High Flight Articles

Volume VIII, No. 2, Page 49 1987

ALBATROS DVA - Dr. Lyle Pepino
Review by Chuck Spencer

First this time I have before me a One-Fifth Scale plan set for the Albatros DVA. It was drawn by Dr. Lyle Pepino foi Scale Plans-Photo Service of Greensboro, NC. They were drawn directly for the Smithsonian drawings. Address of SP-PS is 3209 Madison Avenue. Jim has a huge listing of Scale Plans and many Photo Documentation packs. If you are looking for documentations, be sure to check with him. His prices are very reasonable.

Now for the Albatros. this airplane has a wing span of 70 and 3/4 inches and a wing area of 1406 square inches. I would estimate the weight to come out at around fifteen (15) pounds for a wing loading of about 23 ounces or a little less. This airplane is definately not for beginners, but the scale detail is fabulous.

Fuselage is built up of ply or balsa former rings with external quarter inch spruce crutch stringer, six (6) of them, then completely sheeted or planked with 1/8 inch balsa, stressed skin construction. The empenage is built up of balsa with laminated outlines. The tailskid is made workable. The landing gear struts are of 1/8th steel wire and are faired with balsa, shaped and cable braced. The wheel axle is 5/16 inch steel wire and is sprung with bungee cord for shock absorbtion and is covered with a small axle wing similar to the Fokker only not as large. This wing is hinged in the front to allow shock cord travel. Six inch Williams vintage wheels are used.

The wings are constructed of two spars. The front spar is 3/8 inch square spruce and the rear spar 1/4 inch square spruce. The ribs are the same airfoil as used on the real aircraft. Thin with undercamber. At first glance the wing construction looks weak but when properly braced with wire as the full sized one was, it becomes very rigid. The top of the leading edge is sheeted back to the front spar. Strap hinges are used on all control surfaces.

This airplane was covered with one of the iron-on fabric coverings. Ailerons are cable operated. The plan suggests a 1.20 four stroke engine and I would have to agree. A four stroke engine would be ideal. There are three sheets of plans to the set. SHEET ONE: of the fuselage, SHEET TWO: the wings and horizontal stab.

SHEET THREE: has a frontal view with fuselage formers, interplane struts. There are eight (8) sheets of scale drawings in booklet form, so you can go as far as you want to. Plan set sells for $27.00.