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Advice on Recovering DeAgostini Spitfire


Andy-H
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I’ve recently been given an old model Spitfire by someone who has given up the hobby due to health reasons. It’s in need of a lot of TLC as the original covering (shiny iron on film ) is peeling badly so it really needs to be recovered. I’m also intending to convert to electric (from Leo 2 stroke motor) in the process.

 

The model was built from a DeAgostini weekly magazine kit. Wings are built up with front & rear sheeting and open structure capped ribs in the middle. Rudder & tail surfaces are built up. Fuselage seems to be fully sheeted. Wingspan it’s c.56”

 

This would be my first attempt at a warbird (my experience is mainly with building Mr Foss models) and I’m very taken with the Warbirds Replica approach but I think the open structures probably wouldn’t suit a brown paper solution. I would hate to spoil the model by duffing the finish so would really appreciate advice on ideas for replacing the original shiny film.

 

Your thoughts & advice would be most welcome. 
 

Many thanks.

 

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Sounds like a project. A few things to think of - in removing the existing covering don't be tempted to initially start tearing it off, without trying a bit of heat to assist that process. Experiment with and without using a covering iron to soften the adhesive and release the covering. If you are left with residual scraps of covering stuck to the wood, use some parcel tape and gentle heat to remove that. Any stubborn bots you'll need to pick at with a scalpel blade and sanding block. Do not attempt to use acetone or a similar solvent, you'll just end up driving the residual colour into the wood.

 

You're correct to say that the open structure isn't suitable for brown paper covering, so you'll likely need to use laminating film or polyester heat shrink film, before prepping for painting with a light sanding. Sample pots from B&Q work fine on scuffed up, prepped Solarfilm or laminating film - there are threads on here showing the best way to achieve a nice painted finish. You could even go hybrid, with film on the open structure and brown paper on the sheeted areas, before painting with those sample pots.

 

You will want to create a suitable battery access hatch and battery mounting plate up the front and and to fit a suitable outrunner motor via a radial mount and appropriate length stand offs. You might get some ideas from my Kyosho Spitfire conversion in the Dark Nights Fix up thread - that's a similar sized Spitfire and flies well on an AXI 4130/16 and 5s1p 5200mah lipo, turning a 13x8" MA electric prop.

 

 

 

996897276_KyoshSpitfireinflight6.thumb.jpg.60db13aef114d73fca91cf0209986b7e.jpg

Edited by leccyflyer
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2 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

Not a lover of electric warbirds, but it's better than a Leo, some pictures of the ongoing project ?

Hi Paul . The Leo are just another chinese/  Tiawanese clone and just as good as the Asp/SC of the time. I test flew a few of them for club members back in the day and they were fine.

Andy H . One critisism of the airframe is to get rid of the torque rods to the ailerons and fit a servo for each aileron. The stock torque rods are not up to the job and blow back easily .

The first test flight I did the owner asked yo see it fo a barrel roll. So went around and strated the roll and it took nearly all of the width of our site to do a very slow roll due yo blow back. Apart from that it flew very well.

Please dont be tempted to use the supplied radio if itcame with it ! It aas very low quality with agricultural servos.

Brown paper us only siutable for sheeted  parts. You could try sheeting the open areas or covering with nylon and dope  ; or if your feeling rich some Oratex. 

Pics would be interesting ?

Good luck with refurb.

 

 

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My son came back home with one of the above, donated with a request to putting it in flying order , glow engine  of unbranded parentage and all  my gear is long gone , .so pnly possibility wouid be conversiom  to electric, As  said above  radio was 35, poor quality. servos again doubtful . heavily constructed airframe so would need a large motor, little space fpr suitable battery, Only items salvageable were the  starter and  panel, but no use to me, I suppose you could make a PSS and it actually looks decent  as a static ,I wonder how many just ended up thus. I see on tv they are pushing an RC Mustang, usual deal cheap first week then to have all the instalments is I think approaching one thousand pounds!

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4 hours ago, Engine Doctor said:

. The Leo are just another chinese/  Tiawanese clone and just as good as the Asp/SC of the time.

The first Leo .25 that I sold was to a friend, it was installed in a T2m shoulder wing plane, the prop touched a bump on the grass

runway and turned over, the Graupner prop was ok, but it bent the crankshaft, needless to say I stopped selling them.

 

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Andi, it is what it is. I’ve flown one, it’s a decent flyer, no vices. Not scale, and as others have pointed out, the original was basically a con to suck buyers in, but it fairness at least they pitched something that flew. Also, in the air, it looks the part. Re power, any two stroke, same capacity in the far east variety will fit, get another and don’t mess about. OS, more bucks do hardened crankshafts, more cost, better survival, and sometimes broken everything if a bending crank doesn’t absorb the  energy. 
Personal choice, OS FA series, same size. Only reason , Os carbs are very good.

Or it’s successor, others might advise, will that also fit the bearers. 
But a retro fit to electric, naa, better things to do with time. Cover in film, fly, enjoy, bask the interest it’s rare to see one fly.

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Thanks All. Interesting idea around separate treatments for the open and sheeted areas. I did think it might be worth installing independent servos for each aileron, but plenty of food for thought. Fortunately, although I don’t have the plan, I do have all of the magazines covering the build sequence, so I can see how it was put together. This will be one of my winter projects so once under way, I’ll post some pics.

 

Thanks for your help and advice, much appreciated as ever.

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19 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

The first Leo .25 that I sold was to a friend, it was installed in a T2m shoulder wing plane, the prop touched a bump on the grass

runway and turned over, the Graupner prop was ok, but it bent the crankshaft, needless to say I stopped selling them.

 

Hi Paul . Yes cranks were softer than OS as were ghe ASP etc of the time.  Ive straightenend many over the years , but even the toughest shafts can bend. A similar thing happened  with a club mates ST 2000 . Straightening that was a nightmare but I got there eventually.

Yes the shafts on the budget engines often bent but were very easy to straighten. The exceptions were the early Russian Metal DoorStops , many Indian and Chinese made diesels that were very brittle any often snapped when attempting to staighten... thats if they didnt snap on impact.

From a sellers point of view I fully understand your actions.

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