Quote:
Originally posted by Ronbo:
Not sure what you mean by structural redundancy. the construction of the ww1 crates is virtually the same as todays light cessna size aircraft. main spars, aft spars, ribs etc. just the materials were wood, canvas and steel tube vs todays all metal/composite contruction.
Very few WWI aircraft were built using cantilever wing construction, as was incorporated in the Fokker Dr.I, D.VII, and D.VIII, and only because these types had wings which allowed room for internal self-supporting construction (because of their "fatter" airfoil sections).

Most WWI aircraft required flying wires, landing wires, bracing wires, and drag wires to maintain the wing cellule's integrity. If enough bracing support was lost, the wings could collapse (or simply break away in flight).

Of course, we're talking specifically on the forum here about screenshots showing damage modelling on the Fokker triplane, which had cantilever wings, but most WWI aircraft did not. On top of all this, the early wing-warping mononplanes (and biplanes) had wing structures that allowed for some internal movement to fascillitate rolling, and the wings of these aircraft were even less robust than those of later wartime aircraft.

Same goes to fuselage construction, as Fokker later used the technique of welded tube construction, while Junkers and Breguet used duralumin internally), still, most manufacters during the war used internal wire-braced wooden construction.

Doing simulated battle damage on WWI aircraft can be lots more complex than doing it for WW2 or modern airframes.