Apoligies to the Aussie blokes who have seen this on the site here at home, but I thought a few of the US blokes might find this interesting....... Fabric covered bi-planes are a thing of beauty. They remind me of a time of T models Fords stripped down for racing, a period in time that most don't assocciate technology with. A time of excitment with new found speed and power. A time of the waxed moustache These blokes were the real pioneers of horsepower and speed. It feels really weird to know that I will be working on 1 of only 2 original Albatross' remaining in the world, a machine that , in its time, was the most feared peice of steel, timber and fabric in the skys. There's a great story linked to the shooting down of this aircraft during the war, and we are hoping to find the bullet holes when we undo a restoration that was carried out in 70's. We have a problem with the doped fabric continuing to shrink well after the application time, like 30 odd years after Being a mostly timber frame, the fabric is twisting the timber as it shrinks. To prevent the timber frame splintering, we have cut the fabric on the wings, and are currntly investigating different techniques for covering fabric aicraft. I'll try to add photos as we work through the conservation of this rare aircraft if any one is interested. Moderaters, feel free to delete if considered to far O/T Cheers, Jimbob
cool thread! i don't know anything about doping planes but an old man down the road used to redope planes,he would go to the airport,take the wings off the plane,drop the tail onto a fixture on the tailgate of a 58 f-100,tow ir home,redope and fly it back to the airport,he took off on the road in front of his house! randy
Thanks, very cool. I know what you mean about early technology, I went to this museum last week, giant trains from the 1890's and up, it's hard to believe they could design, forge, cast, machine & assemble such intricate & massive pieces back then, looking at them makes the Model T & A easier to understand and that there was technology back in the day. BTW, they have the Bobby Darrin dream car there, wild ! Also had a Chrysler Turbine car, and a 59 Ford 1100 series heavy truck pulling an early car transporter that says it's turbine powered from the factory ? I couldn't see the engine bay to see what it was. http://www.museumoftransport.org/collection.htm http://www.winktimber.com/reader/reader060629.htm There's bound to be some chemical that'll simulate the look of the doping but not shrink ? airworthyness wouldn't matter would it ? Good luck with it .
MCQUEEN, unfourtunatly, the "bags" need to be shrunk over the frame to even look right. Another shot, I'll take more throughout the process. The bare frame should look kool
I apologize for the size of this pic, but for some reason it wont re-size on this computer. This is a fabric winged Gypsy Moth up near Edmonton.. These things are freakin' BEAUTIFUL !
Now JB...you KNOW I think you have the KOOLEST and most DESIRABLE job in the world man.... No go away and let me be pissed off on my own. KILLLLLERRRR !!! Any more pix? Rat
Way cool Jimbob! Now thats a great job, how about using oatmeal for dope?? It worked for the Colditz glider....... Chaz, you sure thats a Gypsy Moth?? They had a fuel tank in the center of the top wing, two place seating (In tandem) and a Gypsy 1 motor. That looks like a V8, maybe an Curtis or Waco? Though I think Waco used radials?? Not to sure on my pre WWII aircraft.
Where is that, dosent look like the Mitchell annex. You guys got a secret old aircraft works out there, our very own Flugwerks?
TBit of an update. Yesterday we started to remove the fabric on one of the lower wings. we just started at one end and couldn't believe our luck, found the original manufacture date stamp within the first minute 3.8.17 This aircraft was downed December 1917, mking it only 4 months old. This was sort of like an ID plate, with a thin sheet of clear lucite tacked over it. Two small pieces on the corners are still there. The full wing structure.... The main spare is made from a box section of 3 ply, extremely light.
Finally the ball has started rolling on this again, and over the 12 months we should see some real progress on this and three other WWI aircraft we have. Full conservation will be carried out on these aircraft, so the engines will be removed. I adapted the stands we had for our Rolls Royce Merlins that we finished some time ago to take the DIIIa..... A spare engine we have that we have had running (overhead cam removed).... Varnish applied to the timber in the 70's will be removed with a laser gun...... One of the other aircraft we will being doing is the Phalz....
I hope you don't mind a shameless plug for an excellant WW1 air museum. It's the Lafeyette Foundation museum in Hudson, Co. USA, just north of Denver. I have no connection to it other then having visited it. They claim the most WW1 air memorabilia in the world.Love the styling on the Gypsy Moth. Thanks for sharing, keep us updated on progress.
Good Stuff Jamie, its a shame they can't move the whole setup down here. Then you would really have the best of both worlds!
A little more progress the last few days, Engines were removed from both aircraft...... Timber engine supports ......... Interuper mechanism so you didn't shoot you're own prop off ....
Yep. Your job sure does suck, Jimbob! Should be very interesting to how this turns out. How many things were done incorrectly during the previous resto? You mention the varnish will be removed. Is that because it should not have been varnished in the first place?
Yep, it would have been lightly oiled originally. Beleive me, someday's work does suck, no different to any other job really.
Two more, inside the partially sripped out Phalz, the two cables on the control column go to the gun firing mechanism and the interuptor, the alluminium bin up front is to collect the spent shells......
Can you explain to us mere mortals how those interruptors work. I've always wondered. I imagine the system would have to know how fast the prop was turning and then somehow delay the firing of the gun while the prop was in the line of fire. It's probably something quite simple, but it's still what I like to call.. a HEADFUCK!
Not exactacly up on the mechanical aspectof it as yet, but there is a unit wich is bolted to the back of the crank. I'm guessing it would pick up off the crank, and disengage the firing cable for a split second. It will be interesting to see how it was done. I'll get back to you when I know more.
WOW!!! I remember building the Aurora model of that about 1960...and noting with interest that it looked like a bullet with wings, while the others I had finished looked like shoeboxes with propellers... I have a feeling that few would regard lots of pictures of what's in that engine as off topic. Oh, Yes...I note from a picture that you still have my engine trolley...feel free to keep it while you work on this thing!
the alluminium bin up front is to collect the spent shells......"" Waste not, want not! As in WWII, the Germans had not an ounce of brass to spare.
MORE PHOTOS!! You better make a 'Walk Around' modelers intense reference folder and let us all see! Man, even the worst day there has gotta be better than the best day where I work.........
that kicks some major ass. in this day and age WWI has become so forgotten, and the technology that existed is so amazing. goes along the lines of people back then DOING things instead of having things done for them. not sure how i missed this post when it started. i'll be going up in a B-25 J tomorrow!
The Jalopy Journal
