Tony Nijhuis 1830cm Spitifre

[micarus]

Hi Tom,

             Sorry I forgot about the 80/90 degree you asked about, Mine are 90 but where you mount them on the rails will need packing ! I think less inboard than outboard to stop them splaying out too much .

I am just fitting the leading edges <outside> now and have cut a wing pattern after tracing through onto some thin card, that will give me the correct profile and the cutout for the wheels and legs, once they are cut out I will trial fit and see what transpires.

 

 

              Cheers  MIKE.

[Herri]

Well I'm back to my build.

I did manage to do some flying on Saturday

 

Today I have glued the top and bottom sheeting in place

 

First of all I mounted the engine

 

Then fitted the side bits.

There isnt room for the triangular strip all the way so I have just done it like this:

Then fitted the spinner back plate and the ply ring.

 

 

Its now drying, so I can plane and sand the whole thing tomorrow.

I have now given my room a good clean as it was a terrible mess.

 

Unitracts have debited my credit card, so I assume my retracts are in the post.

My pile of wood is now reduced considerably, basically just the sheeting etc for the wings.

Hows everyone else doing ??

Cheers

Herri

[Danny Fenton]

Looking really good there Herri, you are whizzing along now. I filled a large black bin bag with shavings from the fus, but strangely very therapeutic.

 

As you say, how is everyone else coming along?

 

Cheers

Danny

[Tom Foreman]

Not too well, we're re-decorating the front room and I'm off to Wales MTBing this weekend so that leaves even less time for building.

 

The last thing I did was stick some triangular stock on the fuse, but then pulled some of it off as it wasn't twisting properly to lay flat against the fuse, maybe I should have glued the triangular stock on first after all :/

 

Did manage 5 flights on my F22 and 4 flights on my 260 Extra on Saturday, felt a bit guilty as I watched my club mates struggle with hard to start glow engines, dead sticks and the eventual crashes. Just switching on and flying is cheating in comparison, and that seems a chore compared to slope soaring

 

Lazy Tom 

[Danny Fenton]

Oh dear, I hope I haven't given you duff gen to try and stick it on after  I ended up cutting notches in both planes, if you know what I mean, to get it to curve. But I did attach the triangle first. Sorry Tom if it is just as bad.....

 

I do know what you mean about just turning up and flying, does seem a bit unfair, especially in winter

[Tom Foreman]

No not at all Danny, just another 'opportunity' to solve

 

Herri, I do like the look of those mounts on your engine. Are they available separately or did they just come with the engine? I need some 87mm long to bolt to my motor mount, was thinking of using studding though, but now I have motor / engine mount envy

 

Tom 

[Herri]

Tom, they came with the engine. I dont know if they are sold seperately but I bought the engine at Als Hobbies. Studding seems to be popular for e-motors.

I think I got away without any decorating this year

Cheers

Herri

[Herri]

Well heres a "before & after" shot:

 

 

and this is me knee deep in dust and shavings.

 

I said yesterday, I could'nt continue the triangular strip through where the motor mount was. Anyway as you can see I have gone through the wood here, so I will have to fill it from the inside, maybe a drop of epoxy with micro balls.

 

Good news. The postman has just delivered my retracts.

 

Cheers

Herri

[Danny Fenton]

Excellent well done Herri now the Spitfire is emerging from the wood

 

Lets see these retracts then?

 

Cheers

Danny

[micarus]

Looking fantastic Herri, you are a star! I'm still messing with my wings and have them fully sheeted and the wheel wells cut and filled out , I am still sorting the packing for the U.C but it seems to be coming together .

Waiting for the wheels which are coming from" Gallaxy Models £14 > +post."

Can't fit finaly untill I get them on the axles. Can't wait to start the Fusalage now !

 

              Cheers  MIKE.

[Herri]

Danny, I'll post some pictures tomorrow

 

Mike, how did you determin your dehedral? Just use the braces or did you measure anything?

 

Cheers

Herri

[Herri]

I had to see what the retracts were going to look like

The oleo is just level with the skin.

 

It all looks ok to me. the dihedral is about 4.5 degrees. The wheels are not vertical but the general impression is good.

All together I'm rather pleased

 

I could'nt resist this shot. Its starting to look like a Spitfire
Cheers

Herri

[micarus]

Hi Herri,

            I measured under the tips and clamped the braces before glueing the wings and then re-cked after glueing , 3" under each tip < RIB> <.proper tips not on yet!>

I think you could do with a bit of packing under the retracts near the centre of the wing to bring the legs down straighter <just a sugestion !> but looking good.

Where did you get that spinner? I havn't been able to find one yet. I have just glassed the centre join. looks O.K. <I think!>

Your Pilot looks a bit casual mate.

From the look of the weather we will be getting no flying< so more building> for a while.

I don't mind !

              Cheers  MIKE.

              

[Danny Fenton]

Nice one Herri that looks fabulous and on its legs too well done

 

I am not sure the leg angles are wrong looks pretty good to me? But the legs shouldn't touch the skin really...

 

Cheers

Danny

[Herri]

Yes Mike, thats what I thought - 3 inches at the rib and not the actual tip as the tip will vary depending on sanding.

 

I bought my spinner at Just Engines.

I am trying to get my wife to make some WWII kit for the pilot.

 

I will have a careful look at the retracts. I think the leg angle is acceptable but as Danny notes, the legs should relly be below the skin.

The only way I can think of at the moment is to move the bearers closer to the top of the wing (if you see what I mean)

 

Cheers

Herri

[Herri]

I've had another look at the u/c and I am a bit unsure what the best course of action would be.

The total width of the oleo leg and tyre is about 46mm.

 

The total space between top and bottom skin is about 48mm max.

 

But thats without the bit of rib which presses against the tyre.

 

On the other hand, having the oleos protruding this much isnt an option.

 

Do I a) try and get thinner wheels? or b) remove 4mm from the bearers ?

 

Decisions, decisions.

Danny, what are the width of your tyres and oleos?

 

Cheers

Herri

[Danny Fenton]

Hi Herri I hadn't really looked at this. But getting the ruler out, my leg sits just below the lower wing skin, so I have enough room for the wheel door to sit flush with the sheeting. The wheels have to be less than 26mm to fit in the bays, with the skinny upper section of rib in place. A thicker wheel and the leg will hang proud, and worse the leg will not travel onto the "up lock".

 

Here is the situation with the wheels I had intended using. And you can see I have the same issue that Herri has, these wheels are 32mm fat.

 

A lower angled shot shows that the entire leg is proud, also it is not on the "up-Lock" so the wheel will sag and hang down during flight

 

This shot shows that without a wheel the leg sits exactly where I want it, parallel, and just beneathe the wing surface. remember I have shaved around 4mm off my bearers to get the unit lower in the wing (Closer to upper wing skin)

Len Gardiner does some thin wheels. But what I might do is use some foam wheels I have that came with an artf in the past, and turn them in the lathe/pillar drill to be thinner.

 

 

The foam wheels I am probably going to turn down are shown on the right, they are 27mm thick and will fit if I remove the small section of rib in the wheel well floor (perhaps AFTER the wing is glassed )

 

The alternative is to slim the wheel/tyre by a few mm and it will then fit with the ribs in place.

 

I am not surprised by all this the Spitfire wing is very thin, and with the wheels retracting outwards the wing gets even thinner

 

Cheers

Danny

Edited By Danny Fenton on 26/11/2010 11:08:45

[mal brewer]

Hi Danny and Herri,just following your posting re Spitfire retracts.I'm at the same stage,I'm using Robart 3 3/4" scale wheels,which measure 28 mm thick.The oleo legs are 12 mm max diameter,so allowing a bit of running clearance,the total width at the wheel position is about 43 mm,which appears to fit fairly easily into the wing.However,the job is not yet complete,so there could be problems,but so far they appear to retract ok.Hope this is of help...............Mal.

[Danny Fenton]

Hi Mal, you have identified exactly where the problem lies. The thickness of the oleo legs. at the wider section mine are 62mm and the tyre does overlap the wider section so you have to use that measurement. If your legs are only 12mm then that is a solution that would work. I had considered using just dressed piano wire legs, that would also work. I guess herri and I have the nice sprung oleos so want to use them

 

Thanks for your dimensions, it all helps

 

Cheers

Danny

Edited By Danny Fenton on 26/11/2010 11:35:45

[Tim Mackey]

Posted by Danny Fenton on 26/11/2010 11:06:10:

Hi Herri I hadn't really looked at this. But getting the ruler out, my leg sits just below the lower wing skin, so I have enough room for the wheel door to sit flush with the sheeting. The wheels have to be less than 26mm to fit in the bays, with the skinny upper section of rib in place. A thicker wheel and the leg will hang proud, and worse the leg will not travel onto the "up lock".

 

Here is the situation with the wheels I had intended using. And you can see I have the same issue that Herri has, these wheels are 32mm fat.

 

A lower angled shot shows that the entire leg is proud, also it is not on the "up-Lock" so the wheel will sag and hang down during flight

 

This shot shows that without a wheel the leg sits exactly where I want it, parallel, and just beneathe the wing surface. remember I have shaved around 4mm off my bearers to get the unit lower in the wing (Closer to upper wing skin)

Len Gardiner does some thin wheels. But what I might do is use some foam wheels I have that came with an artf in the past, and turn them in the lathe/pillar drill to be thinner.

 

 

The foam wheels I am probably going to turn down are shown on the right, they are 27mm thick and will fit if I remove the small section of rib in the wheel well floor (perhaps AFTER the wing is glassed )

 

The alternative is to slim the wheel/tyre by a few mm and it will then fit with the ribs in place.

 

I am not surprised by all this the Spitfire wing is very thin, and with the wheels retracting outwards the wing gets even thinner

 

Cheers

Danny

Edited By Danny Fenton on 26/11/2010 11:08:45

 

Glad to see the lathe is getting a nice workload planned Danny

As to your last sentence - Im pretty sure this is exactly why most ARTFs have them the "wrong way around"

[Tim Mackey]

Danny, could you turn down the outer diameter of your oleos slightly - perhaps just at the place they are fouling?

[Danny Fenton]

Of course what I should do is turn up some scale wheels in alloy  but my lathe skill level would be stretched to make a scale model of a 6" nail

 

How do you like the backdrop on the wheel photo? Trying to go a bit more up market like one of my heroes Mr Hooper  

 

Cheers

Danny

[Danny Fenton]

You are just trying to get me to bump my already large photo count on here even higher

 

You can see that the wheel actually overlaps slightly the thicker section of the oleo so it is doable but I am not sure I trust my turning skills sufficiently to knacker (technical term) my oleos

 

Cheers

Danny

[mal brewer]

Hi Danny, glad you have identified the problem. If it's any help to you,I can tell you that my oleo legs are Unitracts,and they are actually made for the Brian Taylor 69" mk 1A Spitfire,of which this model is a sort of 'proving 'model for.I'm using these legs with a set of air units made for me many years ago by my friend,the late Ray Slack. May be worth checking with Tony at Unitracts to see if he can assist you.However, I have heard he may be packing in soon, do you know anything about this ?.................cheers,Mal.

[Tim Mackey]

Posted by Danny Fenton on 26/11/2010 11:48:23:

You are just trying to get me to bump my already large photo count on here even higher

 

You can see that the wheel actually overlaps slightly the thicker section of the oleo so it is doable but I am not sure I trust my turning skills sufficiently to knacker (technical term) my oleos

 

Cheers

Danny

 

Nah, I will just wait until you reach the individual automatically applied limit of 695 piccies