![\"Fokker](\"http:\/\/armahobbynews.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/72013_fb.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nInnovative wing design<\/h2>\n
Wing design used in Fokker E.V had no match in earlier series produced airplanes. It has been only tested in some prototypes and experimental airframes. The wing was one-part, with thick \u2018Fokker\u2019s\u2019 airfoil and wooden construction covered with plywood, which kept proper surface shape on the whole wing\u2019s length. It was not possible with traditional fabric-covered design, as the fabric sagged between the ribs. New wing\u2019s stiffness allowed for cantilever arrangement, without the drag caused by the rigging. Thanks to these features Fokker E.V, despite quite weak rotary engine, had very good speed and excellent climb. Such wing, called \u2018Fokker\u2019s\u2019, was later used very widely in many other airplanes, also as big as commercial and bomber Fokker F.VII\/3m (and also in designs of many other producers!) till the \u201830s.<\/p>\n
Plywood through the modeller\u2019s eyes<\/h2>\n
From the modeller\u2019s point of view Fokker E.Vs wingis a very interesting case. It has no sagging surface, so typical for all those \u2018ragwing\u2019 planes from the contemporary period. But it is also not as smooth as the later plywood designs (eg. Mosquito or CANT Z.506), Fokker has very prominent panel lines between the overlapping plywood panels, applied without the sanding and filling.<\/p>\n
These lines, due to the plywood bigger thickness and lesser stiffness are even more prominent than in the metal covered airplanes. It is clearly visible on the good-quality photographs. Also the plywood surface is not smooth \u2013 even on the factory-fresh airplanes some sagging and waving is clearly visible, but, of course, not as much as on the fabric covered wings.<\/p>\n Factory-fresh Fokker E.V 138\/18 delivered to the naval Marine Feld Jasta in August. Plywood sagging and waving on the bottom wing surface is clearly visible. Photo via Jack Herris<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Aiming on simplicity and profit maximisation, Anthony Fokker has already found a way to save the weight and money due to special painting. Triplanes, trainers and early Fokkers D.VII were covered with diluted, non-fully covering paint, leaving visible uneven streaks. Later Fokker has gone even farther, completely eliminating paints from fabric covered airplanes camouflage \u2013 enthusiastically adapting the printed fabric (Flugzeugstoff \u2013 called lozenge<\/a>). Lozenge printed fabric was also used to cover fuselages and tailplanes of the Fokkers E.V. But there still was a question of the wing.<\/p>\n For many decades painting scheme of the Fokker E.V wings was described as solid olive-green, made probably with the same paint which was used to cover all the metal parts (struts, undercarriage legs, engine cover). It was a mistake, caused most probably by the poor quality of the available photographs and lack of access to the source documentation. This is common cause of mistakes in historical camouflages reconstruction. Similar problem was with the determination of the early Messerschmitt Bf 109 camouflage (often described as painted in uniform green colour), or German armoured vehicles from 1938-1940 period, shown as uniformly panzer-grey camouflaged. In reality the documents describing their camouflage and the high-quality photos show the two colour camouflage: RLM 70\/71 in case of the Messerschmitt and panzer-grey and brown used to camouflage the Panzers.<\/p>\n There was similar story with the Fokkers. The first doubts were caused by the document, being factory drawing with the index of the materials used in wing manufacture. It included four synthetic stains in following colours: \u2018Mocha Braun\u2019 (Mocha brown), \u2018Azur Blau\u2019 (azure blue), \u2018Azin Violet\u2019 (azine violet) and \u2018Neu Echtgr\u00fcn\u2019 (\u2018new true green\u2019), very popular at that time high quality products of the German chemical industry.<\/p>\n Left: Camouflage colours on the Ltn Stec’s Fokker E.V. Click on picture to see bigger image.<\/em><\/p>\n Final coup against the \u2018olive-green-wing theory\u2019 was the find of the high-quality photographs, showing the wings with prominent uneven streaky effect typical for the stained wood, impossible to achieve using the oil paints. Paint leaves a layer on the plywood surface, while the stain irregularly soaks the wood. On these better photos one can also see the different shades applied in wide camouflage stripes \u2013 representing two top and two bottom camouflage colours.<\/p>\n It is interesting that the stains colours were chosen to match the general appearance of the printed lozenge fabric used on the fuselage and the tailplane. There was one important difference: lozenge fabric was printed with very durable dyes, resistant for the weather and sun, while the stains used to camouflage the wing faded very quickly losing its initial bright colours and becaming rather dull and pale. Also the dope used to seal the surface weathered losing its initial high-gloss appearance.<\/p>\n<\/a> Wing of the Fokker E.V \u201e001\u201d used by Stefan Stec in April-May 1919. The plane was about 8-9 months old at that time. Plywood panel lines are clearly visible. Photo: Tomasz Kopa\u0144ski collection<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0Another Stefan Stec\u2019s Fokker E.V \u201e001\u201dphoto, city of Lw\u00f3w, April 1919.The airplane was at that time about 8-9 months old. Plywood sagging and waving on the bottom wing surface is clearly visible. Photo: Tomasz Kopa\u0144ski collection<\/em><\/p>\nSecond innovation – painting<\/h2>\n
Question of colour<\/h3>\n
Synthetic stain-pigments<\/h2>\n
<\/a>\u00a0Copy of the factory index of the materials used in the Fokker E.V wing manufacture. Stains and pigments are listed with their exact quantity. Photo via Stephen Lawson<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Initially it was assumed that the four stains have been mixed together in order to obtain the olive-green colour, but the experiment proved that assumption wrong. In addition, the listed stains were transparent, unlikethe pigments used in making of the covering paints. Also the listed quantities in were not enough to paint the whole wing (20 grams of each stain, compared with 400 grams of the black and 500 grams of white pigments used to paint the German crosses only!).<\/p>\n<\/a> Fokker E.V wing during load test. Stain streaky effect and the lighter and darker diagonal camouflage fields are visible. Photo via Stephen Lawson<\/em><\/p>\n