12-2012-Fokker Dr-1 Triplane. Rebuilding From a Bad Wreck
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:18 am
Nothing is interesting like flying a multi wing aircfraft. To bad there are not more of us trying them. I had a homebuilt Eindeker about 4 years ago and it was a joy to fly. Being a mid wing it was real aerobatic. I finally wore it out and broke it up. Then I found the replacement plane. Steve Shumates Fokker Triplane. It was built super light weight and flew slow and practically did 3-D flight.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=425387
I wanted it to fly in a little wind under 10mph so I built it heavier with Pink foam early 2009. The original Z-fold stuff that was straight and smooth. The new stuff is crooked and rough. So I put it together after printing out Steves Free plans for the plane.
Here:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost ... ostcount=4
I maidened the plane 7-2009 and was in for some surprise flying after the maiden flight. This plane has the 3 wings with ailerons and is designed to be a little more sporty. It is not a scale plane so anything goes. The plan does have the original single wing set of ailerons also. So I always liked this plane the way it handles and turns on a dime. Heck, just hit hard right or left and the plane turns a "U" turn just like the real plane. So I got a little daring one day a few months ago and I readied it to fly. The reciever was going on and off like a bad connection and I pulled the plug and restarted it. It seemed to be fime. Off I went and was flying around and then it quit about 300 feet up. It spiraled in and cracked the thee wings and crushed the nose in.
The plane was so bad that most would have thrown it out. I decide I was going to rebuild it. It just was too good a flier to discard. A couple days ago I was looking to work on a plane before I start my winter project. It was a good in between project. So I got out my knife and cut away the whole rear fuselage just ahead of the cockpit.. This is not going to be a new plane. It will be a rebuild instead. Many parts are still good to be used again. Each wing was broken and I took out the carbon fiber that was good and cleaned them all up and put aslde. I stripped all 6 ailerons off to reuse also. All the elecronics exept the rudder and elevator servos were removed. The motor and ESC was put aside.
Now with a new sheet of pink Z-fold foam I made new fuselage sides and formers and hot glued them in place. With the new motor mounts and new landing gear braces I had the fuselage all grafted and looking great. The motor had a broken shaft so I presed in a new 4mm straight shaft and set it up for a collet now. I next copied the three wings out and cut them loose from the foam sheet. I had a pair of broken wing braces so I cut out a pair on the coping saw. New carbon arrow shaft and thin carbon was sparred into each wing. After careful measuring and fitting I got the 3 wings in place as seen in the pictures. I also modified the battery to go straight into the plane. I used to have 2oz. of lead in the nose. No more. I lenghtened the nose 1/2 inch and moved the wings bac 3/8 inches and the plane is in nice balance now. No more lead weight.
I finished the cowling tonight in 2 hours and spackled it. Foam is fast to work with. Tommorrow I paint the areas that will be Blenderm hinge taped . The tape does not hold paint and it is best painted beforehand. You can see the paint after taping. All the ailerons will be connected and it is basically flyable. Of course I have to finish paint the plane first.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=425387
I wanted it to fly in a little wind under 10mph so I built it heavier with Pink foam early 2009. The original Z-fold stuff that was straight and smooth. The new stuff is crooked and rough. So I put it together after printing out Steves Free plans for the plane.
Here:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost ... ostcount=4
I maidened the plane 7-2009 and was in for some surprise flying after the maiden flight. This plane has the 3 wings with ailerons and is designed to be a little more sporty. It is not a scale plane so anything goes. The plan does have the original single wing set of ailerons also. So I always liked this plane the way it handles and turns on a dime. Heck, just hit hard right or left and the plane turns a "U" turn just like the real plane. So I got a little daring one day a few months ago and I readied it to fly. The reciever was going on and off like a bad connection and I pulled the plug and restarted it. It seemed to be fime. Off I went and was flying around and then it quit about 300 feet up. It spiraled in and cracked the thee wings and crushed the nose in.
The plane was so bad that most would have thrown it out. I decide I was going to rebuild it. It just was too good a flier to discard. A couple days ago I was looking to work on a plane before I start my winter project. It was a good in between project. So I got out my knife and cut away the whole rear fuselage just ahead of the cockpit.. This is not going to be a new plane. It will be a rebuild instead. Many parts are still good to be used again. Each wing was broken and I took out the carbon fiber that was good and cleaned them all up and put aslde. I stripped all 6 ailerons off to reuse also. All the elecronics exept the rudder and elevator servos were removed. The motor and ESC was put aside.
Now with a new sheet of pink Z-fold foam I made new fuselage sides and formers and hot glued them in place. With the new motor mounts and new landing gear braces I had the fuselage all grafted and looking great. The motor had a broken shaft so I presed in a new 4mm straight shaft and set it up for a collet now. I next copied the three wings out and cut them loose from the foam sheet. I had a pair of broken wing braces so I cut out a pair on the coping saw. New carbon arrow shaft and thin carbon was sparred into each wing. After careful measuring and fitting I got the 3 wings in place as seen in the pictures. I also modified the battery to go straight into the plane. I used to have 2oz. of lead in the nose. No more. I lenghtened the nose 1/2 inch and moved the wings bac 3/8 inches and the plane is in nice balance now. No more lead weight.
I finished the cowling tonight in 2 hours and spackled it. Foam is fast to work with. Tommorrow I paint the areas that will be Blenderm hinge taped . The tape does not hold paint and it is best painted beforehand. You can see the paint after taping. All the ailerons will be connected and it is basically flyable. Of course I have to finish paint the plane first.