Building a Scale Fokker D.VII
Joe Malinchak
joemal@echoes.net
We have many wonderful RTF model aircraft on the market today, but the options for those who enjoy building kits are somewhat limited. Fortunately, there are still a few companies producing kits for micro modelers.
Microaces is dedicated to producing highly detailed scale micro model airplane kits. Microaces recently designed a new line of full-fuselage kits that have amazing graphics and lightweight construction.
Microaces Fokker D.VII Li
The D.VII is nicely sized at ¹⁄₂₄ scale. It has a 14.5-inch wingspan and is available in several paint schemes. I liked the look of the full-scale D.VII Li, flown by Lt. Rudolf Stark in 1918.
The kit arrived safely in a tightly sealed cardboard package. It included double-sided, printed foam parts, plastic parts, and a sheet of printed stickers. Also in the box was a beautiful display board to showcase the completed model.
The construction manual is available online and can be printed or downloaded to a computer or smartphone for reference. It is a good idea to read the entire manual to become familiar with the construction techniques before beginning the build.
Construction starts with building a frame for the fuselage. Before placing the printed fuselage parts over the frame, you need to score the parts in certain areas to help them form the correct shape. Using a printed pattern, I scored my parts as directed, using the back of a #11 blade. This worked well and was easier than expected. I used UHU por foam glue for most of the assembly.
Test fit the parts before gluing them to check for proper alignment. I had one minor problem with the turtledeck because the graphics did not align with the ones on the fuselage sides. I added a small piece of foam to the cockpit area of the turtledeck to move it back so that it properly aligned. I then tack-glued the deck in place and marked the sides with a pencil so I could trim it for proper fit.
The kit includes a dihedral jig to ensure that the lower wing dihedral jig is correct. The ailerons on the top wing are cut and scored so they can be bent up 1mm to create washout in the wings. This, combined with the lower wing dihedral, increases the model’s stability.
I basically built the model in the sequence of the manual, except for the landing gear. I added it to the aircraft last. This way, I could make sure the airplane was sitting perfectly level and could make any final adjustments as needed.
The landing gear is cleverly constructed using a combination of plastic, foam, sticker material, and carbon-fiber parts. It has the only rigging used on the model.
The aircraft is designed around the ParkZone Ultra Micro P-51 motor and gearbox and the Spektrum Ultra Micro receivers. I used a spare AR6400 receiver and mounted it in the fuselage with some double-sided tape.
The P-51 gearbox was easily mounted onto the supplied motor mount. I found the nose access hatch somewhat challenging to build because it required the parts to be sanded and shaped. The hatch is held in place with the supplied magnets.
One of the highlights of the kit is the detailed propeller stickers. Two sets are supplied for the recommended GWS 4040 and 4530 propellers. Wet the stickers before applying to allow for proper positioning. The propeller looks great with them and they add to the aircraft’s overall appearance.
Flight Test
My model weighed 1.2 ounces ready to fly with a 150 mAh LiPo battery. I balanced the airplane and the center of gravity was right on the money. The manual recommends doing some test glides; however, I was confident that I could do my tests under power, so I went outside to try it out.
On the first flight, my model flew beautifully with only minor trim corrections. The airplane has good slow-speed characteristics and stalls fairly clean. I used the GWS 4530 propeller and found that it can easily perform loops from level flight. The model can also perform nice barrel rolls at full control rates.
Overall, I found the Microaces Fokker D.VII Li fun to build and fly. The required skill level to build it is intermediate, but a rookie can fly the airplane with some time under his or her belt. Microaces did a wonderful job on its design, and I look forward to building other models from the company’s new line of kits!
SOURCES:
Microaces
support@microaces.com
www.microaces.myshopify.com
