2009, 07:39 AM

Hello* Koloman .....Yes...the drawings are not* 100% accurate but because I* experience this with BE2 drawings also ,...I treat all the drawings / dimensions as "Suspect"....For reasons of ££ , I can not afford to make any mistake.....So I must ,for example , check dimensions and angles etc,. of one drawing against the corresponding drawing of the part to which it will fit ....and add corrections to suit.....(there are 100's of these ,my ,corrections )...As you and all sensible people will understand , this all takes time....but not so much time as a mistake , and have to make a new part........Among the missing drawings are the "Bottom Outrigger / Tailbooms"...I do have the drg. for TOP one and so have to calculate dimensions for the Bottom part from these...( 7 pages of calculations for these parts )..During this I find that the struts between these outriggers are wrong dimensions also ,..This would make them go "up and down"..not strait.....so these are now correct.....For the standard (1916 / 1918 ) parts I have only the help of my own archive and also from dear (late) Philip Kraus,RIP, who was very helpfull.....From these drawings and information I can make all the small parts.......My way is always to do metalwork first , mainly because ,for example , If I have the wing or body in the workshop , ..then there is no room left for me to make the petrol tanks or body pannels* etc,. also my hands are dirty from the metal and I am sure to place a finger print on the clean wood , and spoil it .....When the wings are done , I store them in the house untill the time of collection ........Back to the drawings.....Considering it to be wartime emergency ,the actual "quality of draughtsmanship" was* excellent....The main trouble , then as now , was with Governments , they had told Royal aircraft Factory what they wanted ,(as if* they knew ) ,and they got what they asked for.......Government attitude then as now is not "Honourable".....Why take the blame if you can put it onto someone else ! With continuous developement, drawings were updated all the time , however because of +- tolerances on every thing . ...A wing made by* JJ weir would fit a body made by Garrats.....(not so with sopwith...Worse still from Shorts....Chalk on the floor drawings there.)...So there is very much to say in favour of the"Factory".....It invented "standardisation" and AGS system we have today (sic)...........You are correct to say it is mandatory to think and plan ahead.....I also after calculation , do alterations to dimensions and re-draw* & new drawings when necessary.

...P.S. .....Always was intending to do a German airoplane at one time ( Did research on SSW.DVI..RolDVI..Halb.DII/V..and Fok.EV...) but somehow other things got in the way....(did do some work on DrI about 30 +years ago).......Beautiful Albatros work..Most impressive

..Best regards...John.

28 June 2009, 07:39 AM	#128 (permalink)
John McKenzie Forum Ace Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southampton U.K. Posts: 1,789	Hello* Koloman .....Yes...the drawings are not* 100% accurate but because I* experience this with BE2 drawings also ,...I treat all the drawings / dimensions as "Suspect"....For reasons of ££ , I can not afford to make any mistake.....So I must ,for example , check dimensions and angles etc,. of one drawing against the corresponding drawing of the part to which it will fit ....and add corrections to suit.....(there are 100's of these ,my ,corrections )...As you and all sensible people will understand , this all takes time....but not so much time as a mistake , and have to make a new part........Among the missing drawings are the "Bottom Outrigger / Tailbooms"...I do have the drg. for TOP one and so have to calculate dimensions for the Bottom part from these...( 7 pages of calculations for these parts )..During this I find that the struts between these outriggers are wrong dimensions also ,..This would make them go "up and down"..not strait.....so these are now correct.....For the standard (1916 / 1918 ) parts I have only the help of my own archive and also from dear (late) Philip Kraus,RIP, who was very helpfull.....From these drawings and information I can make all the small parts.......My way is always to do metalwork first , mainly because ,for example , If I have the wing or body in the workshop , ..then there is no room left for me to make the petrol tanks or body pannels* etc,. also my hands are dirty from the metal and I am sure to place a finger print on the clean wood , and spoil it .....When the wings are done , I store them in the house untill the time of collection ........Back to the drawings.....Considering it to be wartime emergency ,the actual "quality of draughtsmanship" was* excellent....The main trouble , then as now , was with Governments , they had told Royal aircraft Factory what they wanted ,(as if* they knew ) ,and they got what they asked for.......Government attitude then as now is not "Honourable".....Why take the blame if you can put it onto someone else ! With continuous developement, drawings were updated all the time , however because of +- tolerances on every thing . ...A wing made by* JJ weir would fit a body made by Garrats.....(not so with sopwith...Worse still from Shorts....Chalk on the floor drawings there.)...So there is very much to say in favour of the"Factory".....It invented "standardisation" and AGS system we have today (sic)...........You are correct to say it is mandatory to think and plan ahead.....I also after calculation , do alterations to dimensions and re-draw* & new drawings when necessary. ...P.S. .....Always was intending to do a German airoplane at one time ( Did research on SSW.DVI..RolDVI..Halb.DII/V..and Fok.EV...) but somehow other things got in the way....(did do some work on DrI about 30 +years ago).......Beautiful Albatros work..Most impressive..Best regards...John.