DeAgostini Spitfire

[JOHN WILLIAMS]

Has anyone flown the DeAgostoini Spitfire yet?
I finished my one some weeks ago but have not flown it as i have only just gone solo on my trainer, im interested to know how it handles.

[geofb]

A friend of mine has been building one. Is it possible to get spares for the planes eg cowl etc?

[Obzi]

Keep your eye on Ebay, there's been quite a few bits and bobs for sale recently but you need to keep looking.

Here's one auction for a part build i just found.
 

Edited By Steve Hargreaves - Moderator on 18/06/2012 10:15:43

[geofb]

does anyone know who the makers of the kits are, their contact details, whether they have a distribution channel, and whether they are selling spares?

[Graham Ashby 123]

"Has anyone flown the DeAgostoini Spitfire yet? I finished my one some weeks ago but have not flown it as i have only just gone solo on my trainer, im interested to know how it handles."

I'd love to see a few pics John. We'd quite like to publish a few examples to show that some people have actually got one finished. Have you any nicely composed high res' shots you could send us? From what I can remember it looks as if it ought to fly quite well.

[Tom]

Yes, I too have completed and flown this Spitfire, but would advise caution. The first flight identified that the aileron control rods are too light a gauge and cause a concerning aileron flutter at medium speed. This was cured by mounting a seperate servo for each aileron. Similar problems were found with the rudder and elevator control rods which were also "Beefed" up.
Being an intermediate flyer myself, I got the club instructor to fly mine, after he was satisfied he gave me the sticks. The Spitfire tends to nose over on take off / landing due to the position of the U/C, but flies well. It handles much different to a trainer and would advise experienced support until you get to grips.
Happy landings.

[Graham Ashby 123]

Tom, any chance of a few pics from you too? It would be great if we could get three or four together.

[Engine Doctor]

Hi Graham I have flown the DeAgostini Spitfire.I was asked to test fly one for a new member to our club.The model is really quite nice to fly ,but definately not for a beginner ! In the air it didn't seem to have any nasty habits and the stall was just a gentle mush.One critisism was that the Aileron torque rods being very long are twisty and suffer badly from blowback,making rolls very slow.I didn't experience any flutter mentioned in another post but this could just have been luck.It suffers the usual nosing over problems on take off and landing that this type of model attract. The model had been well made,by a novice flyer and completed with the radio and engine supplied by DeAgostini.Overaul the model flew very well and with a little tweeking will make a reasonable first low winger. The owner has bee advised to take the radio and engine out and intall it in a trainer type and save the Spitfire for later.Another club member is currently building one .I have advised him to fit a servo on each aileron to sharpen the roll response.As memtioned earlier you really will need some help with your first flights as it is totally diferent to a trainer.
E.D

[Selwyn Tree]

I am building an DeAGOSTINI Spitfire and have changed the Aileron set up to a servo in each wing as per the(learning to fly your spitfire),but now have a problem with the engine cowl,which arrived in pieces and i have had no joy in getting a replacement from the above.CAN ANYONE HELP,i would like to get a head and shoulders pilot aswell,any help would be appreceated.

[Antony Wright]

If you look under the other post on this plane in the "All Things Flying" section - Shortfinger has one he offered for anyone that needed it.

[Graham Ashby 123]

E.D., same applies: If you can get a few photos of the one you flew I'd really appreciate it. You can get me at: [email protected]. Many thanks.

[Selwyn Tree]

when i tried to contact Shortfinger the answer came back that he does not want his details posted

[Antony Wright]

Selwyn - just start a thread with his name in it - that should get his attention

[Stephen Peart]

I have finished and flown the De-Ag spitfire and will try and send some pics to the site. I have had the nose over problem and have now installed a retractable under-carriage which looks a lot better and is mounted a tiny bit further forward, well worth the effort.
Aileron problem with the push rods noted but it seems ok and don't really want to add any more weight.
Hope the pics come out.

[james marson]

does nebody have a double of issue 38

[Skippy]

i have the deagostini spitfire . can anyone help? what do i need to start the engine with? where can i get nitro for the engine and starters battery chargers etc..... i live in camberley surrey not to sure where to go for rc plane stuff and where to fly. looking to join a flying club. i know there is a model show at blackbush on the 19th may.

[Helidel]

Dean,

Go to     http://www.bmfa.org     You.ll find a national list of clubs there,  

Also see in Surrey:-

Mick Charles Models  (0208) 393 3232 

Addlestone Models  (870) 909 5440   ... www.addlestone-models.co.uk

I've picked these from the RCME  mag but don't know what they specialise in.

Go to the show if there are trade stands, there's always bargains, especial on fuel. 

 Helidel 

[Skippy]

thanks so much for the info helps a lot.

[Matt Hackers]

I have built the Deagostini Spitfire but have not had the chance to try it out yet. Hoping for some warmer calmer weather. It went together o.k. but some of the wood quality was a bit suspect and needed changing. I had one aileron like oak and one normal. After making a matching pair the laterel balance was only slightly out requiring a small weight to the port wingtip.

[Matt Hackers]

In regards to James Marson requiring issue 38 for the Deagostini Spitfire. The wood parts are the same as for issue 26. The plastic parts are the same size as shown on the paper templates 66mmx20mm given with issues 35-3 and 47-3. plus 8off small self tapping screws about 12mmx2mm. The plastic parts could be made from ply or aluminium as they are not structural, only covers. Hope this is of some use to you.

[Wills]

Hi Bill Brown

Hows it goin! I found that website you mentioned earlier about my replacing the cowl. And so I looked up CARBONCOPYUK.COM it does feature the de,ag cowl but at £18.00 is a little steep no matter though when Im ready to purchase it I,ll know where to look. meanwhile I,ll see if I can improve the old cowl I have with a little bit of plastic soldering. Im also thinking of plastic bumper painted on the outside of the cowl?Anyone wanting the De,ag Cowl look up CARBONCOPYUK.COM/model planes it,ll be worth it.

Anyway bill, Having removed all of the covering on my spit, I am scraping and cleansing the bodywork and adding balsa too the wing panels onto the sides of the fusalage for the wings to support them. Also too fill in this annoying gap under the front wing of the fusalage. (you do recall?)  Once Ive done that then I,ll consentrate on replacing both the elevators as I think they were not long enough also to shorten the "U" shaped pin. on the Elve,s. Learning about modeling from the BMFA I can see the movement of the tail rudder and Elv,s are too wide and long you need only a short movement other wise the plane will flip over in flight.      

[simpson j]

 

 

       Hi looking for template for fire wall for fixing engine to deagostini spitfire

[Peter Beeney]

    Just to add a few more comments here, I acted as test pilot recently for a club mate with a DeAgostini Spitfire. He’d bought it on eBay, with a Leo 46 as motive power. This one had the prop on back to front, as bought, and the model had never flown. I’ve got a couple of Leo’s, one in an Aerotech Spitfire, magnificent!
    On the look around it did occur to me that the tail plane did appear to be a bit flimsy, which I remarked on, however nothing ventured, nothing gained so away we go. The takeoff, as stated previously, is certainly interesting, it requires a very light touch and I got lucky! A very lively climb out, a big wingover to turn, it’s already hands off, that’s nice, and a fast run back across the strip. I do like to keep the speed up on test flights, especially small ‘unknown quantity‘ low wing “I will catch you out if I can” type man traps. Then came a loud whirring sound, the dreaded control surface flutter. I closed the throttle but too late, the complete tailplane had already parted company with the fuselage. I think the owner is going to have a go at repairing it, but if I owned one I would really, really carefully check out all the control surfaces at the very least; they need to be 100% secure and rigid for fast authentic warbird action.

    I think that both Leo engines and the Aerotech range of kits are now defunct, which is rather a shame, I thought they were excellent value for money.              PB  

[Stephen Grigg]

Ive built one of these but because its a bit of an unknown quantity  have never tried to fly it.So many other models Im busy on its languishing in a cupboard

[Chris Wooldridge]

Hi Guys

I have aquired the Spitfire kit from my old man and am going to continue building it, I have all the parts but has misplaced the issues 1-18 and I cannot continue building until I aquire these or get the build instructions, any help on this qould be greatly appreciated