LVA Fokker D.VII from Wingnut Wings

[Whiteknuckles]

This has been a pleasure to follow so far Ivo. Your detailing is excellent, lovely work!
Looking forward to more progress

Andrew

[uncletony]

Spandaus look nice to me. As for the manifold nuts, you can see them in action on Przemol's D.V build

http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=1133.15

And they show up very well in the detail photo by Jamo, 2nd post, third thru remaining photos; they are the notched circular rings between the intake manifold and the cylinder, a somewhat lighter grey compared to the black intake mani and cylinders...

http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=237.0

[IvotB]

Thanks for the links. Now I know where to look, you just can't miss them. I am really impressed by a lot of work here, if you take the time to look around. I'll have to master some weathering techniques. At least my engine looks too new to me.

I am still trying to find more information about the fuel line between the tank and the carburators, but I think I have found some already and about the connections between the cockpit controls and the engine compartment. The cockpit is clear I even found that there are 4 bowden type cables running from the control stick to other places. 2 are going down through the floor and they are the gas cables and two are running from the machinegun switches with a nice curve under the instrument panel and up again to the machine guns. The connections from the instruments to the left hand side of the cockpit should reach the carborator and/or the ignition, but how remains still a little bit of a mystery.

Although my cockpit is almost finished I will have a go at the bowdencables and will install for sure the control rods from the cockpit to the engine compartment.

regards,
Ivo

[uncletony]

Some of your questions on details might be answered in one of the Windsock D.VII volumes -- I am traveling so I can't consult them for you. Maybe Keith or someone else can. 

This thread on the aerodrome might be useful, assuming you haven't run across it already:

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/aircraft/25846-fokker-d-vii-information.html

[IvotB]

The first picture shown in the aerodrome thread was in fact the only picture where I started to understand some of the required connections. The thread itself reveals almost every mystery about this and even more. Now I understand where the cables for the throttle go after they disappear under the cockpit floor . It is a remote control of the throttle which is sitting on the left. I had mistaken that part for a device changing the motor settings when flying in thinner air. I'll read it again and again until everything fits into place.

I guess I'm almost there 

Thanks a lot

[IvotB]

This is the picture referred to in the aerodrome thread:



In thesame series also the next picture can be found:



The last reveils a lot more about where these strips, rods and cables are connected to.

I haven't checked the copyright policy of this forum. These pictures aren't mine, but were found with google. For sure I don't have any copyright on these, but as this is not a public forum perhaps it is not an issue. I can replace the pictures with a link if that is better.

The first two strips were connected to the throttle and to the spark advance lever. There needs to be fitted a third for the mixture control. This one is not on the picture of the aerodrome thread as the mixture control wasn't installed on the Fokker there (can be seen from pictures of the cockpit in the same series.

These are my intermediate results. I used some nickel silver strip, chemically blackened with Carr's and glued it with CA to the levers. I have to work further on the connections and constructions in the engine compartment. I will also install the high pressure fuel line and I am going to look for the mixture control connection to the carburators and the magneto control, which is hanging disconnected in the toppictures.







Ivo

[mgunns]

Hello Ivo:

Thanks for the explanation on how you wired the spark plugs from the tube.   I didn't think it was possible to pull those wires out of the tube, but yours sure looks like you did.  You are certainly breaking new ground with this kit and it is interesting to read your posts and watch your craftsmanship.  Outstanding work Ivo.

Best

Mark

[GAJouette]

  Ivo,
Thank you for the detail photos my friend, they'll prove very useful. Excellent update as well. Awesome additional details you're including.Your highest craftsmanship and modeling skills show well.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

[pepperman42]

Great progress reports. Tying all these DVII builds together is very handy!!

Steve

[IvotB]

There hasn't been much progress during the weekend. I spent almost the entire saterday evening searching for my copper wires in several sizes, but I haven't found any of them. I have looked everywhere, but they seem to have vanished. I needed those for some lines in the engine compartment.

So yesterday I just made the first cable from 0,2mm nickel silver between the throttle and the remote control on the stick. I'll have to think of an acceptable way to connect them to the control stick and to eachother with some type of tie wrap. I think I am going to use some copper wire from electrical wire to do that.

I also made the triangular hatch in the fuselage for the later Fokker versions. It is supplied with the kit and on the inside of the fuselage halve WNW gave a good indication of its size and which hole to drill and file. If you follow those lines, the hatch sits perfectly. I just can't figure out what kind of equipment was behind the hatch, because it opens up to a space beneath the gas tank, with almost nothing there.

If I find the time tonight and I finish the throttle cables and the machine gun cables, I'll post some pictures.

regards,
Ivo

[uncletony]

I just can't figure out what kind of equipment was behind the hatch, because it opens up to a space beneath the gas tank, with almost nothing there.

Fuel drain petcock?

[IvotB]

Ah, that must be it: fuel drain petcock. Another item WNW missed

On the aerodrome forum I found a topic with with 217 pages which might contain an answer too. fuel tank sumps, with valves. I didn't read all 217 pages yet......., but sounds like fuel drain to me

Ivo

[IvotB]

I added some more items in the cockpit, but now I must be finished.



I wanted to add the remote control of the throttle and the cables for operation of the Spandaus. I have used 0,2mm nickel silver wire and tried to bend it in the correct form. It doesn't work very easily, but the end effect is enough for me. You don't see much of it, especially of the throttle remote control, but you do see the MG cables. They surface again behind the instrument panel and the magazine box just between the machine guns. Now I need to find where they are connected to and I can finalise this.



After these lines the moment came to connect the control lines for rudder, elevator and ailerons. You could leave the connection in the cockpit itself for the up control of the elevator and for the ailerons out, because nobody is ever going to see them, but decided to do them too:



And then it was just too late or I had done too much. I made the control lines long enough to guide them through the fuselage to the back and through the halves outside, but it is quite fiddly to have these hanging around your cockpit sub-assembly. Especially if you are still working with tiny drops of CA glue on your workbench. Somehow they picked up some CA and became a mess:



The only thing to do is to either cut them off and fix the wires to the back of the cockpit or make new ones. I made new ones, but decided to fix the upper elevator cables to the back of the cockpit, as they cannot be seen at all and because the stabilo doesn't have a hole running through it. It should be at a very small angle to the surface and that cannot be moulded. I considered drilling, but decided against this.

Only thing left were the rigging cables in the cockpit frame:



And I needed another strip for the mixture control. I found a picture where this is more or less shown and it ends in the engine compartment below the throttle strip:



The rigging cables at the front are protected with some canvas. I tried to model that with a small piece of masking tape, but that wasn't a success.

regards,
Ivo

[GAJouette]

  Ivo,
Excellent additional details to her interior my friend.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

[uncletony]

looks great Ivo!