Interesting bit of trivia. I still have an article somewhere from the Chicago Tribune magazine in the late 60's, about Ed Swearingen's Fokker D.VIII replica. Putting aside the issue of Reinhold Platz's actual part in "designing" the aircraft, Ed corresponded with Platz, who answered several questions for him. Since he wrote in German, our family's pediatrician helped out with translating the letters (we lived in the south suburbs then).
Thanks for the article, James!
Rich