FTS Projects

AchimEngels · 31 May 2003, 09:12 AM

Glad to hear that! *;D

Sometimes you have to do a lot of small pieces that are very "disturbing" to do, but they need to be done.

Today was such a day. I have done all the rivets we needed to rivet the collars that keep the hinges in place on the spars of the rudder and the elevator.

Unfortunatelythere have no iron rivets been available here that have a shaft of 38mm lenght, so I did these today on my own. After forming the head we have cut the iron pins to the required lenght and then formed the closing head opf the rivet.

Here are some images of the process.

The making of rivet heads.

Open ends

One rivet closed while the other head still needs to be made.

Both rivets that hold the top and bottom collar of the rudder top hinge are finished.

Enjoy

Achim

P.S. Sorry for the poor image quality, but Adope Photoshop 4.0 does not seem to work with that damned "Windows XP-Home edition" I have on my new computer so I am still experimenting with that other damned Microsoft thing "Picture it" :

AchimEngels · 2 June 2003, 08:29 AM

And the story continues!

We are ready now to weld the remaining two elevators, stabilizers and rudders.

I have to return to the workshop and continue work....be back with more images soon.....

Best

Achim

AchimEngels · 6 June 2003, 11:30 AM

Today one set of hinges for one tailplane was completed while another one will be finished tommorow.

Here is an image of both, the finished set and the one still in progress.

Enjoy

Achim

AchimEngels · 6 June 2003, 11:00 PM

Did I mention that our D.VII is for sale in the end?

Any interest? If so just contact me. *:P

More to come later!

Enjoy your hobbies!

Achim

AchimEngels · 20 June 2003, 11:00 AM

Hello you all! *;D

Unfortunately our construction supervisor is ill at present. Wulffo´s parts of his tailplane have to wait until he is able to inspect them before we can put them together.

So I started something new today. For Wulffo I have started a "dummy cockpit section" in full size including the instrument panel. He asked me for this to display his instruments at home until the aircraft is completed and they can move in it. I will post pictures as soon as they are available.

Apart from that I spent this day at my lathe.

Here I am doing some bolts from St52 grade steel. A hot thing! *:

During the first half of the day I did a first complete set of the 8 typical German pulleys that Fokker did use.

This some kind of refreshing from working with steel tube structures.

Enjoy!

Achim

AchimEngels · 28 June 2003, 09:21 AM

The first and most important thing of all is a good breakfast, isn´t it?

I need at least one of these in the morning *:P

Just thought you might be interested in some better images of the pulleys that I have done so far.

A complete set of pulleys is under construction here.

This is an image of a set of inner pulleys of a Fokker D.VII that was tested to destruction in America after the war. Thanks to Dave Watts for the copy of this image *

I think here is place for some historic stuff as well. 8) The image also corresponds to a drawing we have.

And here finally is the result. Two completed pulleys. The inner small steel tube was slightly longer than the pulley was thick and the pulley itself can revolve free around it while the tube is clamped in between the bracket with a screw. Quite simple but interesting technology.

Now that we are almost through with the tailplanes of the two planes -

- we will focus on preparing the work on the fuselages.

But - as in several other cases - the work was placed before the fun here as well.

Therefore I concentrated on finally finishing the 1/5 scale fuselage drawing today.

Here I go:

*
Drawing a line here....

....thinking if its correct here *;D

Enjoy!

Achim

One personal announcement here: Wulffo! Thank you for making all this come true! *

It´s not just a playground - its more. It gives me the opportunity to show that I can handle such a project.

AchimEngels · 11 July 2003, 09:14 AM

Hi all,

The fuselage tubes are cut for two fuselages. A bit of confusing....all these different tube diameters...

One side frame is in the jig. Hopefully next week we can put together the first fuselage frame. I´ll post pictures then, of course!

Achim

AchimEngels · 17 July 2003, 09:57 AM

Today I have finished the first two fuselage frame sides.

Here is one image of me welding that thing. (I had my girl taking a lot more, but she was too quick for my camera so most of them were just too blurred *:-/)

As you can see this is the one welded oxyacethylene. Wullfo´s will then be welded following this one using TIG.

I must admit that welding distortion and shrinkage, although noticable, turned out to be much minor than I have expected, especially taking the number of welded joints in the front section of the fuselage into account. Now having done this oxyacethylene piece I have no worries when it comes down to Wulffo´s TIG welded fuselage. *

I hope to come up with more soon.

It may be of interest to the one or the other to hear that the complete amount of time invested into the welding of one complete fuselage side frame was less then three hours, leaving enough time for small breaks with a good smoke and a cup of coffee

.

Most time consuming was the preparation of the tubes and the laying out of the jig, which took almost one week. Once this is done you can easily put the tubes into the jig, weld one side, take it out, turn it around and weld the oposite side. The next side frame can then be placed in the jig and the procedure can be repeated.

Next thing will be the construction of the seat mounting frames for both aircraft (Wulffo´s and our´s) before we will join the side frames.

Won´t be too long and I can post images of the fuselages with the tail units attached. Will look quite like an airplane for the first time then *:P

Enjoy!

Achim

Lufbery · 18 July 2003, 10:29 AM

Achim,

Thanks for the photos and the updates. The work you're doing is simply fantastic.

Regards,

AchimEngels · 19 July 2003, 12:19 AM

Thanks, Lufbery!

It is a true joy to see people like what I post.

Oh, by the way, prepare for the "Spad VII - In Detail". It will be out soon. Michael and I am are presently working on the final refinements. I hope to have it out next month or at least just before the release of Volker´s English edition of his CD-Rom. Hmmmm *

, a lot to do here - eh?

In the meantime I have almost completed the two throttle quadrants and.....

[sup]Parts of the throttle[/sup]

[sup]Assembled piece seen from the front[/sup]

[sup]Assembled piece seen from behind[/sup]

...two seat mounting frames. Some minor pieces are still missing these, but I will have to do them next week (my wife is on a dancing turnament and I have to stay home, babysitting my little son...

)

[sup]Both seat mounting frames side by side[/sup]

[sup]One of the seat mounting frames in the jig while being welded[/sup]

Enjoy!

Achim