Q&A: Fokker EV/DVIII wing spar .....

[Dan_San_Abbott]

womenfly2:
The Fok.E.V/Fok.D.VIII wings were stained on a diagonal, one rib bay wide direction, on the top, Mocha and true green and on the under surface azin violet and azure blue. On the various patterns, the mocha matches the azin violet and the true green matches the true green on the leading and trailing edges. At this date I have identified seven patterns.
After the stain was applied in a streaking effect, as is on the Fok.DR.I the wings was varnished probably two times, to waterproof the plywood surfaces of the wing. The purpose of this form of camouflage was to save oils and dyes used in paint which at the time were critically short in Germany in 1918.
The same method was used by Albatros on the Alb.C.XV and and the Rol.D.VIb.
Blue Skies,
Dan-San

[womenfly2]

Thanks Dan for this information .... any pictures of Langdon's colored finished wings? I would be interested in seeing his interpretation of this color scheme.

[VonHelton]

While I'm quick to agree with Dan San that the colors & lozenge varied on German Aircraft, I disagree with him on "shortages" & "outages".

I have in my pic collection 2-seaters being lozenged at the front, to conform with their particular unit.

.......I see no reason why this would be exclusive to 2-seaters.

However, when it comes to shortages.........*Any* shortages........The most I've ever saw were documents indicating that certain items were on back-order.

.......Back-order doesn't nessesarily indicate a "shortage", merely that they need to get more.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

VonHelton:
There is a long list of items that were on the critical shortages list, to name a few, oil, benzene, coal, aircraft dope, cotton, brass, copper, aluminum, FOOD, etc....
Because of these shortages aircraft and engine production schedules could not be met. Because of the coal shortages, unheated factories in the 1917-1918 winter caused a severe drop in production. Because of these raw material shortages, resulted in economic inflation thoughout Germany.
The British Royal Navy blockade of Germany was quite successful to the detriment of the German people.
I would suggest you read,"German Air Power in World War I" by John H.Morrow,Jr. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln Nebraska, ISBN 0-8032-3076-1, 1982. A real good book.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

So why would they use plywood when cloth is so much lighter? And how was this plywood secured to the ribs?

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Topgun56:
If the wing were covered with linenfabric, the fabric would not add to the strength of the wing, in compression, tension or torsion as does the plywood covering. The plywood is attached to the wing with iron brads and casein glue. Gluing and bradding to the capstrips and the tack strip on the top and bottom face of the spars and the trailing edge strip.
Blue skies,
Dan