CARF SPITFIRE ASSEMBLY and SCALE DETAILING
02-28-2018, 07:44 PM
#127
Bob do you mean just make it less noticeable ,I can't join them or I would have no access to the engine , though it's tempting LOL , it would be hard to do much with the joint itself because the cowl is so flimsy and the way it is now it will need screws along the joint unless I change something . I will get glassing tomorrow ,to see if I can make complete new side panels. I looked at a few carf spits online and the cowl joint looks pretty bad . I have a carf mustang that's not started thank God it's correct .
03-01-2018, 11:07 AM
#129
My Feedback: (2)
I've looked at several Carf spits on line. ALL have that seam just like yours. The full scale seam is back a bit. It towards the front part of the wing fillet as you probably know.
I don't know what you can actually do to fix the look. Most likely nothing unless you want to Remake the entire front end ..
I don't know what you can actually do to fix the look. Most likely nothing unless you want to Remake the entire front end ..
03-01-2018, 11:34 AM
#130
Well lets see how this comes out , I made a mold from the side of the plane this morning . painted it ,waxed it and laid it up with west system epoxy . I am making a very thin cover so I used a composite backing in the center of the panel to give it some strength in the open areas . If this works out ok I should be able to use the factory fasteners to hold it on . The cowl would then have a upper lower and 2 side panels just like the real thing . I did not go over the top with the mold as I only need it for a one off ,any issues I can just sand out .
03-01-2018, 05:18 PM
#132
Well it came out of the mold ok , will let it cure overnight and mount it in the morning . holding it up to the plane it looks like it will work , I guess I am committed once I cut a hole in the cowl.. I was going to add dzus fasteners anyway, this way they will be doing something. .
03-02-2018, 08:20 AM
#133
Well I was a bit apprehensive when it came time to cut up the cowl but no guts no glory I guess . I have rough fitted the side panel . The fasteners I have are not the correct ones , The heads sit higher then the ones I have on order . When done they will sit flush and I will do my best the make them look like dzus . . the panel does sit a bit proud on the rear and lower line near the wing fillet but the old war birds were not that great a fit anyway ,I could use a little filler and fix it if I don't like it when it's done . anyway here is a side by side picture of how it's come so far . with the top and sides all one piece it looks so much more like a spitfire to me . I still have to do the lower and front fasteners but I think I will go ahead and pull the mold from the other side so I can finish both sides at the same time .
03-03-2018, 08:18 PM
#136
Yeah I think it was a couple of days well spent .I did as you did Bob and looked at a bunch of finished carf spitfires and did not like the look of any of them, maybe because I know the fake bolt lines are not supposed to be there but IMO that feature really seems to change the lines of the plane .For me even a fun scale needs to be a accurate representation of the craft ,even if some features are non functional . A few functional features like a sliding canopy or a door that opens adds greatly to the realism but done correctly you would never know if a door or canopy does not open unless you tried , Bad panel lines spoil the look altogether and are a dead giveaway . Surprising for such a detailed kit that they would make a blunder like this. As my second panel came out so much better then my first I made another for the first side . I might as well make a mold for the hood as I have everything ready to go , The hood looks good the way it is but I can make it lighter by making my own composite epoxy glass hood. In the manual I think carf said they had to add a extra 4.5 lbs of lead to the nose of the plane they built . With my engine choice and exhaust system I think I have already made up the difference so I have to be a bit careful not to go to crazy with the weight . If the plane does balance out a bit nose heavy I could ditch the spinner for a carbon one , the true turn I have is super heavy.
03-04-2018, 12:25 PM
#137
My Feedback: (2)
Roger,
I have often been tempted to build the CARF Spit. It's a GREAT flying plane. You have accomplished the necessary modification by making the front look proper! Good Job!
I hope you make a Mold of it just in case I build one. Maybe I could persuade you to make a few sides for me.
Any way.. you're doing a bang up job!
FYI last year at Joe Nall one of the guys there had the CARF Spit with the Kolm 155 in it. The plane LEPT in the air in a matter of a few feet!.. Very Impressive in flight as well.
Of course it Landed superbly. All Spits have great slow speed flight.
I have often been tempted to build the CARF Spit. It's a GREAT flying plane. You have accomplished the necessary modification by making the front look proper! Good Job!
I hope you make a Mold of it just in case I build one. Maybe I could persuade you to make a few sides for me.
Any way.. you're doing a bang up job!
FYI last year at Joe Nall one of the guys there had the CARF Spit with the Kolm 155 in it. The plane LEPT in the air in a matter of a few feet!.. Very Impressive in flight as well.
Of course it Landed superbly. All Spits have great slow speed flight.
03-04-2018, 01:32 PM
#138
Join Date: Oct 2008
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Hi Roger, how are you mounting the panels at the front? Do you have a ring at the front to bolt the front portion to. If you could show a pic with the panel removed would help.Also what size are your mounting screws.
Thank's
Dave
Thank's
Dave
03-04-2018, 04:48 PM
#139
The screws that you see are a 4mm flat head machine screws . they are a little larger in head diameter then the ones I will be using . Those are 10/32 aluminum screws ,they should be in any time . The dzus look very close to a slot with a hole drilled in the center so there are 2 way to accomplish this . You can use a allen head and cut a slot with a dremel or what I will be doing use a slot head and drill a hole on the center . The second method is easier for me because I have a full machine shop so I can put the screws in the lathe and drill the center hole . The aluminum screws are so light they will save quite a bit of weight over steel . There are so many fasteners that steel screws would have added quit a bit of weight and there is no need for the strength . I added a few pictures of the mold and panels and the way I have attached them to the plane . The plywood circle in the front of the plane was cut on the band saw 1/8" smaller then the spinner to allow for the thickness of the panels . It is a bit of a trick to get everything to sit flush but not to bad. amazing how strong it is once it's all screwed together . I must say I was a little worried I would have some floppy mess , Mind you you would need to mount a forward bulkhead like I did to correctly support this setup but to be honest you would need that anyway .
03-05-2018, 09:27 AM
#140
My Feedback: (2)
Just so I understand, did you make the new front using the original front as a Master but make it all one piece?
Should I want to do the same thing as you did I'd like to know the direction you took. Yours looks really good.
In fact you should SENT A PICTURE to CARF to show them what the front could/should look like! lol
Should I want to do the same thing as you did I'd like to know the direction you took. Yours looks really good.
In fact you should SENT A PICTURE to CARF to show them what the front could/should look like! lol
03-05-2018, 01:10 PM
#141
. The sides were done by attaching the factory cowl and laying the plane on it's side ,I taped off the the area just outside the proper panel line for a one piece panel . I then waxed the side of the plane using the wax to fill the cowl butt joint, I then used polyester resin to cover the side if the plane, I used 1 layer 6 oz cloth covered by 1 layer of heavy fiberglass mat . . after that dried I had a mold for the one piece side panels . at this point the factory side panels were cut from the cowl at the lower panel line and the new panel was affixed . A couple of areas needed the existing panel to be sanded down to allow clearance for the new panel to go on top .
03-05-2018, 03:35 PM
#143
Yeah the front bulk head is attached to the front of the engine . so the engine is actually supporting the front of the cowl . I figured as CARF used a 50CC and 4.5 lbs of lead I might as well use that weigh for a good purpose , reason for the big engine . will be turning a 28x12 3 blade or a 32x12 2 blade
Last edited by RAMMJETT; 03-05-2018 at 03:38 PM.
03-06-2018, 12:41 PM
#145
Was doing a little more work on the removable panels and thought someone may benefit from my technique of making removable panels . Because I had to replace the existing side panels the process is a bit different but I will explain the normal process . normally what I do when I want to have a removable panel is first make the flange that will be used to reinstall the panel . I do this by using tape to mask off the edge of the panel that will be cut out , next I epoxy a strip of fiberglass mat, 1/2 over the tape side (panel that will be removed)and 1/2 over the side that the panel will be joined to . after the epoxy drys you now make the cut around the panel you would like to remove , then lift the panel out ,the tape will stick a bit to your panel but use a small blade and lift it out . under the tape you will have a flange that is the perfect shape of the panel , you have also reinforced the cowl before removing the panel so things stay square . the flange you have made is perfect for mounting your panel as the fiberglass mat holds a thread well . I use a red heat lamp to cure the resin
A word of caution, be sure to tape off the correct side of your panel or you will have a panel that needs to be removed from inside the plane, Ask my how I know that LOL.. cheers Roger
A word of caution, be sure to tape off the correct side of your panel or you will have a panel that needs to be removed from inside the plane, Ask my how I know that LOL.. cheers Roger
Last edited by RAMMJETT; 03-06-2018 at 12:45 PM.
03-06-2018, 07:43 PM
#146
couple of pictures of the panel just after the epoxy dried , I removed the outer tape and pulled the 2 panels apart , the lower panel now has a recessed lip so the upper panel can butt joint together
04-21-2018, 10:14 AM
#149
Sorry guys been busy with work for the last little while . Been snowing non stop here so not much more I can do anyway. I am far enough along that parts need to be painted so it's just a waiting game for me now until the weather breaks . have no inside paint booth .cheers