Swedish_Pilot

Hi!
I'm about to buy a D.B. Sport and Scale Spitfire Mk 1a and I wonder if anyone of you have any experience of this kit or plane?
What should I think about when building, flying etc? Any hidden naughtiness's? Which engine would be recommended etc?

Pics are off course very welcome!

/S_P

Swedish_Pilot

Hi!
I'm about to buy a D.B. Sport and Scale Spitfire Mk 1a and I wonder if anyone of you have any experience of this kit or plane?
What should I think about when building, flying etc? Any hidden naughtiness's? Which engine would be recommended etc?

Pics are off course very welcome!

/S_P

madibav8

Hi SP,

I didn't build the Spitfire, but I did build the DB Hurricane, great kit to build, very good instructions and good wood selection. If you get a choice between foam core and built up wing, go for the built up wing. It makes it easier to rout lighting wires and adjust undercarriage etc.

If you are going to articulate the cockpit controls, you may have to move a former or two, but just double up the sides with ply.

I've got a quadra 42 cc petrol in mine as I'm swinging a 3 blade prop., but 3000c tiger or 38 zenoa would work well with a prop shaft extension if you want to hide the engine.

Can't really add any more, other than the ones I've seen fly sit perfectly for a Spitfire. Witness in the film Battle of Britain, for which David Boddington (DB) built the flying models.

If you want to see my working Hurricane cockpit, go to www.scaleaircrewsupplies.co.uk and click on the "one of the few" video (turn up the volume first!) .

hope this helps

Mark
Scale Aircrew Supplies

alanc

as with most warbirds that try to go scale, keep the ass end LIGHT for this model, its not uncommon to have a fair bit of ballast up front--not a problem if you know about it, but you would not want it to come as a surprise, it did to me, on one i bought finished off a guy!! the early kits had a foam wing, that you had to carve the top surface yourself, and do it to a template if yours is this, then make sure its done right the later one has a built up wing, and hidden cranks on the ailerons and there is no gull in the centre section this is easily done, indigbo, on here, has built one for a customer, and super detailed it he has pictures of it, also, on the r/c flyers forum, there is a detailed build of the model but you will have to search to find it!!!

Swedish_Pilot

Thanks for the advice!

Do you know the adress to the site with the build thread?

/S_P

Swedish_Pilot

Mark!

What a fantastic scale cockpit and aircrew! It looks really superb!

That RAF pilot which is available, what are the exact differences (considering details, accessories, functionality) etc between the standard, lightweight and the lightweight R/C versions?

Would all three versions be suitable for a cockpit with moving stick, throttle and perhaps rudder?

How did you manage to make the throttle and the stick move so accurately (or is it the pilot that moves them also)?

/S_P

madibav8

Hi S_P,

Thanks for your kind words.

The throttle servo for the model engine is attached to the engine bulkhead, and I ran a length of wire from the servo arm back to the cockpit and attached it to the bottom of the throttle lever which pivots half way up it's height. The pilot is hanging on to it, making it look as though he is moving it.

Likewise, the elevator servo is mounted behind the seat, so a wire runs to the elevator, and another runs from the same servo arm in the opposite direction under the seat, and attaches to the bottom of the control column which has an extension into the floor below a hinge point giving a rocking motion in exact time with the elevator - again the pilot holds on to it.

The aileron action to the stick is driven by a small cog at the bottom of the stick with a torque rod attached to the cog. A micro servo is linked to the cog, and the aileron channel via a 'Y' lead. The cog has a chain round it from a Kyosho mototr bike. The chain runs up the column via two conecting rods and over another cog at the top that has the hand spade set on top. When the aileron channel moves, the torque arm pushes and pulls the bottom cog, which turns the top cog, which makes the stick go left/right.

As this is linked to the aileron channel, it is all in perfect time. The final touch is the pilot who has a servo set inside conected to his head, and this is also linked to the ailero channel via another 'Y' lead.

The limbs are like a rag doll, so completely floppy, thus it moves with everything it holds onto.

I have attached an article about my Hurricane written a while ago, but there are some pictures that will help explain.

The standard pilot is like an action man or GI joe, with stiff limbs and very heavy. The lightweight has no r/c head, and comes in a wire/foam bendy body that will hold a fixed pose, but very lightweight (120grams), whilst the r/c lightweight version comes with the same floppy or bendy options, but has a left /right r/chead like the one in the "one of the few video"and weighs about 20 grams more

The rudder bar again moves with a torque rod which is linked to the rudder servo set behind the seat, running to the rudder, and a bowden cable runs through the cockpit to a torque rod extension that pusshes and pulls the rudder bar.

The Spitfire rudder action is more like a piston movement, but this can be driven by another rudder bar action using ball joints.

All versions come with exactly the same accessories.

Hope this helps

cheers

Mark
Scale Aircrew Supplies

DaddySam

My Feedback: (9)

Hi Mark
Hey, could you email me the magazine article you wrote? I'd love to have it in a larger format so I can print it out and refer to it. I'll be building the Vailly Hurricane one of these days and I'd like to use your ideas. I'd also appreciate it if you could go into more detail on the retract mounting (I believe it pivots somehow?).
Thanks
sam

Darrell B.

Are there any vendors for these Kits in the United States?

madibav8

HI Sam,

I've sent you a PM regarding the retract system;

Darrell B - Not sure about importers into the states, but try their web site which I think is www.dbsportandscale.com

cheers

Mark
Scale Aircrew Supplies

Darrell B.

Thanks Mark,
I was just hoping that a person might be able to save some on shipping.
Darrell

Swedish_Pilot

Thanks Mark for the great info!

Could you also send me the article in a larger format? I think I'll also go for your ideas, adopted to my Spitfire!
By the way, do you know where to find some detailed drawings of the Spitfire control column (like you have for the Hurricane) and other instruments?

/S_P

DaddySam

My Feedback: (9)

Mark
Thanks for the PM, and in depth description of your retract rotation mechanism. I was able to save the pix to my computer and they did print out nicely in full size format. Thanks again!
Sam

madibav8

Hi S_P,

I think like Sam, you should be able to save these to your PC and they should print out at full size. If not let me know.

I'll see what I can dig up about the Spit., and send it on to you,

cheers

Mark
Scale Aircrew Supplies

madibav8

Hi Sam,

I hope it made sense, as I read it back to myself and couldn't understand a word of it!!! (it was 1995 when I did it originally!).

I think the article makes more sense.

cheers

Mark
Scale Aircrew Supplies