WIP`it! Into Shape! FOKKER~E.III

josef scott · 29 August 2009, 11:39 PM

Tim, Here is the link to LaGorgette's article:

L'aviation allemande en 1917, par Jean Lagorgette

"Les Fokkers", pp135-141 are what you need.

Tim West · 30 August 2009, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josef scott

Tim, Here is the link to LaGorgette's article:

L'aviation allemande en 1917, par Jean Lagorgette

"Les Fokkers", pp135-141 are what you need.

OUTSTANDING! pages 159-177 have some EIII stuff as well. It's all exactly what I have been looking for. Even the control grip, post and locking dealy. I used some guess work on mine...I was close but now I can do it right. Now all the phantom bits are coming to light.

Also thanks for the email =) It even shows the cartridge ejection tube. I will for sure be redoing my "lMG".

Cool beans..I have enough now to wrap up the internal structures.

Thanks ever so much for the help Josef!

Tim West · 30 August 2009, 02:05 AM

I also want to thank Dan San for sharing his EIII drawings here at the 'drome.

Tim West · 4 September 2009, 12:39 AM

As it was pointed out to me I had the wrong gun installed

So I built a new "lMG" 08 gun. I will be adding the interrupter linkage and the cartridge ejection tube once the gun is actually fitted to the plane.

Speaking of the the plane, now that I have the right gun I can wrap up the frame build.

Good times =)

And thanks again Josef for the help

josef scott · 4 September 2009, 11:07 AM

Tim,

The '08 looks really good!

A couple of very minor points for you to consider:

The "gate" site at the end of the cooling jacket is offset to port. Its center lines up with a small notch in the left-hand tab of the sight slide on the rear pillar sight.

Also, many of these mg's had a recoil booster fitted to the end of the barrel. No flash guard though.

The stamp on the spring assembly housing is a nice touch.

Tim West · 5 September 2009, 09:12 PM

Josef,

Got the sight moved and will model the recoil booster. I've seen some with and without it but most do seem to have one. Also the cooling jackets went through a number of changes as well but I will stick with this layout. If I modeled every variant, I'd never get anything done.

The DH-2 was a pain in that regard...so many minor changes over the run. I just had to pick a variant and go with it.

I will probably do the E.II cowlings but not the framework. Less the gas tank changes. I dont know yet.

Any idea how many E's were fitted with the Schwarzlose?

josef scott · 6 September 2009, 12:29 AM

Hi Tim,

I have observed 3 basic patterns for the cooling jacket holes.

The first LMG 08's were so heavily perforated that, from a distance, they look more like wire cages. These MG's are also characterized by the receivers still having the screw holes for attaching a telescopic infantry sight.

Apparently this was deemed inefficient and there were fewer and smaller cooling holes on the second version, with a solid strip left directly beneath the barrel (re: Dolf Goldsmith, "The Devil's Paintbrush").

You have modeled the 3rd variation, which is the usual type found on E.III's, so you're good to go.

*As a caveat to this little theory of mine, I've recently been pointed to photos of the LMG08 at the Smithsonian, which has the later-style cooling jacket and the 'scope holes!*

I don't have any definitive information on the A-H Eindeckers, but there weren't many in service. I've only catalogued 14 E-types so far and only 2 definitely with Scwarzlose M7/12's (Fok A.III 03.43 and 03.44). If anyone has further info on this, I would love to add it in.

Incidentally, I believe the stripped E.III on pages 31 and 35 (right photo) of the "In Action" booklet was to be Schwarzlose-armed. Notice how the rear support tubes angle aft, over the ammo boxes. This would not fit an LMG 08 (or LMG 14 or LMG 08/15) but does appear to conform to the attachment points on the Schwarzlose. Compare it to the LMG 08-armed airframe on the left of p.35.

Looking forward to your next post, Tim!

Tim West · 6 September 2009, 03:52 PM

As a result of further research and the gracious help of fellow formites...I've decided to start over!!

Well, sort of

Instead of tweaking my first attempt to fit the new references recently acquired, it'd be just as easy redo some bits.

I did notice the different gun mounts and I think you're right, they are for the Scwarzlose. Even if it was limited to a few A/C, it'd be fun to model the gun. It's not one you see to often.

The E.III replica in San Diego has a 08 with a later (o8/15) cooling jacket too.

Lol..I better get back to it!

more to come....

Tim West · 20 September 2009, 10:26 PM

Ok...so I re did almost everything and after much research I'm pretty happy so far. This is turning out to be way more detailed than I planned but like a lot of things...I cant help myself

Good times!

and some more...

So now the project is back on track. The cockpit controls and stuff next I reckon..then I can finish the engine hook up. Some where in between that I'll re work the undercarriage a bit. Just keep moving forward...as boring as it has been at times. But it's looking purtty coo , So rock on!

all comments, crits and trash talk welcome,

Thanks

...oh..it really does look better than the earlier version...you have to squint but you can just make it out!

josef scott · 20 September 2009, 11:19 PM

Tim,

She's really coming along! I like, very much.

Am I right in guessing that she still has the DH2 engine?

Are you doing this "as she hangs in the Science Museum"? I notice you've put in the bolted brackets attaching the forward u/c struts to the lower longeron. Pretty sure these were originally welded on.

If you're not sick of my endless detail obsession, when seen from above, tail to the north, the belt-return chute would look more like a "J" rather than a backwards "L".

Excellent progress. Looking forward to the next update!