I decided to present here an entry in this SiG , and will start it first than the Tamiya Mark IV tank , because i'm finishing now the D-Day Diorama , and must do some plane , never done a WWI plane so I will try this build , maybe not the easieast , but let's see how it goes
Some History on the plane from Wikipedia :
The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker (triplane) was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918. It became renowned as the aircraft in which Manfred von Richthofen gained his last 19 victories, and in which he was killed on 21 April 1918.
Design and development:
V.4 prototype
In February 1917, the Sopwith Triplane began to appear over the Western Front. Despite its single Vickers machine gun armament, the Sopwith swiftly proved itself superior to the more heavily armed Albatros fighters then in use by the Luftstreitkräfte. Fokker-Flugzeugwerke responded by converting an unfinished biplane prototype into the V.4, a small, rotary-powered triplane with a steel tube fuselage and thick cantilever wings,first developed during Fokker's government-mandated collaboration with Hugo Junkers. Initial tests revealed that the V.4 had unacceptably high control forces resulting from the use of unbalanced ailerons and elevators.
Instead of submitting the V.4 for a type test, Fokker produced a revised prototype designated V.5. The most notable changes were the introduction of horn-balanced ailerons and elevators, as well as longer-span wings. The V.5 also featured interplane struts, which were not necessary from a structural standpoint, but which minimized wing flexing. On 14 July 1917, Idflieg issued an order for 20 pre-production aircraft. The V.5 prototype, serial 101/17, was tested to destruction at Adlershof on 11 August 1917.
Operational history
The first two pre-production triplanes were designated F.I, in accord with Idflieg's early class prefix for triplanes. These aircraft, serials 102/17 and 103/17, were the only machines to receive the F.I designation[8] and could be distinguished from subsequent aircraft by a slight curve to the tailplane leading edge. They were sent to Jastas 10 and 11 for combat evaluation, arriving at Markebeeke, Belgium on 28 August 1917.
Richthofen first flew 102/17 on 1 September 1917 and shot down two enemy aircraft in the next two days. He reported to the Kogenluft (Kommandierender General der Luftstreitkräfte) that the F.I was superior to the Sopwith Triplane. Richthofen recommended that fighter squadrons be reequipped with the new aircraft as soon as possible. The combat evaluation came to an abrupt conclusion when Oberleutnant Kurt Wolff, Staffelführer of Jasta 11, was shot down in 102/17 on 15 September, and Leutnant Werner Voss, Staffelführer of Jasta 10, was killed in 103/17 on 23 September.
The remaining pre-production aircraft, designated Dr.I, were delivered to Jasta 11. Idflieg issued a production order for 100 triplanes in September, followed by an order for 200 in November. Apart from the straight leading edge of the tailplane, these aircraft were almost identical to the F.I. The primary distinguishing feature was the addition of wingtip skids, which proved necessary because the aircraft was tricky to land and prone to ground looping.In October, Fokker began delivering the Dr.I to squadrons within Richthofen's Jagdgeschwader I.
Compared to the Albatros and Pfalz fighters, the Dr.I offered exceptional maneuverability. Though the ailerons were not very effective, the rudder and elevator controls were light and powerful. Rapid turns, especially to the right, were facilitated by the triplane's marked directional instability. Vizefeldwebel Franz Hemer of Jasta 6 said, "The triplane was my favorite fighting machine because it had such wonderful flying qualities. I could let myself stunt — looping and rolling — and could avoid an enemy by diving with perfect safety. The triplane had to be given up because although it was very maneuverable, it was no longer fast enough."
As Hemer noted, the Dr.I was considerably slower than contemporary Allied fighters in level flight and in a dive. While initial rate of climb was excellent, performance fell off dramatically at higher altitudes because of the low compression of the Oberursel Ur.II, a clone of the Le Rhône 9J rotary engine. As the war continued, chronic shortages of castor oil made rotary operation increasingly difficult. The poor quality of German ersatz lubricant resulted in many engine failures, particularly during the summer of 1918.
The Dr.I suffered other deficiencies. The pilot's view was poor during takeoff and landing. The cockpit was cramped and furnished with materials of inferior quality.Furthermore, the proximity of the gun butts to the cockpit, combined with inadequate crash padding, left the pilot vulnerable to serious head injury in the event of a crash landing.
Wing failures
Heinrich Gontermann's crashed Dr.I (serial 115/17)
On 29 October 1917, Leutnant der Reserve Heinrich Gontermann, Staffelführer of Jasta 15, was performing aerobatics when his triplane broke up. Gontermann was fatally injured in the ensuing crash landing. Leutnant der Reserve Günther Pastor of Jasta 11 was killed two days later when his triplane broke up in level flight. Inspection of the wrecked aircraft showed that the wings had been poorly constructed. Examination of other high-time triplanes confirmed these findings. On 2 November, Idflieg grounded all remaining triplanes pending an inquiry. Idflieg convened a Sturzkommission (crash commission) which concluded that poor construction and lack of waterproofing had allowed moisture to damage the wing structure.This caused the wing ribs to disintegrate and the ailerons to break away in flight.
In response to the crash investigation, Fokker improved quality control on the production line, particularly varnishing of the wing spars and ribs, to combat moisture. Fokker also strengthened the rib structures and the attachment of the auxiliary spars to the ribs.Existing triplanes were repaired and modified at Fokker's expense. After testing a modified wing at Adlershof, Idflieg authorized the triplane's return to service on 28 November 1917.Production resumed in early December. By January 1918, Jastas 6 and 11 were fully equipped with the triplane. Only 14 squadrons used the Dr.I as their primary equipment. Most of these units were part of Jagdgeschwadern I, II, or III. Frontline inventory peaked in late April 1918, with 171 aircraft in service on the Western Front.
Despite corrective measures, the Dr.I continued to suffer from wing failures. On 3 February 1918, Leutnant Hans Joachim Wolff of Jasta 11 successfully landed after suffering a failure of the upper wing leading edge and ribs. On 18 March 1918, Lothar von Richthofen, Staffelführer of Jasta 11, suffered a failure of the upper wing leading edge during combat with Sopwith Camels of No. 73 Squadron and Bristol F.2Bs of No. 62 Squadron. Richthofen was seriously injured in the ensuing crash landing.
Postwar research revealed that poor workmanship was not the only cause of the triplane's structural failures. In 1929, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) investigations found that the upper wing carried a higher lift coefficient than the lower wing — at high speeds it could be 2.55 times as much.
The triplane's chronic structural problems destroyed any prospect of large-scale orders.[28] Production eventually ended in May 1918, by which time only 320 had been manufactured. The Dr.I was withdrawn from frontline service as the Fokker D.VII entered widespread service in June and July. Jasta 19 was the last squadron to be fully equipped with the Dr.I.
Surviving triplanes were distributed to training and home defense units. Several training aircraft were reengined with the 75 kW (100 hp) Goebel Goe.II.[31] At the time of the Armistice, many remaining triplanes were assigned to fighter training schools at Nivelles, Belgium, and Valenciennes, France. Allied pilots tested several of these triplanes and found their handling qualities to be impressive.
Experimental engines
Several Dr.Is were used as testbeds for experimental engines. One aircraft, designated V.7, was fitted with the Siemens-Halske Sh.III bi-rotary engine.The V.7 exhibited exceptional rate of climb and ceiling, but it proved difficult to handle. Serial 108/17 was used to test the 118 kW (160 hp) Goebel Goe. III, while serial 469/17 was used to test the 108 kW (145 hp) Oberursal Ur. III.[34] None of these engines were used on production aircraft.
Postwar :
Three triplanes are known to have survived the Armistice. Serial 528/17 was retained as a testbed by the Deutschen Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (German Aviation Research Institute) at Adlershof. After being used in the filming of two movies, 528/17 is believed to have crashed sometime in the late 1930s. Serial 152/17, in which Manfred von Richthofen obtained three victories, was displayed at the Zeughaus museum in Berlin.This aircraft was destroyed in an Allied bombing raid during World War II.
In 1932, Fokker assembled a Dr.I from existing components. It was displayed in the Deutsche Luftfahrt-Sammlung in Berlin. In 1943, the aircraft was destroyed in an Allied bombing raid. Today, only a few original Dr.I artifacts survive in museums.
Replica and reproduction aircraft
Large numbers of replica and reproduction aircraft have been built for both individuals and museums. Bitz Flugzeugbau GmbH built two Dr.I replicas for use in Twentieth Century Fox’s 1966 film The Blue Max. Because of the expense and scarcity of authentic rotary engines, most airworthy replicas are powered by a Warner Scarab or Continental R-670 radial engine.A few, however, feature vintage Le Rhône 9J or reproduction Oberursel Ur.II rotary engines.
Specifications (Dr.I)
Orthographically projected diagram of the Fokker Dr.1
Data from Quest for Performance[39]
General characteristics
Crew: One
Length: 5.77 m (18 ft 11 in)
Wingspan: 7.20 m (23 ft 7 in)
Height: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
Wing area: 18.70 m² (201 ft²)
Empty weight: 406 kg (895 lb)
Loaded weight: 586 kg (1,292 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Oberursel Ur.II 9-cylinder rotary engine, 82 kW (110 hp)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0323
Drag area: 0.62 m² (6.69 ft²)
Aspect ratio: 4.04
Performance
Maximum speed: 185 km/h at sea level (115 mph at sea level)
Stall speed: 72 km/h (45 mph)
Range: 300 km (185 mi)
Service ceiling: 6,095 m (20,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 5.7 m/s (1,130 ft/min)
Lift-to-drag ratio: 8.0
Armament
2 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) "Spandau" lMG 08 machine guns.
The plane I will depict :
Not the most Historical German pilot , but I choose this because I liked very much of the Color scheme :
Some Photos of the plane :
The plane fresh from the factory :
The plane with the 'funny' scheme
The pilot with it's bird :
Some History on the pilot Lt Friederich Kempf :
Seems that he started the war in Infantry
Interrupted his engineering studies to fulfill his Einjahrfreiwilliger compulsory military obligation at age 19, October 1913. Joined 5. Badisches-Infanterie Regiment Nr. 113 in Freiburg. His volunteer service was extended by outbreak of the war. He was promoted Unteroffizier on August 3, 1914 as his unit prepared to go to battle. In the fighting for the Battle of the Frontiers which seesawed back and forth around Mulhausen, Upper Alsace, Kempf was seriously wounded remaining in hospital until February 1915. During the healing process applied for a transfer to the Luftstreitkraefte arriving at FEA 3 in Gotha on May 6, 1915. He was then sent back to Freiburg for complete training and then on to Darmstadt and FEA 9 at the end of November 1915. During this time he received a number of awards/promotions for his earlier infantry service and good work in training and other duties. These are: 11-12/?/15 Iron Cross 2nd Class, 1/27/16 promoted to Vizefeldwebel, 5/21/16 received Pilot's Badge, 7/22/16 Baden's Silver Merit Medal, promoted to Leutnant on 9/9/16. Jan. 4, 1916 joins Kampfstaffel 20 of Kampfgeschwader 4. Participates in Verdun and Somme battles. Unit transferred from the Western Front and goes east and is attached to Halbgeschwader I and supports the drive to capture Bucharest in the Rumanian campaign. After the fall of Bucharest the unit is transferred to Macedonia. Kempf's squadron mate is Hermann Frommherz. The unit is then transferred west in late February 1917. 3/20/17 Kempf receives Iron Cross 1st Class and is transferred to Jasta Boelcke. Frommherz is already there a week earlier. Kempf is recorded as scoring victories on these dates: 4/30/17 a BE2d, 6/5/17 Sopwith Pup, 10/20/17 Sopwith Camel. He receives another decoration, Bulgarian Military Merit Order w/ War Decoration. Assigned 10/20/17 to Jastaschule I at Valenciennes for duty at the flight school until 1/30/18. Kempf scores again on 5/8/18 another Sopwith Camel. His last victory. He is awarded another decoration, the Knight 2nd Class with Swords of the Zaehringen Lion. On 8/18/18 Kempf is detached from Jasta B and returns to Jastaschule I and finishes out the war there. His final award of the war comes two days before his return home, the Wound Badge in Black for his wounding four years earlier in the infantry.
Some History on the Phrase in the middle wing ( and this is a quote really I do not know if it is all accurate:
Kennscht mi noch? is swabian dialect for 'Kennst Du mich noch?' , in english: Do you still remember me?. What he means is: You can't get me! or, as another writing, this time on a Fok. DVII, says: Du doch nicht!
also I read this in another forum :
Kempf was a very talkative young man and when he meets an old comrade he hasn't saw for months he walked to him, touched his shoulders and said: "Hello, I'm Fritz Kempf, we know each other from..., kennscht mi noch?" (Do you still remember me?) He adds this question nearly everytime, it was a funny habit of him. His comrades made a joke of it and asked him if he would say this to the enemy too, especially when he is in a hot dogfight. So he decided to choose this sentence as his personal marking.
So only four victories , but a funny History on th eplane markings , still it was one of the pilots to act and survive in both World Wars , he died in 1966 .
Now for the kit , it is an Eduard Dual Combo , So , I have this one and can build another one in the future
The Box :
Sprues on the box :
Got two planes in one kit :
Decals , Masks for engine and wheels , PE , film for depicting 'canopy' glass
Decals are from Cartograf :
Instruction manual
The chosen one :
Noticed the 'funny' way how paint should be in the wings , let's see if I can do a decent job on this , another technique to learn
Will start to post threads on this build soon ...
Your cockpit is very nice! You are making a very nice tri-plane 
love what you have done with paint work on the wings , looking mighty fine 
