[Updated for 1.1] Fokker Dr.I Triplane: The Red Baron's Ride!

[pTrevTrevs]

 

 

Considering that my user title reads "Vintage Plane Addict" and my avatar is a Fokker Triplane, I think it would be in order for me to actually make a vintage plane every now and then. I also thought that since I haven't yet made the very plane displayed in my avatar, I might want to get around to doing that.

I've learned several lessons since my last powered biplane, and because of that, this plane is of the finest quality. With extremely high maneuverability and a speed of 124 m/s in level flight, the Fokker Dr.I is sure to please. It is rated for 7,000 meters ASL, and it's part count comes in at only 120 parts.

The Fokker Dr.I is most famously known as the last aircraft flown by Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron. Richtofen achieved 19 kills in his Fokker, which was painted all red. He was also killed in a Fokker, although no one knows for sure who killed him. Today, the Fokker Triplane is arguably the most famous aircraft from World War I, although is was pulled from service in July 1918 due to a series of mysterious failures of the upper wing.

 

The following are photos from one of the test flights of the plane. Altitude, maneuverability, speed, endurance, and stability were all tested to the fullest to provide a better, more capable airplane.

Photograph of Jebediah von Kerman, the "Orange Baron", and his Fokker Dr.I after returning from a sortie over the Western Front.

This plane will be a blast to fly and its low-ish part count means almost anyone can enjoy it!

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

 

As always, let me know what you think, rep if you enjoyed, and feel free to post any pictures of your own flights here!

 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2016 by pTrevTrevs

[FlipNascar]

As I'm sitting here looking at the pictures reading the text I'm making "dakka dakka dakka" noises...

[Sharkman Briton]

I haven't heard of this plane, though I have heard of the Red Baron. I'd say the Fokker Scourge or the Sopwith Camel is more famous. Love the craft!

[pTrevTrevs]

I haven't heard of this plane, though I have heard of the Red Baron. I'd say the Fokker Scourge or the Sopwith Camel is more famous. Love the craft!

I'm going to assume you're referring to the Fokker Eindecker, since the Fokker Scourge is really a period of time, not an airplane.

No way man, I didn't even know what the Fokker Eindecker was until last year, but I've known of the Dr.I for quite a long time. Also, if you search "Fokker" on Google, you get tons of pictures of the Dr.I and pretty much no pictures for the Eindecker.

On the Sopwith Camel, however, I'm inclined to agree with you. It's definitely the most famous Allied plane, and I can't really tell which plane is more famous.

But no need to start an argument, download the craft, fly it, have fun. It's really fun to fly!

[Columbia]

..I think I'm gonna have a field time flying this.

Well done!

[Sharkman Briton]

I'm going to assume you're referring to the Fokker Eindecker, since the Fokker Scourge is really a period of time, not an airplane.

No way man, I didn't even know what the Fokker Eindecker was until last year, but I've known of the Dr.I for quite a long time. Also, if you search "Fokker" on Google, you get tons of pictures of the Dr.I and pretty much no pictures for the Eindecker.

On the Sopwith Camel, however, I'm inclined to agree with you. It's definitely the most famous Allied plane, and I can't really tell which plane is more famous.

But no need to start an argument, download the craft, fly it, have fun. It's really fun to fly!

Okay, I meant the first plane that used a mechanism to stop bullets hitting the propellors when I said Fokker Scourge.

[selfish_meme]

Downloaded and flown, I added two struts between the tail cone and the Dashboard (the tail was wobbly), also the tailplane control surfaces were not set properly, they were active for everything. Also the real one only has ailerons on the top wing, and the wings were straight, maybe thats one on the bottom wing too inboard. Otherwise it was very manoeuvrable and fun, good replica.

[pTrevTrevs]

Downloaded and flown, I added two struts between the tail cone and the Dashboard (the tail was wobbly), also the tailplane control surfaces were not set properly, they were active for everything. Also the real one only has ailerons on the top wing, and the wings were straight, maybe thats one on the bottom wing too inboard. Otherwise it was very manoeuvrable and fun, good replica.

http://automobilesdeluxe.tv/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/fokker-triplane.jpg

I realized after uploading the craft that the elevators were not set properly, but I haven't experienced any wobble on the tail. I realize the wings were straight, but I used the slanted ailerons because the straight ones caused Z-fighting and looked ugly. I'm reasonably certain that having ailerons on all three wings is what makes the plane so maneuverable.

Thanks for the input, by the way.

[Guest]

A very nice plane! I especially like the landing gear machine guns! Good idea here!

And not to be nitpicky, but it should be "von Richthofen" ("from the law court") and not "von Richtofen" ("of directed oven").

[pTrevTrevs]

A very nice plane! I especially like the landing gear machine guns! Good idea here!

And not to be nitpicky, but it should be "von Richthofen" ("from the law court") and not "von Richtofen" ("of directed oven").

Oh, sorry, will fix. That's how it's spelled on Wikipedia.

You know, I think I was destined to build this craft, because when I went to eat lunch today, this thing was sitting outside a nearby shop.

What does this mean?!?

Edited October 4, 2015 by pTrevTrevs

[pTrevTrevs]

Thanks to the power of BurnTogether, I'm able to share with you some pictures of the first air combat patrol performed by KSC Jadgstaffel 1. Three pilots were selected to fly the mission, including Jeb, the wing commander.

The flight assembled on the grass plain near KSC. I wanted to use the runway, but the wheels on the triplanes lack steering, and I wasn't able to taxi three planes off and then back onto the runway and I didn't feel like combining them in the SPH so I had three in a single craft file so I did this instead.

Takeoff photographed by a ground mechanic. New recruitment poster for the Kerbin Imperial Air Force, perhaps?

Disappointingly, BurnTogether doesn't appear to be able to hold a tight formation, so I spent most of the flight juggling three aircraft trying to keep them somewhat near each other and headed in the same direction.

I spent nearly all the fuel in the planes before I got them in this arrangement. I wanted to get all three flying in close formation, but I couldn't do it. Here's two close together with the third a little behind.

Eh, it still looks okay from a distance...

This secret camera mounted on the wing of the lead aircraft shows that Squardron Leader Jeb clearly enjoys his new command.

Tragically, on the way back, the flight encountered an enemy Tracking Station. Bob was killed when he crashed into a comms dish, Bill here narrowly avoided the building but suffered damage and injury upon landing after he braked too hard due to shock. He was barely able to stand up for this photograph.

Jeb, on the other hand, landed a little short of the station and flipped his plane while braking to avoid it. He was completely uninjured, and decided to prove it to the photographers by doing some sick balancing tricks.

[The_Rocketeer]

I request a Sopwith Camel next!

[pTrevTrevs]

I request a Sopwith Camel next!

Hmm, we'll see...

I made a Sopwith Pup a few months ago, you can find that on my profile.

[pTrevTrevs]

I sent this craft to one of my friends so he would have a good plane to learn to fly in KSP, but he found out that one of the updates along the way broke it. This may not be my most well known craft, but it's my favorite so i decided to update it for 1.1 and upload the new version.

Maybe it needs some tweaking, I tried to do one of the most famous maneuvers done by Fokker pilots; climb straight up and do a hammerhead turn right as the plane stalls, but it turns out that I can actually just continue climbing straight up with it

[TheKosanianMethod]

So you built a WWI plane that can do something better than an F-15. Nice looking replica, the White Baron will like it.

[CrashTestDanny]

It was long suspected that as a child, Werner von Kerman had helped Manfred von Kerman to give his planes a little edge during the big one.  Of course, at the end of the subsequent conflagration, with all the "allies" vying to capture the famed rocket scientist, amidst the confusion all of the documentation of these early experiments was lost.  Today, however, we have found proof that the first Kerbal in orbit may have actually been Manfred von Kerman!

Recently uncovered diaries of both Manfred and Werner support this conclusion and document that the concept of "Moar Boosters" originated with this pair of aviation and rocketry pioneers!

 

Danny

[Deizelpunk]

Nice job! I like the guns!

[pTrevTrevs]

13 hours ago, Deizelpunk said:

Nice job! I like the guns!

I'm thinking that now that BD Armory has a fixed .50 caliber machine gun, I might make a version of this with two of those instead of the landing legs. I should also probably revise this to use no offset limits, because I didn't have that mod installed when I first built this.

[Deizelpunk]

8 hours ago, pTrevTrevs said:

I'm thinking that now that BD Armory has a fixed .50 caliber machine gun, I might make a version of this with two of those instead of the landing legs. I should also probably revise this to use no offset limits, because I didn't have that mod installed when I first built this.

I do a stock version and a BD version, for those mod free players out there.

[pTrevTrevs]

4 hours ago, Deizelpunk said:

I do a stock version and a BD version, for those mod free players out there.

I hope I can get KerbPaint working on my computer so I can paint the plane red (or black like Joseph Jacobs's plane). I could also get a decal mod for the Maltese crosses on the wings and tail.