How a WWI Biplane Works

A detailed 3D dissection of the wonderful German made Fokker DVII biplane from WWI.

CREDITS
Jacob O'Neal - Research, script, narration, 3D modeling / animation, music

PATREON

SOFTWARE USED
I use Blender 3D to create these models. It's free and open source, and the community is amazing:

0:00 Intro
00:27 Frame
01:58 Cantilever Wing
02:42 Exterior
04:05 Engine
05:15 Propeller
05:57 Fuel
06:27 Cockpit
07:22 Starting Process
08:41 Cockpit (Cont'd)
11:46 Flight Control
13:42 Landing Gear
14:44 Guns
15:38 Gun Synchronizing Gear
17:22 Pilot
18:18 Full View

Correction:
0:10 Before commenting, check the top pinned "VIDEO CORRECTIONS" thread.
15:38 Prop is rotating backwards!

[animagraffs]

VIDEO CORRECTIONS
Add your fixes to my work here! Duke out the finer details, sure, but hold the personal insults or I'LL PULL THIS CAR OVER and deal with it myself!

[NotTheCIA]

You not saying the name reminded me of a joke which I will terribly paraphrase here. A world war II veteran was doing a story time with a group of elementary children. He began to talk about these fockers who would repeatedly try and shoot down his bomber. The teacher interjected, telling the children that it was just the name of an airplane. The veteran replied "that's true, but these fockers were in Bf 109s!'

[PhotoFlight]

I've always wondered how the gun synchronization mechanism worked. You made it crystal clear. Great work.

[smartysmarty]

I've been flying GA aircraft for 30 years, and never gave these early planes even a second glance. Yes, they were old and cool, but antiquated, or so I thought. The amount of thought and engineering that went into these early airplanes deserve respect. The simplicity of them is amazing and yet they were also carefully designed to check every box and then some. I can see how some pilots have learned to love these beautiful old machines.

[ScoutSniper]

Just beautiful. You forgot the silk scarf often worn by pilots to keep their necks from chafing as they constantly swiveled their head to watch for enemy planes.

[monkeytypist]

I get goosebumps ... mainly from thinking about how incredibly frail and tempremental this must have been - and it represented the pinnacle of technology at the time! Those pilots were very brave men.

[kkatzmar]

Das is fabelhaft! I built Fokker D-VII models when I was a kid over fifty years ago, but I had no way of understanding how the plane actually worked, or how the interrupter gear functioned. The details of the cockpit controls and dashboard gauges (und im deutschen Original!) fulfilled a half-century-old curiosity. Thank you so much for this!

[OleJoe]

I particularly liked the explanation of the machine gun - engine sync system. Very, very cool and clever.

[Denis_from_Earth]

Wow! You've outdone yourself with this one Jake! Extremely well-researched, narrated, and animated. Well done mate. Cheers.

[noisepuppet]

Amazing how refined and complex these planes had already become by the end of WW1. It's easy to think they were just kites with lawn mower engines, when in fact they were marvels of engineering and architecture. Aircraft design had developed into its own discipline in less than two decades.

[obiwanfisher]

The synchronised trigger is so smart. I never understood how that works and the only explanation you get is "it's synchronised" YEAH BUT FUCKING HOW. At least that's what I always asked before you animated it. Thanks.

[EffMTee]

So crazy how far flight has come since it's invention.

[ZhihengCao]

I am surprised how similar this 1918 airplane was to the Pitts S1 aerobatic airplane I fly regularly. The fabric covered steel frame, wing construction, double plywood spar, location and rigging of stick and rudder, are exactly the same. I doubt one can find this much similarity between a 100 year old car vs. modern cars.

[sunnysideup]

Came across your channel about 6 weeks ago and I must say your attention to detail is outstanding. My son has a fasination on how things work (Literally how anything works) and the 2 of us sit and watch your videos together. His eyes and ears are fixated on everything said and shown.

[garretvaughn]

Fantastic video! We have a frame of the Fokker D VII in our museum (Warhawk Air Museum) and I learned so much about its functions from this video that I can pass along to our visitors. Thank you!

[tonkpb]

You've missed a fundamental part of the construction process where 'dope' was used to cover the linen covering, in order to tighten and weatherproof it.

[MaziSaidSo]

The trigger timing technology is incredible

[artswri]

Been in love with biplanes since I was a kid. This is a terrific presentation of the beauty of the plane. Thanks ever so!!

[davidhull]

The level of sophistication reached in just 15 years is astounding. It seems like airplane design advanced more quickly than automobile design.

[Hendo]

"Exceptionally beautiful in its simplicity... ", and deadly in the right hands. Very nice video.