Spitfire arf 95" phoenix assembly
10-01-2017, 05:17 AM
#26
Hi Sam,
Thanks for the response. I took some similar pics and posted them to the other site [because I'll be damned if I'm gonna go upload pics someplace else so I can post them here since RCU removed that feature, but that's a story for a different discussion].
I've never seen the split (two-piece) spars before, and I've never seen what looks like balsa-laminate ply used on a large model like this before. The absence of shear-webbing is puzzling, too. When you say you plan to reinforce with glass, can you explain where? I'm contemplating glassing the bottom skin of the wing with heavy cloth exactly over the area covered with the invasion stripes, since I feel like the balsa sheeting is really the only tensile structure keeping the wing from folding in G's. Then I would just paint over that with black/white to mask the glass. Maybe I'm over-reacting and this is all fine, but my instinctive first-sight reaction was to be spooked.
Thanks for the response. I took some similar pics and posted them to the other site [because I'll be damned if I'm gonna go upload pics someplace else so I can post them here since RCU removed that feature, but that's a story for a different discussion].
I've never seen the split (two-piece) spars before, and I've never seen what looks like balsa-laminate ply used on a large model like this before. The absence of shear-webbing is puzzling, too. When you say you plan to reinforce with glass, can you explain where? I'm contemplating glassing the bottom skin of the wing with heavy cloth exactly over the area covered with the invasion stripes, since I feel like the balsa sheeting is really the only tensile structure keeping the wing from folding in G's. Then I would just paint over that with black/white to mask the glass. Maybe I'm over-reacting and this is all fine, but my instinctive first-sight reaction was to be spooked.
10-01-2017, 05:31 AM
#27
I did the just like you mentioned: the inside top sheeting of the wing around the wheel wells and also the front formers of the fuse as I've heard horror stories about fronts of ARF's falling off from engine vibration. The auto body FG cloth that I use is really thick and with ZAP resin, it, in my opinion, makes those areas pretty strong.
You only get shear webbing when you build it: these ARF's are made lite and cheap ie: 670 bucks for a 95" plane! These are my first arf's in a decade and, while I've only got about 20 flights on them, they seem to hold up well. The two aluminum wing tubes should also strengthen the wheel well area.
Done on the TF F4U ARF:
You only get shear webbing when you build it: these ARF's are made lite and cheap ie: 670 bucks for a 95" plane! These are my first arf's in a decade and, while I've only got about 20 flights on them, they seem to hold up well. The two aluminum wing tubes should also strengthen the wheel well area.
Done on the TF F4U ARF:
Last edited by samparfitt; 10-01-2017 at 05:46 AM.
10-01-2017, 06:24 AM
#30
Hi,
The Corsair also has top and bottom spars running the length of the wing. On the outboard panels, they're tied into the hardwood spar that's connected to the metal spar receiver. I don't see anything like that in this bird. If others have seen construction like this in other birds of this relative size, let's hear about it because I need some reassurance!
The Corsair also has top and bottom spars running the length of the wing. On the outboard panels, they're tied into the hardwood spar that's connected to the metal spar receiver. I don't see anything like that in this bird. If others have seen construction like this in other birds of this relative size, let's hear about it because I need some reassurance!
10-01-2017, 09:13 AM
#32
Nice!
That's definitely a split spar. Your spar system is more comprehensive by far, though. That middle spar goes from the root out past the gear mounts by several inches. That's way more legit than what's in this Spit, but it DOES make me feel a little better, so THANKS! Also, your Jug looks lame. Poor construction and ugly in the sky I'm sure. Go ahead and pack it up and ship it here. I'll do you the favor of taking that eye-sore off your hands for free.
That's definitely a split spar. Your spar system is more comprehensive by far, though. That middle spar goes from the root out past the gear mounts by several inches. That's way more legit than what's in this Spit, but it DOES make me feel a little better, so THANKS! Also, your Jug looks lame. Poor construction and ugly in the sky I'm sure. Go ahead and pack it up and ship it here. I'll do you the favor of taking that eye-sore off your hands for free.
10-05-2017, 10:15 AM
#35
I started to strip the covering. It's not too bad, but a heat gun is needed to release the glue better. I got a little bit of grain pulled off if I wasn't careful.
I decided to go with the Dubro 5" wheels. With a bit of plastic and some paint I was able to make them look a bit more like the Spitfire 4-spoke wheels. I didn't want the weight of aluminum wheels since the retract pistons are not very large.
I decided to go with the Dubro 5" wheels. With a bit of plastic and some paint I was able to make them look a bit more like the Spitfire 4-spoke wheels. I didn't want the weight of aluminum wheels since the retract pistons are not very large.
10-09-2017, 05:20 AM
#38
My Spitfire has been stripped naked. For the fun of it, I weighed all of the covering I took off and it totaled 21 oz. I was able to remove the canopy without any breakage, but the sliding part is tough since the hardware does not loosen easily. Prior to adding the glass I'll mount the retracts and the engine. I hope to flair the cowl into the fuse a bit better. I think the stock wheel wells would be a bit small for 5" wheels, so I'll be enlarging those just a bit. The DLE-61 dropped in easily. Much of the head sticks down through the cowl, which should help cooling quite a bit. I'll also be opening up some air outlet in the rear. There's a lot of room for the Pitts muffler, I should have bought the standard J'tek pitts instead of the compact version.
10-12-2017, 10:01 AM
#40
I mounted the retracts, pretty happy with the way they line up. The angles are good so that they angle forward, but the wheel angle is correct so the tire lays flat in the well. I'm using 5" wheels, so I had to trim the wells a bit. I bought some new axles that had a bit more thread so that I could use a lock not as a spacer. This will keep the axles tight. If I tighten the set screw it could damage the threads. The gun's provided don't line up well with the wing leading edge. I'm filling the opening with balsa, then I'll cut down the guns and mount them. I still have to fill and sand the wood blocks in the photo shown.
10-13-2017, 10:20 AM
#42
I don't think they'd swap easily, The shape of the leading edge is different left to right. They don't match up to the wing profile very well anyway. It's made that the cannon goes on the outside.
I have some reference books, and it appears that it could be either way depending on the specific plane you're modeling. In most instances I believe the Mk XIV with the C wing has the cannon on the inside, the Mk XIV with the e wing had it on the outside. The FR version with the clipped wing could also have either wing.
Even though this plane has the scheme from a FR Mk XIVc, it doesn't have the clipped wing or full bubble canopy Like the FR Mk XIVc. I wouldn't worry about getting the gun in the right place.
I have some reference books, and it appears that it could be either way depending on the specific plane you're modeling. In most instances I believe the Mk XIV with the C wing has the cannon on the inside, the Mk XIV with the e wing had it on the outside. The FR version with the clipped wing could also have either wing.
Even though this plane has the scheme from a FR Mk XIVc, it doesn't have the clipped wing or full bubble canopy Like the FR Mk XIVc. I wouldn't worry about getting the gun in the right place.
Last edited by Hot Rod Todd; 10-16-2017 at 04:36 AM. Reason: Correction to wing types
10-14-2017, 05:06 AM
#43
My Feedback: (1)
I don't think they'd swap easily, The shape of the leading edge is different left to right. They don't match up to the wing profile very well anyway. It's made that the cannon goes on the outside.
I have some reference books, and it appears that it could be either way depending on the specific plane you're modeling. In most instances I believe the Mk XIVc has the cannon on the outside, the Mk XIVe clipped wing version had the cannon on the inside.
Even though this plane has the scheme from a Mk XIVe, it doesn't have the clipped wing or full bubble canopy. I wouldn't worry about getting the gun in the right place.
I have some reference books, and it appears that it could be either way depending on the specific plane you're modeling. In most instances I believe the Mk XIVc has the cannon on the outside, the Mk XIVe clipped wing version had the cannon on the inside.
Even though this plane has the scheme from a Mk XIVe, it doesn't have the clipped wing or full bubble canopy. I wouldn't worry about getting the gun in the right place.
-Ed B.
10-14-2017, 10:59 AM
#45
There is a muffler designed for the Top Flite P-40 giant scale arf that fits the cowl with no cutting. It has a sharply beveled area at the front attachment bolt. It is designed for the DLE 55 but if you contact JTech they might be able to determine if it will fit the 61. If so, it might clear the Spitfire cowl as well.
10-14-2017, 11:33 AM
#46
I bought the J'tek Top Flite wrap around muffler made for the DLE-61 (more compact beveled front made for the P-51, but not as much as the P-40 version). After installing the engine I realized there appears to be plenty of space for the standard J'tek wrap around muffler for the DLE-61. (Tower LXERYR) It's $50 cheaper and may even have less restriction resulting in more power. The muffler looks heavy duty, should be a sturdy unit. I might put a brace on it though, they can crack over time without support.
Stock side mount muffler requires a large hole in the side. The J'tek pitts will need only an opening in the bottom of the cowl for the dual stacks to stick out.
Stock side mount muffler requires a large hole in the side. The J'tek pitts will need only an opening in the bottom of the cowl for the dual stacks to stick out.
10-14-2017, 02:34 PM
#47
My Feedback: (1)
I bought the J'tek Top Flite wrap around muffler made for the DLE-61 (more compact beveled front made for the P-51, but not as much as the P-40 version). After installing the engine I realized there appears to be plenty of space for the standard J'tek wrap around muffler for the DLE-61. (Tower LXERYR) It's $50 cheaper and may even have less restriction resulting in more power. The muffler looks heavy duty, should be a sturdy unit. I might put a brace on it though, they can crack over time without support.
Stock side mount muffler requires a large hole in the side. The J'tek pitts will need only an opening in the bottom of the cowl for the dual stacks to stick out.
Stock side mount muffler requires a large hole in the side. The J'tek pitts will need only an opening in the bottom of the cowl for the dual stacks to stick out.
-Ed B.
10-16-2017, 04:26 AM
#48
One thing nice about stripping the plane, it makes it easier to make some corrections and adjustments. Hopefully I'm not going too far off track for an ARF build thread, but I thought I'd show some of the changes I'm doing. The flaps are quite small for this size plane, and the stock hinge installation doesn't allow them to drop down very far. If you build the plane stock it should be very light, so not much flap will be needed anyway. I'm adding some weight, so I thought I'd modify them some. I added some thin ply to the lower surface. I adjusted the wing so that they blend in well. I also changed the hinge angle so that the pivot point is much closer to the bottom of the wing allowing the flaps to drop down farther.
To get the gun's mounted I had to cut up the stock fairings. I glued them on with some Zap Goo, and I'll be glassing up over the edge of the guns. Should look good once it's all painted.
To get the gun's mounted I had to cut up the stock fairings. I glued them on with some Zap Goo, and I'll be glassing up over the edge of the guns. Should look good once it's all painted.
10-16-2017, 04:32 AM
#49
I got the Horizontal stab glued on. It took some sanding and adjustment to get it aligned properly, made easier without the covering.
With the cowl mounted and aligned with the spinner I was able to do some work to flair it into the fuse better. The sides are flush, and the top was made tighter by adding some balsa. I still have some work to do to get it good as I want it. I can't flush the top, because it wouldn't allow it to be removed. I'll make it tight though.
Another scale adjustment. The antenna is not correct for the Mk XIV. It had a thin whip antenna farther back on the fuse. So I filled the hole.
With the cowl mounted and aligned with the spinner I was able to do some work to flair it into the fuse better. The sides are flush, and the top was made tighter by adding some balsa. I still have some work to do to get it good as I want it. I can't flush the top, because it wouldn't allow it to be removed. I'll make it tight though.
Another scale adjustment. The antenna is not correct for the Mk XIV. It had a thin whip antenna farther back on the fuse. So I filled the hole.
10-16-2017, 11:30 AM
#50
Good Stuff!
Nice work, Sir.
Got to fly mine this weekend. She flies GREAT! Nice, slow landings but pretty sluggish on a 55RA. The cowl definitely needs venting. The P-51 spinner looks fine on it, btw. The retracts held air for a week and worked great.
Got to fly mine this weekend. She flies GREAT! Nice, slow landings but pretty sluggish on a 55RA. The cowl definitely needs venting. The P-51 spinner looks fine on it, btw. The retracts held air for a week and worked great.