Modifying the Top Flite Spitfire I accidentaly bought on ebay.

[Jon H]

Thanks Squirrel. The ugly mustang was a bit of a chore but i am happy with the result. Still need to finish and fly it, been distracted by other things. Silly really as its almost there. 

[Jon H]

Well then.. 

 

I got in from work, tidied up the shed a bit, and then started looking into the structure of the Spitfire to looking to doing the mods. And...well theres no turning back now. 

 

First i found the wing fillet fairings were one piece fibreglass items and they came off fairly easily. 

 

 

Plenty of heavy 2 part filler putty was revealed while doing this. 

 

Next i removed some material from the front and used a piece of balsa to copy the wing seat shape

 

 

This was transferred to some rock hard 1/4 inch balsa and 45mm was added to the back of it

 

 

3 broken scalpel blades later...

 

 

The original wing dowel former was removed and my new wing seat pieces fitted

 

 

The fuselage was modified to clear them

 

 

And a new former made to beef up the inside edge of the now wing dowel former and firewall

 

 

The whole lot was then epoxied back together

 

 

 

The new wing seats are glued to the old ones so all of the original load paths remain. I need to make a new wing bolt former and wing trailing edge former, as well as a 1/4 inch ply laminate on the front of the firewall and the same on the back behind the engine mount. Glass will then be applied as well as triangle fillets and all the rest. 

 

Still, i am very pleased with what i have been able to get done so far and it only took me about an hour and a half. Lets hope the rest is this straight forward .

 

 

[kevin b]

A shed after my own heart !

However, I am curious about the keyboard. Do you have a digital building board ?

🙃

[alan p]

The relief that someone else has a normal shed😉

[Jon H]

My shed is tiny and mess inevitable. Its even more of a state after todays work. 

 

The keyboard is a remote for the old laptop i have in there. Its hooked up to a monitor on the wall and i use it for music and looking up stuff while i am building. 

[Jon H]

This is the work i was able to get finished last weekend. 

 

First i wanted to see how my wing move went so laid the model over the plans for my FRC Spitfire and was very happy with the results. 

 

 

Its hard to see as the plan is quite faint but with the fin posts aligned the wing mounts are in alignment as well. The difference to the kit position is very clear. 

 

 

While in the FRC box i found the formers for the wooden cowl it was originally intended to use and i set upon a plan to use them to convert the nose into something a little more scale. 

 

 

I picked the sheeting off, removed the 2nd former, unpicked all of the stringers and cut deeper slots for them. I then modified the shape of the first former and put all the stringers back before making a new 2nd former

 

 

New sheeting on top and we were nearly there

 

 

I then put together the wooden cowl formers to see what i was working with. 

 

 

This, sadly, is as far as i got before i had to stop.

 

A call from my brother informed me my mum was back in the hospital and we should go and see her. So i downed tools, had a wash and went to see her. 

 

The exact details of the following 4 days are difficult to recall, but each day brought deterioration in her condition and she passed away on Wednesday morning. 

 

Consequently this and all of my other projects are being shelved for now so i can help my brothers look after my Dad. I may work on it in the background from time to time to keep myself busy but probably will not do regular updates. I will see how i feel. 

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

Sorry to hear about your loss Jon,,

[Ron Gray]

Jon that is terrible news, my thoughts are with you and your family.

[Nick Cripps]

Sorry to hear your sad news, Jon. My condolences to you and your family.

[Maurice Dyer]

Sorry for your loss, and I don't want to appear insensitive, but could somebody in this spitty thread explain what a TF spitfire is !?

[GrumpyGnome]

My condolences..

 

[J D 8]

             Condolences to you Jon.

             

              Maurice, TF refers to the kit maker Top Flight.

[Maurice Dyer]

Aahhh.....thanks. Always rated Top Flite kits

[Flying Squirrel]

I'm sorry to hear that Jon.

[leccyflyer]

Please accept my condolences on your sad news Jon. 

Take care.

Brian

 

[Nick Somerville]

It’s a tough time Jon, I know as my mother was buried yesterday. Take care and celebrate all the positives of her life.

[Chris Walby]

Jon, Please accept my condolences on your sad news and loss. 

[Geoff S]

There are more important things than toy aeroplanes and your loss is one of them.   My mother died very many years ago so I know how hard it can be.  My condolences.

[kevin b]

My thoughts are with you Jon.

The pain goes away, but the sadness will linger I'm afraid. 

I'm sure she was proud of your achievements with Laser Engines.

Come back when you feel you are ready.

We will all wait for you (some of us more patiently than others ! ).

 

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Sorry for your familys loss Jon. ❤️

[Don Fry]

Look after your dad Jon. 

Edited December 16, 2022 by Don Fry

[David Davis 2]

Sorry to hear your news Jon. I lost my kid sister to pancreatic cancer in September.

[Ace]

Condolences Jon, support your dad and reflect on your mum's good memories. 

[Nigel R]

Sorry to hear of your loss Jon.

[Jon H]

Thank you all for your support and my respects to anyone else who has lost family or friends this year. 

 

Yesterday we had the traditional family chaos decorating the christmas tree. Buying and decorating the tree has always been a bit of a family event and many of the decorations we still have were made by my brothers and i as kids. Mum wouldnt let us throw them away so they are again on display this year as she would want. 

 

I hope you all have a great christmas and look forward to more Spitfire kit bashing in the new year.