Total beginner questions
 

Hello all,
Six months ago my wife bought me two sets of plans for Spitfire ( Mick Reeves ) 1/6 and 1/4 scale. Now the cold weather is setting in I thought I would have a go. I have never built a plane before so forgive my ignorance. You would say start smaller and work your way up , and I suppose your right but my passion for spitfire is well , huge.
I have started to put the tail together and though probably obvious to yourselves how do you install the hinges. The tail has not yet been glued only assembled to get a picture for the construction. Can you help. I feel that I may have to cut the spar in order to install ( My Thoughts )
I have started the fuselage constuction and found this a relatively straight forward , but in saying that I have done the top and bottom and glued to crutch prior to covering the top section. Will this matter ?
Kind Regards
Scott

RE: Total beginner questions
 

??? youve NEVER flown before and your scratch building a Spit for your first plane???

for the hinges DuBro make a hinge point slotting tool or you can use what they call hinge points (Dubro i think) that just neen a hole drilled.

some advice though DO NOT try and fly a Spit as you first plane, it WILL end in tears

RE: Total beginner questions
 

Ditto. A spitfire is NOT something you can learn on. I don't mean to dash your spirits, but I promise you. If you try to fly it, you WILL bring it home in splinters. Find a club in your area. Go visit them, they will love chatting with you, and they may even let you take the sticks of a trainer. Once you do that, you will soon see what we are talking about.

Then get a simple trainer kit (ask them what they recommend) and they will train you (No charge).

Once you have it mastered, you may decide to step up to an intermediate plane before attempting your Spit.

(PS, I love Spits too!)

RE: Total beginner questions
 

Hi Thank you for your comments. I have a trainer plane that was given to me so I do intend to learn that way first. I went to a club down Devon ( England ) once and they told me you need 4 things to fly

1 the plane
2 the radio gear
3 fuel
4 A BIN liner. This is so when it does hit the ground there is less embarrassment carrying a bag than a pile of wood.

I thought this would stay in my mind and from your comments it may well be right.

As regards the Club close to me I have found it rather difficult to get into the close group and talk. We all have to start from somewhere Bit of a poor show really if you want to get into the sport and willing to hand over money to JOIN.

What sort of aircraft would you say start with as regards learning to fly ???

RE: Total beginner questions
 

Hi

Welcome to the hobby spitfire1939, the guys resposes are correct ive just built my first spitfire and its ALOT different to flying a trainer plane :)

I learnt to fly on the Irvine Tutor 40 Almost Ready To Fly plane, which i think you can pick up for about £60.00 which i thinks a great plane, of course it doesnt have the looks of a warbird, but its builds in a few evenings, easy and very very stable to fly...... i then moved onto a Great Planes SuperSportster, which was my first low wing plane as i was told if i could fly the SuperSportster i could manage a Spitfire and they were right :)...... very similar in flight. But i seem have been bitten by the hobby i just cant stop buying kits and buliding more and more planes lol.

RC Universe is a excellent way to learn things..... but a club is invalauble im sure they are clubs near you, althou your more than welcome to come down to our club in Hemel Hempstead to get the taste of things, were all freindly down here and the tips and adivice you learn from other flyers in invalauble... Im currently bulding the website but its at www.hhmfc.co.uk so feel free to take a look :)

Good Luck

RE: Total beginner questions
 

You sure did pick a hard one for your first build. I would suggest using Robart Hinges. They are super easy to use and some of them come with a drill guide so you cant really mess up. I always wait until after I cover the plane to hinge, a lot of people dont but I find that I can cover a lot better if I do.

RE: Total beginner questions
 

Welcome aboard, Spitfire1939.

The best builder in our club started about 8 years ago, building a Don Smith B-17 (138" wingspan) as his first build. This is an awesome plane, four Saito 91's, detail everywhere, flies very scale at about ¼ throttle.

Now, the build took him over 3 years, and along the way he built and wrecked two Duellists, a Four-Star, and flew some arfs and ½A planes. He completed his detailed C47 the year before he finished the B17, and it flew great too. He also built and sold some other planes (a T6 and my Jug come to mind.)

By all means, work on that Spit! Fly whatever you choose for your first plane. I suspect you'll reach a state of confidence with low wing taildraggers before you finish the Spitfire, and you'll hear more advice than you can sort out. Just make sure you enjoy the whole process!

Good work!
Dave Olson

RE: Total beginner questions
 

Spitfire 1939
Maybe you asked the wrong club for help!
Can I suggest you go to the British Model Flying Association [BMFA] website
www.bmfa.org
for details of another club near you.

The others are correct - a Spitfire as a first model is asking for trouble. Most [!] clubs are glad to help beginners. Make sure you have BMFA insurance before you fly, as well. But keep the Spit. in the garage, or wherever, it'll make a good third or fourth model.

Good Luck

RE: Total beginner questions
 

Hey Runway, did you bother to read Spitfire1939's second post?

I quoted the salient parts above. He's not saying he wants to FLY this thing first, he's saying he's going to BUILD it, and learn to fly on something else.

Spitfire1939, I told you, you're going to get plenty of advice. Try to sort it all out, and don't let any of it prevent you from enjoying your trainer or your Spitfire!

Good luck,
Dave Olson

RE: Total beginner questions
 

Spit,

If you're scratch building this plane, you'll have plenty of time to learn to fly while you build it. I scratch built my second plane, and by the time I had it done, I had flown 4 other planes and was ready for it. Building a ready made kit for a trainer or second plane might not be a bad idea for you, as you will learn many building techniques and answer many of the questions you have for yourself. Also, you'll have a trainer plane to fly so you can learn to fly that Spitfire when you're ready.

RE: Total beginner questions
 

In reply to Scar
Yes, I did read his second post. However, I don't think you read, or understood, mine. A little more courtesy and a little less abruptness perhaps in a forum like this...?

RE: Total beginner questions
 

Huh? Here's your post, verbatim...

Perhaps I missed the courtesy and patience in your post, when I thought you insulted his club, and when I thought you told him to keep the plane in the garage (Spitfire1939 said in post 4 he was going to learn on a trainer first.)

BUT, perhaps I did take that all wrong, so please accept my apologies.

Dave Olson

RE: Total beginner questions
 

Thankyou for your comments chaps. I am looking into a trainer plane and radio gear.
Scott

RE: Total beginner questions
 

Hi,

I was wondering ..

What wood have you used in those photographs? It's not ply, is it?

Also, what size is the part you are showing in the pic? If it's what I think it is, and the size it looks, you plane will end up about twice the weight it should be to fly at all.

If I am wrong in my assumption I sincerely apologise.

-David C.

RE: Total beginner questions
 

The tail is indeed 3/16 light ply . The weight of the four sections built now is 2.5 oz's this excludes covering with 1/16 sheet and hinges ( 4 ) + horn. The plans state all components should be as light as possible. This to me is light. Your thoughts appreciated The length is 21" and the width is 6-7"

RE: Total beginner questions
 

I think you are all missing the most amazing part of this story.
His WIFE brought him TWO plans for a spitfire.
I am still finding this hard to believe :D