Author Topic: Fokker v.23 conversion from a d.vii? (Read 2849 times)

kensar · « **on:** October 27, 2017, 10:46:12 PM »

I came across some pictures of a Fokker v.23 and it looks interesting to me. It looks like a d.vii fuse was modified for this bird. Does anyone know how similar the two fuses are? Is it feasible to convert a d.vii to the v.23 and still be reasonably accurate?

RAGIII · « **Reply #1 on:** October 28, 2017, 12:47:03 AM »

I just looked at the Jack Herris German Monoplane book. I would say yes with some caveats. The cockpit appears to be much further back making it necessary to re locate. This would in effect make all of the integral framing, and related items in the kit useless. So figuring out how to keep the engine framing and front cowl panel alignment attached would require a lot of thought. A new frame would need to be made for the cockpit sides as well as a new rear bulkhead. I do not have any scale drawings so I am Assuming the fuselage depth is similar enough from front to back. I haven't had time to check measurements but hope this gives you an idea. An easier conversion would be the V29. Recently saw one done on FB

RAGIII

kensar · « **Reply #2 on:** October 28, 2017, 02:32:37 AM »

I'm really interested in the V.23.
I guess I need to compare the overall fuse outlines to see if its really different. I have schematics of the internal framework. Moving the cockpit back doesn't seem like much trouble. Omega makes a resin 1/48 model and it has some good info in the instructions and there is a build thread on a Dutch forum Modelbrouwers. I am thinking about 1.32 scale so it looks like WNW is the only game in town to start from. I would not be interested in cutting up one of those kits if I couldn't end up with something reasonably accurate. I think if this plane was developed around the same time as the D.vii, it would be very similarly made.

RLWP · « **Reply #3 on:** October 28, 2017, 02:52:31 AM »

You won't believe this

It would be quicker to scratch build one than to modify a WNW kit

Richard

RAGIII · « **Reply #4 on:** October 28, 2017, 05:51:14 AM »

I have had the opportunity to find the length of the V23: 7.81M. I will check for the DVII dimension. Richard may have a point about scratchbuilding

RAGIII

RLWP · « **Reply #5 on:** October 28, 2017, 08:15:29 AM »

Quote from: RAGIII on October 28, 2017, 05:51:14 AM

I have had the opportunity to find the length of the V23: 7.81M. I will check for the DVII dimension. Richard may have a point about scratchbuilding
RAGIII

Making a fuselage is just about as easy as it gets - especially a flat sided box like Fokker designed

Richard

RAGIII · « **Reply #6 on:** October 28, 2017, 09:46:43 PM »

The length of the DVII per WNW: 6.95 M. So a bit shorter than the V23. As stated above from the Jack Herris book the V23 was 7.81M So in the end it all will depend on your interpretation of Reasonably Accurate.

RAGIII

kensar · « **Reply #7 on:** October 30, 2017, 02:00:19 AM »

After thinking about it, I think Richard may be right. Scratchbuilding may be the way to go. Now I need to source a Merc III engine. Only the top of it is visible, so spending a lot of money on a resin engine doesn't make sense. I'll be pondering on this.
Right now I am working on a RC sailplane project, so I won't be starting this soon.

RAGIII · « **Reply #8 on:** October 30, 2017, 02:12:05 AM »

Quote from: p9o1r1sche on October 30, 2017, 02:00:19 AM

After thinking about it, I think Richard may be right. Scratchbuilding may be the way to go. Now I need to source a Merc III engine. Only the top of it is visible, so spending a lot of money on a resin engine doesn't make sense. I'll be pondering on this.
Right now I am working on a RC sailplane project, so I won't be starting this soon.

The engine is available from WNW separately. Not nearly as expensive as resin.
RAGIII

RLWP · « **Reply #9 on:** October 30, 2017, 04:36:13 AM »

The WNW engines are very useful for this kind of creation

Richard

kensar · « **Reply #10 on:** October 30, 2017, 10:11:03 PM »

Well, I found a couple 1/32 Merc d.iii engines at Sprue Bros. One from Roden for $20 and one from True Details for $13.50. The TD engine looks like better details, so I ordered one and some plastic sheeting.
I'll start this project after I finish a current project.

RLWP · « **Reply #11 on:** October 30, 2017, 11:01:35 PM »

It's a personal thing, I'd rather not have a resin engine.

It does look a nice kit:

The Roden engine comes with a load of photoetch to stick on with CA:

Which in my hands falls of again

The WNW one covers several variants:

At $15 it a bargain!

This is going to be an interesting project. If you haven't got a copy, Harry Woodman's 'Scale Model Aircraft in Plastic Card' is highly recommended

Richard

kensar · « **Reply #12 on:** November 04, 2017, 10:45:29 AM »

Okay, I got the engine (very nicely detailed) and checked its overall dimension. Wikipedia states the engine is 65" long, 2" in 1/32 scale. That checks out.
Now I check the fuse length in multiple scale drawings found on the internet, in proportion to the engine length, it is just over 25 ft long. Wikipedia and other sources say the fuse is 19 ft long - a huge difference. If the model was made to 19 ft in scale, the engine would be massively too large. The 25 ft length 'looks right'. Using the same proportions as the scale drawings, the wingspan would be almost 36 ft. Not the 28 ft quoted in many sources.
I have a photo of the plane that is not quite a profile view, but close. It has the same proportions as the scale drawings, so numerous sources quoting the dimensions must be wrong.

Richard - thanks for the mention of Harry Woodman's book. I tracked down the relevant pages about scratchbuilding and will use those techniques.

Ken M.

RLWP · « **Reply #13 on:** November 05, 2017, 04:20:22 AM »

I used the online version for a while and eventually bought a copy. Not expensive

Somewhere I have the wing construction copied, made bigger and spread out with the pictures next to the relevant words. I wonder what I did with It?

Richard

Jeff K · « **Reply #14 on:** November 05, 2017, 07:22:12 PM »

normally i prefer ebooks, but i'll eventually get a paper copy of Woodman. all kinds of things can go wrong when ipad meets workbench, and this is a book that should be on the bench.