Hi all!

Here comes my first post to this forum.[8D]

I had own YAC Spitfire kit over year, but I didn't start it yet seriously. I was thinking many different modifications and retract systems and details.

Few ideas:

1. Retracts
- Plan to built own construction, not from any shop. I have many pictures, books and 3-views, so I'll try make them very scale looking and mechanically with servo. Even tail wheel retract.

2. Engine
- Using 50-60ccm gas, but fitting it as back as possible to hide it(Idon't like if some peaces of engine watching under cowl) and using longer, ballbeared propsaft. If it need extra cooling, I'll fit electric fan. Cooling outlets to radiator holes.
-Home made muffler with orig. place exhaust. Carb. intake from original place(scoop).

3. Horisontal stab.
- Lighter version than glassfibre.

4. Guns
- Scale look with strobolight.

If you guys have any opinion or/and advices, write to this thread.

Evan, if you read this, I know your site ! ! ! You have nice looking Spitfire too ! [8D]

Anyone know, did Spitfire had landinglights and if, where?

I just went thru the Spitfire in Action book which has lots of good pictures and found no landing lights on any models. Only a few models even had nav. lights on the wing tips. I will keep looking.

OK, Thanks Mike!

I didn't found either landinglights from my books, or 3-views, or photographs.
Spitfire had navilights and one tail light on the rudder. Some models had one light top of the fuse, back of the canopy. I'm not sure was it clear or red because, on one photograph it is red and on 3-views it is clear. Weird.

MKII had a retractable landing light on the starboard wing. Need to check my reference for the MkXIV though.

My YA spit is due to start after the Ziroli P-40. Will be in 91 squadron markings.

S1

Devil in the sky, do you watch F-1 ? then the question is, will Kimi Raikkonen be the devil on the track this year ? Anybody but MS !

Little offtopic but... yes I watch
I hope Kimi's driving like lightning... and beating Schumacher bros. !

Not everyday I get to talk with someone from Finland. F-1 interest here in the states is very small compared to your part of the world. Americans seem to like watching cars turn left only.

F1 rocks here in the States, and the only driver worth watching is the MAN, Michael Schumacher
good luck on the Spitty build

Todd

[:'(]

Thanks!

Definitely change the horizontal stab. I built one up from balsa using enlarged Brian Taylor plans for my Yellow. Much lighter, not nearly as wavy, and easier to put the scale hinge line on a built up one. Also, the plywood cores used for the rudder and elevators should either be drilled full of holes or, better yet, throw them away and make them out of something lighter. Spits are notoriously tail heavy! Good luck with it!

Devil in the sky.. Heuva ( sorry abouf the spelling) A few things with the Spitty. No need to put in an electric fan for more cooling if you duct the air over your engine, thru the firewall, via a duct in the fuse and discharge the air out the bottom of the fuse where the oil cooler extends from the leading edge of the wing. You get plenty of cooling this way. You might reconsider the mechanical retracts for pneumatic ones. If you are designing them yourself you can still buy the small air cylinders and make them pneumatic. The gear with aluminum wheels and the long legs require quite a bit of effort to raise. Be sure to reinforce your gear blocks. The YA Spit has a weakness there. I boxed mine in on the sides and bottom adding more contact surface area to the foam. Regards BobH.

Thank you very much, gentlemen ! ! !

All you have given lot of informations for me. Keep the same way... all tips is ok.

Spitfire project starts after Precedent T-240 trainer finishing and flying. I'm going fit Zenoah 38 to T-240's nose... we'll see how it flies.
That plane is my first non electric plane and also, first over 40" plane (except gliders).

And of course, first I have build one scale Gloster Gladiator for my friend, because I promised to do that. Wishes to finish it with Finnish markings.
I had never own or flying before any glow or gas engined planes. Now it is time to start and learn !

If you guys want see my electric warbird pictures, I can drop few to this thread. There is 40" Focke Wulf 190A and 30" F6F Hellcat.

Devil,

I'm about to start my own Yellow spit. Already figured I'd junk the supplied stab and build a new one. I have a Bison Evolution 52cc on back order. comparing the technical drawing to the fuse, it will fit w/o modifications (except to the firewall) I plan to use the scale carb intake for air inlet, and duct exits to the radiator outlets in the wing as well as using the scale exhaust for air extraction, aside from a couple that I will use for the engine exhaust. Good luck!