Check6

My Feedback: (427)

I will be building / assembling a Yellow Spitfire for a good friend of mine. He will be doing all the finish and painting I will be doing the construction and get it to the glassing stage. This will be basically a total stock build with some changes along the way. Engine, radio, retracts, installed. Feel free to add your comments.
Thanks,
Fred Menna Check6

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

I'll be installing the new firewall kit that is manufactured by Leo Spychalla. This is a well made firewall that is 1/2 in. thick and relocates the DA 50 deeper into the fuse allowing the engine to be less noticable. You need 1 1/4 standoffs and 1 1/4 prop extension. I don't have the extension yet so I will fabricate a spacer to use while fitting the engine. First step is to drill out the factory firewall.

ccostant

My Feedback: (38)

Hi Fred,

I have a YA Spit kit and was thinking of the same engine combo. What's the plan for the muffler? Take lots of pictures so I can copy your build.

Carl

Tony Gag Jr.

My Feedback: (124)

Carl,
Fred is building this Spit for me. It will be using a B&B muffler just like Leo used in the instructions with his firewall kit.

Later,
Tony Gag Jr.

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

Hi Carl,
I'm following Leo's instructions. He uses a Bennett flat muffler. Follow along.
You now have to remove the nice factory firewall. I drilled 7/8 in. holes around the perimeter then break out the firewall with a plier. You then have to remove the glue ridge and firewall remains. I used a 2 in. sanding drum attached to an electric drill. Be careful you don't sand through the fuse. Unfortunately I did in some spots but reglassed it from the inside with cloth and CA. One thing about fiberglass fuses they love CA. Now I'm trial fitting the new firewall.

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

Have to wait to finish the firewall install. Need a machined spacer from Sierra. Guess I'll start on the tail surfaces.
Thanks,
Fred

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

I got plans for a built up tail if you need them Fred. Saves a few ounces in the tail, gets rid of the oil canned appearance of the glass, and allows for scale recessed hinging. All yours if you want 'em.

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

Hi Chad,
Thanks for the reply and offer. Tony is OK with the stock setup. I will be changing the ply cores yellow uses to balsa and eliminating some dead weight as you point out in your plans.
Thanks,
Fred

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

Laid out the rib lines on the stab blanks, glued in the ribs and Leading edge, tips added and rough sanded hinge holes glued

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

OK I have the rudder roughed out, I will be drilling lightening holes for the elevators as well.

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

I'm going back to the engine installation. I received the prop extension from Sierra and bolted it on the engine all locktighted in. Now I can set the correct spacing with the spinner backplate and the front of the fuse.

Tony Gag Jr.

My Feedback: (124)

Looking good Fred!

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

Hey Tony, it's getting there!! Once I have the new firewall mounted , I'll start on the wings and retracts.
Thanks,
Fred

Spychalla Aircraft

My Feedback: (34)

Fred,

Nice job! With this set-up there is one thing you need to do to your DA-50. You must replace the 4 aluminum back crankcase bolts with steel. The prop extension has a tendency to stretch the aluminum bolts and you will blow out the crankcase gasket roughly every 20 flights if you don't do it. I know because I had it happen repeatably twice. The steel bolts will not stretch and it seems to solve the problem. Leo

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

Hi Leo,
Thanks for the heads up on the screws. Tony will be glad to know about that problem. BTW You make a high quality product, keep up the great work.
Thanks,
Fred

Tony Gag Jr.

My Feedback: (124)

Thanks for the heads up Leo! I will change those bolts out when I get the plane back from Fred.

Thanks,
Tony

ccostant

My Feedback: (38)

Hi Tony,

Put some lock washers and locktite on the carb bolts too. I had one back out on my P-51. Be careful to not tighten them down too much otherwise you can distort the isolation block.

Carl

Tony Gag Jr.

My Feedback: (124)

Will do Carl. Thank you!!

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

Hi Tony and Carl,
Thanks for the tips. Tony I have already installed the steel bolts also added lock washers and threadlocking. You should be good to go.
Stay tuned.
thanks,
Fred

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

OK Now we fit the engine to the fuse. First you slide the firewall into the fuse. Then clamp the whole engine , spinner backplate assembly to the front of the fuse. place in a 3/32 scrap balsa for proper spinner clearance. Slide the firewall against the mounting standoffs and Thick CA the standoffs to the firewall. This gives you the outline to drill the mounting holes. Remove the whole assembly and then drill the mounting holes for the engine. You can then drill access holes to adjust the needle valves. Reassemble the whole setup again and tack glue the firewall in. When dry remove the engine and run a nice fillet of glues and glass cloth to the front and rear of the firewall.

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

OK guys, I have made an error with the engine installation. I installed the engine vertically when it is suppose to be mounted on an angle to line up with the fiberglass shell that is on the firewall. When you angle the motor it allows the muffler to fit closer without having to cut up the cowl. This was pointed out by Tony Gag Jr. who owns the Spit that I'm working on. Fortunately everything was just tacked glued which allowed me the pop out the firewall with no damage. Had to realign everything but now it fits like it's suppose to.
Thanks for pointing that out to me Tony before I locked everything in.

Check6

My Feedback: (427)

Put the fuse aside for a while and starting on the wings. I'm not a big fan of the fiberglass wingtips supplied in the kit so I fabricated new ones out of 3/4 in. soft balsa blocks. These will be stronger and won't deflect if you grab a wingtip.

JeffH

My Feedback: (43)

I always thought it strange to have the 'glass wingtips. It is not that much work to carve a chunk of balsa, esp if the outline is alrady cut at the factory. By the time you put a couple of internal ribs in the wingtips to keep them from crushing, do the body work to blend them into the glassed wing, the wood tips would have been quicker and better looking.

Brad330l

My Feedback: (1)

I almost wrecked my glass ones by filling them with expander foam that did not go off properly. They worked out fine in the end and are a great shape but I would not have worried if the kit had balsa blocks as tips.
One thing, I am sooo afraid that I will knock a tip and destroy it in a door or something.

Good luck Check6,

Brad

wphilb

My Feedback: (10)

I actually like the glass tips, just glued them on and then ran the .75oz cloth from the center section all the way out and over the tips, just sanded the cloth off on the outline after the resin dried and primed away. It would be a pain to try to feather the cloth into the glass tips so just run the cloth all the way out. Also easier to feather the tips into the balsa sheeting after glassed, but I know others do it first.

You do have to watch that you don't stand the wings on the tips while cleaning, assembling, storing etc they will bow.

Whit