Another boring DR-1 question...

drbubba43 · 23 June 2006, 07:08 PM

I think I have determined that from the factory DR-I's were greenish blue on top and CDL on the bottom.

The question I have is regarding the box shaped spar connecting the two lower wings.

since it was essentially wood was it covered? Since they had such a paranoia over the spars made me stop and wonder if they'd cover it. Was it painted and if so what color?

I've looked for some pictures,b ut every one I find the durned thing is blocked by the wing between the landing gear.

Ray

Fritz Kempf · 23 June 2006, 07:14 PM

I have been told that it was varnished and covered with aluminum, that’s it.

Ed

EricGoedkoop · 23 June 2006, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drbubba43

I think I have determined that from the factory DR-I's were greenish blue on top and CDL on the bottom.

Ray - you're gonna get horsewhipped for that one.

I feel bad for you, for what's coming.

I do.

drbubba43 · 23 June 2006, 07:25 PM

Is there anywhere I can go to get away from controversy???

This isn't another PC10 Voss' cowl thing is it???

I thought it was safe as long as I didn't mention the streaks.

All I wanna do is paint my durned little airplane.

I've been working on it for almost a year now...

Ok, what is the general consensus?

Aluminum? Wood? Covered?

Build another kit?

Ray

Romani · 24 June 2006, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drbubba43

I think I have determined that from the factory DR-I's were greenish blue on top and CDL on the bottom.

The question I have is regarding the box shaped spar connecting the two lower wings.

I've looked for some pictures,b ut every one I find the durned thing is blocked by the wing between the landing gear.

Ray

Ray, not Greenish blue except maybe, possibly for Voss triplane, wich a school of thought says it might have been painted sky blue on all surfaces, and then the olive streaks over the blue on the top surfaces, basically that's the gist of it.

Summing it up the streams of bits generated on this topic, the general consensus is that the airplane was CDL overall, then on top surfaces the streaks of olive brown where, this might have been done while the clear dope was still wet so it all diffused and mixed together, and there was no stark contrast between the dark olive streaks, and the light unpainted CDL zones., wich IMHO would have rendered the cammo effect useless, and would have made the unpainted CDL zones more vulnerable to sun exposure.

The color is described as olive brown, but looks definitely olive green in the color profiles. I think it's better described as a brownish green, and is definitely a different color and greener than British PC10. I use US Army Olive Drab and get over with it.

Areas wich weren't fabric covered, like struts, engine cowlings, metal and wood panels were painted solid olive, no streaks. Wheel covers were painted in circular streaks by rotating the wheel while applying the brush to it. So you end up with a pale center with little olive on it, and a darker rim.

The catch is the bottom surfaces, that were all painted in light sky blue, wich shifted to turquoise when varnished, due to the yellow tinge of varnish.

Regarding the lower wing, I understand your doubt. In british aircraft such as the Camel, that section was painted in PC10 in contrast to the surrounding CDL of the wings and fuselage bottom. The Germans being sticklers for detail, painted all bottom surfaces in light blue, both that panel you ask about and the bottom of the axle wing.

Fritz Kempf · 24 June 2006, 07:41 AM

Ray,
I misunderstood your question; the bottom wing spar was covered by the bottom panel that had the access door to get at the back side of the engine. It was aluminum also and was painted the same as the rest of the bottom. The actual box spar could not be seen from the bottom.

This panel is in the bottom right hand side of the picture.

Ed

drbubba43 · 24 June 2006, 08:39 AM

Ok...

Let me see if I got this.

The bottom of the airplane is a turquoise, the top is CDL streaked with olive.

This has brought up another question, just to be sure... On every kit I've seen of the DrI the bottom left and right wings are molded as one with a box like spar connecting them. The result is that when you attach the wings there are two seams running across the fusilage. I assume this it correct for the prototype?

Per what I'm reading the seams should be there and the entire bottom should be blue? Right?

Ray

StephenLawson · 24 June 2006, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drbubba43

I think I have determined that from the factory DR-I's were greenish blue on top and CDL on the bottom...Ray

Ok I am gonna need to go get a quad shot coffee now. Factory standard for the production Fokker Dr.I was CDL fabric on the top surfaces streaked. Undersurfaces painted lt. blue.

drbubba43 you have some make up material to get to this weekend. To avoid the inevitable "F", I suggest the writings of Dan San Abbott and images from the Memorial Flight website on the Fokker Dr.I.

Bring a note from home saying you have read every scrap of intel here at the Drome. I can supply a list you can tick off once read. Then you must provide an overall synopsis review for all 47 articles by monday morning.

You must write on the chalk board 319 times..."CDL and Streaking on top lt. blue on the bottom surfaces except for the CDL background on the lower wing undersurface cross fields."

drbubba43 · 24 June 2006, 09:23 AM

At the risk of sacrilige...

Frankly the DrI is not really one of my favorite aircraft. This one been sitting around for awhile and since I'd not built anything in awhile thought I'd give it a go to get the skills back up.

Time is at a premium so I'm spending what little i've got on building. Research has mostly been limited to you guys and this website. I'm not looking for perfect, just reasonably accurate.

I got another DML DR I kit I'll pull out the stops on later...

Ray

Fritz Kempf · 24 June 2006, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Frankly the DrI is not really one of my favorite aircraft.

All bottom wing spars on DR1s were covered by this belly plate that I have seen, even the prototype. It has been a long time since I have built a model DR1, but I think I know what you are talk about. If I remember right, models don’t have the plate that covers the lower spar. This is just an inaccuracy in the model, if I were you I would just paint it the same as the bottom and be done with it. You also could fill in the front seam so it looks a little more like it should and not like a spar.

Ed