Photograph:
Airdrome Aeroplanes Fokker Eindecker E.III scale replica (Ultralight News)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat light sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 37 kw (50 hp) Rotax 503UL two-cylinder, two-cycle, engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan:7.31 m (24 ft)
- Length: 5.48 m (18 ft)
- Wing area: 8.91 m² (96 sq ft)
- Cruising speed:92 km/h (57 mph)
- Stalling speed: 45 km/h (28 mph)
- Rate of climb: 335 m/min (1,100 ft/min)
- Take-off run: 53 m (175 ft)
- Landing run: 122 m (400 ft)
- Range: 113 km (70 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 19 litres (4.16 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 155 kg (341 lb)
- Loaded weight: 264 kg (583 lb)
History:
The Fokker Eindecker E.III (or E.3) was the first combat aircraft in the world to be equipped with a forward-firing fixed machine-gun synchronised to fire between the propeller blades, and by some was considered the most important of the Fokker monoplane family early in World War I. It used wing-warping for roll control and was similar to the Fokker E.2, but was built to be fitted with the 75 kw (100 hp) Oberursel U.I engine. It was manoeuvrable and had a good climbing speed but became redundant quickly as more potent aircraft were designed and built. Records indicate some 260 examples were completed. In recent years scale and full scale replicas have been built.
The Oberursel rotary engine was not reliable, power decreasing as the aircraft climbed for altitude, the aircraft taking 30 minutes to climb to 3,000 m (9,825 ft ). The Eindecker was fitted with a single LMG-08/15 7.92 mm (0.31 in) machine gun.
Airdrome Aeroplanes has provided a kit to build a 75 per cent replica of the Eindecker. The kit used all aluminium tubing to complete the fuselage, wings, undercarriage, cabanes, lift struts and formers, as well as aluminium sheet metal to construct gussets, cowling, the seat etc. The Company could also supply a Deluxe kit which included the airframe kit together with the engine mount and the fuel tank. The kit was introduced to the market in 1996 and examples have been built around the world. A Rotax 503 engine has usually been installed.
Airdrome Aeroplanes kits have been imported to this region by Rangitata Island based East Canterbury Aviation, the first Eindecker kit being completed in mid 2012. Another kit has been built and flown at Watts Bridge in QLD.