Fokker axles - colour

[dad's lad]

Does that aerofoil shaped thing between the wheels of Fokker aircraft have an official name?

 

Anyway, I've always wondered what colour the upper surface of this "thing" would be. Most profiles show an underside view, mainly blue or lozenge coloured, but what about the top side?

 

Specifically I was wondering about DR.1's with  Fokker "streak" colours and D.VII's with lozenge flying surfaces.

 

I appreciate that with the jazzy colours sported by many there may have been repainting but as a general rule of thumb what is the factory fresh colour for both schemes and secondly, would this area have been repainted when individual pilots had their favoured colours applied elsewhere.

 

Hope this makes sense and many thanks, Clive.

[Paul Thompson]

Solid olive green top surface usually, even on the EV/DVIII where the current wisdom about the top wing itself (which was also plywood) is that it was stained with green and brown.  The bit you're talking about is usually called the axle wing AFAIK.  The underside would normally be  light blue (or turquoise) only, not being fabric covered or painted to match.

 

Paul.

[dad's lad]

7 hours ago, Paul Thompson said:

Solid olive green top surface usually, even on the EV/DVIII where the current wisdom about the top wing itself (which was also plywood) is that it was stained with green and brown.  The bit you're talking about is usually called the axle wing AFAIK.  The underside would normally be  light blue (or turquoise) only, not being fabric covered or painted to match.

 

Paul.

Thsnks Paul,

Am I to take any profiles which show a lozenge underside as in error?

 

Clive

[Paul Thompson]

I'm loathe to say it would be imposssible, but if there is lozenge than it must be painted on. Some D.VIIs had a few lozenges painted on the metal cowling panels, but IIRC that was specific to just one or two jastas. it vertainly happened with Hannovers, but the patterns there were approximate and much larger polygons than the regular printeed fabric. TBH I haven't thought about it for many years, so I'll wander off and check...........

 

 

Paul.

[Paul Thompson]

A further quick search turns up the Wingnuts opinion that despite previous profiles to the contrary, no axle wing was ever covered with lozenge fabric (sensible, after all, why would you?) or streaked camo. Any streaking seen would be due to general airfield muck. Tops olive, bottoms blue, and sometimes later the bottoms were also painted olive.  Overpainting with individual colours could happen. All that applies to the D.VII, but the triplane, D.VI and EV/DVIII all had the same style of plywood covered fairing, so those comments should hold true. Same opinion from Ray Rimell in the Windsock Datafile on the DrI.

 

Paul.

Edited November 27, 2024 by Paul Thompson

[dad's lad]

2 hours ago, Paul Thompson said:

A further quick search turns up the Wingnuts opinion that despite previous profiles to the contrary, no axle wing was ever covered with lozenge fabric (sensible, after all, why would you?) or streaked camo. Any streaking seen would be due to general airfield muck. Tops olive, bottoms blue, and sometimes later the bottoms were also painted olive.  Overpainting with individual colours could happen. All that applies to the D.VII, but the triplane, D.VI and EV/DVIII all had the same style of plywood covered fairing, so those comments should hold true. Same opinion from Ray Rimell in the Windsock Datafile on the DrI.

 

Paul.

Thank you again Paul, my original query came because both ESCI and Revell would have the undersurface on Berthold's D.VII as lozenge whereas Eduard show grey green and Roden steel grey which I think is their go-to for Fokker turquoise.

 

Clive.

 

 

13 hours ago, Paul Thompson said:

 

 

Edited November 27, 2024 by dad's lad