FW-200 C-1 Condor (1 Viewer)

[ThomasP]

Here is a website for kitplane builders. It does a fairly good job of explaining the basics of doped fabric covering on aircraft in today's light civil aviation.

"Best Practices"

Below is a photo of a Hawker Hurricane as it was being rebuilt a few years ago. The wooden stringers and formers that create the external shape of the rear fuselage have yet to be covered by doped linen.

And this is what the aft fuselage would look like after rebuild.

 

[special ed]

Does the rebuilt/repro Fw 200 in Germany have the fabric covered panels or more modern sheet metal?

 

[Wurger]

Does the rebuilt/repro Fw 200 in Germany have the fabric covered panels or more modern sheet metal?

They covered it with the fabric but used the modern skin ORATEX UL600.

Restaurierung: Außenflügel – Focke-Wulf Fw 200 "Condor"

 

[Wurger]

There's something else I'm interested in asking. In the drawings of the early Condor in the fuselage area, the connection of the sheets is only vertical. But I haven't found any photographs confirming this drawing, could it be like this?View attachment 796730

Do you mean the bottom or the top of the central wing?

 

[Stas1234]

Do you mean the bottom or the top of the central wing?

Upper

 

[Wurger]

OK. IMHO the drawings aren't too accurate regarding thepanel lines for the C-3. The problem is that there aren't images of a very good quality. But I found two enough good to notice the layout of the panels both on the top and undersides. I enlarged them and cropped. I counted about 5 rivet lines going horizontally.

 

[Crimea_River]

That would be why he's looking for drawings but I suspect that finding any original plans will be very difficult if not impossible.

 

[Wurger]

OK. IMHO the drawings aren't too accurate regarding the panel lines for the C-3. The problem is that there aren't images of a very good quality. But I found two enough good to notice the layout of the panels both on the top and undersides. I enlarged them and cropped. I counted about 5 rivet lines going horizontally.

View attachment 796744
View attachment 796745

Yep ... about 5 rivet lines from the main stringer to the trailing edge ... and 4 panels to the leading edge. However the rear part of the central wing seems to have more complex covering than it is shown in the drawings above.

 

[Capt. Vick]

If I remember correctly, this had some really good Condor drawings. If I remember tomorrow, I will check for you.

 

[Stas1234]

Nice! I am going to eat a cookie, and send you an imaginary cookie.

Also I agree.

View attachment 796726
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the source: Restaurierung: Außenflügel – Focke-Wulf Fw 200 "Condor"

So... Stop. Explain to me in more detail what you mean by the words "Fabric covering"? Instead of sheets of metal, did you make fabric on the frames?

 

[ThomasP]

Yes. Fabric (usually linen of one sort or another, but sometimes cotton) was laid over the frame and stretched tight, then attached (usually with a combination of glue and screws, and sometimes with an intermediate layer of tape or other underlayment) to the wood or metal formers and stringers, The fabric was then 'doped' which was a process of brushing/spraying nitrile or butyrate resins onto the fabric. The resin soaked into the fabric and - when dry - stiffened the fabric. After the resins dry the surfaces were usually sprayed with a paint or varnish of some sort to protect from the weather and sun.

This basic method has been used since the pre-WWI period to the present, although today the cloth material is usually synthetic instead of linen or cotton, and the resins are usually replaced with less toxic modern types.

 

[Wurger]

So... Stop. Explain to me in more detail what you mean by the words "Fabric covering"? Instead of sheets of metal, did you make fabric on the frames?

Exactly what is said above.

 

[ThomasP]

A picture from Hawker's Brooklands factory in WWII. This shows the cloth being draped over the rear fuselage of the closest Hurricane and the beginning of the attachment process. The other Hurricane has the cloth stretched and secured to the fuselage formers and stringers and is in the middle(?) of the prep for the doping process. The rudder and horizontal fins of the near Hurricane have already had the cloth applied, doped, and (I think) painted with a base coat.

 

[Stas1234]

A picture from Hawker's Brooklands factory in WWII. This shows the cloth being draped over the rear fuselage of the closest Hurricane and the beginning of the attachment process. The other Hurricane has the cloth stretched and secured to the fuselage formers and stringers and is in the middle(?) of the prep for the doping process. The rudder and horizontal fins of the near Hurricane have already had the cloth applied, doped, and (I think) painted with a base coat.

View attachment 796787

What parts of the Condor were coated with fabric instead of sheet metal?

 

[Wurger]

What parts of the Condor were coated with fabric instead of sheet metal?

The outer wings from the main girder to the trailing edge and the ailerons. The rudder and elevators and a small portion ( a panel ) of the fin, IIRC.

 

[Stas1234]

The outer wings from the main girder to the trailing edge and the ailerons. The rudder and elevators and a small portion ( a panel ) of the fin, IIRC.

I don't understand about the wings... Can you illustrate?

 

[Wurger]

I don't understand about the wings... Can you illustrate?

Here is the image taken in 1940 of the outer wing without the fabric skin. As you may notice the metal skin is from the leading adge to the main wing grider only. Then the airfoils ( ribs ) and stringers made of the duraluminium can be seen. Also the aileron is without the fabric covering.

and here is the appearance of the outer wing covered with the fabric ( the white panels ). The aileron hasn't been attached yet.

the pic source: Restaurierung: Außenflügel – Focke-Wulf Fw 200 "Condor"

 

[Stas1234]

Here is the image taken in 1940 of the outer wing without the fabric skin. As you may notice the metal skin is from the leading adge to the main wing grider only. Then the airfoils ( ribs ) and stringers made of the duraluminium can be seen. Also the aileron is without the fabric covering.

View attachment 796796

and here is the appearance of the outer wing covered with the fabric ( the white panels ). The aileron hasn't been attached yet.

View attachment 796797
the pic source: Restaurierung: Außenflügel – Focke-Wulf Fw 200 "Condor"

Do you know how the parts I highlighted were attached? Especially on the engine. There are clearly no rivets on the engine as it needs to be serviced

 

[Wurger]

View attachment 796798

Do you know how the parts I highlighted were attached? Especially on the engine. There are clearly no rivets on the engine as it needs to be serviced

The fairing of the wing-fuselage transition consisted of 5 pressed metal strips that were attached to the fuselage and the wing top covering with the countersunk head screws ...

and the parts of the nacelle were attached to the inner structure ( a frame made of the pressed metal bars and bulkheads ) also with the countersunk head screws ......

 

[Stas1234]

The fairing of the wing-fuselage transition consisted of 5 pressed metal strips that were attached to the fuselage and the wing top covering with the countersunk head screws ...

View attachment 796803

and the parts of the nacelle were attached to the inner structure ( a frame made of the pressed metal bars and bulkheads ) also with the countersunk head screws ......

View attachment 796808
View attachment 796807
View attachment 796811

What other parts were secured with countersunk screws? Do you know?