be a bit of a problem.
The ribs are only
FRANK tROTHERS
FOKKE DR-I
Scale RIC version of WWI ace
Baron Von Richthofen/s personal triplane
W .
ORLD War I was really responsi­
ble for the first big push on mili­
tary aircraft. One of the best known to
emerge from this war was the Fokker
DR 1, or better known as the Fokker
Triplane. A relatively small plane of
only 23 ft. 7 in. wingspan, it was pow­
ered by a German copy of the LeRhone
110 hp. engine. However, when placed
in the hlJ.nds of a man like Baron Von
Richthofen, and pitted against other
planes of the time, it was every bit as
deadly as the Mustang of World War II.
The top speed was 120-130 mph and a
service ceiling of just over 15,000 ft.
Our model is built and finished after
Richthofen's own personal Triplane
which he used only for special occasions
54
such as trips to the Fokker factory .
If you've never attempted to build a
scale model before, this one is just for
you. We have purposely left out the de­
tails of the radio gear and the engine, as
these will vary too much with the indi­
vidual builder. The plane is designed to
be fast building, lightweight, and solid.
By carefully selecting the materials used,
weight can be kept to less than three
pounds. The majority of builders will
finish the model with silkspan, but by
using a lightweight contest silk, only a
few ounces will be added to the finished
weight and the extra durability will more
than make up for it.
WINGS
Let's start with the wings as they can
1;32" sheet balsa, but they are used only
to give shape to the capstrips which
really have the strength. This method of
construction results in a very light and
strong structure, featuring knock-off
wings which helps both on extra heavy
landings and transporting to and from
the local flying field.
The only problem you should experi­
ence is the shaping of the scalloped
trailing edges. We overcame this by
marking off the scallops on the l;1S"
birch, or pine stock, and grinding them
with a 2W' grinding wheel attached to a
W' electric drill.
FUSELAGE
This is probably the easiest part of
the model to construct. If you've ever
built a stick model, you'll be able to
build it in one evening. Covering it is
something else again! Since the forward
part of the fuselage contains compound
curves, much difficulty can result. We
cured this problem by using a needle and
thread, much the same as rib stitching
on modern full-size light aircraft.
The cowling is cut from a solid balsa
block on a lathe, using a small cutting
gouge for the rough shaping and regu­
lar sandpaper for the finish. Since the
cowl is finished in natural aluminum you
can either paint it or glue aluminum foil
all over it. To achieve the "hammered"
effect, push 6 or 8 common pins into the
end of a 6" length of soft W' sq. balsa,
press the pin end against the foil and
presto, a hammered finish.
TAIL
The tail assembly can be built in either
of two ways. The easiest is to cut them
out of %" medium sheet balsa and sand
to the airfoil shown. However, if you're
weight conscious and want the scale ef­
fect, use the built up method. Trace the
outlines of all the tail surfaces onto ¥l6"
hard sheet balsa. Glue the leading and
trailing edges in place, then add the
sheet ribs as specified on the plan, and
trim and sand to shape. Silk and dope
well before gluing in place. Caution­
make sure the tension of the silk is even
on both the top and bottom surfaces be­
fore doping or warps will result.
LANDING GEAR AND PYLON
The pylon and landing gear assem­
blies are formed of %2" music wire. Bind
the ends with a soft copper wire and
solder securely. Glue %2" or W' balsa
strips to the leading and trailing edges
and cover with Weldwood Birch veneer.
Use contact cement instead of model
glue for a neater job. You can always
paint over the veneer for fuelproofing .
FINISH
All of the lettering and the crosses are
black. The rudder and the background
for the crosses are white. The cowl is
natural aluminum while the wing struts,
pylon and landing gear struts are natural
birch. You guessed the rest of the plane,
of course, Fokker Red.
l--~ _ _ _ _~__ ----------- -~----~---
 -- ­ -==-=-­

,...... €~ Itla- lEM,u1t: '

BOTtOM<M.Y

ATTAQ4 PADDING TO 1M

cP=l
IIIt' ,lIl&" -CAP'STRIPS ON ~LL RIIS

"I" JJr' StUT

],t"xSl7' lEAD1HCf.1ICit

~.,' ...

. CDfIU WlttG com:RSrCTlOIf "

". ~. ' .'
" - .
ctNl't'RWIHG
uem:I'5(CnON
.
SPANI)AU ~tHINi GUNS
N'AIlE FR~ seul' .
WSA ,\1\10 CAItDIOo\RD .
COIIlRTO'.,y ~TH
lIT6"5IIIT

JUllD Cf ,.' OA ur SClAP. · \iI'x)II" SALSA

CQllfltI/C rHUllfIIloONA.lAntEnOMA.
2 ~t. _6" _" . "OIUM 1AUA ' llOCIl
,,!<ID HOlUMtD 10 III" THI"":55
,W,"; STRUTS AilE
SHCWH .f ll.l StU I
IUllD .Cf 1Jf'. '11" IAlSA . /
QNJD[D Off 101l4"S":1(5 I
i:f' 1tW' MUSI c.. Wilt r-­
, M1[I ASSlMIlY e<M1t I

RIBS (J' 1.IW' StEff

CQMIUl\.YWllH
'''Ml0W000" tlltOlWOOD
fACt": fM'IUIN. .' I
/
-/
/

MOIl; FOR SCAll,CONsT.ucr.1All

MS['-lYAS SHOWIlAtDTlO .
¥£MIDwoOuI liTO CAM FlOM ' ifl".SItil \
51Allllzi. IllS AI!
, IMO[ (J' 1I~" I m,' IAlSA
_5S NI'J'IlD anow, Sf

56

..''''-,=---'''--=---.....---­ e
 - ~­
~-­

$(C'itON"A'A" SMOIIfI'S RUODU caOSSLCJlCIt

1U0Rf: SANOI,MC TOflJW,. SMAf'[, "A"
SI-fOIII'\rIIY SLCllCIN "J'8"
i 41
"J"IIN" SfUl

~
.-­ - .' . . .
Il,;Ot.ll. SU.tlulU
iAIt;IHC WI! SPltUO(It
AA~

_AI AIl!: .....l C0ti5 !'Itt..C1t,

~
IN nus SA.W: "'AWl 5""01";
TO ..... "Ij;flJrl JIIIHi)ICQM..IU1tO

c==-~~
4·\". "" " I"'T~
~ .
"M" ,."SKET .

Iff' IIfl" 5C1lPHI

n 'I£C(5

IIf' PlYWOOD

--------.:..
·lADtO. IlIMClS, IAmRI[S AJiKI EHCI~ HAvt
~n,. ~Imo AS ll1(RLAR[ TOO MANY SYStrMS
fOS[lAGl "Y~Il.A ....nOR ~ ~UIUI(I}O CHOOS( rRoM.
f~. ISIUllf~IIt[Cn.Y ~EltSHADt:O .

-
AREA ON ""'" Cf )116" SOUAR[ HAlO UlSA

.0000DOTTlOWU
- , ,..,,ON WmJlLUlS

f'VlOH DETAIL
'Ull~ ftOM . 5fJt'WIIt[·

11Il10 WI1M tHHAO

[11',1[ lUll: IS fllrilSH(O INiOlW:R HO

WItH 'UCX UTl'[R.l1rIIC 1tA"- ClOSS(s
ONAtlltll'llACJtQlOl.lUl, ilfINCST11JTS ,

~1~1l~;:I:=- ~r:llfisH .UllO TAil SliD F.a. S(Jl p,_ '

MIlliS '""loW. '

SftPSFfOWsm PIM:

SI~CKAlrrlflRIC
IIIMID..S AI( ~ lJ2" . "TO,29EHCUI:
.. SCMLtMSltt" C*11lm FOR CUJlIf't' WINC SPAHII1'
LE,..nt3H/l"

57