Restoring a D.VII replica...

[Hauksbee]

An interesting article at Vintage Aviator that recounts the trials of restoring a Fokker D.VII replica from "The Blue Max" The planes were rather hastily built and the task of the new owners was to make the replica more "D.VII-like". For example, replacing the inverted V-6 engine, which obligated the crankshaft to poke out at the top of the nose cowling, rather that at the bottom. And examples of materials that were many, many times heavier than the original, or even necessary. Best of all, the replica builders cobbled together their own version of streamlined tubing.

 

http://thevintageavi...vii/build-story

Edited July 26, 2012 by Hauksbee

[+Olham]

Made me wonder, why they chose to restructure a "wrong" built plane, instead of building a new one,

like Achim Engels' "Fokkerteam Schorndorf" do. But what do I know ... ?

[Hauksbee]

Made me wonder, why they chose to restructure a "wrong" built plane, instead of building a new one,

like Achim Engels' "Fokkerteam Schorndorf" do. But what do I know ... ?

My sense of the article is that they didn't know what lay ahead of them until they started stripping fabric off. Something the previous owners were probably reluctant to let them do.

[RogerSmith]

"restoring" and "replica", is that like a double negative? :p

[+RAF_Louvert]

.

 

I don't know about a double negative RadPig, but it's definitely a misnomer in my book. One restores an original, and rebuilds a replica.

 

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