Brian Taylor Spitfire 69" - build only

[Nev]

Looking good that Nigel.

Little bit at a time that’s the secrete and stop while you’re in front.

Nev.

[Tim Cheal]

Hi Nigel

Apologies for being so quiet, but your build looks great to me!

I have got mine ready for flying, and one thing I was not quite ready for was how much weight I would need in the front to achieve the CofG recommended. I have put just over a lb of lead in the nose now, which means the flying weight has gone up form 101/2 lb to just about 12lb. Picture below:

I know you are not going to fly yours, but the other thing that has caught me out is the tendency to tip on its nose during my initial taxi trials. The grass is really soggy at the moment, so I shan't panic until the ground has dried out a bit, but that puts the maiden back until spring I suspect.

If anybody 'watching' has any experience of the CofG of this BT Spifire Mk 1 I wood be really grateful, I am tempted to ease it back a bit, but don't want to do that until after a successful maiden!

I am pleased with the engine installation (pumped OS91FS with a Keleo exhaust) and the 3D printed exhausts that I sourced off the internet. But, it means the exhaust is from the actual exhaust pipes - I know, little things please little minds!! The prop is only a 13 inch and is now replaced with a 14 X 6, but I had some trouble initially getting the RPM to something decent so stepped down a bit. Hoping to use a 14 X 8 when all is said and done.

You can see I had to split the cowl across the middle horizontally to get it all set up, but that has not been an issue (so far!).

Cant wait to fly it, but patience is the name of the game.

Good luck with the rest of your build.

Tim

[Nigel Day]

Thanks Tim.

Yours looks great and good luck with the test flight when the weather improves.

Don’t feel too bad about the CoG and a tendency to tip over. The real thing had the same problem.

[Nigel Day]

Tim, Garry,

If you're reading this, how did things fir together around rear of the tailplane where the fin joins the end of the fuse?

On the plan it looks as there's not enough clearance between the elevator hinge pin and the fin post, just behind it.

This is what I see on my model. The fin post fits into the rear of the fuse, a couple of cms beyond the end of the tailplane. The hinge pin can travel forward OK, between the sides of the fuse, but bangs up against the fin post. It looks as though I'll need to cut a slot for it but I can't see anywhere that this is what Brian T intended.

Is this another beginner's boo-boo?

[Tim Cheal]

Hi Nigel

I do recall this problem, and in the end I angled the elevator hinge pin forward by about 45 degrees, as shown on the picture below which I have juts popped out and taken (I made my tail section removeable for access)

[This should give me more up elevator than down due to the geometry].

I guess BT only needs 1/2 inch of up travel at the elevator, so he was content with it being limited by the fin post. Like the Chipmunk I found the space in the tail rae very limited which is partly why I made the tail section removeable.

I hope that helps, but like you I learnt a lot as I went along!

Tim

[Danny Fenton]

If you are referring to the fin post limiting the up elevator, you get plenty of travel as is. If you do need more then yep angle the elevator horn forwards
Cheers
Danny

[Gary Binnie]

I can see the problem, I get it with stab bellcranks in glider fins sometimes.

Didn't assemble my back end fully so probably had this problem to come.

It's useful to have a huge amount of up elevator available on tail draggers to help them nosing over while taxying on grass with small wheels, from flying my other Spitfires they need hardly any elevator movement at all in flight. If BT was flying off tarmac he wouldn't have needed the large elevator movement. They use tarmac at the Nats scale events, takes out the lottery of rabbit holes I guess!

Suppose you could have a shorter elevator horn and a longer servo horn but usual geometry is the other way around for max servo resolution and torque.

It's coming on, looks good.

GB

[Nigel Day]

Thanks Tim, Danny, Gary. Angling the horn forward a bit is the way to go.

[TartanMac]

I've never built a plane before except artf's but that is not building. Your build so far looks great. I have bought plans in the past and some of them look intimidating. Currently building my first plane after not flying for around 4-5 years a Uno Wot. This Spit looks alot of work is this an intermediate build ? also I read you waited 27 days was the kit worth the money and wait so far in terms of how it has went together and quality of material ?

[Nigel Day]

Hi TartanMac.

The kit is worth it but I recommend checking the parts when they arrive. Mine was missing a couple (few?) sheets. It's pretty good though.

I'd say that the plan was for intermediate+.and a bit tricky to follow.

I've only built 3 from plans before but one of them was a Dennis Bryant Chipmunk and I had plenty of people to help me a long the way. I'm only an average builder at best but with a bit of thinking and help from others on here I'm doing OK.

I hope this helps?

Edited By Nigel Day on 13/03/2017 18:34:22

[TartanMac]

I looked for a flying weight but could not find anything. I saw a video of the reconnaissance version with a laser in it looked great. 69" wingspan is a really nice size I've got 2 super sportster kits 60 and 120 size to build plus my Uno wot but that Spit looks amazing. The tail looks small has anyone flown one of these at speed how stable is it ? I'm tempted by this kit just a really neat size if it was 8 1/2 lbs or close to it I would have an engine for it what are the options for retracts these days I've never had a plane with them before.

[Danny Fenton]

Brian Taylor's plans have been used by hundreds of modellers and they are all tremendous flyers. I would however not suggest it is your first plan build. Nigel has done really well and learned a lot from the recent mass build of the Chipmunk. I am not saying you couldnt do it TM but I also dont want you to be discouraged and lose interest. Taylor drawings are some of the best. But this is a plan of the 1985 British nats winner and not easy.
I hope that has not come across wrong. The Nijhuis Spit at 72" is a much easier build you might want to consider that?
Cheers
Danny

Edited By Danny Fenton on 19/03/2017 21:22:55

[Mike Campbell 2]

I bought a very yellowed set of plans and accessories off another builder who never got around to building it. I just ordered the spinner from Sairk which was the only item he didn't buy. I have a short kit cut locally from the plans and the original plans were copy for clarity and so I had a consumable set of plans I could cut apart. Is there anyone else out there currently building this airplane?

Mike

[Les Penson]

Hi Mike yes just started to build Brian Taylor’s 83inch Spitfire, finding it quite hard from the plans.

maybe should of built something else to learn about model building,.

i think this one is slightly different as the wing is all in one piece and a right handful when your trying to do something at one end and trying to support the other, the fuselage is just starting to come together but like you I seem to be missing a few parts but I can’t complain as I bought the kit 5years ago and never opened it.

Now I have retired I will get stuck in but will have to learn a lot about the electronics to get the thing to fly, don’t know yet weather to go electric or stay with a proper engine.

There is one guy in the north east that has electric and speakers for engine noise, it sounds great.

regards Les.