Several years ago I sent three WWI Mercedes engines down to my friend Peter Jackson in New Zealand. He had been looking for something to copy and couldn’t find one anywhere. We cut a deal to get them all running as well as use them to help Peter remanufacture new ones! Last summer, while in NZ I got to watch my first one running on a test stand.
Of course we are very excited about putting one in an airplane and have since contracted with Fred Murrin in Pennsylvania to build us a Fokker D-7 airframe. Attached is a recent picture of the finished wings. The fuselage frame is welded up and many of the small parts are currently being fabricated. We will finish off the final details of airframe at Fantasy of Flight including – installing the engine, instruments, fabric covering, and paint. We are looking forward to having a very accurate example flying one day.
Kermit