Top Flite Spitfire Build

octagon · March 24, 2017, 02:08:12 PM

I have finished fiber glassing the fuselage. I glassed the wings using water base polycrylic which looked really good until the next morning when I discovered the water had warped and bubbled most of the top sheeting. It reminded me of my dear old Irish Grandmothers washboard. I think it happened for 2 reasons. First I did not get the bottom of the top sheeting really well glued down to the top of the ribs and second, I should have used some kind of barrier that was water resistant on the sheeting first to stop the water from penetrating the sheeting and warping it. I bitched around with the warped sheeting for a couple of days but could not seem to get it to an acceptable state, so there was nothing for it but to remove all the top sheeting and start again. The picture is with the new sheeting and I will glass it tonight or tomorrow, this time using finishing epoxy, which is what I used on the fuse. A bit more work, and messy to clean up, but I like the result I seem to have achieved on the fuse. The radio and motor, retracts and servos are all installed, so the next step is to mount the wing to the fuse, blend in the wing to fuse fairings and get ready to paint. Maybe I will wait to see how it flies before I send to Callie for the graphics for the Johnny Johnson's livery I intend to do.

octagon · March 30, 2017, 06:13:06 PM

The plane has been sanded after the fiberglass, sanding sealer and spot filler. Down to 220 grit, will do 320 and then 400 wet sanding and then......................I will begin painting it in camo colours. Can't wait, but someone said to me, when you think it is ready for paint, sleep on it for a night and then look again. Good advice me thinks. Have to glass the ailerons, but that is a quick job. Looks more and more like a Spitfire I think.

octagon · May 04, 2017, 08:54:52 PM

Finished all the controls tonight. Should be ready for Mayden fest next Saturday. I am having trouble finding a 3.5 inch spinner, so if anyone has one they want to part with let me know.

octagon · May 04, 2017, 08:56:10 PM

As you can see, I am already trying inverted flight. Damn Iphones!

Frank v B · May 04, 2017, 09:03:58 PM

Rob,

You got the iPhone made for the Australian market.

Frank

Wingnutz · May 06, 2017, 08:17:08 PM

Rob,
My iDevices have been doing this for years to the point, I hold the iPad upside down to take photos I'm going to post on TEMAC's forum.
Recently, I think I found a solution...time consuming at best.
Using the iSystem photo editor, try rotating your picture 360* so it appears right side up on your iDevice. Save the change and then post it. LMK if it works for you.
Bill
BTW, when I expand your posted pictures on my iPad, they invert again and are right side up...either way, model looks great...no big roundel on the fuse sides or are those still to be applied?

sihinch · May 06, 2017, 08:18:57 PM

I think the Spit looks amazing, inverted or not!

octagon · May 07, 2017, 03:44:28 PM

Quote from: Wingnutz on May 06, 2017, 08:17:08 PM
Rob,
My iDevices have been doing this for years to the point, I hold the iPad upside down to take photos I'm going to post on TEMAC's forum.
Recently, I think I found a solution...time consuming at best.
Using the iSystem photo editor, try rotating your picture 360* so it appears right side up on your iDevice. Save the change and then post it. LMK if it works for you.
Bill
BTW, when I expand your posted pictures on my iPad, they invert again and are right side up...either way, model looks great...no big roundel on the fuse sides or are those still to be applied?

Hi Bill, thanks for the advice. I have found that if I use my Iphone and use the buttons located on the side (the volume buttons) facing down then the picture posts properly. I took the upsidedown pictures using the camera screen and did not notice where the buttons where. Problem is you cannot tell if they are upside down until you actually post them.
Anyway, the spit is finished now, just goint to taxi test it. It came out to 9.8 pounds (with 6s battery installed, which is pretty good and just about what I think it should be. I hope to maiden it next weekend and after that and I know that it flies I will spend some time detailing it, get a pilot, guns, invasion stripes and apply the rest of the decals.

piker · May 07, 2017, 05:28:03 PM

I was lucky enough to see the Spit at Rob's place yesterday. It looks fantastic!

Good luck with the test flight, Rob!!

Frank v B · May 07, 2017, 05:32:40 PM

Rob,

Looks great. Not an easy build at all.

Please, please do three things when you maiden it:
1) Nose heavy CG. Find someone who has built it (gas or electric) and see where they put their CG. Do not rely on the plans.
2) reduce the elevator throw. See my note on maidening Spitfires and Mustangs in my post 'How I maiden airplanes"
in the Flight Instruction section. http://temac.ca/smf/index.php/topic,3826.0.html
3) Have Glenn stand beside you.

Good Luck.

Frank

octagon · May 07, 2017, 08:34:25 PM

Thanks for the advice Frank, and I will be sure to do all of those things. I spent too long on this sucker to write it off on the first flight.

sihinch · May 07, 2017, 10:08:39 PM

Quote from: octagon on May 07, 2017, 08:34:25 PM
I spent too long on this sucker to write it off on the first flight.

That's my specialty!

Frank v B · May 07, 2017, 10:18:57 PM

Simon,

re: "That's my specialty!"

As long as you and I are good at something. Please note that my contribution is that I will not be flying for the next two weekends since I will be out of town. Rob is safe to maiden it while I am away.

.

Frank

octagon · May 17, 2017, 10:05:13 PM

Ok, so this is probably only of interest to a Battle of Britian nerds like me. When I was trying to decide about the invasion stripes I wanted to paint on the Spitfire, I was not sure if they were painted on the top and bottom of the wings and fuse or just on the bottom. I have pictures of them both ways, and I have a picture of Sid Bregman in front of his Spit and they are only on the bottom. Yet there is a famous Robert Taylor painting of JEJ's plane, with Bregman's plane in the formation and the stripes are on top as well as bottom. I found out today why the discrepancy. On June 5th the air ministry ordered the stripes painted top and bottom. After the successful invasion, and as the Allies made there way inland, the same ministry ordered the camo returned to the top wings and the top of the fuse. This was about 3 months after the invasion. So, the way I detailed Sid's plane was as it would have appeared in September or October of 1944. About 3 months after that, the invasion stripes were painted over entirely.