Don't just stand there, get one up!

[eflightray]

Just to show it did and still does fly well on only 800 watts.

Ray.

[Ian Moody]

That really looks superb Ray. What electric set up did you use and do you have many construction photo's I could look at to get an idea to build one from Depron please.

[eflightray]

To save posting pictures, here's a link to my crude model site --- **LINK**

If you click on a picture of the Spitfire it should take you to some more via the link at the bottom of the page, and then a 'mouse over' the smaller pics should enlarge them..

It's a bit of a mish-mash site, (I'm not a programmer), and some of the links may not work, I don't update it very often.

The Dauntless is a very similar construction.

Hope it helps, as I also don't take regular build photos, or draw plans, I just build and sort of make it up as I go. (Though 60+ years of modelling may help a little).

Ray.

[Martin McIntosh]

You do not do a lot of building models then do you! Brilliant.

[Martin McIntosh]

After much head scratching and many errors I now have something to show for my efforts.

Firstly, an original retract unit before I chopped the end off.

A unit fitted to the left wing half. Working out the new retract mount and dihedral angles was not easy, as was getting the servo in the right place to ensure smooth operation. Works great.

The servos are ancient Tower Pro MG995`s which I was able to modify to 180 deg. by the addition of 2k7 resistors in series with each end of the pots; also one was reversed in case I wish to just use one channel. I have used these on a smaller Spit. with no problems. Also, this allows me to use the servo slow function.

The wing half showing the now scale size ailerons and flaps.

The dihedral has been reduced from 6 to 5 deg. to ensure that the wheels are well tucked away by the 96 deg. retract units. Will also help a little with rolls.

[Nigel R]

Modifying servos for 180 deg retract duty, I like your style. Looks very neat.

[Martin McIntosh]

Thanks Nigel, many later servos have the motor and/or pot directly soldered to the PCB so cannot be modified, which is why I chose to use those 995`s. I don`t like air units whipping up in a blink of an eye. I can now simulate one retracting just before the other by playing with the servo slows. Do not have function delay on my DSX9.

[Martin McIntosh]

After a very hard slog with the modified wing I am finally getting it to the glassing stage. You would not believe the problems which this has incurred. My original version uses 1/16 birch ply for the flaps but I changed them on this one to laminated 1/32 ply and balsa, expecting them to be lighter. No such luck but at least they are warp free and fit much better. I could not think of a way of linking the small inner flaps to the main ones so have fitted an extra mini servo to them.

Tail and (now) built up fin next.

Still thinking about making the fus. top deck from GRP, forward of the canopy, instead of a GRP lower cowl.

[Martin McIntosh]

A bit of a change in direction now. The fin is too complex to build up so this one is again from solid very light balsa. The elevator and rudder centres are from fairly hard 1/8th balsa but riddled with lightening holes.

I decided that a foam top and bottom rear fuselage was just not on so I have de-modified the formers to suit but have found some very light 1" triangular balsa.

Just getting the fus. sides together but having done this before, and now having hindsight, I am trying to assemble it in reverse order. By this I mean that the triangular bits will be added later, other than about 6" on the bottom edge which is curved upwards. Similarly the now 1/4" balsa wing seat doublers are just tacked on around F2, 3 and 4. The short lower triangles can be added after F1, The lower rear ones can be glued on after bending the sides thus relieving the stress I hope. The top between F1 and F4 (plus the rear end) has been treated with ammonia and bent round the front formers ready for glueing and adding the triagular section here. Pics when I have got a bit further should clarify this.

[Martin McIntosh]

A few quick snaps of it so far. The rear triangular parts, F5+6 have yet to be glued on. Still suffering from last night so may leave this until tomorrow.

[Trevor Crook]

Lost in admiration! Beyond my building skills and stamina, I'll probably do some credit card "modelling" with the new Avios 1450mm MkV. Looks really good.

[Martin McIntosh]

Lots more done but very little to show for it. The tail wheel bracket has been made up ready for fitting after glass skinning.

Tail and fin fitted. This took a very long time to get aligned.

Started on the front end but trying to put this off since precise alignment with the motor is critical.

I picked up a canopy from a swap meet or somewhere a few years ago but it is not quite the same and cannot see a suitable one from the likes of Vortex. It will just have to do since I have found that getting blood from a stone is easier than a spare from TN. Got a wanted ad. in but doubt if I shall get one.

May make a start on the cowl and exhaust mouldings, for which I already have the females, as a change from balsa bashing. The original idea of fitting a balsa lower cowl with a GRP top has now been abandoned but I shall need a removable section in front of the canopy so that I can bury the `Failover switch`. My current model has this underneath behind the exhaust which is not a great idea but was the only place available when I converted it to LiFe packs.

[Martin McIntosh]

Again lots of time put in but not too much to show. The cowl is finished and the exhaust stacks are nearly there.

The following pics show the fairings being fitted. This must be one of the hardest jobs on the planet, especially since this one has no central dihedral so there is nothing to push them up against the wing. I had almost forgotten that there are very few easy bits on this model.

[Colin Leighfield]

That’s the method I’ve used for wing root fairings on Spitfires, 1/64” ply is my favoured material.

[Chris Freeman 3]

Great work so far, a real balsa build this. The mick Reeves plan shows a clever tail wheel mount. The ply plate is drilled and tapped then a nylon bolt screwed in and the excess cut off. The bolt is then drilled for the wire and becomes a nylon bearing.

[Martin McIntosh]

I too have used 1/64th ply on fairings but it costs an arm and a leg now.

I thought that the first side was enough to make a Mother Superior curse but the second just did not conform. A little massaging will sort it out.

Still no luck with obtaining the proper canopy, getting the expected zero response. I have no use for the rest of the mouldings so don`t wish to buy the whole package again. So far unable to source one of the right shape for the Mk and anywhere near 1:6.

[Martin McIntosh]

Very frustrating on this site. I just did a long progress update then it told me that I needed to logon, which I obviously must have been. Will try again.

[Martin McIntosh]

Right, here we go again.

Lots of progress made with the whole thing now glass coated.

A change of tack here from the peel ply method. I decided to try a mini roller but only used it to mop up any excess resin and even out the coat.

A sanding down to a Matt finish with 80 grit then two coats of dope mixed with Johnson`s Baby Powder. This was easily flatted with 320 grit, then a coat of 20% dope and 80% thinners so that the masking tape will not pull up the base coat. Now one coat of thinned grey primer also flatted ready for the rivets. When they are done I shall give it another coat of thinned dope prior to painting.

Looking at the `Spitfire Bible` it would appear that the canopy I have is actually for a Mk 1A.

The cowl blisters are proving quite difficult to bend but with lots of ammonia I am nearly there.

Instead of a top hatch for the switch I have put it behind the drivers` door. Could hinge this with Solartex but any ideas on how to latch it? Could use magnets,

Looking at my earlier version I can see nothing of the lovingly made dash so have not bothered on this one.

Pics to follow.

[Martin McIntosh]

[Colin Leighfield]

I’m sure magnets would be fine for that Martin.

[Ivan Neumann]

Hello there!

I started with this build two days ago and this thread + Herri's thread are like a manuals for me. I am really grateful for them. Anyway, on the plan there are two references about flaps. Flap base and flap core. What is the diference? And where do you put hinges for flap? To the spar behind? is it strong enough? Thank you.

[Martin McIntosh]

Hi Ivan, I shall try to show some pics of the flap hinges when I snap some more. They are not easy to align and you need something like Klett thin ones to do the job. Do not try c.a. ones because the large deflection will cause them to break.

I deviated from the plan and my original model version by trying to laminate them from balsa and ply. They have warped and turned out much heavier.

[Ivan Neumann]

Thank you very much Martin, I would really appreciate those photos. But the thing is where to put those hinges? Thin balsa spar behind flap?

[ASH.]

I admire your modelling skills Martin.
One question : What tool do you use to cut out lightening holes in the control surfaces?

[Martin McIntosh]

Ivan,

I had to fill in the gaps between the rear spars with 1/4" balsa. It only needs to be crudely fitted. You must be a very long way off this stage as yet.

ASH,

In this case it was mostly done with sharpened up pieces of alloy or brass tube twiddled through the liteply, but I then received a set of diamond tipped cutters (10 off) from AliExpress for just over £4 posted. Brilliant for the thicker parts but you must use a pillar drill. Found these via another forum thread.