Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
10-23-2009, 11:41 AM
#26
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
Hi ChuckW,
The wheels are Robart Scale wheels with 1/16 ply sheeting cut to fit between the spokes, then glued in. After filler and paint you get what you see here. When I glassed mine I used a plastic card like a "squeege" to spread the ZPoxy over the cloth and used just enough to hold it to the balsa skin, no more. To fill the weave I used waterbased polyurethane which is lighter and also dries faster. Everything I added to the airplane I was always thinking "How much does this weigh and can I make it lighter?"
10-23-2009, 12:33 PM
#27
Senior Member
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
Thanks. I have a set of Robart wheels but never even thought about filling some of the openings. It seems kind of obvious now.
10-29-2009, 05:57 PM
#29
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: , ITALY
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
Hi, JazzyJ
very very beautiful finished spitfire.
I tried to make that but I have not get the goal so fine .
Only a question : what is the weight of your spit?
Mine fly just fine at 10 lb with an OS 91 four stroke with pump.
You can see my spit in this page :
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_14...21/key_/tm.htm
Regards.
Luigi
very very beautiful finished spitfire.
I tried to make that but I have not get the goal so fine .
Only a question : what is the weight of your spit?
Mine fly just fine at 10 lb with an OS 91 four stroke with pump.
You can see my spit in this page :
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_14...21/key_/tm.htm
Regards.
Luigi
10-30-2009, 03:57 PM
#30
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
Hi Luigi, your Spitfire looks great!...Mine is about 10 lbs now. I had to add a little weight in the nose after its maiden flight to balance it better. The Saito 100 I have is more than enough power so it doesn't surprise me that the O S 91 does a good job also.
10-30-2009, 05:34 PM
#31
Junior Member
My Feedback: (5)
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fairfield, OH
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
That is a beautiful Spitfire. I'm building one myself right now but i won't be doing the level of detail you did as that is beyond my skill level.
However i am going to paint it in desert camo colours to look a little different. http://www.maltaaviationmuseum.com/spitfire.asp
However i am going to paint it in desert camo colours to look a little different. http://www.maltaaviationmuseum.com/spitfire.asp
10-30-2009, 07:47 PM
#32
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Griffith,
IN
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
Outstanding work Jazz.The photo's on the right look like the real thing.Could almost see the fog and rain at the UK.Very nice work. Tom
10-31-2009, 05:49 AM
#33
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: , ITALY
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
JazzyJ,
at 10 lb (i also added weight on the nose and moved the battery over the engine) your spitfire shold fly very good.
Mine fly quite fast and land very slow if you use flaps. Maybe the take off is more difficult (not easy to do straight) than landing but with tha saito 100 you shold go out any trouble easily.
Regards.
Luigi
PS:sorry for my bad english
at 10 lb (i also added weight on the nose and moved the battery over the engine) your spitfire shold fly very good.
Mine fly quite fast and land very slow if you use flaps. Maybe the take off is more difficult (not easy to do straight) than landing but with tha saito 100 you shold go out any trouble easily.
Regards.
Luigi
PS:sorry for my bad english
10-31-2009, 12:05 PM
#34
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
Luigi,
At full power mine also flies very fast, so fast that I worry about the wing spar failing and my plane becoming a missile![X(] It flies great at about 1/2 to 3/4 power. My first takeoff was not so straight either. I did not know how much power it needed to fly so I advanced to full power very quickly and the airplane reacted with a lot of unwanted yaw and roll. It obviously did not need all that power. My second flight I added a few notches of right rudder and right aileron and brought the power up slowly. Once the tail was in the air and some of that "P factor" was reduced it tracked straighter and was airborne at about 3/4 power with less than 5 knots headwind.
At full power mine also flies very fast, so fast that I worry about the wing spar failing and my plane becoming a missile![X(] It flies great at about 1/2 to 3/4 power. My first takeoff was not so straight either. I did not know how much power it needed to fly so I advanced to full power very quickly and the airplane reacted with a lot of unwanted yaw and roll. It obviously did not need all that power. My second flight I added a few notches of right rudder and right aileron and brought the power up slowly. Once the tail was in the air and some of that "P factor" was reduced it tracked straighter and was airborne at about 3/4 power with less than 5 knots headwind.
10-31-2009, 01:24 PM
#35
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
Hi Malpeake,
That paint scheme will look very cool. One of my coworkers has an uncle that flew Spitfires in Malta in that same paint scheme. I think its cool to model airplanes after actual ones even if you don't go into heavy detail. Mine is modelled after a Spitfire that was flown by a gentleman that retired in my hometown. He provided full scale flight instruction to my dad in the late 70's on a Piper PA 12 on floats.
As for the skill thing. Don't let that stop you. As I mentioned in an earlier post this was my first attempt at glassing and painting, and I think it turned out OK. Most of the ideas and techniques I used I found here on RCU. Depending on your intentions, time, budget etc. you should try some of the details. There are lots of people on this forum that would provide support including me. You might surprise yourself.
That paint scheme will look very cool. One of my coworkers has an uncle that flew Spitfires in Malta in that same paint scheme. I think its cool to model airplanes after actual ones even if you don't go into heavy detail. Mine is modelled after a Spitfire that was flown by a gentleman that retired in my hometown. He provided full scale flight instruction to my dad in the late 70's on a Piper PA 12 on floats.
As for the skill thing. Don't let that stop you. As I mentioned in an earlier post this was my first attempt at glassing and painting, and I think it turned out OK. Most of the ideas and techniques I used I found here on RCU. Depending on your intentions, time, budget etc. you should try some of the details. There are lots of people on this forum that would provide support including me. You might surprise yourself.
05-06-2010, 07:31 PM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Bishop\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'s Stortford,
Posts: 350
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
Well, I think you have something to be proud of there. Any video of her flying?
05-08-2010, 03:38 AM
#38
RE: Topflite Spitfire...Finally done!
excellent model JazzyJ! real nice work on the cockpit and scale details. i missed this thread the first time around or i would have chimed in sooner. what's next?
