Grumpy1940

rivet detail from fuse. many people is miss leaded to think spitfire have all rivets rised behind cockpit. thats false.
too bad any plans doesnt show that which are rised or flush. so all rivets is checked from photos. there is no random rivets... i'll be blind after all the research...

Grumpy1940

Soundsystem arrived! now im waiting 5inch visaton speaker, so i can take 'smoke' out of merlin!!
as u see its not big! and speaker will be in cowl were normally is firewall. so it doesnt add much weight! just working like living ballast. fuel tank area will work like soundbox for speaker.
i'll be back soon!

transatlanticflight

Love the detail grumpy! But I have to say, I like my engine sounds to come from, well, um, an engine. Still, as the saying goes, "To each his own."

Keep up the good work and don't forget us gas engine guys when you choose the fire wall location!

Grumpy1940

Hi Taflight!
no i havent forget gasser people. 1st customer wants gasser spitty and im sure it will be maidened almost same date than my electric version... here will be full report from both versions. and i almost got parting board for wing done today (8hours worked for it).. few small pcs left and i can start applying release agents on it.
i will put pics soon from it.

cheers

grumpy

Grumpy1940

hehe... smoke taken out of merlin!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SKJNvttwr8

cheers

Jukka

Grumpy1940

and i have worked with partingboards. first half is waxed few times. inserts and aligning pins from r & g.
not worlds most beautiful partingboard with colorful clays and packing tape sealings.. but it works.

Grumpy1940

first half (birdbath) laminated. 3 days ago. tomorrow i will laminate 2nd part. 'legs' sidewalls are about 3mm thickness and bottom (mold) is about 5mm.
and insert detail..

fokke

ООООО Very nice I see that you have a progress super

Grumpy1940

upper side of wing molds done! now you see how it stands straight on its sidewalls. bottomside will be without high side walls, making tightening molds littlebit easier and lighter to handle. these molds are heavy. bottom will be 5pcs mold for easier opening.

cheers

Jukka

Grumpy1940

i laminated 3rd wing mold pcs yesterday. no pics yet sorry. camera wasnt with me.
i just ordered more special gelcoat! so last wing mold pcs will be laminated later on next week.
just like waiting for christmas. its horrible to wait opening the molds. want to know the result. but time is good for molds. so i wait,wait,wait....
at this point is 20kg epoxy is used and about +50meters glass cloth 50g/160g/400g/m2.
2,5kg special gelcoat. lot of latex gloves, asetone, paper, chopped fibers 1can.
mold making taken hours at this point about 40-45hours... long days.

cheers

jukka

bla bla

Are you going to mold the flying surfaces separtately or will they be cutouts?
I would be nice to have details on the inside edges.

tahustvedt

Wonderful work! I can hardly wait to see pictures of the results of these molds.

Grumpy1940

Hi you citizens of norway kingdom!
i cant wait either!!!
i will make mold for cooler and radiatorchannels also. and maybe cooling channeling for gasser people. will see... but for sure after dremeling there will be scale channels inside of wing... promise!!

cheers!

jukka

sorry my english mistakes, doing those all the time...

Grumpy1940

[:'(] phhyuuhh!
all the main molds for wing laminated!! only 1 small scoop mold need to be done. then waiting few days and opening ! so soon pics....
laminating molds are nerve braking loooonngg days... beer helps!

David Smith

My Feedback: (1)

Superb work. I know you are a real craftsman, I have your old Top Flite Spitfire here and will fly it once I finish repairing the damage it sustained after you were shot down somewhere over Elimäki

David Smith, Koria, Finland

Grumpy1940

well, well, well... i didnt see the 'emils' there!!!
they must come from the sun! enjoy the spitfire! she sure was a elegant lady!!! and im sure it will be!!
im really glad she will reach for the sky again! i just have too much work coz of bigger sisters!

cheers and enjoy

Jukka

Grumpy1940

now pictures!! molds for wing are done. im very happy with result.
specially how solartex looks like in ailerons. now i can continue hammering fuse plug...

cheers

Jukka

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Its good to see modeling in Finland... I was there a long time ago.. visiting inlaws. Unfortunately it was winter so no flying! Wonderful work on the Spitty!

Grumpy1940

Thanks Bob!
yes there could be much more scaleplanes in Finland! big ones specially! visiting inlaws, cool!
hope you liked it! i try to work hard with spitty and get maidened it before winter. and use the winter adding the scale details... and maybe more spittyes...

cheers

Jukka

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

jukka yes I did like it. Unfortunately it was very cold.. and her village was kinda small so I didnt get to see much of the country but the people were lvery very nice.

Yak18

My Feedback: (11)

Grumpy, after reading this entire thread tonight I realize that even after 30 years in the hobby, and hundreds of airplanes under my belt, I am still a rank amature! This is an amazing project! I hope you can make enough for a container-full and ship them to the states. I know I cannot afford even the battery for such a monster, but one can dream.

Yak

Grumpy1940

Thanks Bros!
yes indeed it feels some times the costs for this project is very high, propably insane.. but hoping to get even or earn few €,$ or £ if this flys well. for sure i need to sell few planes to get even. but still for me its just main goal to get real accurate spitfire. so i can seat back someday and watch correct lines of spitfire, no mistakes disturbing my moment with beer..

cheers

Jukka

Shortman

My Feedback: (21)

This is an amazing piece of work Jukka, keep it up. I would love to own of these with a nice gas motor on it. Keep the photos coming!

transatlanticflight

I can see why you are pleased with the aileron detail - it's amazing! I had a question though. How do you mold the sides of the aileron and the corresponding part of the wing? I assume you have to cut those parts out. But, wouldn't the sides be lost after cutting since the solid panel of the wing masks all but the top and bottom surfaces? I'm sure you have an answer - I just have no expereince and can't imagine how it works.

Thanks

Rick


By the way - looks so incredible. Really can't wait to see this thing done. It's like a serial novel - waiting with anticipation for the next chapter.

Grumpy1940

Hello bros!
thanks from kind words! well. the aileron in prototype will be dyneema skin hinged. the hinge will be 5mm inside of top surface. its hided and scale hinge cuts is opened by dremel tool. leading edge on bottom surface will be made from 3 or 4 mm carbon tube. this kind of hinge will last forever and no slob and changes for flutter.
and if some reason some one dont like this system the answer is cut entire aileron out of wing. glue small stripe of balsa and put solartex on it. simple!
and skin hinge have one good point too, air cant move from bottom to topsurface between wing and aileron. and that makes the aileron littlebit more effective.
if more questions just ask! so in this aileron case, its a customers decision! allmost all comp arf planes have this kind of hinge. this one is just hided!!

cheers

Jukka