Fokker Dr.I (31%)

This really big model is built in 31% size by Ron Dodd from Chilliwack.
"This was a self designed model because I wanted to keep it as light as possible in order to make it fly as scale like as I could", Ron said.

"On a model of this size, if you design properly and use the covering as a structural component of the plane, you do not need to use any heavier material than I did. 3/16" balsa sticks for all framing, 1/16" for all sheeting."

Wing

Airfoil is 12% flat bottom (no undercamber). Wing and tail incidence is 0 degrees. The wing spars are 1/8" balsa and are full depth of wing rib. Rib is split into front and rear pieces at the spar and glued to the front and back of the spar. Then the leading edge is sheeted with 1/16" balsa. Everything else is open structure and the covering is used as a structural component.

It also used airfoil shaped rudder, horizontal stabilizer and elevators, just like the real plane.

Fuselage

The framing for the fuselage is 3/16" balsa, with 3/16" spruce bottom longerons. The sheeting on the fuselage is 1/16" and there is no sheeting from the cocpit back to the tail.
The cabane struts for the top wing are 3/16" X 3/8 " bass wood with 1/16" wire cross bracing.
Motor has no down thrust, no side thrust.

Landing gear

is 3/32 and 1/8 music wire with 5/32" axle through the axle wing.

Flying

"One of the modelers at my field is a police officer and he used the radar to clock speeds."

The model is capable of more than the original plane. It will loop, roll, stall turn, immelman. But it is very graceful. Takeoffs and landings are so slow in speed that ground handling is excellent. No ground loops or turning up side down. But takeoffs happen quickly, in about 9 or 10 meters.

This model is 4 plus years old and has been flown hundreds of times. It has never shown any bad habits or structural weakness.

Martin Dietl

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