I have been following Mark's Workbench: 1/72 Arma Hobby Fokker E.V build
https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=12583.0 with interest as I have the same kit and just starting to dig in on my build.
Frank posted an interesting detail concerning the engine in Mark's thread which got me to thinking about other little details. I try desperately to not get too lost in fine detail minutiae but I do like to do some basic research so as to better understand the subject matter. The devil is in the details and sometimes it is interesting fuss over the details.
As I was reviewing one of Achim Engels web pages on the Fokker D.VIII
http://www.collectors-edition.de/f-t-s_FokkerDVIII.htm I noticed a picture and description of the aeroplanes seat which I found quite interesting. Picture is about a fifth of the way down from the top.
The Arma Hobby instructions for their E.V would have you paint the seat olive green front and back.
I also recalled seeing other modelers paint this way and add a bit of extra detail by "chipping" to expose the wood.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/72nd_aircraft/fokker-e-v-arma-hobby-t11806.htmlSo now faced with a conundrum, I started to do some reading and searching to see if I could find a most correct answer.
I knew that seats in early aeroplanes where made in a variety ways - wicker, plywood, and aluminum. I also knew that the set in the Fokker DR.I was aluminum with a plywood bottom but wasn't sure if that method continued on through the D.VI, D.VIII and then to the E.V and D.VIII seeing that late war material supplies would have been uncertain.
After much reading and searching making my head spin, making me wiser, but non the less no closer to being expert, I have at least good idea to an answer.
It would seem that Fokker made seats having an aluminum back and plywood base. There is an original Fokker Dr.I seat supposedly from Manfred's DR.I which shows this form of construction.
Opinions of many knowledgeable enthusiasts are that seats in the DR.I and at least the D.VIII had the insides covered with leather or an ersatz (i.e fake or artificial) leather which was sewn to the aluminum back around the top edge o the seat.
There was also a cushion on top of the wooden bottom for the pilot to sit on.
There is also evidence to support Achim Engels' seat. It seems that there is a D.VIII seat in a museum in Italy ( Caproni Museum ) that had the inside front covered with five colour flugzeugstoff ( i.e lozenge fabric ).
My references:
The Aerodrome web site had some interesting threads:
http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39226&highlight=fokker+d.viii+seathttp://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32129http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26768&highlight=fokker+d.viii+seatEchim Engels web pages:
http://www.collectors-edition.de/f-t-s_FokkerDVIII.htm seat picture is about 1/5th way down
http://www.collectors-edition.de/f-t-s_buchbestellung.htm Fokker D.VIII - In Detail - Volume 1 and Fokker D.VIII - In Detail - Volume 2
http://www.collectors-edition.de/Ebaydownloads/InDetail/FokkerD8/FokkerD8InDetailteil1ebook.pdfhttp://www.collectors-edition.de/Ebaydownloads/InDetail/FokkerD8/FokkerD8InDetailteil2ebook.pdfWhen did the change from the leather covering to the lozenge occur? Would some DR.I seats have been finished this way? D.VI's ? D.VII's ?
Earlier Fokker seats where made from wood and leather. I have seen some pictures of early eindekkers having what look like nicely padded leather covered chairs for seats. When was the aluminum style of seat introduced?
I know I how I am going to finish the seat in my Fokker E.V.
cheers, Graham