New Aircraft

[Crawford]

14 hours ago, Geezer said:

I need air pressure gauges for engine pneumatic systems 

Well, in the case of Bleriot you will not encounter such a problem. Its oil pressure gauge is extremely simple.

In FE, as I recall, the castor oil in the flask actually pulsates only in the cockpit of the Morane-Saulnier N “Bullet” by p10ppy. For all other aircraft, the oil in the glass remains fixed. This is not as realistic as that of Moran, but this is also an option.

 

 

[+Geezer]

Guys -

Thanks for the help on the Bleriot!  

[Silberpfeil]

Sorry for being a little late to the Bleriot XI party.  There are currently two replicas (FAA-registered as N913BL and N791X) at MAM - the pix I forwarded were of N913BL at an airshow a couple years ago, and you can see N791X in the photo adjacent to the placard and I've included a hangar shot of it below (especially note the original-style wing suspension).  N791X was rebuilt after a crash-landing and was formerly registered as C-FBLW in Quebec where it was originally constructed.  All three of those registrations can be searched on and the aircraft background and some photos of each are available online.    

[+Geezer]

I'm splitting my time between the Caudron R11 and the Berg D1.  Berg progress shot below.

[Crawford]

On 14.01.2019 at 1:27 PM, Geezer said:

Guys -

Thanks for the help on the Bleriot!  

You're welcome.
Since these monoplanes were produced an incredible amount in all sorts of variations, then for the current model makers any work will be in a certain sense an improvisation “based on” the Blériot XI. IMHO, the cockpit of the Swedish Thulin A (licence-built Blériot XI) is the most understandable in numerous photos. 

 

Maybe this site will add some details?

http://www.oxygino.com/site/?p=5430#sthash.3061ry8Q.dpbs

As you look at the cockpit you'll notice the control stick, called the cloche, that bell-shaped housing that's named after a lady's dress style of the period. The wheel on the top of the control stick really doesn't turn or anything. It's just something to hold on to. You can see the wires that are attached just to the sides of that bell housing and those go out to the control surfaces. They go to the elevators, to the wing warp on the wings, and then you can see the rudder bar—a wooden footrest almost—and that's what you would use to operate the rudder.

Instrumentation was very, very limited. Usually it was just an oil pressure gauge and a tachometer, maybe a barometer, but for the most part it was just basic instrumentation. Blériots were used a great deal for the Great War in 1914-15. And navigation was coming into its own at that time, so they were learning about using maps and using a compass and things like that.

 

[Sky High]

With that hot water cylinder beside the pilot's right shoulder, one could always depend on having a mug of tea.

[Sky High]

Just as well I wasn't involved in making these planes-I've now realised that I got the orientation of the pilot wrong by a whole 180 degrees. He could still make the tea, however.

[Crawford]

On 15.01.2019 at 9:28 PM, Geezer said:

I'm splitting my time between the Caudron R11 and the Berg D1.  Berg progress shot below.

A couple of links to the walkarounds. Maybe they will be something useful for you.

http://www.wwi-models.org/Photos/AH/DI/index.html

http://www.idflieg.com/aviatik-berg-di.htm

With these Aviatiks, the story is the same as with the SPAD-7s - many options depending on the plant and series. And even within the same series, the shape and details of the cowlings could be different.

[Crawford]

2 hours ago, Sky High said:

With that hot water cylinder beside the pilot's right shoulder, one could always depend on having a mug of tea.

No, there is no water there. As a rule, air cooling motors were installed on this aircraft. What you have mistaken for a hot water tank is actually a gas tank.

 

[+Geezer]

2 hours ago, Crawford said:

A couple of links to the walkarounds. Maybe they will be something useful for you.

http://www.wwi-models.org/Photos/AH/DI/index.html

http://www.idflieg.com/aviatik-berg-di.htm

With these Aviatiks, the story is the same as with the SPAD-7s - many options depending on the plant and series. And even within the same series, the shape and details of the cowlings could be different.

Thanks!  

[+Geezer]

Tested the latest set of files for the Caudron R11, but the gunners didn't track targets, let alone fire at them.  So, until I look through my backups for the earlier files - which DID track/fire at targets - I'm working on the Berg D1 and Bleriot 11.

Crawford:  Thanks for the research photos - they were a BIG help with the control wire pulleys!  

[+Geezer]

Made good progress this morning on details.

[+gterl]

Great stuff!!

[+Geezer]

22 minutes ago, gterl said:

Great stuff!!

Thanks.  Again, Crawford was an immense help with researching details for this aircraft.

[Sky High]

Ah, the days before smoking bans!

[+VonS]

Excellent progress on the Bleriot Geezer! Here's a link for anyone interested in flying characteristics of an Anzani-powered type (y-configuration engine in this case)...seems like an authentic replica. The one that Mikael Carlson flies is rotary-powered, also available on YouTube and interesting to compare with this Anzani variant:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGgj6jVUNm8

Von S

EDIT: Apparently not an Anzani but some similar-hp engine being used on the replica in the clip.

Edited January 19, 2019 by VonS
More info. added.

[+Geezer]

2 hours ago, Sky High said:

Ah, the days before smoking bans!

[+Geezer]

"Borrowed" the rigging wires from the Moraine-Saulnier Type P to start rigging the Bleriot.

[Crawford]

13 hours ago, VonS said:

Excellent progress on the Bleriot Geezer! Here's a link for anyone interested in flying characteristics of an Anzani-powered type (y-configuration engine in this case)...seems like an authentic replica. The one that Mikael Carlson flies is rotary-powered, also available on YouTube and interesting to compare with this Anzani variant:

EDIT: Apparently not an Anzani but some similar-hp engine being used on the replica in the clip.

Yes, apparently, there is installed some modern engine. This is definitely not anAnzani. While Mikael Carlson's aircraft powered with the newly manufactured (or ideally restored?) Gnome rotary engine. These days it is a big rarity!

Quote

Both aeroplanes are equipped with original 7 cylinder Gnôme-Omega 50 hp rotary engines 1908 model, engines of course restored by Mikael himself.

http://www.aerodrome.se/?page_id=21

Since in our case we are talking not about the Bleriot XI, but about the two-seat Bleriot XI-2 with a more powerful engine with a cowling, the Carlson's airplane more closely matches what Geezer does.

P.S. By the way, when the old manual to the Gnome engine says:  

“When the engine started and you can hear from its sound that it is running at full power, the pilot checks the number of revolutions by the oil pulsation in the glasses. The normal “Gnome” engine speed is 1200 rpm value corresponds to 84 pulses per minute.) If a tachometer is installed, which is highly desirable, the pilot checks the revs by the tachometer. "

 

[+Geezer]

Spent four hours creating the bracing and control wires.

[+guuruu]

This cigarette needs smoke effect ;-)

[+Geezer]

1 hour ago, guuruu said:

This cigarette needs smoke effect ;-)

Maybe Crawford or VonS can find an ini tweak for cigarette smoke?

[Wilches]

Hope it's not the infamous Gitanes. It smells veeeery bad!!!

[+gterl]

[Crawford]

1 hour ago, Geezer said:

Maybe Crawford or VonS can find an ini tweak for cigarette smoke?

I think this is possible. But the pilot will smoke all the time, like a steam locomotive. Do we need it?