DR1 Firewall-Engine turned finish??

I'm building the 1/8th scale partwork DR1 at present and have a query regarding the finish applied to the engine firewall. Over the weekend, I took a few photos of a large scale (1/3 I think) DR1 based on Aircraft 152/17 (Bucky, I'll show you the photos next time you're here!). I noticed that the builder had produced and 'engined turned' (swirly pattern) finished to the firewall. Would an original have had this finish?? Most photos are too poor to show whether this finsh is evident or not, the only one that seems to show a similar finish is a photo of a modern day full size replica. So, is it original or purely modern day artistic licence??

Zacky M

[R Pope]

Dr1 firewall was plain. "Pretty" stuff like engine turning has no place on a warplane. That's for modern lily-gilders.

[Southside Bucky]

Hi Zacky.

Sorry for the delay, just got back from Wales.

The best picture I could find is in Imrie's book, photo 151, page105 which shows Joseph Jacobs standing in front of 470/17. The firewall does look plain to me, but it's hard to say with absolute certainty.

What's throwing me slightly is the pictures of F1 101/17 which had a turned cowling and another pic on page 78 which clearly shows engine turned ammo boxes. Maybe...just maybe some machines did have turned firewalls. Early production planes perhaps?

I'll look through some other references and let you know of any developments.

See ya next week.

Bucky.

[MikeW]

R Pope,

"Pretty" stuff like engine turning has no place on a warplane.

I take it then, you have never seen a photograph of a "factory fresh" Sopwith?

Certainly Babys, 1.5 Strutters, Pups, Triplanes and Camels could emerge with engine turned aluminium panels - I wouldn't know about the Fokker, I just dispute your comment.

[StephenLawson]

Engine turning used to help shape and contour. No compound curves in the firewall. The engine turned surface also helped retard rust. The firewall was exposed to constant dousing of castor and later synthetic oil exhausts. I think the production series were plain janes. That is unless were talking prototype and then the manufacturer "FOKKER" just wanted it to look "purty."

Cheers Bucky, et al,
The model I mentioned is apparently 1/2 scale with a 325cc engine fitted to it. The model seemed pretty accurate in most details, so it does make you wonder why the builder would go to the trouble of producing a finish like that on the firewall if it wasn't accurate. I never got a chance to speak to the owner, which may have provided the answer. I guess there's the possibility that it may have appeared on early aircraft as stated, but was dropped as production stepped up.

Zacky M.

[Southside Bucky]

Hi Zacky.

The best pic I can find appears on page 29 of the Windsock DR1 Special, which shows a well lit frontal shot of 416/17. I'm gonna stick my neck out and state categorically that the firewall is plain metal!

Do yourself a favour, take the easy option and leave it plain!

What I'd like to know for when I start work on mine is: What colour is the internal framework? No rush on that one though!

All the best.

Bucky.

[Barker]

This, from a variety of period photographic sources:

A light-ish shade of grey.

[Southside Bucky]

Hi Barker.

Yeah, light grey maybe, or medium grey, or dark grey, or black, or grey/green, or dark green (like the cabane & U/C struts).

I've got all those photo's too, but I just can't make up my mind. I think I'll have to start a new thread on this subject and put it to the vote.

Thanks for your input though.

All the best.

Bucky.

[Barker]

Bucky -

Seriously.
Better folk than me have filled pages on this in various threads.
For modeling?
A light grey olive.
Like washed out "feldgrau", for lack of better description.
Some restorations show olive, which, as understand it, is not correct.
Some show black, which I don't believe is either.

In fact, if you are building one of the F.1s, '01 - '04 (?), they may be different than Dr production types on the internal frame.

check this out, a fascinating build article:
http://s96920072.onlinehome.us/Fea1/...tel/Fea082.htm

Some pretty good looks at your subject.