Topic: Fokker V17 from a crashed DR1

Having received a ¼ scale crashed Flair DR1 from a friend, containing a fuselage top wing and half a mid wing, and being inspired by Dave Horton’s ½ scale V17, I have decided to follow suit.

The Fokker V17 was built in 1917 as a prototype demonstrator; it flew at that yea’s air force evaluations but never entered production. My research has yielded a limited amount of information and therefore I have taken some artistic license in the design of the bird.

According to information obtained (and translated) the wing was plywood covered, the fuselage was borrowed from a DR1 and the same Oberursel Ur.II engine same My V17 will use a Zenoah G26 petrol engine, the wing will be 2 panels joining to a stub wing built into the fuselage. For the wing I have chosen a Clark Y 17% thickness aerofoil (thanks EREZ).



Fokker V17 (1917)



The only drawings I could find



DR1 donor



Wing Layout



Chosen Aerofoil



Liteply ribs cut



Stbd outer panel



...with bottom sheeting



Port outer panel

Is it me, I cannot see any piccies?

I have a Dr-1 which maybe crashing very soon! So am interested...

Sorry got the IMG tag wrong, is your DR1 1/4 scale?

Oooooh, that looks like it's going to be GOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDD

Yes i have the Flair 1/4 scale Dr-1, flown once, needs more power....

Stbd wing centre panel



Close up on GRP spur tube

Right, I love the triplane, and also love the conversion that you are doing. So I went to a fly-in yesterday and imagine my delight when this turned up as well.....

Yes ! This was my inspiration, at ½ scale it does look the business, mine just looks like a Magnatilla on steroids.

It did a beautiful wing low pass at about thirty feet high the whole length of the strip (remember the wingspan of this is huge)

Magic.....

Yes ! This was my inspiration, at ½ scale it does look the business, mine just looks like a Magnatilla on steroids.

Ahmmm...actually I think in terms of scale accuracy, YOU got it right...

Looking at the photo of the real V17 and comparing to the very impressive 1/2 scale model, I would say one of them has the wing at the wrong position...? 

My Flair DR1 is still in the box but you know, just in case, make sure you keep a good working copy of the coversion plans  :laugh:

Right, I love the triplane, and also love the conversion that you are doing. So I went to a fly-in yesterday and imagine my delight when this turned up as well.....

Stuey, I was there as well yesterday

Stuey, I was there as well yesterday

No!   Which one were you? Were you flying?

No!   Which one were you? Were you flying?

NO, me and Bill were keeping the food guy busy 

Erez,

No jinx, the plan is drawn on Autocad and is available to anyone who wishes to have it; so far I have located two mistakes on the drawings which require correction, I am sure more would come in the future.

The main problems with this conversion are aligning the wing with the fuselage, and beefing-up the sides to take the main spur and stub wings, the latter is still under consideration.

NO, me and Bill were keeping the food guy busy 

Were you one of the guys jumping the Q about 1-30..... 

Corrr! Nice model - although looking at it and the drawing the wing looks too high to my eyes.
Mike

And another closer view?

And another closer view?

Stuey
Even more (to my mind) of an illustration that the wing is too high
Mike

The location of the wing is one issue, the other is livery.

According to the documentation I have, the V17 never went into production as it failed the fighter trials on 17 January 1918 in Adlershof due to “poor downward visibility”, thus the plane would have been flown in Fokker’s standard camouflage and not in squadron colours.

Furthermore I have not been able to locate a picture showing the V17 with the Spandau machine guns, it is possible that they were fitted for the trial, but the only picture I have from Adlershof does not show any. (Two less scale details to worry about?)

Pressing on...



Stbd wing panels joining



Port Centre panel



Port wing panels joining



Trail Fit



Stub wings to be fabricated next

That's looking good. Tempted to retrofit these to my Dr-1 as it looks straightforward!

Then I can either fly as a three dekker with all the ground problems or as a relaxing single dekker. I just live the outline of this bird in the sky...

The lower wing cutouts can just be fillied with a temporary bolt in plug whilst in single wing mode...

Now that’s a thought, your only problem would be the colour scheme as the V17 never went operational.

Fancy a video of the big one in flight? 

As for the colour scheme, happy to make up a "would have been" scheme based on the triplane version.. That would give me a sports scale monoplane and a scale tripe.. 

And would save around two pounds in weight I reckon as the top two wings are nearly five pounds on their own with all the diatex, dope, primer, enamel...

PS, what wingspan is your V17 coming out at please?

The wing span will be 215 cm (84.6”), I am still missing the end bits on each wing. Yes please for the video 

The wing span will be 215 cm (84.6”), I am still missing the end bits on each wing. Yes please for the video 

OK, I will get them on you-tube for tomorrow.  a taxi-out,  a take off, a landing and a fly by....

Thanks

Looking good

I see your fans have gathered to admire your work... or maybe trying to decide if they can eat it   

Not sure if fans is the right description, more like nemesis. 

OK, I will get them on you-tube for tomorrow.  a taxi-out,  a take off, a landing and a fly by....

Have not forgotten, will do it very soon I promise...

Interesting to note (unless it has already been noted) that the 1/2 scale V17 is also built from a crashed DR1...

This explains the strange choice of livery. 

Alex, that was the initial trigger, the real V17 was also built from a DR1 fuse.

Not very good video but you can see a loop and a fly past..

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpvS1n0RaH4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpvS1n0RaH4</a>

And a go around...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJN5eo6Z9Ro" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJN5eo6Z9Ro</a>

And the landing.....

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-XxIhKC6u8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-XxIhKC6u8</a>