Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

[wolfenbill]

A greeting from Team Fokker in Kingsbury, Texas. This is the new "livery" for our D.VII von Hantlemann variant. Sorry Georg, hope you're not spinnin' in your grave. The skull is really painted on, the rest is due to the graphics capability of Team Fokker member Gary Marsden. Gary is originally from Wisconsin but now lives in Austin. I'm praying we can have this bird flying by April or May.

[wolfenbill]

Sorry, for some reason, the attachment didn't stick the first time.

[Lufbery]

It looks great! :D

Now all you need is a Santa splat on the nose:

[Lufbery]

Of course, with a prop in front, a Santa splat may be more of a Santa grind. :blink:

Regards,

[baldeagle]

Bill,
What's going on with the Howard Hughes movie?

AK

[wolfenbill]

I think Santa would probably be able to outrun us.

Don't know what's happening with the movie. The filming of the planes finished in late October. I don't know if they ever took any flying shots. Somebody tried to fly an SE5a in some high density altitude conditions and messed up his landing gear. The guys who brought the planes were not allowed to fly them, at least not while they were to be filmed for the movie. Hollywood had their own pilots. Roger Freeman brought a LeRhone powered TM Scout. They wanted to fly it the day before shooting ended but backed away when they learned it had no brakes and that managing and flying a rotary was not something casually learned in a few minutes. So it didn't fly. I believe the movie is to be released in the spring or summer of next year.

[dtenney]

Bill,

I'm back from the dead or MIA, however you like to call it. Great pictures of the finished D.VII. They look fantastic. More motivation that I need to get myself in gear and get going on my own bird. Question, who's gonna do the test flight? I'd like to know about the flight characteristics with the ranger motor. Still looks good. Can't wait for the movie to come out, ill go see it just for the airplanes.

Hope all is well,

Happy Holidays to all,


dtenney

[wolfenbill]

Hey Darrin, good to hear from you. Roger Freeman will probalby test fly the aircraft. We haven't started working on the engine yet. That's for January. Stay posted, we'll let you know how it flies. In the meantime it's on to other projects as well.

[Barrett]

I just saw a report about the Hughes bioflick, "The Aviator." It stars (gag, hack, choke) Leonardo DiCaprio!

As Higgins used to say: "Oh...my...GOD!"

[wolfenbill]

At my office I have a digital picture of Leonardo, dressed in period flying togs, sitting on an SE5a with a stalwart and determined look on his face. After the holidays I'll post it, just for you. ;)