DR-1 (Sands): Builders Group

[Jim Bruton]

For the forming block radius, I used my handheld grinder for shaping. Choose carefully the grinding/cutting wheel material, as it may make the difference between a long and short time to finish.

I deviated in that I wanted my struts to be streamlined- so the bottom block is different than the top block, as opposed to Ron's way of doing it.

In the end, I still shopped it out- photos and credits soon will follow. =-)

There are many times I thought of using diagonal tubing instead of wires and turnbuckles, especially when pricing out turnbuckles. I think Baldeage summed it up well when he agreed that both versions look the same from the outside and weight is pretty much a non-issue, not like one might think at first anyway.

And I agree- sometimes it takes a little noddling to figure out the best way to form a piece of metal, if you don't have a specialty blacksmithing shop.

Jim

[Maxim08]

Corvus & Jim,
There is a wonderful little bender distributed by a UK company called Warco.
The Magnum Bender is a high precision unit designed specifically for the bending of aircraft brackets etc. While it has a maximum width of 150mm (about 6") it will fold 4130 1/4" thick with high precision. It's not cheap. Aircraft Spruce retail it in the US at something like $1,200.
Being an Anglo in Canada, I was able to order direct from the UK for an all in price of about 1/2 of the above.
Here's a link to the brochure. It will explain all of the pluses better than I.

http://www.warco.co.uk/productimages/documents/P78.pdf

Regards,
John

[CORVUS]

John,

According to the link to Warco it sells for about $400 in US currency. I haven't checked Aircraft Spruce. Question is, can I wait for the Chinese from Harbor Freight to make one for $29.95.

Lou

[AeroCraftsman]

Hi guys,
I'm new to your group having just aquirred a DR.I project. I've taken some time and read through most of this thread and must say that you guys really have a great resource here.
I run a restoration shop at Flabob airport and recently heard about a Triplane that had been donated to the airport foundation several years ago. After having a look at it and expressing some interest I was able to aquire the project. I'm hoping that someone here can help me identify this airplane and maybe learn some of the history behind it.
It appears to have been a flying airplane at one time. It has a Seimens engine and Hoffman prop. The wheels are wire with no brakes. Sprung tailskid with no tailwheel. The fuselage is wire braced. There are only a couple intruments in the cockpit. The airplane had obviously been stored outside for quite a while. The fabric is completely shredded and tattered, but there's no corrosion to speak of on the steel parts. The welding is VERY good. There is no data plate that I've been able to find and there are no registration markings visible on the outside of the airplane.
The story as I've been able to gather is that the plane was brought out from the LA area to a fellow in the Inland Empire area to have some work done. The fellow who did the work was then unable to contact the owner. After storing the plane for several years he moved and took the plane with him. After several more years and still unable to contact the owner, he was going to move again but didn't want to move the plane again. That's when he dropped it off at Flabob.
As you can see, it's a bit of a mystery plane. Maybe something from the movie industry?
Are there missing DR.I's out there?
Anyway I'm looking forward to digging into the project. I'll post some pictures next week when I get the plane out of it's current tomb and I look forward to participating in this group. I've restored quite a few antique airplanes and hope to have something to add to the group.
Thanks,
Mark Lightsey

[CORVUS]

Hi Mark,

Welcome to the forum. Did you say it has a Seimens engine ? Are you saying it has a Seimens and Halske rotary engine ?

Lou

[Dogtail2]

This one maybe?

Siemens Sh14 radial as used in various German aircraft of the late Thirties.

[baldeagle]

Must be a Siemens engine like the Jungmeisters had. And like the Blue Max Dr.Is had....

edit: Dogtail beat me to it, but does anybody know where the Blue Max Triplanes are? One is with Robs Lamplough in England, but the others???




-

[AeroCraftsman]

Dogtail,
I think you've hit it. There a couple of things in that picture that make me think it's the same airplane. The engine and exhaust is the same, as is the prop. Notice how the top of the cowling has been cut and bent open. Also the way the fairing from the cowling along the side of the fuselage seems a little too large? All exactly the same.
I'd say the airplane I have is the same one as the picture, so.......
What's the story on this airplane???????

[RobW]

Originally Posted by baldeagle

Must be a Siemens engine like the Jungmeisters had. And like the Blue Max Dr.Is had....

edit: Dogtail beat me to it, but does anybody know where the Blue Max Triplanes are? One is with Robs Lamplough in England, but the others???
-

Yes Andrew, you are right... In my quest to figure out where all the WWI replicas are I came across G-ATJM (serial number 2) which is still in the UK... still owned by Rob Lamplough

Here is a recent picture I found of it. More pictures can be found at: G-ATJM, 1965 Bitz Flugzeugbau Gmbh REPLICA FOKKER DR1

The other one I struck out on. G-ATIY (or EI-APW as it was in the movie, serial number 1) I can't seem to find.

[Dogtail2]

Originally Posted by RobW

Yes Andrew, you are right... In my quest to figure out where all the WWI replicas are I came across G-ATJM (serial number 2) which is still in the UK... still owned by Rob Lamplough

Here is a recent picture I found of it. More pictures can be found at: G-ATJM, 1965 Bitz Flugzeugbau Gmbh REPLICA FOKKER DR1

The other one I struck out on. G-ATIY (or EI-APW as it was in the movie, serial number 1) I can't seem to find.

That picture is not G-ATJM. It is John Day's recently built G-CDXR shown below. The pictures on your link are also incorrect.