BUILDING A WWI BI-PLANE FROM SCRATCH |
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A Nieuport 17 in France during World War One. |
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Nieuport 17 in flight. Graphic by Diven. |
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When I was in 6th grade, I developed a fascination with World War One airplanes. I drew countless Albatrosses and SPADs on my desk. I made fake wartime souvenirs to hang on my wall.
Encouraged by a teacher and my mother, I sent a letter to Captain Eddie Rickenbacker (Americas Ace of Aces from World War One), who was still living and kept an office in New York. I sent him my school photo, a pastel drawing of his squadron's "Hat in the Ring" logo, and a letter mentioning that my maternal grandfather had worked in the same Columbus Buggy Company that Rickenbacker had worked in before he found fame as a race car driver.
Captain Eddie replied a very nice letter, including a signed photograph and a booklet about his life. I still have them. Later on I called him on the phone, but was too young even then to take much advantage of the opportunity. We did speak, however.
About a year and a half ago, while in Denver, the owner of an extensive collection of World War One fliers uniforms and belongings took me back into their museum archives, where I held Captain Eddie's helmet and goggles, and saw his combat logbook from the 94th Aero Squadron.
Such childhood dreams of experiencing flight as he did sank to the bottom for me after my first experience in a light plane at age 15 found me prone to nausea (I later learned that there was a particular model of plane that did the same to Rickenbacker). But all these years later, sitting at the controls of an aircraft that I am flying, I find that the nausea doesn't come on -- I only feel it when I'm a passenger!
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My first flight as a certificated pilot over the Dona Ana Mountains near Las Cruces, New Mexico. |
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I learned to fly at age 43 so that I could fly the bi-plane I'm building. I got my "ticket", but I'm still building my airplane.
It's a Graham Lee designed full-size Nieuport 17. I chose the full-size because, frankly, I'm 6'3", and I'd make anything else look like a toy. Graham had just created the full-size plans and (as far as I know) none of them are flying yet (though his 7/8 scale versions are numerous).
The plans come in a neatly bound 8.5 x 11 booklet, and are part guidebook, part portal into a spiritual journey. Fortunately, that suited me just fine. Graham Lee, I have decided, was a mad genius (Graham recently died farewell). His plans drive some to distraction, but the deeper I've gone into building this project, the more certain I am of my choice of airplane and designer.
When I started, I didn't know what an AN bolt was, and had never seen a blind rivet. Now I've got them all over the place, and the Aircraft Spruce catalog holds a place of honor in the clutter of my bathroom.
The plane is taking longer to construct than I thought it would, but then, don't they always? My work has been interrupted by a move to another state, then a move back. But I will fly this plane one day, if for no other reason than to justify the riding boots, flight helmet, goggles and silk flying scarf I've already begun to accumulate!
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Me sitting in a Nieuport 12 in Chandler, AZ. It fit. |
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This was an important moment in my decision-making process regarding aircraft plans. I'm sitting in a Graham Lee Nieuport 12, which is a 7/8 version of the two-seater model. Just before this picture was taken, I had squeezed myself into the cockpit of a flying 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. After that I climbed into the roomy cockpit of this craft, and immediately felt at home. I ordered my plans the next week.
I sat in this plane the week after September 11 in Chandler, Arizona, home of the Arizona Wing of the Lafayette Escadrille. Everyone was still grounded, so looking, sitting and taking pictures was all I could do. But that turned out to be enough.
I can now sit in my own cockpit, and it feels just as comfy to me as the N-12. I have pangs about not having a second seat to carry passengers, but I was facing twice the cost and twice the build time, so as a first-time builder, I chose the simpler and more modest single-seater.
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