I acquired a short kit for a Dr1 from the designer, David Payne, at BlueSkyRC a few weeks ago and the build is about complete.
This is a 31 inch (top wing span) 1/9 Scale model of the famous tri-wing WW1 fighter. As a scale model it has the same number of wing ribs as the original and your first impression when inspecting the kit is ‘holy cow that’s a lot of ribs’. ( phrase acquired at Joe’s BBQ)
Framing the plane is straightforward but takes some time, I found myself searching through sheets of laser cut balsa looking for individual parts. Speaking of laser cut parts, these were excellent, having been cut by master laser cutter, Jim Wagoner at JTechlaser.
David has a build thread on RCGroups and combining the photos online with his well drawn plans provides the direction required to successfully complete the building of this plane. This is not a kit for the first time builder, but with a grand sum total of 2 different short kits and a couple full kits of experience I was able to get the pieces glued together to complete the framing. The cowl is located and attached with two carbon fiber eighth inch rods and two pairs of magnets. Binding for the metal wires for the cabanes and later the landing gear was braided kevlar fishing line, saturated with thin CA.
The rudder and elevator servos are located with mini-connector adjustment access from the open cockpit and use push rods. The aileron servos were glued to the cover plates and wind up inside the top wing with the servo arm protruding thru the plates.
OK, so now I’ve got 4 wings, a fuselage, 4 control surfaces, a balsa/plywood cowl, etc, and it’s time to decide on which full scale Dr1 this model is going to look like. The decision was made, a blue and white Dr1, registered in Germany as PH-EBF, which is a replica of Dr1 flown by LT von Raben, Jasta 7, 155/17. Here’s the one picture I could find of that plane actually in the air, among a dozen or so ground shots including one of the plane displayed indoors in a museum in Belgium.
The Dr1 aircraft preceded color photography, so the actual colors are often disputed. History indicates that the blue color was based on a fabric sample that was mistakenly assumed to be from LT von Raben’s Dr1 but probably came from a later Fokker DVII that replaced the Dr1. Nevertheless, I really liked the blue and white scheme , so my plane is a model of above PH-EBF which is a replica of LT von Raben’s Dr1, which was probably red and white rather than blue and white.
Here’s the firewall and motor mount , note the carbon rods, magnets and tapers on the motor mount to give a little down and right thrust.
with Cowl attached
Looking into cockpit showing location of tail servos.
motor mount, faux motor, esc is velcroed inside top of cowl.
Aileron Servo configuration.
von Raben's white Raven, graphics by Callie.
Ready for flight.
Building this plane has been a learning experience, a lot of fun, and because of the well executed design and quality laser cutting produced a good looking scale model Dr1. Will it fly? — report coming up in a few days.
Link to Callie Graphics
