Fokker D.VII (preserved/replica) photos

[billtate]

It took me a while to dig these out of my files but I though you all might like to see the Southern Museum of Flight's Fokker D.VII. I know very little about the aircraft, but I seem to remember that there are some original parts and it is not a 100% replica. I also remember that the aircraft had some kind of connection to Glenn Edmund Messer, who founded an airport in the Birmingham, AL area.

[Baldeagle]

The Birmingham one is one of the replicas from The Blue Max. The Huff Daland Duster behind it is interesting also, it borrowed a lot of the design from the Fokker.




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[JBoyle]

In 2003 at the WWI replica fly-in at the NMUSAF there was an incomplete project from California.
It was stunning, does anyone have information on it?

[Russell Smith]

James has already posted a photo of the TVAL DVII from 2007. In 2008 she was overhauled and re-built. All struts were re-fabricated, the pseudo-4-color lozenge fabric was replaced with a more accurate 4-color lozenge fabric, and the nose was completely rebuilt to more accurately resemble a DVII nose. Overall the bird was lightened by 200 lbs! She still flies with a Ranger engine (I think), but its difficult to tell just by looking at her.

The markings are a fictional scheme created by profile artist Ronny Bar of Argentina.

Here she is in 2009 after her facelift and liposuction.

[Russell Smith]

In 2003 at the WWI replica fly-in at the NMUSAF there was an incomplete project from California.
It was stunning, does anyone have information on it?

I've got photos of that plane somewhere. It was exquisite! That guy had been working on it for something like 20 years. I haven't heard anything of it since the 2003 show.

[Chicoartist]

It took me a while to dig these out of my files but I though you all might like to see the Southern Museum of Flight's Fokker D.VII. I know very little about the aircraft, but I seem to remember that there are some original parts and it is not a 100% replica. I also remember that the aircraft had some kind of connection to Glenn Edmund Messer, who founded an airport in the Birmingham, AL area.

It is one of the Blue Max replicas, and is a non-flyer today. I worked at the SMF from 1998 - 2003 (at which time I got uppity and decided to go full time with my art), and had the privilege of watching it being restored over that time period. The engine is a build up meant only to hold the prop in place. The machine guns and visible engine parts were beautifully fabricated out of wood by museum craftsmen. The lozenge scheme was painted on this aircraft. I forget if commercially-available printed lozenge fabric was an option on this aircraft during restoration, but maybe cost was a factor ...

Interestingly, the logs are in the museum collections (I was the collections manager), and we found out that during the filming this airframe was flown 7-8 times by author/pilot Richard Bach.

Glenn Messer was one of those pioneer aviators you never heard of, but he did everything from wing-walking to parachuting to barnstorming back in 'the day'. He's a legend in Birmingham/southern region and among the 'old-school' US aviators who ALL knew him. You should see his collections and scrapbooks!! He was an inventor as well, and if memory serves, he made a small fortune as the inventor of the floor-click headlight dimmer we all used to have. During my SMF tenure I was constantly amazed by Messer's contributions to early aviation as I went through the files. He founded the museum and served as it's director for many years. It was a tough decision to leave a great job at the SMF, but between job, family, and art, something had to give, and "art" was giving too much, IMHO!

Wade

[Russell Smith]

It is one of the Blue Max replicas, and is a non-flyer today.

Interestingly enough, I believe the TVAL DVII is also a Blue Max veteran, as are both of their Pfalz DIII replicas.

In 2003 at the WWI replica fly-in at the NMUSAF there was an incomplete project from California.
It was stunning, does anyone have information on it?

Here are a couple of shots of that one. I had an interesting discussion with the guy who built it. After working on the project for 20+ years she was ready to fly. All that was needed was the airworthy certificate. I can't recall his name, but the guy was in his 80's in 2003. I dare say there's a good chance that he's no longer with us. I'm curious to know whatever became of this project.

[barnbstormer]

In 2003 at the WWI replica fly-in at the NMUSAF there was an incomplete project from California.
It was stunning, does anyone have information on it?[/

Here are a couple of shots of that one. I had an interesting discussion with the guy who built it. After working on the project for 20+ years she was ready to fly. All that was needed was the airworthy certificate. I can't recall his name,

That would be Richard Enos. I'm pretty sure I received a Christmas card from him, this past Christmas..Can't seem to find his most recent emails, right now.

[Russell Smith]

In 2003 at the WWI replica fly-in at the NMUSAF there was an incomplete project from California.
It was stunning, does anyone have information on it?[/

Here are a couple of shots of that one. I had an interesting discussion with the guy who built it. After working on the project for 20+ years she was ready to fly. All that was needed was the airworthy certificate. I can't recall his name,

That would be Richard Enos. I'm pretty sure I received a Christmas card from him, this past Christmas..Can't seem to find his most recent emails, right now.

Richard Enos. That's right! So he's still around then, Barnstormer? What is the status of his DVII project?

[Pogo]

Yes indeed, please know that there are at least a few of us here on WIX who are plumb fascinated with these sorts of warbird developments. Those last few photos are just beautiful, especially love seeing the "Axial" prop! If anybody cares to "zero in" in the Spandaus, I'm currently researching same.

Barnstormer, every time I see it I want to mention how I love seeing your avatar. Lots of people have never even heard of a rotary piston engine.

[Russell Smith]

Yes indeed, please know that there are at least a few of us here on WIX who are plumb fascinated with these sorts of warbird developments. Those last few photos are just beautiful, especially love seeing the "Axial" prop! If anybody cares to "zero in" in the Spandaus, I'm currently researching same.

Hi Pogo. Not sure if you're wanting detail shots of Spandaus or specifically looking for shots of mounted Spandaus, but here are some detail shots of Spandaus from Dave Watts' collection.

Lots of people have never even heard of a rotary piston engine.

That is truly a crying shame!

[Pogo]

What's an even bigger shame is never having seen one "out for a spin" or hearing one speak! To my ear they snap and snarl more like a Merlin than snort and rumble like the radials they appear to resemble. Shame to miss smelling them too; the castor oil all over everything really takes you back to those Cox Tee Dee days.

Russell, those pics leave me wanting more - lots more - THANKS! PM sent....

[Russell Smith]

What's an even bigger shame is never having seen one "out for a spin" or hearing one speak! To my ear they snap and snarl more like a Merlin than snort and rumble like the radials they appear to resemble. Shame to miss smelling them too; the castor oil all over everything really takes you back to those Cox Tee Dee days.
.

For those who have never had the [pleasure:
http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/projects ... rii-action

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g51mnCw-OxA

[Michel Lemieux]

was used to run rum in from canada in prohibition

Wow...now that is one heck of a first post

he built it from a wrecked fokker he found in woods

An original D7 frame? Or he based a replica on an existing frame?

Where was it built in Canada?

You may want to look into the origin of the most original D7...the one in Knowlton QC.

http://www.bromemuseum.com/

This one was a war prize I think.

Last edited by Michel Lemieux on Wed Jan 16, 2019 4:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[airnutz]

Some zombies are a welcome sight...great old thread...