Albatros DV- cowling position question

[Alexander]

I am building the WNW Albatros DV in the moment.

1. Am I going right in my guess that the Alb. DV cowling was a four piece constuction (left forward, left rear/ right forward, right rear)? Also the forward sections seem to partly overlap the rear sections.....

.....2. If so, would it be possible or more any realistic to display it only with the forward sections removed, or even only left or right forward setion being removed. I don't want the beautifull engine to be totaly hidden under the cowling nor I want to display it fully opened, because it destroys the beautifull line of the Alb.'s fuselage in my mind.
I was searching for any pictorial evidence but found no prove on that.
...Only many pictures with fully removed cowlings (who wonders)........

Maybe a bit strange this question but Iwant to be on the sure side before I begin on cuting the cowlings.

Thanks for any help!

[T.Kiehn]

You could always have it fully cowled on one side, and the cowling off on the other. Then when you look at it from one side you could see the full effect, but still see some of the engine on the other side. Just a thought.

TK

['14-'18aviationcollector]

Hi Alexander,

At various times I have been given permission to study the Albatros D.Va at the Australian War Memorial. I distinctly remember the panels being removed in sections. It was a long time ago so I hope that my memory has not been altered in any way, but I think you are right. I think each side has a front and rear panel, and they are removable seperately. I think the front panel comes off first, then the rear panel, which is obviously at the front cabane strut. Bob Waugh's drawings, and I only have the version printed in the NASM Albatros restoration book which are not the best version available (they were a work in progress at the time and he did not allow them to be published for that reason) seem to show a join in the panels at about the front cabane strut. This makes perfect sense because a one piece (on each side obviously) cowl would be very difficult if not impossible to remove, since the front cabane strut is in the way. I remember the cowling being two pieces very distinctly because there was an overlap, much larger than I would have expected where the front cowl overlaps the rear cowl. The dark green which was applied during the late 1960's / early 1970's restoration (and which was incorrect) was sprayed over the brown paint, which was thought to be correct at that time when both cowls were in place. There was a wide band of what was thought to be the original brown paint under the rear cowling, and it was revealed when we took the front cowl off.

I hope this is of some help!

Regards,

David.

[FOKKERJ]

Hello Alexander,

I see that T.Kiehn has already made the same suggestion that I was going to make.... I had to leave this and feed the Dogs! :)

I am not an expert on the sheet metal cowling, ask Koloman Mayerhoffer (?) in the "Replica Forum". I imagine that like most practices that the sheet metal pieces would overlap front to back and top to bottom like shingles (just my take on it).

Too many beautiful engines here get covered up with the finished model. I think that sometimes that they need to be displayed on an engine stand next to the finished model with a dummy or spare engine in the finished product.
Again, the half finished/half cut-away or uncovered side is a good option for a display.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

Best Wishes, Jay aka FOKKERJ :spandau:

[WolfOfBadenoch]

If you look carefully through the build gallery for the TVAL Albatros ( Albatros DVa Engine & Prop | The Vintage Aviator (http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/image/tid/155) ), and I mean carefully, you can see that it is a two piece cowling. I can only find one shot that clearly shows this (the aft starboard cowling is not fitted), and as David has mentioned, it is right on the cabane strut position. Thanks to TVAL for putting up all these great build shots :) cheers,

Alex

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Hi David:
You are correct, the upper cowling is a two panel cowling. It can be taken of as one one piece or you can remove the front cowl and then you can remove the rear panel. The turn post fasteners join the front and rear halves.
Blue skies,
Dan-San