alanc

i have one of the early ones of this spit, i came by it with one side of the retract bay ripped out, this week, i taped up the cowl holes, removed the air scoops, ballasted it, and chucked it off a hill !!!!!!! it makes a reat power scale soarer, doesnt half get its speed up, all aerobatics are as possible with this, as with an engine up front, might never have it as a power model again

Me410

I did alittle slope soaring years ago with some small light stuff. We don't really have a good spot around here for it.
Iam suprised an ESM warbird could be converted to that, thought they would be too heavy?

Me410

I should wrap up my 2cents on this bird.

I had to cut out the bottems of the wheel well inserts as they robbed me of needed wheel clearance. At that point I just said to heck with it and made balsa liners. I panted them with gray Tremclad as thast what I had. I didn't have any fuel proofgreenish zinc-chromate handy.

I have not made the wing canons yet, and gear doors may never be made, I want to fly!

I set the CG at 110 mm as others have done, Idid have to make aply tray that attached to the motor mount and added a pound of lead.
Flaps max at 65 degrees
All up weight is approx 15-16 LB.

And off to the field we go.

Take off was pretty easy, no tendency to noise over with the modified gear rake. One trick I used was the tailwheel is alittle cocked off to the left turn, so to slow roll straight forward you have to hold right rudder, as speed picks up and the tail lifts, you are already holding right rudder and on top of the warbirdLH torque pull.

The Saito 120 with a APC 15x8 prop pulled it well, not a speed demon, but very scale and fast enough. Big loop are no problem, so I am happy with the power. Also, the sound of a glow fourstroke is hard to beat, I know, a 4 stroke twin would be better.But =$$$$$$$ .

The CG seems spot on. This plane feels very solid and is a joy to fly.
Landing was alittle hairy as it was somewhat windy and I elected to come in without flaps, I touched down alille hot and ran to the end of the runway into the weeds, got lucky, no damage.
Next landing was with full flaps and still did not slow down that much, but did not overrun the runway that time.
My engine is at a slow enough idle and flaps at approx 65 degrees, I seem to need alot of runway to land though. I few more weekends flyingand I should get shorter landings, maybe I can reduce my approch speed alittle more.

All in All I love to fly this plane and it looks great and only took me a couple of months to get from the workshop to the field.

Cheers
Tom

hombresinropa

My Feedback: (4)

Tom,

Awesome news. I'm glad you got your plane flying!! I have about 6 flights on mine and have not put the gear doors or guns on either. Actually, I haven't put any of the extra plastic or fiberglass parts on yet... I'm still tinkering with how it flies. I meant to take it out today but was too windy. I hope to get out early tomorrow. It flies great for me in the wind, I've flown it in 15mph before. I haven't flown it recently through, since the last 4 times I've taken it to the field, the engine won't stay running. At home on the driveway, it's fine. Field... not fine. Go figure. I put in new ESM aluminum wheels after I got a bind in my other aluminum wheels that came with my ESM retracts, and I wish I would have used your balsa lining technique. I thought about it but went with the plastic inserts. They are big enough for me, BARELY. My brother is making me some replicated vaccu formed parts, hence why I haven't put them on yet, to include the radiators made out of much tougher plastic.

I love this plane, it looks so awesome in the air. I have the 120 OS two stroke through, so sound isn't the same, but it still sounds oh so nice. I still have my buzz bomb dream. One day...

tevans55

Me410-

If you have enough throw in your flaps...I have been flying mine this year with 75 degrees of flap and it slows very nicely and lands nicely in about 200 feet. I put my flaps on a slider rather than a 2 or 3 position switch so that I can apply the flaps as needed for wind conditions. Most landings however are with full flap. My first ESM Spit only had about 45 degrees of flap and used up about 300 feet of runway so I added more flap to this second plane and it handles it very well. The added flap has really made landings with this Spit alot more enjoyable. Good Luck.

Me410

Increased flaps to approx 75 degrees, all good, better landings. Here's a link to a vid my buddy took of my sweet flying spit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fffqa6Dupk

Tom

tevans55

Wow Tom great video and landing! You have just shared the same experience with me. This plane loves a lot of flap and really slows down nicely without upsetting the balance in any way. Congratulations!

silvo2011

I was looking for a cockpit for the ESM Spitfire 72.5, do you know where i can buy it? same as youre photo.

tevans55

Silvo2011-

Here is the link to company and the page for this cockpit.

http://www.dbalsa.com/cockpits/spitfire-kmp.htm

The company is Dynamic Balsa. The current price is $60 USD.

Good Luck, it is a nice product and works very well in this plane.

Also WELCOME to RC Universe!!

oldtimer4759

hello Spitfire lovers,
I just picked mine up today, looks good, a crack in the top of the cowl, been looking at another forum, so I have gone for the power option, a DLE 35 with the rear exhaust, it is a fighter, so it needs horse power, will let you know how it goes. this is my 3rd ESM model, the P-47, with a DLE 30, beautiful to fly, love it, also the P-51B with an RCGF 30 in it, magic, now that I have it sorted out.
Oldtimer.

Me410

Oldtimer4759

You will love your ESM Spitfire. My cowl was cracked on top also. I added lots of new fiberglass inside after the engine cut outs were done to make it stonger. You are going to need to add wieght up front anyway.

I have a new DLE30 with wrap around muffer that I may replace my Saito 120 4s with. I love the Saito, good fit, good power, great sound....but.... I hate paying 40$ a jug for nitro from my LHS. A jug does not go far withthatmotor.

It looked to me thatmy DLE 30 will not fit unless I saw off the firewall and make a new one about 1/2 inch back?
Other option might be to cut a hole in the firewall to let the carb recess into and use shorter stand offs, but as you see the stock firewall area is pretty small.

let me know how you make out with the DLE35 RA install.

Tom

oldtimer4759

hi, the DLE 35 fits no problem, no mods req to the firewall, but I beefed up the inside, so far I have fitted the engine and cowl, the ailerons and flaps are finished, I havent joined the wings as yet, the tail plane is on, dont know about other kits, but mine came with a 12mm aluminum tube, but the holes in the tailplane are only 10mm, lucky for a stock of C/F, I had some 10mm tube, so that is in, fit the tail plane first, then the elevators, I am using C/F rods instead of the pull, pull, system, 2 servos, they are in and ready to hook up, will be using pull, pull for the rudder, the U/C mounts seem to be a lot better than the 47 and the 51, but I am waiting for my Sierra retracts, a fair bit has been done to lighten the tail end, the elevators and tail plane weigh almost nothing. I like the look of the cowl and the canopy is a beauty. thinking about a cockpit kit.
Oldtimer.

Mpizpilot

My Feedback: (45)

Can someone tell me the strut length and if the retracts are 90 degree units?

tevans55

Are you asking about ESM retracts or another brand.

Mpizpilot

My Feedback: (45)

Actually, I have a set of 90 degree lado units, but don't know what strut length to use. I guess I could just inbox the plane and measure the fixed gear.

tevans55

That would be best because you need the length from the trunion on your lado to the center of the wheel well. That distance will vary for different brands.

Mpizpilot

My Feedback: (45)

Another ESM Spitfire added to the mix. Installed a AGM 30cc gas engine (DLE copy). Looks like the stock muffler should work. The motor is about an 1/8" too long so my spinner gap might be a bit big, but it should help with balancing. I'll be using the stock pull pull setup on the tail, just going to replace some of the wing hardware. This is my 4th ESM bird and this one is the nicest so far. Looks like I finally got a Monday morning model and not a Friday afternoon one.

vasek

My Feedback: (4)

Hi MP, big gaps behind the spinner look terrible IMHO. I would ad a ply ring glued to the fuse behind the spinner plate painted the spinner color.
Not a lot of work & it would look the part. Cheers, V.

Mpizpilot

My Feedback: (45)

agreed, was thinking of doing that or shorter standoffs for the motor.

vasek

My Feedback: (4)

always wanted to try the "ring" behind the spinner as it would look close(r) to scale

Mpizpilot

My Feedback: (45)

What size spinner were you guys using from Dave brown? God only knows when TBM will get theirs in stock again

Mpizpilot

My Feedback: (45)

Pretty much done, just waiting for my CJM retracts. I'm having the mill shop where I work machine a ring to fill the spinner gap. I still think this is the nicest ESM bird I've had yet.

Mpizpilot

My Feedback: (45)

Up on her feet. Just have to add the radiators, balance and set throws and it'll be ready to go.

H.Dale

My Feedback: (3)

mpizpilot

How much weight did you have to add to get yours to balance? I have a DLE30 on mine and I need about 12 ozs additional weight if I attach it somehow to the standoffs. It will be even more if I put the weight in the nose. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Hal - Spitfire Brotherhood #45

tevans55

H.Dale

I epoxied lead shot around the inside front of the cowl.