Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

Just got the new World Models Spitfire for Christmas. Have a Saito 1.20 to put in it. Looks pretty straight forward for assembly-typical 7 page picture manual.
Any thoughts or ideas on this plane yet. I know these just came out so we'll all be finding stuff together.
I'll post as I find things.
See Ya

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

Will the Saito 120 fit without leaving a huge gap between the cowl and the spinner?

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

Yes, it will fit. I did a mock up and the gap between the spinner and the cowl will be correct. However, the cowl will not go back as far over the fuselage as it will with a smaller engine. The cowl will make it back just past the backside of the firewall so there should be no additional mods to mount the cowl.

Progress Report
 

I have the plane mostly finished. Will post some photos shortly.
Assembly of the fuse was pretty striaght forward. The horizontal and vertical fit perfectly. The metal hinges are pre-installed. The elevator is split with a metal bar connecting both halves together.
Only one control horn on elevator and the other side seems to flex a bit. Wing assembled ok except for retract servo mount.
Seems to be too high. The two connectors on top hit the wing sheeting and the retract wires also hit the underside of the wing.
Will most like have to redo the mount to lower the servo.
The 1.20 Saito is mounted inverted and 95% enclosed in the cowl.
Have on board glow for that ultra low idle:)

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

Taildragger,

Which on board glow driver are you using?

Thanks

Dave

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

Hey Taildragger Dave,

What is the distance between the firewall and the back of the spinner mounting plate as stated in the manual? I'm trying to figure out if a YS FZ91 four stroke will fit. On the YS 91, the distance between the back of the cool airbox to the front of the drive washer is 120.7-mm, plus about 12-mm for the motor mount. So I have around 132.7-mm to play with.

Glow Driver & firewall measurment
 

The glow driver is called "expert" by Horizon Hobby...their house brand I think. It uses a regular 4 cell receiver pack (its own) which may or may not be good as far as additional weight is concerned. I use the extra pack for getting the right CG. It has an adjustable set point to turn the driver off or on. My last glow driver did not have that.

The distance between the firewall and the back of the spinner plate is about 142mm +/-

Here's a picture of the finished plane

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

What about that trim scheme they chose for it? I've never seen it before and the roundels on the wings look wrong. The canopy looks like it was borrowed of another plane - possibly their P39? They have the some strange ideas when it comes to scale trim schemes - ever see their P51 Extra?

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

Thanks Shemp,
I haven't looked that deep at the scale Spitfires. I see the canopy is quite different. The empennage needs to be taller from the vertical up to the rear of the canopy.
Based on what you said, I thought about smashing the whole plane with a hammer and throwing it away. Maybe no one else will notice :)

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

It still appears to be a nice arf its just that World has some cockeyed ideas when it comes to scale trim schemes. With a little more attention to detail they could have offered a better canopy, better trim scheme and split flaps with perhaps a better profile as well. I have to wonder if the retracts will hold up well enough though given the scale angle they sit at.

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

The paint scheme looks alright to me. However, I'm not too crazy about the blue and white stripes on the wing and aft fuselage. They don't look like any of the black and white invasion stripes that I've seen on Spitfires. Hopefully those blue and white stripes can be removed.

First Flight Successful
 

Had the maiden flights today. Had a buddy double check all controls, etc. Everything a go. Plane lifted off by itself in about 20 feet. Plane continued to climb, however. It took all available down elevator and I still had to hold the stick forward to maintain straight and level. Landed plane and added in more down elevator. Off again with a perfect second flight. 2 mistakes high for stall tests. Flaps down and power off, just mushes forward..no tip stalls. Gear down for approach, bring it in flat.
No flair, just settles nicely on the mains about 1/2 way down the runway. Excellent handling airplane. Took it up for its 3rd flight after looking plane over on the ground. Full power high speed passes get about 100mph out of it. My buddy has a World Zero that does 130mph and he wasn't pulling by that much:)
Overall, very happy with plane

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

I think I saw you fly it today Dave. It really is beautiful. Quite a windy day for most. Congrats,

Joe :)

Joe Who?
 

Hi Joe. Yes, I flew it at The Basin today. What were you flying?
Have we met? See ya at the field.

Wheel/tire size?
 

Is any one flying this plane off a grass surface? If so how does it handle, any nose over tendencies? What diameter are the wheels/tires?
Fred

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

wheels are 3 inches. No grass for me on this plane...yet

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

Hi Dave,
Not sure if we've met. I'll be there next saturday and look for you. I fly the yellow 4 star.
http://homepage.mac.com/joekelley/.P...geDSCN2772.jpg


Joe

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

I would guess that the World Models Spitfire is a mark fourteen (MKXIV). It has the larger and more pointed fin etc and the cut down fuselage with the bubble canopy, the blue and white stripes are possibly from the Eastern theatre ( I cant remember exactly as I know that South East Asia Command SEAC later had just one white stripe but I have seen it somewhere). It is not a perfect rendition but is closer than it is to the earlier marks.I love World Models planes and was very happy when I saw it was coming out but I am not too keen on the look at first sight. I will have to see it close up first I think.
By the way, when Ginger Lacey,one of Britains top aces (mainly in Hurricanes) was a squadron leader in that theatre he was sent the new mkXIVs as replacements for his squadron, most of his men liked them for the increased (especially rearward) visibility. Ginger said "thats not a bloody Spitfire" and made them replace them with models with the standard turtledeck fuselage and canopy as the mkXIV was made both ways. He had his classic Spit shape with the new engines and improvements. Just shows how much different they looked even in real life.
One other fact, it claimed the first me262 jet kill in October 1944.

Good Luck
Paul

Mark XIV
 

Hello Paul,
I believe you are correct. I hunted around on the net and found quite a few pictures of the Mark XIV and they do look like the World Spit...bubble canopy and the pointy tail. I haven't found that color scheme, though. Thanks again for the info.
I've included a photo that I found on the web from the Northrop Airshow in Palmdale, Ca. back in 1989

World Models Spitfire
 

It doesn't look like the fuselage has wing fairings built into it. Is that true?

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

no wing fairings

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

They modeled the new spit around the MKXVII (17) series planes. the strips are scale only to a few planes and even the humps in the cowl are scale. I have done lots of research on the spits and they took several designs from throughout the life line that are all mixed into this plane. No, it doesn't have the wing fairings but we are talking an ARF here guys. They did not get it perfect, but what do you want for $250. 00

Has anyone found the CG to be off?? The one that flew at our field the other day was set to the book on CG and flew very tail heavy. We moved the CG up about a 1/2 to 3/4 inch and it flew great after that.

Can't wait for mine to come in!!

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

Thanks for the info!
Regarding the CG......They say 4.05" or 103mm. I balanced mine exactly at 103mm. As I said in an earlier post, on the first flight I had to dial in all my down elevator trim and still hold forward stick to get straight and level. I flew it 2 more times with some down elevator dialed in at the clevis and the trims at neutral. It landed like a trainer so I'm not sure if I should play with the CG or not.
Airborne Models is the US importer for World. They already responded to an email I sent them about the elevator coupling rod and the retract servo mount. Maybe we should get in touch with them and see where they CG'd their test plane.

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

(They modeled the new spit around the MKXVII (17) series planes). There never was a Spitfire MKXVII, the marks went from MKXIV to MKXVI to MKXVIII (14 to 16 to 18 ).The MKXV and the MKXVII were Seafires.
The model is not exact enough to guess which but could be a MKXVI if the nose looks like it is not set up for the Griffon engine. The MKXVI was actually a MKIX plane built in the states with a packard merlin engine. It did make some models with the cut down fuse as did the MKIX but the model looks more like a MKXIV.

Good Luck
Paul

Just got The World Models Spitfire
 

I wonder why they didn't build in wing fairings. Their other warbirds, such as the Zero and the P-51, have wing fairings.