Airdrome Eindecker E-III
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Airdrome Eindecker E-III | image=Airdrome Aeroplanes Fokker E-III scale replica N540ZM.jpg | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=World War I replica fighter | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Airdrome Aeroplanes | designer=Robert Baslee | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status= | primary user= | number built=21 (2011) | developed from= Fokker E.III | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Airdrome Eindecker E-III is a single-seat, mid-wing, conventional landing gear fighter aircraft replica produced in kit form by Airdrome Aeroplanes of Holden, Missouri.Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-16. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 110. BAI Communications. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 35. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 39. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851{{cite web|url = http://www.airdromeairplanes.com/FokkerE-III%7B3-4scale%7D.html|title = Fokker E-III Eindecker ~ 3/4 Scale Ultralight|accessdate = 2009-10-04|last = Airdrome Aeroplanes|authorlink = |year = 2009 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20101213101934/http://airdromeairplanes.com/FokkerE-III%7B3-4scale%7D.html |archivedate = 13 December 2010}}Vandermeullen, Richard: 2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 40. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 92. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
The Airdrome Eindecker E-III is a 3/4 scale replica of the First World War Fokker Eindecker E.III, the protagonist of the Fokker Scourge of the summer of 1915 when, equipped with a single synchronized Maxim machine gun, the Fokker E.III achieved air superiority over the western front.
Development
The replica E-III was designed to give aircraft homebuilders the opportunity to construct a replica fighter and was intended to appeal to the pilot who is also a history buff. The aircraft fits into the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category and has a standard empty weight of {{convert|238|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} when equipped with the standard {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 503 engine. Optionally a {{convert|38|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} half Volkswagen air-cooled engine can be used, putting the aircraft in the US Experimental - Amateur-built category. Several other engines in the power range {{cvt|30-40|kW|hp}} can be fitted, including the Solo Flight Solo 40, Rotax 447 and Hirth F23.{{cite book |title= Jane's All the World's Aircraft : development & production : 2015-16|last= Gunston |first= Bill |edition= |year=2015|publisher=IHS Global|location=|isbn=978-0-7106-3135-0 |pages=}} Other engines fitted to aircraft on the UK register include the Warner Scarab 145 and the Continental C85-12.{{cite web |url=https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/|title=G-INFO search |author=advanced search on REPLICA EINDECKER EIII|accessdate=11 October 2019}}
The fuselage is constructed from pre-welded 4130 steel tube, along with aluminum tubing that is bolted and riveted together. The wing is conventional aluminum construction, wire braced from a short kingpost and the whole aircraft is covered with aircraft fabric. Unlike the original E-III, which utilized wing-warping, the replica has ailerons. The landing gear is bungee suspended. The engine cowling consists of a spun aluminum nose bowl with a sheet metal wrap-around.
The kits are supplied complete including paint and fabric, except for the engine, propeller and instruments. Of note, the kit does not include a replica machine gun. The factory estimates that an average builder can complete the aircraft kit in 300 hours.
The company claims that the aircraft kit can be assembled using "normal hand tools consisting of hacksaw, hand drill, file, pop rivet gun, wrenches, and hand nico press tool. Area required for construction should be approximate the size of a single car garage".
Operational history
Specifications (E-III)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units? = imp
|ref=Cliche, Aerocrafter, Kitplanes, Airdrome Aeroplanes
|crew=one
|capacity=242 lb (110 kg) useful load, no passengers
|length ft= 18
|length in= 0
|length m=5.49
|span ft=30
|span in=0
|span m=9.15
|wing area sqft= 96
|wing area sqm= 8.93
|empty weight lb= 238
|empty weight kg= 108
|max takeoff weight lb= 480
|max takeoff weight kg= 218
|eng1 name=Rotax 503
|eng1 type= two cylinder, two-stroke
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 hp= 50
|eng1 kw=37
|max speed mph= 63
|max speed kmh=102
|cruise speed mph= 57
|cruise speed kmh=92
|stall speed mph= 28
|stall speed kmh= 45
|range miles= 80
|range km=130
|climb rate ftmin= 1100
|climb rate ms= 5.6
|wing loading lb/sqft=5.0
|wing loading kg/m2=24.4
|power/mass=9.6 lb/hp (0.24 kW/kg)
|guns= 1 X replica Maxim machine gun (not supplied with kit)
}}
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.airdromeairplanes.com/FokkerE-III%7B3-4scale%7D.html}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.airdromeairplanes.com/FokkerE-III%7B3-4scale%7D.html Official webpage archives] on Archive.org
- [https://www.flickr.com/photos/foqus/3477666437/ Photo of an Airdrome E-III]
{{Airdrome Aeroplanes}}
Category:1990s United States ultralight aircraft
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft