Leo,  Is it possible to adapt a center bolt to hold the spinner on?
Edwin

Edwin, No. Not with a spun aluminum nose cone. Their is no structural strength to the front cone. Plus the edge detail locking the perimeter to the back plate is external not internal like a Tru-Turn. A Tru-Turn tightens and wedges at the back as it spins. This Y/A spinner expands and loosens. Totally different design concepts. This is not a Tru-Turn. Stick with the design and screw the back perimeter down. I use eight (8) 6-32 button head hex screws. They are not conspicuous and work great. Leo

thanks for your input mate but spit has alreadybeen built and flown. heavy anyway 281/2 LBS may not be able to put diff push rods in elevater i was not happy with elev to mutch slop .by takeing out the push rod and giant servo that works it and putting two servos in tail and makingelevater and rudder lighter it will prob end up being about the same weight just want to now what torque perservos would be good.it flyes very well at that weight thanks for your help

Daz spit,
I am with the other guys in saying "keep the tail light' If you add a servo or two way down the back or close to, then you will need many times weight worth up front. But you know that. Any way I am using an eight and a half KG torque servo for my elevator. If you are going to use two you could get away with fours or five kg of torque.

Cheers.

Brad

thanks brad i now its the lesser of two evils but dont like my elevater set up its to sloppy id rather have it abit more weight than it fall out of sky due to elevater malfunction thanks for you help mate

Wow !! 28 1/2 pounds. Mine with my G38 place way forward and only needing 5 oz of lead up front weighs 23 pounds 9 oz. Just under 24 pounds and thus the G38 pulls the plane around great. I have already had several offers for the plane.

I would ponder as to what can be done to get the plane lighter.

As far as the push rod to the elevator, I used a carbon fiber push rod and it weighs less than a servo, and placed one brace in ... at the very leading edge of the horz stab inside the fuse, and there is no slop. Pretty pleased with the out come.

What did ya do to get the plane up to 28 1/2 pounds.??? I even "over" fiberglassed the bottom of the wing and am less than 24.

i had to move the firewall back aboutan inch so was a bit over zellas with glassing it back in. wings weight is 9 1/2 lbswell over glassed i think but strong i just cant build lite. anyway the zenoha 62 pulls it throu the sky no problems it as i cockpit and pilot [ wet weight with full tank of fuel is 28 1/2 pound] so prob 26 1/2 lbs dry. 500cc fuel tank i think .putting pilot and cockpit in all adds to the weight anywayyellow aircraftinstructions say between 21and 24 lbs so 26 1/2 dry is not that badand it does have a g62 initlike i said it flies well is yours under 24lbs dry or wet weight

Leo,
The back plates look great, I would really like to have mind done so let me knowthecost I'm just over in St. Paul MN

Steve

Hello Gents,

I have a YA Spitfire just about to maiden fly here.  It was built 'stock' with a full cockpit. (Wish I'd read here before building).  I have a new SuperTigre 3000, Italian version, for power.  The AUW, with 3 1/4 pounds of lead, is 24 3/4 pounds.

I was wonder on thoughts as to the flight performance I could expect.  Will it fly reasonable or be a dog?  To me, a resonable flying airplane needs to be able to do a reasonable loop from level flight.

Does anyone have some thoughts or advice for the test flight?  Anything that these bird do that could bite you if your not expecting it?  weird snap or stall? something like that.

Now, I do have have a MOKI 1.8 that has a fair bit of running time.  Would it be better than the new ST 3000?  The ST 3000 has a half a gallon or so of fuel through it.  Thoughts on a power change?

thanks for the assistance,
DW_Crash

I ran a ST 3000 for some years in a 16lb Midwest Extra 300.  I think you're wise to switch out to the Moki at 24 lbs.  A nice 50cc gas would even be better - more reliable power and you'd need less lead in the nose.  But if glow it is, then definitely use the Moki.
Sam

I had a 23 pound Dave Platt Spitfire with a ST 2500 in it and performance was good but not great.  It's been a long time ago but, as I recall, a loop from level flight was not possible.  I would definitely consider an engine change to the Moki 1.80 or, even better, a Moki 2.10.

If properly set up the Moki will be as reliable as any gas engine.  Filter your fuel, OS"F" plug, good quality methanol and Klotz oil.
I have had no failures or flameouts in 15 years of flying with Moki's.

Can't really comment on it in the spit but I run a ST 2500 in a 22lb P51 @ 82" Span, less wingpsan then the spit. It will loop from level flight at full throttle but only just. Petrol motor would be better, say a MVVS 45. will fit nicely in the slim nose of a spit too.

Friend of mine ran a ST 3250 in a 90" Spit which was similar weight to yours and it flew with nice authority. Your ST 3000 will fly it nicely, just won't be a rocket ship. Means you have to plan your moves instead of relying on the right thrumb being jammed fully forward to do things

Dw Crash.

<span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Yikes. Sounds like the plane will be underpowered. And the weight up-forward that is just setting there to get the balance, yikes.

Anyways ... when flying an underpowered plane ... well the first thing is to get 'er off the ground. When taking off the best thing to do is to study the runway ... pick a spot to start from and then pick a spot when you will pull back on the stick. Lets say you think that with your set up you will need a full run up of 160 feet. Then pick a spot to start your take off. Go out and pace ... walk off 55 paces, mark that spot with something, and DONOTPULLBACKONTHESTICKTILLYOUGETTOTHATPOINT.

One of the most common problems ... when taking off with an underpowered plane is that the roll out seems so long and the plane looks good and you pull back on the stick and the plane comes up and makes that dreadful roll to the left and then you ... play pick up sticks. You see this all the time with new-bees. It is amazing ... that when you are behind the controls everything is happening so fast and you think the plane is going fast, and it is actually below take off speed , but looks great, and then you seethe pilotpull back on the stick and roll 'er into the left.

When I flew my Spit with the G38 ... I kept the plane on the ground for almost 200 feet ... the thing was really moving when I pulled back on the stick. I did not pull back on the stick until the plane hit the "greener" patch of grass that I was looking for [ that was my spot for rotation ], then I eased the plane off the ground. I do the same with my heavy Yellow Texan. .... start 'er here, pick a spot way way up the runway and do not pull back [ rotate ] until you get to your mark.

When you get 'er up climb out real gradual, not much at all, get your speed up before you start to turn. If you have to turn to the left make it easy, because if you are going to slow then you will just roll 'er into the left with the torque. Don't do much on that first flight. Manage your energy well.

Good luck, and then replace the engine. You most likely will not be able to loop from level flight. Try any maneuvers at 40 mistakes high.

LETUSKNOWHOWYOUMAKEOUT. POSTSOMEPICTURES.</span>

DW Crash,

The 25 lb. spit is not a problem. It is the Super Tiger 3000 that is. I admit a heavy bias on this issue that has been formed from years of viewing Super Tiger flameouts wreck airplanes. That engine is junk and I have never seen one run reliably. Junk.

Now for comparison my spit is a heavily detailed scale machine at 27.5 lbs. I am confident that one could be built below 25 lbs. using the balsa tail lightening changes. I don't believe any of the postings saying that somebody has a Y/A Spitfire at 21 or 22 lbs. They either have a bum scale or they have not put adequate lead in the nose to get it to fly well. Something is wrong with that low weight. You have to put the lead up front to get a good flying plane. Running short on lead will give you a plane that constantly hunts up and down in a pitching motion. No fun to fly at all. I've tried it.

At 27.5 lbs. with a DA-50 up front my airplane is like driving a little sportscar around the sky. It will loop from level flight. It has a somewhat heavy wing loading that you have to respect more due to the high speed stall, but the slow speed stall is not a problem at all. Iknow that my clipped wing tips, which drops me to an 80" wingspan overall, is my main contributor to the high speed stall. You cannot pull it in too hard on the back side of a loop or in a turn at full throttle. It will quit flying and scare you to death as it plummets to the earth. Happened to me twice and I am lucky to still have the airplane. My situation is unique because I cut the wing. I don't know of anybody with a full wing version of the Y/A Spit that has ever experienced this. (Picture below shows the wing profile in a hard bank) Leo

Hi Guys
Made a scale hinge for the cockpit door out of K&amp;S brass strip,tube and piano wire.Was a bugger lining up the canopy rail so the working canopy will slide through ok without fouling.Next job is to detail inside of door and add litho to outside.Also in process of trying to make a working door locking catch.

cheers Nudge

I have the quote from the CNC shop on lightening the spinner back plates. I can have a batch of 5 plates cut at a time. The price per plate will be $60 each and I will cover the shipping back to a domestic location. You guys in Australia will have to pay a little more for shipping if you are interested in doing this. I have one interested person so far. So we need 4 more to make it a go. Let me know via PM. Here is a picture again of the finished product. Leo

Good work Guys!!!
I have been very slow on my build having put together an Alpha Models foamy Spitfire (beautiful), fixing another model and work and renovating and bubba as well. I am on night shift tonight so got a couple of hours in the shed this morning. Now the instrument panel former is glued in with silicon and I made it that the actual instrument panel that I have remade with styrene and balsa and blind flying panel can be removed to be able to work on them at a later date. Now this is done I can fix the control snakes in permenantly. The tail wheel steering snake is in and extended to required length.

Nudge, once again, ballsy stuff mate. Looks like a lot of work and i'm glad I decided not to do the door.

Leo, I have yet to be able to open the files you sent me but will soon and I will take my back plate down to the local machine shop to get it done.
I bet it will cost more than $60!!!

Cheers,

Brad

hi bradsome pict havnt got parachute tho figher is 12 inchesfrom head to foot and just under 4 inches wide and the weight is 8 onces as it is without a parachute`if you are not interested then maybe someone on here might be. looking for about &pound;40ENGLISH pounds plus postage they do look good in the yellow spits

Hi Daz spit thanks so much for the offer mate,,, he does look so good sitting on the wing there. The Spitty looks a treat too. I will however decline and allow some one else the pleasure. I will keep plugging away with Frank in Styrene, my attempt at grafting three different pilots together and lots of foam.

Cheers mate,,,, some more pics of the Spit maybe??

With my model, the control rods are in!!! These make part of the cockpit floor (rudder peddle rods).
The tail wheel is conected to the servo and is stearable and I connected up the air to it and it retracts well with the doors closing nicely. I will however need to replace the hinge on one side as I broke it while stuffing around.

Brad

no probs mate saw this on ebay looks nicehttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=110401414539

that is a lovely spit, wonder why he is selling it?

Shame it is in the UK.

Yes, very nice. I have even saved a couple of pictures to review later.
It is a good starting price as well. I would hate to add up my costs!!!!!

Cheers,

Brad

Brad,
tell me about it. I'm seriously considering getting the 1/3 scale Cessna from Austars and even at delaer price it is exy. Man then add up how mush invested into the P47 project, time mainly. thank goodness getting towards the end of that saga.

How is bub going? She must be getting big by now? Say G'day to Barry, he has been quiet of late, not like him at all hehe

cheers
Peter

Now that is a nice model. Mmmm sell second car to finance to get a C182.
Ella is great mate and takes up a lot of time but that is just how it is and I would not have it any other way. She is learning fast and is a good girl and she knows the aeroplane sound and loves her first Spitfire.
I'll see Baz tomorrow at flying (all giving him our fees for membership) so will say gday.

Cheers,

Brad ( hoping the picture of my litle girl is none offencive or illegal,,,, she is covered)