Fokker EV

[Nigel Jackson]

Hello All

Yesterday I was looking at the Eduard 1/48 Fokker EV profipack in the stache as a possible next project - before I really do turn to WNW. I was very surprised to see that there was no instrument board/panel as such included. Surprised by this I checked out the brilliant photos of the TVAL DVIII/EV reproductions posted by Jamo in October 2012 and Des's build of the Avis 1/32 EV and indeed there appears to have been no such board/panel. Can anyone throw light as to why there should appear to be so little instrumentation in a late-war cockpit?

I also wonder if anybody can advise me on a supplier of better lozenge transfers? I'm particularly keen to find something which also includes provision for those internal parts of the cockpit where the reverse of the lozenge fabric can be seen. It seems to me that Eduard have not quite got those bits right. 

On a final note, I've also heard somewhere that scarcely any 'kills' can be definitively attributed to the  DVIII/EV. I recognise its very late entry into service and chequered career, but can this be true?

Best wishes
Nigel

[coyotemagic]

Hi, Nigel.  Regarding the lack of instrumentation, I can only surmise that near the end of the war, valuable resources required in making instruments were in very short supply, so only the most essential instruments were used.  Look at how Spartan the D.VII was compared to a Snipe or Dolphin.
As for the Lozenge, imho these are the absolute best available in 1/48 scale. 
http://www.nordlandmodels.com/category/decals-1-48:906/
http://www.nordlandmodels.com/product/d48012-4-color-interior-lozenge-very-faded:16517/
As for the lack of kills, pilot experience with the Pfalz parasols which were exact copies of the notoriously doggish Morane parasols, led to a mistrust of all parasols.  From what I've read, it seems they flew very few combat missions, therefore very few kills.  However, I read somewhere that an E.V/D.VIII scored one of the last German victories of the war.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Bud

[Nigel Jackson]

That's great Bud. Thanks very much for your help.

Best wishes
Nigel

[Jamo]

Hi Nigel
Glad the photos were helpful. Aviattic's new reverse lozenge looks great for the interior:



You should check out Achim Engel's reproduction for what is probably a more likely interpretation of the wood stain colours used on the wing than TVAL used:













Achim says on his website "The paint scheme of the wing and its lower surface as well is based on what is provided in the original Fokker factory drawings. This drawing makes mention of four different wood stains. It also makes mention of the company that delivered these. Believe it or not, but the same company is still in existence today and is also still producing the same stains. There is also some photographic evidence that shows the different coloured fields and streaks, typical for stained surfaces like seen here. I am pretty satisfied with the outcome."




Tailskid wrapped in cloth





Notice how the fuselage longerons were wrapped with camo fabric so that the outer covering could be stitched to the frame



Achim's website is well worth a look, especially as he states "There will be no updates on this website any more. It will stay frozen the way it is for the time being until I decide to cancel it completely". Save down the images while you can . . .

http://www.collectors-edition.de/Alte%20News/english.htm

Here is a nice interpretation of the cockpit used in the Rise of Flight simulation:

[uncletony]

What a wonderful post Jamo, bravo.

Nigel, the answer to your question regarding the low scores achieved on this aircraft -- you answered it yourself. Her checkered history doomed her. The EV wad only beginning to be worked up in a few Jastas when it was grounded only weeks after introduction. One can assume that after the Dr.I fiasco Idlflieg was hardly amused. The reworked D.VIII didn't start to arrive until October 1918-- by that time the wheels were coming off of the German war effort. Besides, the E.V/D.VIII offered no real advantage in combat terms over the D.VII and esp the D.VIIF, neither of which forced you to ingest mass quantities of laxatives in return for a famously unreliable engine that had poor high altitude performance - and high altitude was generally where the enemy was in 1918.

Nevertheless, a lovely and important aircraft. Good luck with your build!

[Ernie]

Personally, I wish WnW would get around to producing an E.V.
Oh well, someday, I hope. 

Cheers,
Ernie

[Nigel Jackson]

Hello All

Jamo thank you for the amazing photos, the advice and the link. It all certainly inspires me to have a go at a beautiful, if flawed, aircraft and to try out some of the exciting new lozenge transfers available. 

Bo again thank you for the info and good wishes. Just one problem though. If the unreliability of the engine forced you to ingest mass quantities of laxatives, wouldn't that have the opposite effect to that desired?

Ernie it would certainly be good to see WnW producing a 1/32 E V, though with one already in the field from Avis, I suspect it might be a way down the list of priorities. As Bo said, I think it is a lovely and important aircraft but was somewhat surprised when Eduard released one in 1/48. Was it just the name Fokker, perhaps greater familiarity with the type in post WWI eastern Europe, and the relative simplicity of mould construction that persuaded them to invest in money in this rather than on one of the much needed and significantly more important German two-seaters?

Best wishes
Nigel

[lcarroll]

    Didn't have a great record however certainly a beautiful looking machine; clean lines, unique configuration, and lots of choice in the Jasta 6 lineup of personal black and white markings. I'd love to see a WNW Kit of this little beauty!
Cheers,
Lance

[Ernie]

Nigel, of course you are right about the two seaters.  There are many for WnW
to choose from.  Maybe the E.V will come along as a spin-off of the Fokker Tripe,
which I'm sure WnW will produce at some point.  I love them all, but we all have our favourites.
 
Cheers,
Ernie

[Rob Hart]

I must be late to the party. When did the multi-colored streaked finish of the wing become accepted as standard for the Fokker E.V? I have not seen this before.

[uncletony]

I must be late to the party. When did the multi-colored streaked finish of the wing become accepted as standard for the Fokker E.V? I have not seen this before.

I know the outlines of the story Rob but would have to look up the facts, and I'm too tired at the moment to do so.

IIRC it starts with the realization that the "overall green" that was once commonly excepted is based entirely on pure conjecture  (as in, "well, the wings might have been dark green") -- as the original conjecturer freely admitted at the time of said conjecturing. From there it goes to the photographic record, as well as records of stains purchased by fokker during the relevant time frame.

If you are interested, dig around on the aerodrome and in back issues of WWI Aero, and I'm sure you will quickly pick up the trail. It's a pretty fascinating tale.

[Nigel Jackson]

Hello All

I have to admit that I was amazed not only when I looked at the photos Jamo posted for us but also when I followed the link to the website he so kindly provided.  My jaw dropped even further when I went to the website and saw a couple of photographs showing the top wing upper surface before it was attached to the fuselage. A caption is included which reads The stains used are the same as they used back then. The Fokker works drawings for the E.V/D.VIII wings provide brand name and colour name as well quantities used. The same company is still producing these stains today.

Best wishes
Nigel

 

[Jamo]

For those interested to read more about the thinking on stained Fokker EV wings, this thread from The 'Drome is good reading.
http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/aircraft/13469-fokker-e-v-d-viii-wing-camouflage.html

There are others as well there at The 'Drome, which a Google site search should turn up. Some of the personalities collided a bit . . .


Cheers
James

[Nigel Jackson]

Thanks James

There was me thinking that the EV might be something nice, easy and relaxing!

Best wishes
Nigel

[lcarroll]

   Regarding the stained vs. all dark green wing, I seem to recall Gary (Trackpad) has a model done in the stained finish and had done some research on the topic. Hope I'm remembering this correctly; one of the Icons of our Hobby had a lot to say on the topic....Dan St. Abbot maybe? Like Rob I came to this party very late. I first saw reference to the stained wing just after completing the 1:48 Dragon Kit about 5 years back with, per the References on hand,  an all green wing!
If I did another it would definitely be with an assorted stain wing.
Cheers,
Lance