Fokker D.VII Cowlings and Eduard Instructions

[e8n2]

I am a bit confused here and would like to get the straight poop.  According to Wikipedia and several other sites that use the same basic information is this on the cowl types:

 

Production differences

Probably because drawings from the Fokker factory were not available, and the Albatros factories had to work with a pattern aircraft, differences existed between the D.VII’s build by Fokker, Albatros and Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke. From which factory a D.VII originates, can be determined by the serial, or by the type of engine cowling.

Basically, there are four different cowling layouts of D.VII’s. First, there’s the original V.11 and early Fokker built production aircraft, with the twin exhaust pipes on the right side of the 160 hp Mercedes engine. This type of cowling can also be seen on D.VII(Alb.) 527/18, the first Albatros production aircraft. Later Fokker D.VII(F) aircraft had a different exhaust pipe for the 175 hp Mercedes or 185 hp BMW engine, and the cowling had more cooling louvres.

D.VII’s built by Albatros had also more cooling louvres, in a different layout.

The O.A.W. built D.VII’s can be easily identified, since they have cowlings with 20 round shaped cooling openings on both sides. Some sources state that only O.A.W. painted the cowlings in a lozenge camouflage pattern.

 

In the instructions for the Eduad Fokker D.VII (OAW) kit, you DO NOT use the fuselage with the round cooling vents.  That directly contradicts what is listed above!  So which is it?  This also brings to mind the question of what radiators go with what engines?  There are about a half dozen or more different radiator types.  When I do my builds for U.S. Fokker D.VIIs I want to make sure I use the right radiator and I think I have that pretty much figured out, but is there a listing of what radiator goes with what engine anywhere?  I've been looking but can't find anything.

Later,

Dave

[Paul Thompson]

    The easy answer is also quite expensive. All the info you need is covered by extensive plans in the Albatros Productions Windsock Datafile specials, but they're fairly pricey and you really need all 3 of them. Each volume concentrates largely on one manufacturer's products, but they also run throughwhich Jastas had which types, when, and what representative or famous colour schemes belong to them. Invaluable if you intend to build more than one model. Not just cowling louvres, but also radiator and exhaust types are covered.

 

Paul.

[e8n2]

I'm already planning on getting the Fokker D.VII Anthology #2.  It would be nice if they were to start publishing again.  I had a subscription to Windsock and the data files for the last year they were publishing.

Later,

Dave

[Paul Thompson]

4 hours ago, e8n2 said:

I'm already planning on getting the Fokker D.VII Anthology #2.  It would be nice if they were to start publishing again.  I had a subscription to Windsock and the data files for the last year they were publishing.

Later,

Dave

Volumes 2 and 3 are still available from Albatros, but from past experience the best way to order is by phone and credit card.

 

Paul.

[Ologist]

Whilst the numerous small 'semi-circular' were unique to OAW built Fokker D.VIIs, they were only one stage of the development of the cowling louvre pattern of OAW's output. The Windsock Anthology relates this to mid-production, the earliest production having no louvres, then one two or three tall louvres each side appearing. The final version (serial numbers 6300-6649/18 and 8300/18 onwards) had multiple tall louvres on each side. Eduard seem to have it right - all of the marking options seem to be from the later batches.

Most of the D.VIIs which ended up in American hands after the war came from new unissued stocks, the centre spread of Anthology 2 has a wonderfully clear photograph of new OAW D.VIIs of what appear to be the 86XX series at Romorantin after the Armistice, clearly showing the louvre pattern. All appear to have identical radiators, but show slight variations in the painting of the mauve lozenges on the green cowlings. More intriguing is the one aircraft which has the mauve and green division of the axle wing opposite to the norm, and the mix of 4 and 5 colour lozenge within the batch.

 

 

Jonathan

[e8n2]

On 4/13/2020 at 8:10 AM, Ologist said:

Whilst the numerous small 'semi-circular' were unique to OAW built Fokker D.VIIs, they were only one stage of the development of the cowling louvre pattern of OAW's output. The Windsock Anthology relates this to mid-production, the earliest production having no louvres, then one two or three tall louvres each side appearing.

Jonathan

The Roden Fokker D.VII kit has NO louvres at all!  Both the ESCI kit and the Roden kit of the D.VII that I have in my stash have markings for Rudolph Berthold in the Jasta 15 colors after the big switch of Jasta numbers with what became Jasta 18.  The US D.VIIs that I want to do would be those either used by the Marines or the ones used for testing and training by the USAAS, both generally in overall Olive Drab, quite a different color than the WW II version.

Later,

Dave

Edited April 15, 2020 by e8n2
Corrected information

[Brandy]

You could do worse than go to Wingnut Wings' website and look at their instructions and reference pics for more info on the subject. I'd put money on them being accurate!

 

Ian

[Ologist]

Roden also seems to be quite competent when it comes to research and their kit 025 is quite correct in having no louvres on the cowlings. Jasta 15 was an early recipient of the D.VII, (June 1918) and received a batch of early Fokker built aircraft, which lacked the louvres. The well known photo of Berthold's plane shows the typical Fokker streaking on the forward fuselage.

 

Jonathan