In reverse chronological order (latest first)...
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I made the Canadian team!!!
Competition was stiff. I wasn't the best but, consitency paid off. Back into the workshop to touch up paint and add as much detail as I can this week. Need new axe handles (one broken, one lost).... Off to the World's next week!!!
Last set of flight tests and a little maneuver practice.June 24th - Success!
Still having trouble with the landings, I wouldn't have thought it possible but, I'm even more impressed with the skill pilots of the DR1 have/had. A beauty in the air, a rabid dog on the ground. I think I've mastered the takeoffs but landings still end up on her nose more often than I care to admit. I rebroke the wing fairing in the same spot, turns out this is resulting from a weak spot in the middle wing mount allowing the wing to flex against the fairing. Major surgery and repainting Saturday and Sunday but she's fixed now and Monday's test flights failed to rebreak the fairing even after one very hard nose over....I think some of the landing problems may be due to the trailing edge of the wheel fairing contacting the grass when the tail settles. Team trials are on a paved runway. Either this will help me or sand paint and markings off the top wing and rudder. I hope for the former...
Oh well, time to tear down for a final safety and paint touchup before the team trials next weekend....
What a sweet flying, yet unforgiving airplane. Does exactly what you ask but, when you think you can relax a bit... she pounces on you! ;)June 9th - Disaster!Test flight was a trifle hairy, I needed more up elevator and right aileron trim than I had available. Then again, I do love to fly by the seat of my pants. ;)
I think I overcompensated after the 1st botched test flight (see below) and added too much nose weight. Also noticed a slight warp developed in the elevator counterbalance on the left side that could account for both trim conditions.
Back to the shop for adjustment then out to the field for more fun! Less than 2 weeks until team trials!
First flight test: Aircraft is uncontrollable in pitch.
Takeoff run: PIO (Pilot Induced Oscillation) resulting in premature takeoff. Added power while trying to avoid elevator. Pitch way too sensitive, allowed torque to roll me toward long grass, chopped throttle and performed forced landing. Tip stall resulting in cracked wing fairing and middle wing separation from mounts. Other minor cosmetic damage. ;(
Guess I'm going to miss the Ajax Scale Rally. ;(Factors leading to the crash:
Scott (aka "Fodder") sent me a video of the maiden "flight". Yikes!
- Excessive elevator travel
- Reverse eponential setup (stupid, stupid, stupid) ;(
- Overconfidence
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| May 17 2002, the evening before my 40th birthday. Chuck Smith called, said he needed a picture for promotions now... thanks for helping out as photographer at the last minute Derrick! Very little work left to do. She's flyable now, just finishing up the dummy engine, pilot step, stablizer bars.... ;) |
| some closer views of the "office" ;) |
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Recessed, removable firewall (with cowl and dummy engine removed). Remove five bolts and the entire power unit can be extracted (for ease of maintenance)including motor, tank, throttle servo and battery pack. Engine is Saito .56, very impressed with this little engine so far. |
| Finalizing radio installation, pull pull everything! | |
 | Elevator (under pilot's seat) and rudder (in control channel between pilot's legs) servo installation. Note the elevator servo placement (rotated 90 degrees and aligned to centre to prevent interference with rudder cables). The servo you can see is for the rudder, if you look closely, you can see the elevator horn sticking up dead centre of the rudder servo. 2 cables for rudder, 4 for elevator (2 each half) |
 | Tail end of cables exiting the fuselage. The clothespins are used to keep the cables from tangling or sliding inside the fuse before final assembly. Rudder is already connected in this photo.
I really have to invest in a next gen digital camera. ;-( |
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| Feb 1 2002, basic paint, starting markings, still lot's of small parts to make (interplane struts, dummy engine etc. etc.... |
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| Lots of fine detail; Spandau machine guns modified to match original mockups... |
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Hoping to be ready to try out for the World's in 2002! Still LOTS of work to do |
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For those who know the VK kit, I made a lot of modifications including replacing the plastic forward decking (Plastic? On a WW1 plane? Ewww!!!) |
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A closer look at the forward decking and cockpit (framing and 1/32 ply skins) |
 | Whew! Keeping that fuse straight was a real chore. |
 | A lot of curves on this model, just the way I like it! ;-) |
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The DR1 is my choice to compete in the 2002 World Scale Championships.
I bought the kit used from an elderly gentleman at the Toldeo show. He had several dealers bugging him to sell but he refused. When I offered to buy it, he turned to my friend and asked if I would build it. When my friend replied "Yeah, he likes to build those WW1 multi-winged things." he immediately said 'SOLD'! We then had a pleasant conversation about early aircraft, covering with silk and dope etc.... Nice guy... thanks! |