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I want you to imagine yourself flying this plane. I mean
the real one. In combat for your country, and not incidentally, for your
life. |
You're rumpling along at a very speedy 83 MPH. You're flying something that barely has enough power to stay in the air. Nobody believes it even works, but you're doing it. You know the sound that each part of your plane makes as the air drags across it. The noise from your wind screen can't be good for your hearing. An enemy plane can sneak within firing range before you can hear it. Stay alert, stay alive. You can take the controls lock to lock, listen to the airframe's beams bending and then gently release the stick without breaking your wings or the wires that brace them. That's no mean feat — no other plane can do it! You need great maneuverability to evade wind, aircraft shooting at you, the ground shooting at you and birds. In case you haven't thought about it, a bird punching through your fabric at any airspeed isn't funny. The controls are not assisted in any way. You feel what they feel. The airplane is stronger than you. When you push it into a dive there's no question that the plane can handle it but maybe you can't. How far can you push yourself before you can't come back?
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About the SR Batteries Fokker Eindecker EIThe SR Batteries Fokker Eindecker is a one quarter scale (3" = 1'), stand-off scale model of what was at the time a very innovative German WWI fighter that was designed to be an excellent gun platform. It was quick, agile and a weapon you didn't want in your airspace if you were the enemy. The SR version improves Herr Fokker's design in many ways he probably would have himself if he had the power to weight that our engines have and modern construction materials. Of course the flying wires would be gone, but that would be wrong for a scale model in too many ways to count. Owing in large part to the simplicity of the original, the model is very easy to build and looks good having a minimum of detail. The kit is very well executed — almost anyone having a large, flat workbench should be able to build it successfully. The kit box is the heavy carton in which it is shipped. All components are in heavy poly bags. Balsa sheets are separated between two bags — one for wing components and another for fuselage and tail pieces. All tubes and sticks are bagged together as are the landing gear wires. No damage was noted. The instructions are excellent although could be reordered in some spots for better efficiency. If you follow the instructions you will be to complete this model with very few problems. Fidelity to ScaleThis is a sport-scale model that looks the part but makes numerous compromises to simplify construction and so the aircraft will fly well without having nasty traits that would be present with a true-scale model. I suggest that you build this one per the plan and don't try to make it something that it's not. If you want a model that is competitive at a scale meet then this is the wrong kit. There is simply too much that would have to change — basically everything. For example, the airfoil, wing incidence, and entire tail structure would have to be changed. You're also on your own when it comes to the cockpit because this one isn't even a starting point. The full scale type used wing warping for roll control rather than ailerons. If you want to try incorporating scale wing warping then you're on your own. However, you should consider adding some additional detailing and embellishments so your model stands proud next to naked Eindeckers. The SR Eindecker can be as beautiful of a model as you are willing to do the work to achieve. The parts are large enough to be easy to work with and most everything is already set up for you. I suggest you use the pull-pull system for this model. The system is already designed in and the model looks much better than it would with pushrods. This model is designed to be flown in a scale manner — wing-overs, loops, Immelmans, turning around, landing upside-up, etc. It is not intended to do violent aerobatics, climb straight up, fly inverted passes over the runway or leap off the ground after a 10 foot take-off run. Use the throttle to keep the plane on the ground. Make the take-off runs long and rumply and then stagger into the air if you have a large enough field to do it safely. AppealMike and I spent half a day setting up the Eindecker on a large board in front of my shop. People driving through the neighborhood stopped to ask questions throughout the day and were very impressed with the model and its size. I felt particularly proud showing visitors some of the detail work on a model I spent well over 200 hours building. SR says you can frame it up "in 2 weeks of leisurely evenings." I couldn't, but I enjoy building and don't see what the rush is. I'm sure it can be done if you keep a CA bottle in your tool belt if your goal is to finish the model as quickly as possible. Overall, I found this model to be very appealing. I want one. Unfortunately, I don't have any place to store it and then there's the problem of fitting it in my car. More on this at the end of the article.
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In this series
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Copyright © 2005 Paul K. Johnson
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