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Kyosho Spitfire 90


Alan B
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Hi all

I have just recently aquired a ARTF Kyosho Spitfire 90. I got it cheaper because apparently the batch received by the dealer from the factory had not been fuel proofed.  They commented that the whole model can be treated with either Tufkote lacquer or a specktrum laquer.

I presume the detailed printed covering of this model is the same as the other coverings of the Kyosho warbird range (so if anybody has similar models) - which again I would presume it is a heat shrink film as it is refered to in the instructions as ie: use a warm Iron to take out any wrinkles.

 I would prefer to spray the whole model before assembly rather than brush. Im not happy that you can thin Tuffcote with celluose thinners ( how much it dosn't say!) - However I'm very dubious about celluose thinners melting stuffI always treat it with caution!   Spectrum products I have never used. I do have air brush and spray equipment but In all honesty I would just prefer to spray it straight out of a can.

I would like the finish to be satin or matt   - not gloss. Are the above my only 2 options or Is there anybody out there who could suggest an alternative. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Al

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thank you Chris and Bruce for your replies.

 I had given up on this one, like they say about buses - Two then come along at once!

I have actually a few days ago ordered some Spectrum Satin fuel proofer. Apparently it has already been tried and tested on the other models sold from that unfinished batch.  As mentioned -Spectrum is quite expensive, however considering the whole price of the model, paying a few more quid for a product that is known to work and be compatable with the covering, then I would say its better to stick with what you know!

Thanks again  Al

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  • 3 weeks later...

Alan,

Have you flown it yet ? I bought one at the Thames Valley Airshow over the weekend and I'm keen to know how they fly. TJD models say its better than the Hangar 9 one and possibly the best ARTF one they have ever flown. Just need to save up for an engine and radio gear for it now... oh and finish an SE5a that is currently taking up the bench space !

Thanks

Ed

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Hi Ed

Im affraid not,  Its only flown out of the box as yet !!  Only just received the fuelproofer - I sprayed the model yesterday and Im going to to start the build soon.  Engine wise I went for the SC 120 four stroke I thought it was good value for money. I know they are a budget engine but my SC 46 starts first time and never misses a beat. So hopefully this one should do the same. 

Radio wise I am going to fit spektrum gear with a 6 volt supply and a Hitec HS-75BB retract servo with its own 4.8 v supply.

In case you haven't seen the Kyosho promotional video I've added the link below. If you can put up with the bog sound track !!!

CLICK HERE

Good luck with the SE5a and make way for the spit !!!

Al

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Mine is one of the fuel proofed ones so I don't have that worry, though having said that the outside of the engine mounting box is fuel proofed but the inside isn't, so I'll be doing that myself anyway, I always fuel proof the entire engine and tank area just to be safe. I loosely assembled it in the living room last night and scared myself a bit, largest model I have is a 58ish inch CAP232 so having this thing sat on the carpet made me nervous ! Are you going to permanently glue the wings together and tail feathers to the fus ? I was advised to. I have been offered a 2nd hand saito 100 for £100 by a friend, will probably go for that but am still half considering an ASP or SC but as its my 1st 4 stroke I want it as reliable as possible. Radio will be 35MHz JR. The SE5 is nearly ready for covering so should give me just enough of a breather to get the cash together for the engine and radio gear for the Spit. Won't be ready for my clubs scale day in 3 weeks time though

Things I like so far (though build not started) :
Build quality seems to be very good, friends with more ARTF experience say its excellent
Covering is good quality and not wrinkled (unlike the hangar 9 one I looked at while choosing)
Shaped tail surfaces

Things I'm not so sure about :
Panel lines on the covering - seem a bit cartoonish atm, hopefully will weather in nicely though.
Panel lines don't all line up between different sheets on the covering (1/2" difference on rudder trim tab either side and the two spanwise 'no walk' lines on the wings )
No pilot figure

Cheers

Ed

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Hi Ed

Yes it is big!!   Its my biggest model yet and my first Four Stroke also.  Looking at the building instructions and the way the under carriage is linked and the wings joined.  I think I would be a pain to take these apart for transportation.  I slotted the wings together last night and did a trial fitting in the car. With the back seats down the wings fitted in - just!!  So I'm going for the permanent method.

My view of this aircraft is that when landing there is a lot of weight in the air coming in and how effective the flaps would be and the under carriage.  Im lucky to have 2 facilities to use. My club flies at RAF Barkston Heath and when I normally fly- I have the use of my girlfriends 10 acre field of which I have made a 80 metre  grass landing strip.  So for the maiden flight I think I will go for the Barkston option first,  till I Know how it performs.

I have gone for the 95 mm Alloy spinner (about £20) option like displayed on the model.  If you haven't got on of these yet make sure that if you order one,  make sure that they supply the correct mounting Nut for your size of engine.

Regards

Al

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  • 1 month later...

A few questions guys. I've just ordered my Kyosho Spitfire 90.  I will be converting it to electric using an AXI 5330/24 motor (about 2KW or 3 HP).

I would like to use a scale 4 bladed prop, which works out to about 20" diam and would like to use the excellent GAP Solo props. But I am concerned about the prop. and motor weight. A Solo 4 blade 20" prop. weighs in at 363 grams (13oz). The motor weighs 652 grams which is already a bit over typical 1.0cuin or 16cc gas engines.

Spitfire models, including this one, are known to be typically nose heavy and nose-tippy to start with, so I am reluctant to add a 13oz prop. to the front end.

Does anyone have any comments on this amount of weight for the prop?

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Hi David

Regarding the weight.  I have a SC 120 four stroke fitted in mine which weighs in at approx 1000 grams. so weight wise it should be ok as that is one of the recommended engines. As far as Electric is concerned then power to weight ratio and prop sizes are a different ball game.  As Eric says - probably Timbo should be able to help you out on that one. Was hoping to fly it this weekend for the first time - but the weather was naff

PS . Make sure you have some longer servo horns/output levers for the aileron & flap servos as the recommended 16mm is to short. I had to fit 25mm to mine to clear the wings.

Al

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Hi, all, I have used MotoCalc to predict the eprformance of this plane/motor/prop combination and It predicts the damn thing should climb at 1536ft/minute, almost as fast as the real Spit!!. All sorts of other positive data came out of MotoCalc as well. I have done lots of anaylysis and optimizations with Motocalc and it reckons this motor/prop are good for each other.

 I have received comments from some folks saying the Kyosho Spitfire 90 is not very true to scale dimensions and that the printed panel lines look very cartoonish. Anyone else got any comments to support or deny this?

 As well, these GAP (ground adjustable pitch) props can be fine tuned at the field for the flying conditions and/or motor etc.

This (or another)  plane is going to be used as a demo and marketing platform for our Model Solutions of Canada Ltd. new SFX5 sound systems, so we would like it to be as true to scale as possible.

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Not very true to scale, well its about as true as you are likely to get from an ARTF to be honest. As good as the hangar 9 (if not better) and has shaped tail surfaces etc rather than flat sheet. I'm sure its not 100% accurate but it is certainly better than most. I'm going to be using mine as a stepping stone to building a Brian Taylor Mk1A, now that will be scale ! but for not this will be more than adequate.

As for the panel lines - well yes I can see where they are coming from - still not made up my mind whether I like them or not. I think they would be better if they matched up accurately where the covering joins are, but then that would probably add significantly to the cost if they had to spend ages covering them in the factory. Stand a few feet away and it looks the business so don't worry about the comments....

Ed

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  • 3 months later...

Hi Everyone

Just started assembling my plane and wondered if any of you have finally flown yours ?

Had a small hiccup with the covering on the wing when applying the heat gun to remove some stubborn wrinkles around the aileron T/E.  Managed to get the iron out and bring it back to an acceptable level, not much of an overlap on the covering and tends to let go quite quickly.

 As a matter of interest I will be fitting an RCV 130CD with a Just Engines knuckle manifold and Alloy Spinner.

We have a choice of 2 flying fields here in Dubai, both tarmac, and really looking forward to the long low fast passes up the runway, just as I do with the World Models Mustang fitted with an RCV 91CD.  Will keep you posted on progress and test flying.

Roger

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  • 2 months later...

Just starting to look at mine again as having money for Christmas means I can look to get it in the air for the spring. Servos required though are as follows from memory :

2x for aileron

2x for flaps

1x rudder

1x elevator

1x throttle

1x retract

As I want to try and keep to a JR 7ch receiver I'm planning on Y leading the two flap servos, that gives me a bit more scope for doing things with the ailerons if required on the TX.

If you
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Can be done either way Kevin. I don't think the instructions call for ailerons to be Y leaded (from memory)  but no reason why they can't be. My only slight concern would be that its quite a big model and the loads on the aileron servos may be a bit higher because of this, with both Y leaded this will mean that the power for both will be coming from 1 channels power wire. Its probably fine and I'm sure there are others that know much more that would be able to confirm whether or not this could be a problem. the fact that they are only standard servos probably means it will be ok.

I'm also going to be fitting a separate battery pack just for the retract servo and I'm seriously thinking about putting the power for the flap servos into the same pack for similar reasons to above, so all primary control surfaces are powered fromt he RX as standard and the U/C and flaps are powered from a separate battery. Again probably overkill but helps keep my paranoia at bay !

Ed

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