The Aerodromerc News Enthusiasts

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VOL 2 - NO 1 January 2006 www.AerodromeRC.com E�� T��: 1919 by Kurt Bengtson S�� T�� Alfred Anderson, the last known survivor of the 1914 “Christmas Truce” By Kurt Bengtson I�� I�� First flown in June 1919, the Tummelisa died recently. He was 109. The story in Sweden. Designed by Henry Kjellson, brought to mind the concept of a time 1•E�� 1•T��: 1919 S�� the creator of many early Swedish when the world was radically different T�� aircraft, it was originally given the name” and about to change in ways that 3•B�� T��: M�� A S��- Tummeliten” (Swedish for Little Tom we still struggle with 91 years later. �� Thumb). However, its pilots preferred Considering the news lately, returning 4•G��’� F�� A�� F�� to call it “Tummelisa”, the name of Tom to that child like “why not be friends” 1914-1918 Thumb’s female counterpart. It was idea is intoxicating. said this was due to the tendency of the We hear sophisticated pontifications aircraft to flip on its back i.e. a nose over. Let the reader of international discourse, constantly redefining what understand... phrases are used to describe war, victory, terrorism, hatred Thirty Tummelisas were built, many serving until the or greed. Our leaders seem to be locked into some sort of point counterpoint debate over how to proceed in what everybody agrees is a world of hurt. Consider what happened when the world exploded in a new type of war. The Christmas Truce of 1914 was a magical event, showing the world that peace is possible even when it is not expected. The D�� Y�� K�� Édouard de Nieuport began with a workshop events of this producing parts for aircraft motors. In 1909, period could he decided to design and build aircraft and have stopped the Société Anonyme des Établissements the war as the Nieuport company was formed. troops on both sides were in dire situations. They had to endure a bitter winter in horrible conditions. They were all expecting to be home with their families celebrating the new post World War One world. Instead, they found themselves mired in mud and death. Surely, these men longing for home and 1930’s. The Tummelisa was given the designation “Ö 1” loved ones had to consider what was truly important. The (Övningsplan 1, Advanced Trainer 1) by the Swedish Air spontaneous outpouring of goodwill during those hours Force. The safety record of the aircraft is spectacular, having could have led to a permanent truce. It is written that there was still lots of support for the war among the populations on both sides. The high commands of both sides could not admit that the war was not going as planned. They could not just give up and forgo the perceived benefits of finally settling their long held disputes. The truce was ended and strict military penalties were threatened for anyone who might consider these tactics again. An opportunity was lost. We are the inheritors of the results of this loss. Will we pass up another if it comes our way? Searching the web for information this story I came across a few interesting links. WWI Christmas Truce Started By Thousands Of German Soldiers By Tony Paterson http://www.rense.com/general46/cchr.htm The Christmas Truce FirstWorldWar.com http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/christmastruce.htm The Christmas Truce By Aaron Shepard no recorded fatalities. Ole Fahlin, a Swedish aviation pioneer http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/061.html and master propeller maker, had a particular fondness for My Grandad’s WWI Christmas Truce the Tummelisa. Ole recalled that the Tummelisa was a great http://hnn.us/comments/5839.html airplane and was fun to fly. The AerodromeRC News VOL 2 - NO 1 Page 2 www.AerodromeRC.com The Tummelisas were powered by 90hp Thulin A rotary several reasons. First, it is a beautiful aircraft with clean engines. The Thulin A was a licensed copy of a French 90hp lines. There are features reminiscent of the Nieuport 17 and Le Rhöne. the Hanriot HD-1 combined in a very successful fashion. The pronounced tapered wingtips were an interesting change from the typical blunt tips found in most biplanes of the era. Secondly, it has good flying characteristics as indicated by its long service and safety record. Thirdly, it is a rarely modeled aircraft, which seems to be largely ignored by model manufacturers, giving an opportunity to feature a unique model. Finally, it is Swedish and the designer is from Swedish ancestry, and wanted to feature a model from Sweden. T�� A��RC �� :

Length: 18 ft (5.47 m.) Span: 25 ft 7in. (7.80 m.) MTOW: 1179.5 lbs. (535 kg.) Max. speed: 92mph (148 km/h) A replica, owned by Mikael Carlson, flies regularly at air- shows in Sweden and abroad. The photos of this aircraft shown below were taken by Michal Šimek, of the Czech Republic at ILA 2004 in Berlin. Michal submitted the photos so that we can feature them in the webzine. Scale: 1/6 The Tummelisa was chosen as a modeling subject for Prop: 14x7 Channels: R/E/A/T Wheels: balsa and plywood with Neoprene foam tires Wingspan: 52” Airfoil Type: flat bottomed Wing Area: 586 sq in Cowl: built up balsa and plywood Designer: Kurt Bengtson Weight: 54 oz Power System: Direct Drive AXI 2820 The model has ailerons in the lower wings actuated by in wing servos. Trailing edges are composed of top and bottom pre-cut 1/32” plywood pieces with scalloped edges where appropriate. Both wings are removable using 8-32 bolts. Some have asked why the designer chose flat bottomed wings for the model rather than the under cambered wings featured A��RC’� T��

A��RC’� T�� The AerodromeRC News VOL 2 - NO 1 Page 3 www.AerodromeRC.com on the original aircraft. The answer is that he wanted to make the model appeal to a larger audience so as to increase the awareness of D�� Y�� K�� this marvelous Pfalz-Flugzeugwerke was founded in 1913 by three Eversbusch brothers. One had a i r c r a f t . learned to ﬂy in France at the Morane Certainly, a Saulnier facility. The Pfalz factory was museum scale situated in Speyer on the Rhine. The model is possible company licensed the Morane Saulnier H and L type monoplanes. Pfalz was a and may be a second tier aircraft manufacturer although future project. it steadily gained in reputation and A motor mount achievement throughout the war. The Pfalz for the AXI 2820 XV was widely regarded as being the equal brushless motor to the Fokker DVII. M�� M�� A S�� is included Here is what we need. I’m using one layer of 4 oz. cloth, however; the topped with one layer of 2 oz. cloth. I used 1/4 oz. of both model could be fitted with any similar power system. Part A and B -- 30-minute epoxy. The history if the model is somewhat convoluted. Work I’m trying something new by using “DRY FOAM” started in early August of 2004 and the model was ready purchased from a store that sells floral supplies. It is very for prototype building by December. The model was sent soft, can be used in water (as it doesn’t float”) to stick the to a builder in Sweden who built the model in a few weeks. flower stems into for arrangements. It carves so easy, and He gave much valuable feedback and the kit is now ready does not need sanding. for production. However, it was winter in Sweden and by BLUE FOAM can be used here also. the time flying weather came around the builder suffered D�� F�� a debilitating health condition, which does not allow him I made a to fly the model. The model is ready for release except for back plate that report. from 1/16 inch p l y w o o d . Glued a 1/4 B�� T��: inch dowel in the center M�� A S�� m a k i n g By Bert Ayers a b s o l u t e l y AerodromeRC’s Fokker D. V requires a spinner. Yikes!!! s u r e Spinners are something we buy from the Hobby Shop. Who ever yt h i ng ever heard of making a spinner? Well, it’s about time we try is square. I our hand at making a spinner. sawed the I’ve heard of doing fiberglass with 30-minute epoxy; let’s Dry Foam give it a try. Normally the epoxies we get from the hobby s l i g h t l y shop are too thick to “wet out” (penetrate the fibers) of larger than the fiberglass. This method requires that you heat the the back epoxy with a heat gun until it is thin enough to wet out the plate. Then glue the Dry Foam onto the back plate. I chucked the whole thing into my drill press. A hand drill can be used also. S�� D�� F�� I made a pattern from the plans on a piece 1/16” ply. The foam is so soft, I was able to cut the foam with the pattern--- no sanding r equ i r ed! The process fiberglass. This whole method requires that you work fast. took about Do not “cook” the epoxy----heat it just enough to thin it! 40 seconds. The AerodromeRC News VOL 2 - NO 1 Page 4 www.AerodromeRC.com Before the glassing, I put a 1/8” wide strip of Scotch Tape around the circumference of the back plate so that the glass would not be epoxied to the back plate. I laid up

G��’� F�� A�� F�� 1914-1918 By Frank Jaerschky Books covering the history of the German Air Force of the fiberglass, heating the epoxy before each layer of cloth World War 1 are plentiful. Peter Kilduff’s volume stands was applied, and left it to set up for about two hours. Cut apart from most others because it covers in detail aspects off the excess cloth, sand lightly---returning it to the drill of the Luftstreitkrafte that are omitted from most other press. Then apply another coat of epoxy (no need to heat) to works. fill the cloth. When thoroughly cured, return it to the drill D�� Y�� K�� The book’s Preface Leon Morane formed an airplane press and do the final sanding. Use same procedure for the gives a hint at things primer. company with Gabriel Borel and Raymond Saulnier in 1910. Saulnier to come. Not just Removing the spinner from the foam is a little tricky; I ran helped Louis Blériot design the another volume of a pallet knife down the inside, between the fiberglass and Blériot XI. Morane’s claim to fame bland facts, much of the foam, around and around until it separated. was that in 1910 he achieved the world speed altitude record of 2,562 the colour of this book I tried dissolving the foam with lacquer thinner----no luck. is gained because the Scrap away all the foam. meters in a Blériot monoplane. Borel left the company and the other two author has actually B�� P�� D�� men formed the Société Anonyme interviewed and Cut the dowel from the back plate and sand smooth. Re- des Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier corresponded with drill (carefully) the center hole to a smaller size the fit the company. The first airplane produced was the Type A. veterans of the German gearbox shaft. I wanted the spinner removable, so I added Air Service. Their three screw tabs to the back plate, equally spaced from prop personal experiences centerline to hopefully balance better. The spinner view add flavour and produce a book that makes for much more above is the INSIDE to show that the foam is removed. I enjoyable reading than a simple chronological summary. mounted the whole setup on a motor free gearbox and Chapter 1 covers the early formation of the German found that it pretty much is in balance. I was prepared to bomber forces and their early efforts against targets in drill holes in the back plate to get a good balance. France, England, and Russia. Interestingly, the bomber force F�� S�� was initially designated as a “Carrier Pigeon Unit”, in an The results are very good. It was a fun challenge. Give it effort to hide its true role. a try Chapter 2 de-mystifies much of the “Fokker Frenzy” that surrounds the role of the early Fokker Eindecker. It also covers the D�� Y�� K�� formation of the D�� Y�� K�� SPAD originally stood for Société Provisoire Nieuport’s first aircraft was destroyed first fighter units, in a flood before it could be tested but des Aéroplanes Deperdussin. The company and also the was owned by Armand Deperdussin but the second design the Nieuport 2N, a when he was arrested for fraud, the assets accomplishments monoplane, flew on January 5th 1910. were transferred to a syndicate headed by of Max Édouard de Nieuport died in a plane crash Louis Blériot and his Chief Engineer, Louis Immelmann and in 1911 and his brother Charles continued Béchereau. The acronym was kept but the the company. Charles also died in a plane Oswald Boelcke. crash in 1913 leaving the company to be meaning changed to Société Anonyme pour ľ Chapter 3 details Aviationet ses Derives. Béchereau designed headed by Gustave Delage. Delage was the SPAD series of aircraft including the the activities of Chief Engineer. Delage designed the N11 SPAD VII and SPAD XIII. the German Air and many other famous Nieuport aircraft. The AerodromeRC News VOL 2 - NO 1 Page 5 www.AerodromeRC.com Force on the Russian front. The Russian Front is one of the a quick search on Abebooks.com revealed 17 copies ranging forgotten fronts of in price from $17.85US to $200.00US for a first edition hard D�� Y�� K�� World War 1. Many cover. Fortunately, most copies can be had for less than René Hanriot started Aeroplanes are familiar with $25.00 US, which is great value. Hanriot et Cie at the beginning of the exploits of the This book is a valuable addition to any collection. Although the war, contract building Sopwith 1 ½ Strutters and Salsom 2 aircraft. British, German, and it is not a thorough examination of the overall strategic Pierre Dupont designed Hanriot’s French on the western employment and history of the entire force, the coverage of first original aircraft, the HD-1. front, but forget that the more obscure aspects of the Luftstreitkrafte makes it a Because it used the same power Germany was fighting “Must Have” for any enthusiast! plant as the Nieuport 16/17, it was a war on two fronts, not accepted by the French Aviation Author: Peter Kilduff Militaire. The fighter had impressive and had to split its Soft Cover, 160pgs, 9.75” X7.5” performance and was widely used by resources until the Many black and white photographs. Italian,Belgian and Swiss air services. Bolshevik revolution Arms and Armour Press Wellington House A maritime version designated in late 1917. the HD-2 was accepted for use by 125 Strand, Aviation Maritime. Chapter 4 covers London WC2R 0BB the “Big Birds”; the First Published 1991 Gothas, AEGs, and 2nd edition 1996 the Friedrichshafen. The organization and development of ISBN # 1 85409 352 5 the bomber force is detailed, and accented with the bomber crews’ personal accounts of their daylight raids against D�� Y�� K�� England. The Halberstadt company initially had a very Chapter 5 delves into the almost unheard of history of the different name. The Behrens brothers, Kurt Stockhausen and Eduard Schnebel founded German Naval Air Forces. Again, much action took place on the “Deutsche Bristol-Werke Flugzeug GmbH the eastern front against the Russians. Included is mention on April 9, 1912 in Halberstadt, to manufacture that the first destruction of a warship by an aircraft laid Bristol designs in Germany. After license-building mine took place on the Eastern Front. There is also a picture Boxkites and Coandas, manufacture switched of a twin engine Friedrichshafen FF 41A bomber on floats. to “Taubes”. After the war started, the “Bristol” name was considered inappropriate, and the A rare bird, to be sure. company switched its name to “Halberstaedter Chapter 6 is entitled “The Other Red Baron”, and focuses Flugzeugwerke GmbH”. The company went on on the life of Lothar von Richthofen, Manfred’s brother. It to design and manufacture the D series fighters is clear that the characteristics needed to be a successful as well as the Cl, II, IV and C V aircraft. fighter pilot could certainly be found in both brothers. It is well known that Manfred shot down Maj. Lanoe Hawker, The AerodromeRC News but it is typical of the second fiddle position given Lothar The AerodromeRC News is a free monthly publication by history that it is not commonly known that Lothar shot of www.AerodromeRC.com a division of Bengtson down Capt. Albert Ball. Company. Newsletters are available as free downloads The role of the Balloon Force is detailed in Chapter 7. from our website. Materials in The AerodromeRC News Various balloons are described, as well as the very important are protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced role of the balloon in combat. The reader will gain a new without written permission. found respect for the unsung airmen that risked their lives in these “Sausages”. Submission Information Chapter 8 is the last chapter in the book, and gives us a look E-mail your article and/or pictures of: at the role of the two seat observation aircraft. Too often, the • WWI or Golden Age planes fighters get all the glory. It is important to remember that • your model the fighter evolved to protect the more valuable two seat • building tip reconnaissance aircraft. The intelligence gathered by the • an opinion on a modeling topic two seaters was used by the ground force commanders, and to: [email protected] it is on the ground that the war was truly decided. or mail to: The book is illustrated with many black and white AerodromeRC Webzine photographs, many from private collections not seen PO Box 51102 anywhere else. The book is currently out of print, however Pacific Grove CA 93950 Articles and photos are accepted on a voluntary basis. D�� Y�� K�� Authors do not receive compensation. Text and photos Walter Huth founded Albatros-Flugzeugwerke GmbH at in digital format is preferred but not required. Please Johannistahl in 1910. Huth, an aviation enthusiast owned a submit articles in *.txt, *.doc format or typewritten. Photo Farman Biplane of French design. As a result, many early resolution of 72 dpi minimum; 150 to 300 dpi preferred. Albatros designs were heavily influenced by Farman designs. By the outbreak of the war, Albatros was manufacturing their Contact Information own designs. When the Fokker Scourge period faded due to Address: Allied advances in aviation technology, Albatros produced the PO Box 51102 DI. The DI was designed by Robert Thelen and his assistant Pacific Grove CA 93950 engineer Schubert. The DI restored German air superiority as it outperformed all other fighters of the time. After the war in Phone and Fax: 831-393-0991 the In the early, 1930’s Focke Wulf took over the company. E-Mail: [email protected]