ESM Spitfire 72.5
#152
A LOT! I did not weigh it. I put the plane on a balancer and put an epoxy cup on the nose and filled the cup with lead shot til the plane balanced. Then I added epoxy to the cup and mixed it up and poured it around the front of the cowl. I do remember it was about 3/4 of the epoxy cup was filled with shot. Hope that helps.
#153
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I am using the ESM landing gear but having problems with the stock wheels hanging up in the wheel wells. Did anyone else have the same problem and how did you correct for it?
Thanks.
Hal - Spitfire Brotherhood #45
Thanks.
Hal - Spitfire Brotherhood #45
#156
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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
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
#157
You do not need to have the CG so far forward. I first tried 110 mm on mine. It became a bit nose heavy. Then I tried 117 mm and it was great. You need a lot of extra weight for those extra 10 mm.
#159
I have read that to, so that is why I started out with 110mm. Since it became a bit nose heavy I moved it to 117. The manual states 120mm and that will probably work to. She needed 300 grams just behind the prop and weighed 6200 grams in total.
#161
Not to throw a wrench in the works but, i have had 2 of these Spitfires and they were very different in their tail setup. The original KMP version used a split control rod back to the elevator and control rod to the rudder with a small wire tail wheel. The ESM version has pull-pull setup to the tail surfaces and a huge wire for the tail wheel. I say all that because the instructions for the 2 planes had very different CG locations and I have always wondered if it was due to the changes in the tail weights on the 2 versions. Both of my planes have flown well with different CG's. I have always been suspicious that the incidence is off a little bit on the Spitfire as a number of people have commented that their planes fly best with some down elevator. Good luck and I hope this helps. If you look really close in this photo you can see the amount of down elevator I fly with.
#162
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Cg set now at 115. Split the difference. Removed the ignition pack and switch along with 18oz of lead. First time using an IBEC and so far really like it. I did get my butt kicked though when I was running the engine first time around. I kept have my rx pack leads getting real hot and melted two plugs. Finally traced the problem to a cowl screw that went through my throttle servo wire. My dumb fault. Got that fixed then had the engine running for 5 minutes when it shut off. Wasn't drawing fuel, would only pop. Was getting ready to take carb apart when I found the ball link has broke at the carb arm. Fixed that and finally everything seems ready for flight now.
#163
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Well over the weekend I finally have my ESM Spitfire flying. It is fitted with a DLE-30 and 18x10 2B Mejzlik prop. We clocked it with a radar gun on the brand new engine at 206 kph down the strip. This thing really flies fast and when the engine loosens up a bit for that extra few rpm it will be really interesting to get the max speed.
I initially had cooling problems with the DLE-30 but replacing the 17x10 Biela 3 blade with the 18x10 2 Blade Mejzlik and a bit of cowl tweaking sorted this out. After the first solid flight and a bit of surface travel adjustment it is brilliant to fly. Fast, precise, smooth and highly manoeuvrable if needed. Landings were straight forward no issues with nose-overs though you could see it is light on the tail. The gear is standard and has not been raked. C.G. is set precisely at 110mm. About the only thing I will try is a fraction more down thrust on the engine as it has the tendency to pull up under full throttle, though it is not that bad.
During the build I had to use shorter standoffs which recessed the carb slightly into the firewall and the pitts muffler is a J-tech for a Aeroworks Cessna.
Overall I love this plane, it is an absolute blast to fly with the DLE-30 fitted. I had a few flights over the weekend being chased and chasing a Focke Wulf 190 of the same scale also with a DLE-30. Both are so equally matched and it sure was a head turner for the spectators.
Jaz
I initially had cooling problems with the DLE-30 but replacing the 17x10 Biela 3 blade with the 18x10 2 Blade Mejzlik and a bit of cowl tweaking sorted this out. After the first solid flight and a bit of surface travel adjustment it is brilliant to fly. Fast, precise, smooth and highly manoeuvrable if needed. Landings were straight forward no issues with nose-overs though you could see it is light on the tail. The gear is standard and has not been raked. C.G. is set precisely at 110mm. About the only thing I will try is a fraction more down thrust on the engine as it has the tendency to pull up under full throttle, though it is not that bad.
During the build I had to use shorter standoffs which recessed the carb slightly into the firewall and the pitts muffler is a J-tech for a Aeroworks Cessna.
Overall I love this plane, it is an absolute blast to fly with the DLE-30 fitted. I had a few flights over the weekend being chased and chasing a Focke Wulf 190 of the same scale also with a DLE-30. Both are so equally matched and it sure was a head turner for the spectators.
Jaz
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G'day all.
Just getting into my second Kit, (dont ask what happened to the first one) I have noticed a few small differences between the kits, but on both kits the wing does not fit square in the Fuselage, what I did was to measure the back of the wing saddle and mark half, same at the front of the wing, then rested the wing in place, the marks dont line up, out by at least 5mm plus, so I twisted the wing and lined those marks up with the centre join of the wing, it was not a smooth fit, used a tape from back edge of the Fuselage to outer end of the Aileron slot, with everything lined up it was still 5mm out,
the flaps on this kit are a better fit, I had to put a temp spacer inside the tail when I glued the Tail Feathers on, just behind the tube joiner, makes them fit better, I am using 2 servos for the Elevators, with push rods, but Pull, Pull for the Rudder.
just waiting for my engine to arrive, DLE 35ra same as the last one, this kit is going together a lot faster, I can still remember most of what I did last time, plus the things to look out for,
re the CofG, I had my previous model set at 100 to 105, yes it took more weight to balance it, also raked the wheels forward, moved the fuel tank back all to help with ground handling, but at that CofG it flew beautifully, plus it was very nice to land, (give it heaps of flap), I also have the P-51, it flew well but it could be a "B" to land, as I moved the CofG forward it improved its landing habits, have quite a few flights on it now, very happy with it.
will still be a few weeks before the Spit breaks ground, am looking forward to it, they just look so nice in the air,
Oldtimer
Just getting into my second Kit, (dont ask what happened to the first one) I have noticed a few small differences between the kits, but on both kits the wing does not fit square in the Fuselage, what I did was to measure the back of the wing saddle and mark half, same at the front of the wing, then rested the wing in place, the marks dont line up, out by at least 5mm plus, so I twisted the wing and lined those marks up with the centre join of the wing, it was not a smooth fit, used a tape from back edge of the Fuselage to outer end of the Aileron slot, with everything lined up it was still 5mm out,
the flaps on this kit are a better fit, I had to put a temp spacer inside the tail when I glued the Tail Feathers on, just behind the tube joiner, makes them fit better, I am using 2 servos for the Elevators, with push rods, but Pull, Pull for the Rudder.
just waiting for my engine to arrive, DLE 35ra same as the last one, this kit is going together a lot faster, I can still remember most of what I did last time, plus the things to look out for,
re the CofG, I had my previous model set at 100 to 105, yes it took more weight to balance it, also raked the wheels forward, moved the fuel tank back all to help with ground handling, but at that CofG it flew beautifully, plus it was very nice to land, (give it heaps of flap), I also have the P-51, it flew well but it could be a "B" to land, as I moved the CofG forward it improved its landing habits, have quite a few flights on it now, very happy with it.
will still be a few weeks before the Spit breaks ground, am looking forward to it, they just look so nice in the air,
Oldtimer
#167
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I have always been suspicious that the incidence is off a little bit on the Spitfire as a number of people have commented that their planes fly best with some down elevator. Good luck and I hope this helps. If you look really close in this photo you can see the amount of down elevator I fly with.
#168
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I have always been suspicious that the incidence is off a little bit on the Spitfire as a number of people have commented that their planes fly best with some down elevator. Good luck and I hope this helps. If you look really close in this photo you can see the amount of down elevator I fly with.
Have a look at this video at 5:07 and you will see it on the real thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FzsJBjbCyvM Jaz
#170
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As per Paul Monforton the full size Spit has +2 deg root incidence twisting out to -0.5 at the wingtip.
I have yet to see an ARF model that correctly, therefore the "trait" you mention?
I have yet to see an ARF model that correctly, therefore the "trait" you mention?
#171
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I am far from a Spitfire or aviation expert, it is only observations that I have noticed on mine and others planes that I have seen.
#172
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Tevans
How did you spray the stacks on your Spitfire? From the pictures I have found nearly all of them had the white soot on the edges. Yours are the closest I have seen to the real thing. I was not able to feather the edges like you have done.
Hal
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How did you spray the stacks on your Spitfire? From the pictures I have found nearly all of them had the white soot on the edges. Yours are the closest I have seen to the real thing. I was not able to feather the edges like you have done.
Hal
Spitfire Brotherhood #45
#174
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Hi there. I have it like this. If you moved to 117mm from 110mm then the plane should become more nose heavy....
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fly or not fly?
Hi Guys,
Please some information about the ESM Spitfire 72.5. My model it is powered by a ASP 180 FS, total weight it is 7120 gr and the C.G. position it is at 117/120 cm. The weight seems too high, but I had to add much to have the right CG. I do not know why so much weight. It's normal ? my position C.G. it's right ? Please watch this movie:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J9ly0G-rkTA
What do you think about it ? what advice can you give me? I'm afraid to take the first flight. Many Thanks for your help. Best Regards
Please some information about the ESM Spitfire 72.5. My model it is powered by a ASP 180 FS, total weight it is 7120 gr and the C.G. position it is at 117/120 cm. The weight seems too high, but I had to add much to have the right CG. I do not know why so much weight. It's normal ? my position C.G. it's right ? Please watch this movie:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J9ly0G-rkTA
What do you think about it ? what advice can you give me? I'm afraid to take the first flight. Many Thanks for your help. Best Regards