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RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/9/2004 4:10:38 PM   
squeeguk



Posts: 505
Joined: 3/21/2004
From: Camberley, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		I made mine exactly the same spacing using additional 3/32" balsa wrapped round the tyre, then gluing the proper 3/32" sheeting in place when it was the correct distance away. After looking at Saramos' build, it seems that he has put his wheel well sheeting in at the same angle the wheel goes in. I wonder if this will pose problems with gear doors? Probably not. Can't wait to hear from Saramos.

By the way, how is your build coming on Tubig?

Keith how are you planning on doing your wheels / wells / doors if you are going to do them?

Cheers
Luis

< Message edited by squeeguk -- 7/9/2004 4:14:42 PM >


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(in reply to tubig)
       Post #: 76

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/9/2004 6:53:41 PM   
CHEF-UK



Posts: 203
Joined: 2/17/2004
From: Chesterfield. Derbyshire, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		Luis,

As for the wells. Yes i wil be doing them but as for how. Dont knwo yet. probably same as you 2 wrapping balsa sheet etc. I will do retract doors as well. as long as i found some good documentation on them. Ill do as much goodies on this as I can. after all this hobby is all about fun isnt it and enjoying yourself.
Got myself a 12v air pump from "argos" today, perfect for filling retract system up.


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Due to government cutbacks,the light at the end of the tunnel has been switched off!

(in reply to squeeguk)
       Post #: 77

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/9/2004 10:10:16 PM   
lord lucan



Posts: 716
Joined: 1/16/2004
From: England, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		Hi Keith ... ...

...keep looking in to see how its all going...looks good

...couple of pics for ya ...meant to post them up a couple of weeks ago...Hucknal....bumped into some chaps we'd not seen for a couple of years ...thier now lumbered with all things Spitfire @ RR.. Peter had a sit in /on .. first time out this year for " I Spy "... new Paint, Prop Wheels, looked & sounded magnificent..

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Complex solutions to simple problems..

(in reply to CHEF-UK)
       Post #: 78

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/10/2004 1:10:11 AM   
saramos



Posts: 2301
Joined: 12/6/2003
From: Northridge, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Here is some more info on the photos I posted of my wheel wells.
This was actually my second attempt to make the wheel wells. My first attempt was with 1/64th ply and was done in 3 separate pieces. I was unhappy with the results and pulled them out and redid them as shown in these photos.

This time, I used 1/32 balsa. I made a cylinder 4" tall and about 12" in circumference. I cut out the section of rib W6 within the well and inserted the cylinder at the same angle the wheel retracts. I outlined where the balsa cylinder extended below the wing and cut along the outline. I mounted the inner wall of the well flush with the wheel well cutout on the wing and used a dremel drum sander to notch for the gear strut. Once I had good clearance with the wheel, I glued it into place. I then used a razor saw to cut the cylinder flush with the top of the ribs. After it was installed, I added some scrap 1/32" balsa to strengthen the cylinder walls.

I am able to remove the retracts. I had to shave a little less than 1/32" from the wing joiner on one side, put a slight notch in one of the retract rails, and it is still a verrry tight fit. I have to tilt and rotate the retracts in order to remove them. I added some carbon fiber on the ribs above the retract rails, and I still would like to strengthen the rails themselves a bit too.

To deal with the air nipples, I loosened the screws on the retract housing and rotated the cylinder to where the nipples were in a more convenient location.

Scott.


My wings are in about the same stage as in the photos. I took a break to build a couple of other planes that I will use to improve my flying before I attempt to fly the spit. I should be returning to the spit build soon.

(in reply to tubig)
       Post #: 79

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/10/2004 1:35:56 AM   
saramos



Posts: 2301
Joined: 12/6/2003
From: Northridge, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Keith,

Here are two photos showing the way the gear doors look while in flight. The first one really shows the bulge of the gear doors. In the second photo, you can see the gear strut is, at best, even with the bottom skin of the wing, if not actually below it a bit.
Both these planes are MK IXs with the C wings.
Scott.

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       Post #: 80

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/10/2004 9:05:28 AM   
CHEF-UK



Posts: 203
Joined: 2/17/2004
From: Chesterfield. Derbyshire, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		Hi Dave, aka LL. Peter is a lucky chap getting to stand there. Looks like it was nice day. Hope you are well and enjoying what good weather we have at the moment for flying. Are you going to Cosford this w/e I shoul be going tomorrow. Should be a good show.

Saramos. Many thanks for those photos, sure helps to know that the real one had a bit of a bulge around the retract/wheel location.

Many thanks. What did you use for the tubing, that appears in your photos, I think Tubig did the same. is it to enclose your aileron servo wire etc ?


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       Post #: 81

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/10/2004 9:24:39 PM   
saramos



Posts: 2301
Joined: 12/6/2003
From: Northridge, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Hi Keith,

Yes, the tubes are for the aileron wires. With the wheel wells in and the wing skinned, it's the only way to thread the wires. I used the smallest model rocket bodies that were available at my LHS. I believe that Tubig made his from rolled paper, certainly a less expensive way to go.

Scott.

(in reply to CHEF-UK)
       Post #: 82

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/10/2004 9:48:54 PM   
squeeguk



Posts: 505
Joined: 3/21/2004
From: Camberley, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		Hi guys

I have finally been able to take pics of my Spit.

I was wondering if anybody had some advice for me. I need to make hatches for the retracts and for the side of the fuse. I anyone has any ideas, please let me know on how to go about doing this. I have a couple of ideas, but I'll let the pros advise first.

In the pics you can see how I have had to cut away for the retracts to be removable.

I have also included pics on my wheel well details and how I routed the servo leads behind the leading edge.

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(in reply to saramos)
       Post #: 83

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/10/2004 9:56:03 PM   
squeeguk



Posts: 505
Joined: 3/21/2004
From: Camberley, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		Sorry to hijack your thread Keith, but I am sure you won't mind as this info could be valuable to you too.

I have included a pic of the right side of the fuse on my Spit to show the access panel where I have put my retract fill valve, recharging socket and on/off switch. I have an idea how to make the hatch so that it is easily accesible, but once again I am hoping some of the pros will jump in and show me the right / best way to do this. I still have some work to do on this area as the hatch on the real Spitty has rounded edges and I still need to put some filler in there to make it smooth and neat.

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< Message edited by squeeguk -- 7/10/2004 9:57:07 PM >


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       Post #: 84

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/11/2004 1:00:48 AM   
morro


 

Posts: 213
Joined: 9/20/2003
From: AdelaideNot-applicable, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		Squeeguk, There are a lot of ways to do this, first check to see if the hatch is in the right spot, looking at it I think it is to low down and to far back, then draw yourself a template of the actual size with the rounded edges and transfer this to the fus by tracing around it, its important to make the hatch look scale, ok, cut around the pencil line with a fine scapel, to get those curves right and then use a sturdy blade for the staight edges, remember to mark the hatch opening between the formers. ok once that is done and the door comes out in one piece then you have the option of using this or make a new door like I did out of aluminium sheet, then soldering small hinges to the door that you can get from your hardware store in the craft section, these hinges are small and good for this job. by putting a ply piece behind the top lip of the hatch you then can secure the door to the hatch.all you need to do is make a hatch lock.
hope I havent stated the obvious here.

todd

(in reply to squeeguk)
       Post #: 85

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/11/2004 6:59:16 AM   
CHEF-UK



Posts: 203
Joined: 2/17/2004
From: Chesterfield. Derbyshire, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		Squeeguk, no problem with so called hijaking. its all about spitfires so go ahead, I have no problem with that at all. I want to do the hatch. but i must build the fuse 1st. Looks great though what you have done so far.


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       Post #: 86

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/11/2004 8:46:36 AM   
squeeguk



Posts: 505
Joined: 3/21/2004
From: Camberley, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		Hi Todd

Thanks for the input. As for the positioning of the hatch, I thought it didn't look right, but I measure it off 2 sets of 3 views I have and it's definitely in the right place and the right size???????

Keith, I first cut some pieces of 3/32 balsa and used them as a sort of landing, overlapping the balsa internally to give me a surface for the hatch to rest on. I then made a box which fitted in this area. It was much easier sliding it in from the outside that from the inside as I forgot to do this when I only had the top half done???

The box then had all the holes for the item cut out and final sanded to shape. I then taped off the top edges and sprayed it with fuel proof paint from Flair in a Matt olive drab colour. Then I fitted all the items onto the back of the box and taped over them to hide them from paint and glue,etc. I then glued it in place, really simple though.

I thought of doing the hatch exactly the same way as Todd suggested using 2 piano hinges on the top of the hatch a la the original and then a hatch lock of some sort on the bottom. What I was going to do different though is to place a piece of sheeting balsa over the hole and cut it down to shape. Then I was going to make some sort of jig to hold it in shape and then glass over that? Hope it works, I will probably need some sort of ribbing on the back of the hatch cover to help maintain the shape. As for the round corners, I wish I had come them in place first, I am now going to have cut some radius corners and glue them in place and them use some filler to get a nice clean shape.

Keith, do all this before building the bottom fuse on and it will make your life a heck of a lot easier. You will also need some battery and charger extension leads.

Cheers

Luis


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(in reply to morro)
       Post #: 87

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/12/2004 3:20:43 AM   
tubig


 

Posts: 969
Joined: 2/17/2003
From: Jungli, TAIWAN
Status: offline 		another method of making the hatch, and the one i will be trying, is to lay down some clear monokote over the area of the hatch which has been drawn in place on the fuse. lay up some layers of fiberglass with resin over the monokote. after drying, mark the shape of the door from the outline on the fuse and then pop the fiberglass shell off of the monokote. trim the door to shape. remove the monokote and place the door on the fuse and carefully cut out the opening. this method should allow the door to match the contour shape of the fuse perfectly.

(in reply to squeeguk)
       Post #: 88

RE: Keith's Top Flite Spitfire build - 7/12/2004 3:42:39 AM