kenair

My Feedback: (10)

HI, I joined the wing panels this weekend, yipeee..... I wanted seperate plug in wings, sort of like the ESM Spitfire.... after a lot of pondering I went with a one piece wing. I've posted a few pics, all my pics are at [link]http://spitfire9.com/kkspitfirebuild.htm[/link] too.
the big holes in the wing center section are explained below. see what you think. Hope all my fellow USA warbirders had a great and safe Thanksgiving and bought lots of r/c toys on Black Friday.
My Dallas Cowboys suck this year, just dumb mistakes.
I appreciate your Spitfire comments and ideas, thank-you and keep posting!
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I used the wing mods found on the other YA Spitfire threads - the plywood rib along the retract blocks and the extended front dihedral brace. I used Elmers polyuerthane glue to glue the braces in the the wing panel. I like to drill holes in the parts that are to be glued with polyuerthane glue, I figure as the glue expands through the hole, it will create a rivet effect. I glassed the wing panel joints using 2 oz. fiberglass cloth and Zpoxy (thinned with methyl alcohol).

The two holes in the center section. This was my fellow club warbirder Jeff's idea. Since the some of the heat from the engine (rear carb) will get in the fuselage, why not use the front oil cooler scoop to push air in and vent out the rear wing hole - similiar to the electric guys. I'll glue a painted screen over the rear hole so that the hole becomes almost invisible when in the air and on the ground only the bugs will see the hole. Not sure if it will make a difference but it is worth experimenting the concept.
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DaddySam

My Feedback: (9)

Great idea to utilize hidden vents/inlets to get some air circulating through the fuse. It can't hurt and may help more than you can know. I also agree about the holes in the spars for the poly glue to expand through. Keep up the good work!
And isn't there such a thing as Canadian Thanksgiving? Maybe in October or something?
Sam

kenair

My Feedback: (10)

2010-112-05 Flaps cut out and flap ribs put on for an eyeball scale effect. I used a piece of 1/4 x 3/4 hard balsa along the flap leading edge. I plan to glue the Dubro flat hinges on it. I clamped the flap down to prevent twisting when i put on a coat of thinned Z poxy. cheers - ken
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kenair

My Feedback: (10)

It's been a good workshop weekend as the tundra is completely frozen outside (today is -27C and with the windchill -35c).
The flaps are hinged and glued on to the wing, I'm pleased how they fit and move. I routed out the wing and the flaps where the hinges would sit and on the wing I routed deeper and glued in a square of 1/8" light ply to give a better bonding surface than the wing foam. I like using a single length of piano wire through the Dubro hinges rather than the cotter pin. A 1/4" light ply square was glued in for the flap horn.
cheers!- ken
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kenair

My Feedback: (10)

Most of the airframe is painted using latex satin paint. All of the control surfaces are hinged and attached. Servoe and control rod installs have started as well as the fronts for the under wing radiators. Painting was done by hand with a 1 to 1.5" wide camel hair brush, not a scalemaster finish but a man on a galloping horse at 10' will not see the brush marks and she'll fly just fine!

Too much winter clutter in the workshop - time for spring cleaning! cheers - ken

ps: - I did pick up a newer travel trailer in late January, a 2006 Forest River Surveyor 27' - more room for the weekend camping fly-ins!
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Moggy

My Feedback: (9)

What, no camouflage on the trailer? She's a beauty!

kenair

My Feedback: (10)

Camo on the travel trailer - I had not thought of that.... though if I did that I might not find it at the flying field after a few cool ones.

I do have a RCAF roundel on it!

kenair

My Feedback: (10)

Hi, just over a year since my last update, what a great flying summer we had in Manitoba and the return of the Winnipeg Jets has been exciting.
I've got 90% of the painting done. I needed 1.2 pounds of lead to balance, in keeping the servoes ahead of the C of G helped with the amount of lead need to balance this bird. The all up weight less fuel will be 25 lb, 15 ounces.

I ran a plastic push rod for the DL 50 choke through one of the exhaust stacks, I also installed the Hobby King air filler valve in the adjacent exhaust stack. All or the control surfaces push rods are hooked up. Thus we are looking ahead to a test flight in May, one the frozen tundra is thawed up here in the great White North. cheers - ken
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Flyfast1

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Ken,

Glad to see you are making progress. Hey, what are those two small rods for that extend out of the side of the fuselage, between the stacks and the cockpit?

-Ed B.

Brad330l

My Feedback: (1)

Good job Ken, thats how you get things done. It looks very industrial and very usable. Those wires would be for the two RX switches no??
Love the paint job, a bloke on his horse galloping past hahahahaha. Love it.

Keep pluggin'

Brad

kenair

My Feedback: (10)

Yes, you guys got it, the two wire rods are threaded into the RX switches. cheers - ken

Flyfast1

My Feedback: (1)

Ah, I see. That makes sense and hides the switches. So, what are the three switches near the exhausts for?

Thanks,

-Ed

kenair

My Feedback: (10)

The MPI charge switch is for the DL50 ignition module. The other two are the JR charge jacks. Keep in minds your are looking only 8" away from the fuselage, from a few feet away they blend in quite nicely and when the plane is in the air, well you get the idea.....KISS to a point.
cheers - ken

Flyfast1

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the explanation. I am making good progress on my Yellow Spitfire build and this last weekend was thinking about where to locate the switches and air fill valves. Your solution looks good.

I'll provide an update this weekend over on the complete Yellow build thread.

-Ed B.

kenair

My Feedback: (10)

March 31, 2012 - A fantastic spring day by Winnipeg standards, +18C, I brought up the Spitfire from the basement for an engine run. The DL 50 engine has not been run in two years since it was taken out of an Extra 300.

The DL 50 was hard to start, I had to prime it three time, and ran hot, quitting after three minutes at 1/2 to 3/4 power. with the cowl off too. I will have to troubleshoot this engine snag. I also have an air leak, otherwise all the other systems worked ok.
I had a $50 off code from Tower Hobbies and ordered a new DLE 55 as a back up, our flying season is too short to be grounded with a balky engine.
cheers - ken
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Asanders

Nice! I am hoping to get mine done for this summer season too. I have not yet decided which engine to put in it. I have an OS BGX sitting around but I would prefer to use gas.

kenair

My Feedback: (10)

I'm happy to report that this morning, the maiden flight (finally) of my YA Spitfire MKXIV went very well. In all three flights were completed and the snag list has a few minor items. The DLE 55 ran very well using a Zinger 22x6-10 cut down to 21". Gross weigh less fuel is 25#-14oz, CG is at 5" - 5/8". Landings with 1/2 flap was predictable and stable.
Snags are: air leak on right main gear cylinder - O ring must be hard, tail wheel steering very sloppy, JR statellite rx mount came off the fuselage inside, air pressure guage on instrument panel too hard to see, will remount on fuselage side.

cheers - ken

Three photos after the test flight.
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Flyfast1

My Feedback: (1)

Ken,

Congratulations! Now that you have the maiden done, you can start really enjoying the plane.

-Ed B.

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

Congrats on your success Ken, well done. How much nose weight did you end up with and do you think the built up tail was worth the effort if I may ask?

Brad330l

My Feedback: (1)

Ken this is awesome news!!! Another Y/A Spitfire to grace the sky. I still love the look of this actual model with or without the 'turtle deck'.
I love the look of your 'Dark Green'. Mine is too light I think even though I have some good pictures of that exact look.
May you have many happy flights with her and be sure to be ready for the 'Spitfire fly off'.

Cheers,

Brad

kenair

My Feedback: (10)

HI, thanks all, I used about about 1.5 - 1.75 pounds of nose weight, hard to say if the built up tail made that big difference, it helped, All my servoes and batteries are on double level trays at the c of g or ahead of the c of g and that helped to keep the nose weigh down, though the double level trays make servicing (like a loose motor mount bolt) a pain as I have to move the trop tray to get to the inside rear of the firewall.
I'm pretty pleased how nice it flies on it's first flights, can't wait to get it back in the air.
cheers - ken

Shaun Evans

Ken,

Could you give me a call when you get a chance?