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

womenfly2 · 7 June 2005, 12:25 PM

I have seen drawings and read that the forward and aft wing spars on the DVIII were tapered in both planes. Thinking that all the wing ribs were built from a plywood web with cap strips, typical Fokker construction, an slid into place on the spars. Drawings show the spar spacing greater in the center section then at the tips. How was the wing assembled?

Looks to me that one could not slide all the ribs in-place with tapered spars and verging spar spacing.

What am I missing here? ....

EricGoedkoop · 7 June 2005, 03:27 PM

womenfly2,

Because the tapered (and angled) spars are wider near the center than near the tips and consequently each rib has larger openings in it as you move inboard, the ribs can be angled and slid over the spars into position. See this post from Langdon, whose construction of a replica D.VIII is well-documented here.

womenfly2 · 8 June 2005, 08:26 AM

Thanks EricGoedkoop! Don't know how I missed this....

Are a full set of drawings available for the DVIII? If so, from whom?

womenfly2 · 8 June 2005, 08:55 AM

Question: I assumed the wing was cloth covered after the wood veneer was applied.

Langdon states: "It always seems a pity to cover WW1 aircraft as they look so wonderful without covering, especially when you think about the camouflage this wing will have, it is quite bright and being a wood stain, once done it is not removable."

So I assume from that statement, that the wing was stained, camouflaged, olive green right onto the bare wood veneer and no cloth was applied.
Is this correct?

Langdon · 8 June 2005, 03:11 PM

Hello womenfly2,

The wing does not have a cloth covering over the 1 to 1.2 mm ply covering, the stains (camouflage) are applied directly to the veneer and it is then varnished. The camouflage is not olive, instead its the four colours shown in my thread and described on the original wing plan.

I have been developing a full set of plans for the aircraft but as yet I have not packaged them as a saleable set, having produced them really for my own use.

Langdon

Taz · 8 June 2005, 05:26 PM

Langdon- And with a real Oberursel to go into it when it is done. Did the Caproni Museum provide any help?

Terry Phillips
Taz

Langdon · 8 June 2005, 05:43 PM

Hi Taz,

The Caproni museum people have been very helpful, although they are hard to communicate with from afar as they speak little English. On two occasions they have allowed me complete access to the aircraft. It is a wonderful museum in a beautiful part of the world. I wonder if any of the members of this site live nearby???

Langdon

womenfly2 · 9 June 2005, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Langdon

Hello womenfly2,

The camouflage is not olive, instead its the four colours shown in my thread and described on the original wing plan.

Langdon

That is very interesting Langdon ... in all the reference material and pictures I have seen, which are limited compared to your knowledge, I have never seen a EV/DVIII wing in any other (camouflage) color other then a dark shade of color. I assumed it was the same color as the metal, an olive green.

I based my color reference on the DVIII that was at Rhinebeck, NY and others in museums.

Again my assumptions are incorrect as with the wing being covered in cloth.

Thanks for the info. Looking forward to buying a set of your drawing.

EricGoedkoop · 9 June 2005, 06:34 AM

Womenfly2 -

Here's the thread discussing the wing camouflage. There were also some pictures of a model finished in this pattern posted not too long ago - try a search of the Models section to find them.

Many thanks are due Langdon, Dan-San and others for bringing this information forward and challenging the long-held assumption that the E.V / D.VIII wings were green. Goes to show that even 90 years later, there are still some surprises waiting for us.

womenfly2 · 9 June 2005, 06:51 AM

Thanks for the thread, just read all of it .... WOW!... I was sure way off on this one. Fantastic research guy's!

Just great interesting stuff on this forum .... thanks to all of you that keep the history pure and with us. A big salute to you all.

P.S. Any pictures of Langdon's finished DVIII wings ply covered without color and then with the multi-colored streaky stain finish?

Sorry for all the questions on this already covered topic .... I am just a noobie on this forum .... I'll get the hang of it soon.