Will post photos now and then of the Dr. I slow build. So as not to mess other more ably done Dreideckers build logs, here is mine.

Figured out motor, speed control and battery installation today. Found a neatly shaped 3s 1450 mah lipo from Höllein in Germany, size 19x20x125 mm. Longish but slim. Changed the battery connection to Xt-30, Xt-60 felt a bit overkill on this one. Figured that I will make the engine cylinders (yet to be done) quickly removeable and make a hole through firewall for the battery making: easy access, easy connections. Will see how that works. Going to make a box for the battery. From balsa, behind the firewall.

Tommy

The battery and its box done. Have to figure out an easy and simple latch at front to prevent the battery moving forward. I think I know already how to do it.

Tommy

Rudder servo in, a Kingmax 9g servo. Pushrod 2mm outer diameter carbon tube, servo and tail end from 1mm steel wire. Will make one or two supports in there, the rear steel wire yet to be glued.

Tommy

Very original idea for the battery mount! Are you going to go with pushrod or pull-pull for the elevator? Nice work!

I think I'll do a similar pushrod for the elevator. Elevator servo mount will be glued to that battery box I suppose, haven't checked yet.

I actually like making pullwire set-ups, a normal thing in dlg's :-)
Taking a shortcut here, as this will be Jacob's all black dreidecker I figured the pushrods being black don't look too stupid....

Tommy

A few photos of the fuselage servo assembly and pushrods. The carbon rod is quite stiff but still needs some support at about middle. The elevator pushrod support yet to be qlued, the balsa where the rod comes out also yet to be done. Some slow progress, after these I'll work out if I make the tail skid shock absorbing/moving or not.

Tommy

Some details here.

Tail skid is shock absorbing, will see how it works in real life at flying field. Thin (0.5mm) steel wire bound and glued to skid. Steel wire goes through a tube that is glued inside fuselage. The end of the steel wire is bent so that the skid does not pull through. The skid is only glued to that steel wire, it is free to move in the opening in the bottom plywood part.

Front hatch done, too. Some glassfiber plate, a screw and a piece of plywood. Plywood prevents the hatch falling down, but by bending the gf part a little the hatch can be brought down for battery change. Will see how this works, too! Hatch shown as partly down, when pushed up the gf part is flat against the firewall and the plywood starts earning its pay :-)

Tommy

Looking good Tommy! I think you'll like the flexible tail skid. I've used it on the past two builds i've done, and have been happy with the results. Helps prevent broken skids from rough fields and rocks. I've found that it actually helps the most with the car ride to the flying site! I've broken more fixed tail skids from driving over bumps and potholes in the road in my car with the planes sitting in the back than anything. (terrible roads are a fact of life where I live...)

I really like the nice radius'd gussets you use on the upright and cross pieces on the fuselage and the stabilizer. I'm planning on building a 1/9th scale Fokker D8 this winter and think i'll try doing that.

Beautiful work, I love the tail skid.

Phil

Thank you for your encouragement!

Those gussets really make a difference, the rear fuselage was very flexible before adding them. Small weight increase, big gain in integrity.

Cut the side panels today, they are now on their place but not yet glued in. Moistened them on outside and pinned on place to dry out. Glued afterwards.

Checking the pilot for size, a friend 3d printed me this one. He also printed a set of Spandau's but before adding those I'll weigh them. Just in case, not a big deal to do them from balsa if needed.

Tommy

3d printed Spandau's. Weigh 7g each (1/4th of an ounce). Neat and the weight is bearable, so in they go. Will paint them with Vallejo Gunmetal, might do the ammunition and spent cartridge details, not sure yet.

Tommy

Partly useful forward weight for WW1 subjects, making weight less an issue. Good use of a printer, since the 1/6 scale Williams Brothers is the only scale Spandau I've seen available. The outer cooling cage is a difficult part to fabricate by hand.

And here they are, the Spandau's.

First aileron servo in, a KingMax 9g servo as in fuselage. Waiting for the aileron hinges, a friend sent them two weeks ago....
No big hurry, awful weather makes for nice building time.

Tommy

What sort of hinges are you using? Looks like you're getting close to the dreaded covering time! What are you planning on covering it with?