Re: Plywood Fokker D-VII Redux

Bill Shatzer (bshatzer@ednet1.osl.or.gov)
Fri, 3 Nov 1995 20:43:03 -0800

>> The photo of the Albatros-built machine shows a distinctive "break",
>> about where a "normal" D.VII would break between the "main" fuselage,
>> and the panels around the engine. However, as another "mystery",
>> there are *no* louvres on the port side - the side the photo was
>> taken of. There also appears to be "attachment screws", or whatever
>> you want to call them, that appear to hold one of the engine panels
>> down. This engine panel is the "semi-circular" one again, like
>> "normal" D.VII's.

The photo in the Profile Publications is from the front starboard
side and doesn't appear to have any louvres on that side either -
only the circular access hatch or whatever. I've looked long and
hard at both the Profile and the Datafile photos and _I_ can't see
any 'break' between the fuselage and the 'normal' engine panel area.
It appears continuous to me.

>
> Are there any flat metal panels on the sides of the fuselage?
>In other words, is there only a metal panel on top of the engine?
>

It seems to be just a metal panel on the top of the engine which curves
down towards the front following, roughly at least, the usual curve
of that panel on the 'normal' Fokkers. However, underneath that, where
the 'normal' Fokkers had the louvred metal panels, it appears to be smooth,
solid, and continuous and, presumably, plywood.

Ah, if _only_ we had the original photographs! (Or, better yet, the
negitives!)

Cheers, Bill


--
Bill Shatzer - bshatzer@ednet1.osl.or.gov - aw177@Freenet.Carleton.ca -