Aviatik 30.40

Lyle · 7 November 2008, 07:15 AM

Hey John,
At least you're building something! And it's totally unique. Keep up the good work.

JohnFitz · 10 November 2008, 08:05 PM

Hi Lyle and thanks for the encouragement. Should be able to FINISH the Aviatik pretty quickly compared to my other endeavors. The SE5 isn't that far away from being done either and I should be able to accomplish that by spring. Then I will start flying again and build nothing else for awhile.

womenfly2 · 11 November 2008, 04:47 AM

Any more pictures? How are the wings coming?

Love this plane.

WF2

JohnFitz · 11 November 2008, 06:32 AM

WF2, I wasn't able to do much this past weekend due to family commitment. I am working on the rudder and should have some more pics soon. Koloman Mayerhofer has been very kind helping me with the cockpit instruments whenever he has a spare moment away from his outstanding Albatros work. So, I'll soon be able to make scale instruments too. I have spent some time helping another model builder who is getting ready to do a Halberstadt CL.IV which is going to be a great project. Not sure if it will be 1/4 or 1/3 scale yet. Stay tuned!

womenfly2 · 11 November 2008, 06:37 AM

Sounds great! Both projects.

Make sure your friend post here too.

Cheers,
WF2

JohnFitz · 19 November 2008, 07:50 AM

Not too much to show. I have been working on the tail fin and rudder. Made the GTM hinges which required some tinkering to get right, (Del Johnson did his better). I still have to pin them. I decided to use a carbon arrow shaft for the main cross member. I have CA'd a hard wood dowl inside but not all the way through. Just enough so I can pin the control horn. The control horn is made from G-10 material. I have slotted the arrow shaft and slidd the horn into it. Once it is all glued together with JB Weld I'll CA some more G-10 to the horn and make it the final shape as per the full scale. This should make for a pretty strong and reliable piece. The other cross members are lite wood dowl. Still have some fiddling to do before I can sheet the fin but it will be done soon now and I can move on to the stab./elevator. Special thanks to Koloman Mayerhofer for the original Aviatik drawings.

womenfly2 · 19 November 2008, 07:55 AM

Nice John, very nice!

WF2

JohnFitz · 22 November 2008, 02:26 PM

Well, today was leaf clean up day so I didn't get to play much. Gave my thumb some work and finished putting the sworls in the cowl. Also played around with the tail skid and I'm using a GTM bracket. Rudder is now done. Have to build the stab. and get it glued in before I can finish the fin which is not yet glued to the tail post. Also did some more sheeting on the bottom. I will be fiber glassing the fuselage with some very lite glass cloth but the bottom sheeting will just be stained and clear coated as per the full scale.

womenfly2 · 23 November 2008, 05:48 AM

Really nice. That fin and rudder look small now.

WF2

JohnFitz · 23 November 2008, 06:07 AM

WF2, Yeah I have been looking at that. I think the ailerons will work more on this model then others when it comes to making a turn in the air. I know most WW1 models fly mostly using rudder. We'll just have to see what happens. It is very lite and small for a 1:3 scale model. I think what makes the size deceiving is the huge cowl (14") for the size of the fuselage.