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Thread: Building a Fokker D VII

  1. #1

    Goggles Building a Fokker D VII

    Hi Guys and Gals,

    I realized that although I am keeping a build log on FaceBook and on The Aerodrome websites, I am a member of this association and should be keeping a build log here to share the journey with you all. With that I have some catching up to do. First off I had to build the Flugzeugwerke.

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    I started making tooling, build work tables, and buy an engine (yes that is an old Ford 300 inline straight 6) whih is the epitome of a bullet proof engine. The lathe is an 80 year old Clausing 100 series. I haven't used a lathe since I made dad a center punch in 8th grade shop. Purchased a welder, band saw, seconds in angle grinders and screw guns. Even bought a couple rivet guns since I was originally build all flight surfaces in in AL tubing. I built the tail surfaces in tube and rivet only to realize that I didn't trust a 2000lb plane with a 9 foot propeller giving 1000lbs of thrust to tubes and rivets. I am per Replicraft plans building this plane as a replica.

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    Here are some of the parts I have built since September.

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    Engine bearer brackets

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    Axle blocks

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    Coweling nuts (Fokker Nuts)

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    Sheet Metal brake

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    Ball Forks

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    Aileron Pulley Assemblies

    I have boxes with all my control surface hinges, wire tabs, aileron control cable pulleys and bracketry. Last week I received my order of streamline tubing from Aircraft Spruce and I have an order with Parker Steel in Ohio for most of the metric tubing for the fuselage, associated parts, and the 2 1/8" dia 3/16" wall tubing for my axle. I will post more to bring you guys up to date.

    Thanks for reading
    Jim

  2. #2
    1/27/17, Cool stuff going on. I can tell you to measure twice, then measure two more times. I made the plywood welding fixture yesterday. As you can tell I made the fixture to do both the right and left side undercarriage sections. Today i forged the tines of the ball forks, then fitted one of them to and welded it into one of the streamlined legs.
    Rather than move on to the next ball fork I couldn't help but start fitting the leg to the axle box. Take your time here guys and gals if you don't want to waste some expensive tubing. This is a complex cut on multiple planes and angles. I am proud not to have rushed as my fit was excellent hence I tacked it. I had to be careful as I have two sticks of this dimension tubing with only 10" extra per stick.
    Tomorrow I will weld a ball fork to the other leg and finish welding this being the left side assembly.

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    Engine cart I made mocking up the forward Fokker fuselage in HD plumbing pipe. Very strong

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    Spruce gap fillers

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    Hinges and engine bearer brackets

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    Seat belt hardware

    So you saw current work from the last day or so and some more catching up of parts already made.

    Peace
    Jim




  3. #3
    Catching up some more

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    Tabs and clips

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    Axle box bending fixture

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    My new still wrapped Jacobs hub

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    Engineering model in CAD as I was going to do all AL originally

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    I made some N strut cups on the lathe purdy huh

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    Throttle with hand made vrass rivets

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    My task master

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    This is the recreation I am going for of Aloys Heldmann

    Peace
    Jim

  4. #4
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Neat project. You mentioned Aerodrome at the beginning, but this is a scratch-build project, correct?

    Also, what engine is that?

    Quote Originally Posted by Fokker Builder View Post

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    My task master
    Wrong war. :-)

    Ron Wanttaja

  5. #5
    Ron,

    Here is a link to http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/ it is not Robert Baslees company. There are many builders, enthusiasts, and modelers including resources, litterature, and research into the Great War, pilots, and aeroplanes.

    The engine I am using is a Ford 300 IL 6 from 1979. This engine is the epitome of bullet proof. It has been used in dump trucks, UPS trucks, ramp vehicles, automobiles and small trucks for over 30 years. It was designed to operate between 3000 and 4000 RPM all day and do it for decades. 165 to 185 hp yeild with 367 tq. I am putting a 1-1.97 PSRU as well as a 4 barrel intake with a Holley carburator. Should wind up with about 190 to 200 hp and 900 tq at the prop. Looking to run between 104 to 110" propeller with a 9" cord.

    Thanks
    Jim

  6. #6
    Hi guys and gals,


    2/5/17, Wow, this is cool. Big pieces of the plane. Both right and left side of the basic undercarriage legs. I do have to bend some 2 mm 4130 for the two U shaped clips that get welded in for the bracing wires and this week I will make templates and cut 1 mm 4130 for the bungee cord assemblies that weld on each side of the axle blocks. The actual bungee tubes should arrive in 3 weeks.


    The welding went flawlessly. There was hardly any movement in the position of the ball forks in the jig. They didn't even move the entire 3/16" I allowed for. Thanks Jeff, best to be safe and sage advice.


    D VII
    :work:

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  7. #7
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fokker Builder View Post
    The welding went flawlessly. There was hardly any movement in the position of the ball forks in the jig. They didn't even move the entire 3/16" I allowed for.
    You probably said (but I couldn't read it through the drool on the screen), but: What kind of welding are you doing? TIG? Looked at what might have been a TIG torch in one of the shots.

    When/how did you learn to weld? I'm retiring this month, and have been considering welding classes at the local community college.

    Ron Wanttaja

  8. #8
    Ron,

    TIG is the bomb for beginner welders. MIG you have to work too fast with flux core, even with gas and wire I just feel rushed. Took a couple classes but really just started building custom motorcycles years ago. I have a $400 TIG machine with no foot peddle. Just have to play with amperage based on the metal you are welding. No AL with this machine though but hey, I am building a 100 year old plane. Here are some more pics.

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    Finished engine cart mocking up Fokker engine compartment. I will be making new engine mounts this week as have to drop the thrust line.

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    Axle block front and back covers plus the bending jig

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    I hear that big guy making hinges has lost 20 lbs in the last month

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    Better shot of the octogenarian in the shop

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    Make one of these, must have

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    Had to create more accessible tool storage

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    Made a few bending tools for the Harbor Freight press. Change out the whimpy legs that are supplied and install 4 X 4 1/2" legs so you don't have to bolt it down

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    Tiggy set up, SB starting

    Enough for tonight
    Jim

  9. #9
    falcon21's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fokker Builder View Post
    TIG is the bomb for beginner welders. MIG you have to work too fast with flux core, even with gas and wire I just feel rushed. Took a couple classes but really just started building custom motorcycles years ago. I have a $400 TIG machine with no foot peddle. Just have to play with amperage based on the metal you are welding. No AL with this machine though but hey, I am building a 100 year old plane. Here are some more pics.
    Interesting, I find MIG relatively easy and TIG to be harder. In high school we only had two TIG welders though so it was hard to get some decent time on one to get good at it. We also did oxy-acetylene welding, that was fun.

  10. #10

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    I am a self tough welder. I started with gas and practiced welding aluminum with oxy-acetylene. I did it just because it was hard but there were several guys in town that did it all the time to help me. When I started TIG welding, I found it easier and I attribute that to the similar visual clues between gas welding aluminum and TIG. For things like fuel tanks, I think it is the best welding method for the long sheet metal joints.

    In the first years I was doing race car work, we could built cars with aluminum fuel tanks. I gas welded all those tanks. I did use TIG when I installed bosses.

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