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ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

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ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Old 12-10-2011, 02:34 PM
  #1  
Idigbo
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Default ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

I've just started a rework of this popular ARTF, it is going to look a bit like the silver Dutch one below eventually. Power will be a DL55 gasser. Up to now, it has been stripped, the fretted sheeting replaced, the wng servo mounts removed and fully internal linkages fitted for the ailerons and scale linkages for the flaps installed. The ailerons have been sheeted too, after being sanded down by the thickness of 2 sheets. The aileron, elevator and rudder hinge lines are shrouded with glass strips at the factory, a nice touch, I know not scale for the ailerons but a nice touch non the less.

Ian.

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Old 12-10-2011, 02:38 PM
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Idigbo
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Please ignore the glue runs, filler and any untidy stuff, its not me its the factory in China!!!!! Well at least they actually use glue!!!!! The cannons are some heavy resin jobs, I've made them removable since they are obviously rather vulnerable!

Ian.













Old 12-11-2011, 04:19 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Interesting project! Can you tell me what material is used for the spar?
Old 12-11-2011, 05:36 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

The spars are balsa square with a fretted liteply shear web. The wing joiners are two ali tubes though if thats the info your after. Glassed the topsides of the wings, using 24gram cloth and Fighteraces resin, great product to work with. Once this is dry I'll do the undersides, then add the blisters etc.

Ian.









Old 12-11-2011, 06:01 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Nice project!

Casey
Old 12-11-2011, 07:30 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Balsa spars worry me, especially if they are square. I much prefer spruce but I doubt that we'll ever see that! They were several Spitfires of this size around my area a few years back. Some guy was selling some pretty nice fiberglass fuses and plans. The plans called for 1/4 square balsa spars and no webbing. Every single one folded a wing in flight except one....he used spruce. The cost difference was a few cents more.

In any event, best wishes with your plane. Spitfires are really beautiful and graceful aircraft.
Old 12-12-2011, 11:15 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

I'm not worried about this design mate, theres plenty about and no issues, plus its stronger as well now its glassed and fully sheeted. Got the undersides glassed, plus the ailerons and also started to fill in the rivets on the fuselage. The panel lines I'll use, but the rivets (actually indents where the fasteners would be) are huge and look a bit toy like. A simple skim of filler with some stopper to finish. I'll put the detail back on later. I also thought I'd have to remove the 'waterslide' type transfer for the RAF fin flash, that fella is well and truly attached, so attached it will stay, I'll flat it in and paint over, job done.

Ian.



Old 12-13-2011, 10:57 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Heres a couple of pics of the fuselage, the rivets are far to big, actually 'deep', so they were filled in and flatted over. The fuselage was then wet flatted to get rid of any steps in the original paintwork, a definate step between upper and lower colours, plus the fade between the grey and green may show a shadow through due to the feathered texture. This isn't strictly true on this model since they are painted gloss, decals applied then matt clear coated all over. Man is that paint tough stuff!!! After this, I sprayed the fuselage to show any imperfections. The plan is to get most of the base paintwork done before I install any gear or fit the tailplane etc.

Ian.









Old 12-13-2011, 11:14 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

I also altered the shape of the elevator balances to match the later shape, I was hoping to leave the covering on the tailplane but it might bug me if I don't strip it too. The elevators and rudder will be 'tex covered. I know the elevators have 2 too few ribs in, but it is an artf after all!!! Whilst waiting for stuff to dry etc I had a look at he retracts, oleos and wheels. These are nice units, much, much better than the earliest ESM retracts. The wheels are nice too, but the hubs although very bling to look at, don't fit the Spitfire in the looks department. I made up some new hub covers which make all the difference I reckon?

Ian.




Old 12-13-2011, 01:04 PM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Sorted the paint masks too. Flightline Graphics have done them, used them before and he is very helpful indeed.

Ian.

Old 12-14-2011, 02:47 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Hi Idigbo

Your work is awesome I am looking forward to this thread. I hope you enjoy this model as much as I have mine. Be sure to brace the gear mounts while you have the access. They are not that weak but even just a bit of epoxy would help!

Chris
Old 12-14-2011, 03:34 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Ian,

I just ordered this model. I don't think I will do as much as you have, as I want to get it in the air quickly. I will be changing the markings, as I know where I can get graphics cheap

Is the silver paint you used a primer, or is that a color coat?

Nigel at FlightLine Graphics does nice work.

Old 12-14-2011, 05:38 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework


ORIGINAL: jdeluyck

Ian,

I just ordered this model. I don't think I will do as much as you have, as I want to get it in the air quickly. I will be changing the markings, as I know where I can get graphics cheap

Is the silver paint you used a primer, or is that a color coat?

Nigel at FlightLine Graphics does nice work.

No fair!!! LOL...and she does GREAT work too!
LUCKY!

Great project guys. I would have one, but I have a BT spit next on the bench...

Casey
Old 12-15-2011, 06:40 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

I decided to strip the tailplane, then started to fettle the mountings and control linkage. This linkage has to go in before the tailplanes are attached, therefore the cables have to be attached before........ etc. The cables I swapped for some much stronger, better quality cable just for piece of mind since its a fit and forget item. The crank also needs supporting or the middle bit with the cables attached can have a fair amount of spring in it. The kit crank does have some sturdy plastic supports, but fit them as the storybook says and the linkage will bind as the crank will be 5mm infront of the hinge line. No big issue, just mount the crank back a bit and fillet the sides of it, support the support!! The tailplane mount also needed a little fettle, sanding the hole in one side of the fuselage about 0.5mm, the two halves now line up perfectly. There are incidence dowels supplied, short stubs. I replaced these with a smaller diameter glassfibre rod which goes through the fuselage into the other half, much stronger in a front to back way. Also, as I've stripped the tailplane and elevators, I can fettle them to match perfect too. Before all this is glued in, I needed to sort the wing fixing so I could adjust the tailplanes seat to match the wing. Much easier to do that than make the wing match the tailplane. In any case, no adjustment was necessary and the two lined up perfectly with no bullying. Checked the other alignments too, wingtip either side to fin post is within 1.5 mm over about 1500mm, which is good enough for this. I'll get the tail glued up this afternoon, and show more pics since I've forgotten the darned camera!!!

Ian.





Old 12-15-2011, 06:48 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

I also upgraded the hinges from small ESM jobs, to larger Robarts. The is mainly because the scale hinging means the part of the hinge that goes into the tailplane has about 6mm unsupported as the hinge line is buried in the elevators. Much more solid feel now. I love the way when doing hinges and linkages etc, when its right the surface can fall under its own weight, no binding with stiff linkages and hinges etc. Sad huh?

Ian.
Old 12-15-2011, 10:22 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Heres a pic of the hinges and incidence dowels I swapped, well worth doing. The crank and cable hanging out, ready for a gluing job. I drilled about 8 keying holes in the fuselage, 1/16" diameter at strategic points to line up with the tailplane structure. The crank slides in first, then the tailplanes can be assembled. The factory done untidy hole for the crank I nearly tidied up, but its hidden when the tail is one so I thought why bother. I coated each surface with epoxy, including inside the tailplane tube, then as it was all slid together, dribbled a bit more epoxy on the tube as it slid it. The beauty of doing the job on this one and not one I was trying to keep tidy is I could slark the epoxy everywhere!!!!





Old 12-15-2011, 10:34 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Tailplane now glued, I trimmed the elevator hinges and their blocks at an angle, purely for looks once they're covered since the full size has zig zag appearance under the covering in this area. Not completely scale, but it helps. Next job was to look at the tailwheel, I wanted to make it look a bit nicer than the wire job supplied, whilst still using it. Once tweaked to a better shape slightly, the straight aerofoil tube was fitted. This tube came from a stationery suppliers, used for binding papers together, perfect for our use since it is open at the pointy end and can be slid over wirework, or servo leads can be run inside it when using as strut covers. Damn cheap too!! The lower fork is lithoplate, but I'll make a tinplate one and solder it on once I've got the pattern right. Last job for the day was opening the cockpit up.

Ian.







Old 12-16-2011, 10:53 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Heres a comparison between the uncovered elevator and the covered, stitched and taped elevator. The structure didn't permit the fitting of the trim tabs so characteristic of the full size Spitfire elevators, so I dummied it to look summat like, I also dummied the ribs too. I think I got away with it!!??

Ian.



Old 12-16-2011, 11:05 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

After doing that, I decided to fit another prominant feature on the elevators, the trim tabs. These are made from a 3 slice sandwich of thin ply. The middle one has the horn and mounting tongue included, with a wedge shape either side to bulk them up and give a 3d look. They'll be covered with a shroud of lithoplate. A 1/4" sq strip of balsa was added to the side of the rib so after covering, a slot could be cut to accept the mounting tongue.

Ian.





Old 12-16-2011, 03:09 PM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Cool project. Keep the pix coming. I miss my BT spitty
Kelly
Old 12-16-2011, 03:22 PM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework


ORIGINAL: Thunderbolt47

Cool project. Keep the pix coming. I miss my BT spitty
Kelly

Cheers Kelly, I'll show pics if folks want to see them! Though this will never match up to a BT design!!! Glassed the lower surfaces of the tailplane tonight, ready to do the top in the morning. That'll be the lot glassclothed then, ready for another coat of resin to fill the weave.

Ian.
Old 12-16-2011, 04:32 PM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

We want to see'um

Here's a few of mine.
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Old 12-17-2011, 01:20 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework


ORIGINAL: Idigbo


ORIGINAL: Thunderbolt47

Cool project. Keep the pix coming. I miss my BT spitty
Kelly

Cheers Kelly, I'll show pics if folks want to see them! Though this will never match up to a BT design!!! Glassed the lower surfaces of the tailplane tonight, ready to do the top in the morning. That'll be the lot glassclothed then, ready for another coat of resin to fill the weave.

Ian.
Yes BT is more scale.
But this ESM seems to be really nice base for some scale bash.
Have you seen Chads cockpit? It is designed to fit BT FG fuse from Vic.
I'm looking forward to see it finished.
Old 12-18-2011, 03:23 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Hi Ian,

Better than I expected mate.

Cant wait to have this a RAF Warbirds

Cheers
DB
Old 12-19-2011, 10:30 AM
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Default RE: ESM 50cc Spitfire rework

Cheers chaps The model might have a full cockpit yet, it'll probably get one of the commercial ones made specially for the ESM Spitfire.

Heres a bad pic showing the original rudder. I had a couple of issues with it. Mainly that it was heavy, then that the front of the balance didn't match the fin well enough (for me!!)...then there was the structure, thats the reason it was heavy and looked very unscale like, lots of block, thick sheet etc. I decided early on to make another. This has a liteply outline and balsa ribs, the right number for the rib counters!!! The leading edge is balsa with balsa hinge blocks. I also gave the elevators a waft of silver too.

Ian.




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