My Fokker DVII Project

[Maxim08]

Buck,
Sorry for the delay in responding to your post.
I posted info about this in Achim's D VII thread quite sometime ago. Unsure exactly where, but the supplier is Coker Tire. They have agood web site and you can order on-line or via a 1.800 number.
http://www.coker.com/store/customer/...83&cat=&page=1
The tire is listed as a 30 x 31/2 in their search pull down list. It is made by Firestone and is available in black, white and gray. This would allow you to be really creative and decorate the port and starboard sides with different markings, one with a black tire and the other side gray. Movie companies would love it...
I hope that at least the Coker info is of assistance.
Regards,
Maxim08

[franzkait]

Buck, what du you think why no German aircraft had clincher rims and tires !

[jumpinjan]

Be advised, the gray tires have a short lifespan.
Jan

[franzkait]

and with clincher, can be very short.

[CharlesNungesser]

Jeff,

Fantastic looking build that you're doing, I'm well impressed!!
I really look forward to see the finished Fokker D VII!

[Maxim08]

Franzkait etc
In regards to German aircraft and clincher tires. I agree in that I am not aware of any drawing of a German WW1 wheel that shows a clincher tire. On the other hand, Palmer certainly did produce clincher tires and wheels for aircraft.
In the world of reproduction a/c I think that a smooth tire of an appropriate profile is more realistic than a Honda/Harley motorcycle wheel with modern tread.
One persons opinion,

Maxim08

[franzkait]

Maxim, have a look at a Palmer tire. most clincher , if for aercraft are bolted with clamps inside to the rim, but it is not realy helping a lot .a normal clincher is to dangerous, one hard landing and the tire jumps off and bingo. or better, drive a car with clincher and you anderstand what I am talking about.
If you do not like to spend the money for a 760 x100 the best possibility is to use a Ford Model A 21 " tire, and a steel rim 1 3/4" 40 spokes .and you get same dimensions like a D7

[jumpinjan]

Use a 2each motocross rim lock from a 21" rim

[mustang]

Franzkait et al.

There is nothing wrong with clincher tyres provided the correct tyre presssure is maintained. The recommended pressures are high by contempory standards and give a very harsh ride in cars.

For a number of years and many thousands of miles I drove a vintage 1920s French sports car fitted with these tyres and had no trouble. I only changed the rims when clinchers became no longer available in Australia. I have no experience with these tyres on aircraft, but if fitted corectly and run at the recommended pressures should be satisfactory; if the thrashing I gave these tyres in various sporting events is any indication.

I still have the car now fitted with 18x5.50 well based tyres and the only detectable difference is a smoother ride.

Mustang

[reservepilot]

I read your entire thread. I am just finishing up my Focke-Wulf, (I know wrong War!) (But you can see it at http://www.waraircraftreplicas.com/WarFW190/Index.aspx)

Anyway, I purchased a Walter "Wimpy" Redfern Fokker Triplane DR-I plan sometime around June 1995. Yes, I know this thread is about a Fokker D.VII, but certain parts in both the D.VII and the DR-I, particularly certain welded parts, are obviously very similar in construction. Getting back to it, his wife shipped me the plans on August 27, 1995, he had apparently become ill after I purchased the plan, but his wife apparently filled all the back orders after his death.

There were some parts of his plan that were not readily apparent to me at the time so I put it aside for a while and tried to research what I needed through the San Diego Aerospace museum. I supplemented my plan quite a bit and always figured I would build the triplane when I had enough information.

Instead I built my Focke-Wulf and a Varieze. I had shyed away from the Fokker because at the time I did not know how to weld. Since then I learned to Tig weld, bought a welder and completed the Focke-Wulf's landing gear. Both my aircraft are almost finished now and I am getting ready to start the Fokker Triplane airframe. That's how I discovered this site on the web...Looking for help!

I learned a lot about certain still "grey" areas of Fokker construction from this site, and a couple others, particularly the landing gear "box" spar you made which appears to have similar dimensions as called for in the plan, but the Redfern plan uses 4 separate 46" x 5" x .065 24ST Aluminum sheets riveted together using four 3/4 x 3/4 x .065 Aluminum Angles to keep it together. The Redfern "set up" appears to be heavier than what you made but the axle box shock housing and strut attachment appear to be less sturdy than what you produced.

Of course, before I change anything, I am going to get a copy of Ron Sands plans and see what he has done in his plan...but you and your mentors have given me some ideas. I will have to now research the original Fokker DR I plan in detail before I begin. I only want to change certain things that I think can be made safer and lighter. The gear on the Redfern plan might be one area of change. By the way I plan to use the new Rotec Radial 3600 (150 hp)

On another note, not that it is the same construction, (or aircraft for that matter!) but the Redfern Supplemental Plan sheet calls for the horizontal stab spar to be made from
1 1/4 x .035 tubing. I am assuming the stab spars of the D.VII and the DR-I are similar since they had a similar designer, I think Reinhold Platz. If I pulled the right stuff, and I think I did, my research from the SD Aero space museum states at least some DR-I were manufactured with this stab spar tubing dimensions albiet it is an American translation of German changing millimeters to inches...I just hate that stuff! (I will post it as soon as I get a new ink cartridge for my Epson Scanner as it won't work without a new cartridge.)

I like your project and I've learned a lot. I enjoyed reading the thread's posts and you've done great work!

Thank you!

George