Spitfire fuselage domed and/or flat rivets?
02-20-2005, 03:06 PM
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Spitfire fuselage domed and/or flat rivets?
I need some advice from the Spitfire experts out there. You know who you are 
I am currently finishing a Mick Reeves 1/6 Spitfire with wooden fuselage. I have been looking at pictures of fuselage sections and can see a combination of flat and domed rivets on some, others with what appear to be all flat, and to mess it all up I see discrepancies between pictures of the same MK. I am particularly interested in MKIXC Spits and would appreciate any advice, suggestions, or references on this subject. I know it's small detail but I would like to get it approximately correct.
JoLLy.
I am currently finishing a Mick Reeves 1/6 Spitfire with wooden fuselage. I have been looking at pictures of fuselage sections and can see a combination of flat and domed rivets on some, others with what appear to be all flat, and to mess it all up I see discrepancies between pictures of the same MK. I am particularly interested in MKIXC Spits and would appreciate any advice, suggestions, or references on this subject. I know it's small detail but I would like to get it approximately correct.
JoLLy.
02-20-2005, 04:27 PM
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RE: Spitfire fuselage domed and/or flat rivets?
quote from birth of a legend
I have pictures somewhere and details of the detail, If I can find them I will post them.
Good Luck
Paul
.No detail was too small to consider, even the
humble rivet. Mitchell had designed an absolutely smooth surface for
the metal skin of his fighter. This meant that every single rivet hole
had to be countersunk to take the flat-headed flush rivets. But were
they all essential? With tens of thousands of holes to make on every
single aircraft, much time and labour (and cost) could be avoided
during production by the use of conventional dome-headed rivets. To
establish what drag would be created by domed heads, the design
team went out shopping. Several bags of dried split-peas were bought
from a local grocer and one was glued to the head of every single rivet,
creating the effect of a domed head. Flight testing revealed a loss of 22
mph on the top speed. By progressively scraping off row after row of
peas, the lost speed was regained, while the critical areas that needed
flush riveting were identified: the rest could stay dome-headed.
humble rivet. Mitchell had designed an absolutely smooth surface for
the metal skin of his fighter. This meant that every single rivet hole
had to be countersunk to take the flat-headed flush rivets. But were
they all essential? With tens of thousands of holes to make on every
single aircraft, much time and labour (and cost) could be avoided
during production by the use of conventional dome-headed rivets. To
establish what drag would be created by domed heads, the design
team went out shopping. Several bags of dried split-peas were bought
from a local grocer and one was glued to the head of every single rivet,
creating the effect of a domed head. Flight testing revealed a loss of 22
mph on the top speed. By progressively scraping off row after row of
peas, the lost speed was regained, while the critical areas that needed
flush riveting were identified: the rest could stay dome-headed.
Good Luck
Paul
02-20-2005, 05:02 PM
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RE: Spitfire fuselage domed and/or flat rivets?
Hi Jolly,
Hope this link will help you.
www.hbc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/models/spitfire
Best regards,
Herlet
Hope this link will help you.
www.hbc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/models/spitfire
Best regards,
Herlet
02-20-2005, 05:42 PM
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RE: Spitfire fuselage domed and/or flat rivets?
Hey Herlet That's my web site mate [sm=RAINFRO.gif] Fantastic stuff !
dragoonpvw Very interesting passage. I will be very grateful for the additional information if it is not too much trouble.
JoLLy AKA Nigel Wagstaff
dragoonpvw Very interesting passage. I will be very grateful for the additional information if it is not too much trouble.
JoLLy AKA Nigel Wagstaff
02-21-2005, 09:59 AM
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RE: Spitfire fuselage domed and/or flat rivets?
Starting with the Mark I, the Spit generally used round-head rivets along seems where major panels attached to the major longerons and major bulkheads. In other words, along the outer edges of the panel. Flat head (flush) rivets were then used along the intermediate stringers intermediate bulkheads. I believe this practice was followed from the Mark I through the Mark V, as well as through many of the Mark IXs, since the early Mark IXs began as Mark Vs and were changed over to Mark IX configuration during assembly or in later retrofit. Later Mark IXs, and subsequent marks, used flush rivets throughout due to changes in fuselage skin thickness and improved manufacturing techniques.
Hope this helps.
Charles
Hope this helps.
Charles
02-21-2005, 10:44 AM
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RE: Spitfire fuselage domed and/or flat rivets?
Charles that’s good quality information and paints a useful template for me to follow. As I am making a 1944 Spit (possibly MK923) I think I might be in the clear with the domed rivets. I have a CD with many images of MK923 somewhere from the museum of flight in Seattle. Time to dig it out me thinks. But then again I might want to have a go at the rivets!
Thanks for the pointer.
Thanks for the pointer.
