TAVAS: WW1 and early aviation

[Bubbleboy]

I cant see anywhere else on this site where this has been mentioned so thought I should put the word out.

 

Andrew Carter has started The Australian Vintage Aviation Society. Andrews idea is to recreate a group for Australian builders of replica WW1 and early aviation aircraft and to have flying aircraft for the centenary of the end of WW1. Andrew has imported a replica Fokker Triplane from the USA and is having original engines built in New Zealand for these aircraft. Andrew has also just negotiated a deal to import 3 partially built Fokker aircraft from Germany which will be finished here.

 

If your interested, have a look at www.tavas.com.au and there is also a Facebook page.

 

Scotty

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

Good stuff, thanks for the link, I'm registered!

 

 

[lark]

Just had a quick look some real interesting stuff!

 

 

[JimG]

Thanks Bubbleboy, great site and a wonderful effort from Andrew Carter.

 

JimG

 

 

[Bubbleboy]

No problem guys! Andrews really pulling something out of the bag here and deserves as much support as we can muster. After I finish and fly my Pietenpol, I want to build a WW1 replica. Looking at a Fokker DVIII or a Nieuport 17.

 

Check out these links too:

 

http://www.fokker-team.de/

 

http://www.collectors-edition.de/f-t-s_zeichnungen_FokkerDVIII_english.htm

 

Scotty

 

 

[Neil_S]

I cant see anywhere else on this site where this has been mentioned so thought I should put the word out.Andrew Carter has started The Australian Vintage Aviation Society. Andrews idea is to recreate a group for Australian builders of replica WW1 and early aviation aircraft and to have flying aircraft for the centenary of the end of WW1. Andrew has imported a replica Fokker Triplane from the USA and is having original engines built in New Zealand for these aircraft. Andrew has also just negotiated a deal to import 3 partially built Fokker aircraft from Germany which will be finished here.

 

If your interested, have a look at www.tavas.com.au and there is also a Facebook page.

 

Scotty

I am registered too!

 

Cheers

 

Neil

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

?..Andrew has imported a replica Fokker Triplane from the USA and is having original engines built in New Zealand for these aircraft...Scotty

Thanks for telling us about this, Scotty. The Kiwis seem able to build just about any engine, but rotary radials have a diabolical reputation.

 

 

[Bubbleboy]

Thanks for telling us about this, Scotty. The Kiwis seem able to build just about any engine, but rotary radials have a diabolical reputation.

Lyle...do you think they were unreliable due to the design or due to the manufacturing technology back then. See the radial replica the mob in NZ are making? looks fantastic!

Scotty

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Lyle...do you think they were unreliable due to the design or due to the manufacturing technology back then. See the radial replica the mob in NZ are making? looks fantastic!Scotty

I'm sure Kiwi engineers could improve on the original one (which raised the issue of how "original" is the aircraft).

That great hunk of metal spinning around on the front of the plane will require special skills to handle.

 

 

[Bubbleboy]

I'm sure Kiwi engineers could improve on the original one (which raised the issue of how "original" is the aircraft).That great hunk of metal spinning around on the front of the plane will require special skills to handle.

Yes in the article on it they said they wernt sure if the same size bearings were available so not sure if its an exact replica or if they have tweeked it a little given what they know now. Great either way!

Scotty

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

I believe the original rotary engines were fed a fuel/oil mix thru the hollow crankshaft. Little or no scope for controlling engine speed except via a kill switch. A replica could overcome these problems with several modern technologies. It could end up so civilised that they might have to add a special "sounds like its about to disintegrate" mode to the engine management unit!

 

 

[lark]

I believe the original rotary engines were fed a fuel/oil mix thru the hollow crankshaft. Little or no scope for controlling engine speed except via a kill switch. A replica could overcome these problems with several modern technologies. It could end up so civilised that they might have to add a special "sounds like its about to disintegrate" mode to the engine management unit!

Yeah, they were wild old engines from what ive read! There was a chapter in Neil williams book "airborne" about flying some of the old aircraft and controlling the engines at the Shuttleworth Collection in England. Its an old book now, but well worth the read!

 

 

[Bandit12]

Yeah, they were wild old engines from what ive read! There was a chapter in Neil williams book "airborne" about flying some of the old aircraft and controlling the engines at the Shuttleworth Collection in England. Its an old book now, but well worth the read!

I've got both of Neil Williams' books, and they are fantastic.

 

 

[lark]

Yes, anyone with any interest in aviation should get hold of a copy of both! "(BTW, other book is simply titled "aerobatics")

 

 

[Pilot Pete]

Ive joined up. Now I just need to get the Nieuport finished.

 

 

[dazza 38]

I would love to build a Airdrome full size Sopwith Pup and throw a Rotec 150HP on her. But looking at the video's on You tube they look like a real handful in anything but a straight into the wind landing. Even the experts have a bit of trouble with WW1 aircraft and replica's with ground loops and wing tip scrapes. YT have a few different video's showing it. I guess they would OK in dead calm conditions . I would love to visit the Sopwith Pup which is located at Watts Bridge.

 

 

[djpacro]

... There was a chapter in Neil williams book "airborne" about flying ...

I met Neil and some of the others who flew the Shuttleworth Collection (and did some flying in normal aeroplanes with a couple of them). Neil's book "Aerobatics" is marvellous reading.I acquired "Airborne" some time later and think I understood how he came to die.

 

 

[facthunter]

The later "rotarys" got more reliable. The original Gnome et Rhone engines had spring loaded valves in each ]piston and they lasted around 5 hours on average between rebuilds.They were very accurately made and metallurgy rather tham workmanship let them down a bit. The 150??Hp le Rhone in that camel is a "Monosoupape" ( single valve) engine that exhausts and lets fresh air in afterwards, through the same valve from atmosphere.. A richer than combustable fuel/castor oil and air mix comes in from the crankcase via ports that are much like two stroke transfer ports and mixes with the air and fires on the next stroke. There are no two stroke rotarys made in the period to my knowledge. The gyroscopic precession effect of the mass of the engine (plus the prop),rotating at about 1500 rpm makes for some interesting manoeuvering but the pilots eventually used it to their advantage in dogfights though most had difficulty with it initially. More conventional rotarys like the Bentley BR2 made by the brits and the german Siemens Halshke which was geared so it rotated I/2 the speed of the prop and some were two row came at the end of the war. They were unsuitable for civilian use being capable of rapid climb rates because of the enormous torque and large propellers of these engines but the fuel consumption of most of them was too high for transports. They are fascinating engines. The kiwi's have done a great job there. Nev

 

 

[lark]

I met Neil and some of the others who flew the Shuttleworth Collection (and did some flying in normal aeroplanes with a couple of them). Neil's book "Aerobatics" is marvellous reading.I acquired "Airborne" some time later and think I understood how he came to die.

Yes, it was a real tradgedy! Especially considering the near misses he survived before being killed. A reminder that it can happen to us all I guess.

For anyone who hasnt read his books yet I would suggest reading them asap!