The Life of My FT Spitfire

[Bigeard]

Here is a clip of it on a 4s. It has some zip.

That was some pro flying there mate and superb landing . I was interested in your mod reinforcement details and plan to do something similar to mine once I actually get the speed build kit . I dont suppose you noted what the weight of your model was before fitting the power pack ?
I have a few spare carbon fibre srips 10mm widths , in both 0.5mm and 1mm thickness and wonder how these may be utilised in my kit when I mod it up a bit ?

 

[ThatPolishHotdog]

That was some pro flying there mate and superb landing . I was interested in your mod reinforcement details and plan to do something similar to mine once I actually get the speed build kit . I dont suppose you noted what the weight of your model was before fitting the power pack ?
I have a few spare carbon fibre srips 10mm widths , in both 0.5mm and 1mm thickness and wonder how these may be utilised in my kit when I mod it up a bit ?

Thanks! It's been a good long while since I flew this plane and I actually improved on the design more in future models. The biggest thing I found with making strong wings is as you probably know, that joint between the two halves. The spars on the wing are very strong as is, so that middle joint is what I've found to be the only real area that needs reinforcement.

With carbon spars, I would first join the bottom of the two wing halves together first before folding the top over, that way you can lay the spar down equally since there is dihedral in the wing.

 

[danskis]

@Bigeard - you can use the carbon you have and that will work great. I've also used bbq skewers and glued them in as I was joining the wings. Glue the skewer to one wing spar and let it dry and then put enough glue on it as you slide it in for the other wing. I've also made the entire motor pod out of wood. I use wooden paint stir sticks and wooden 1 meter rulers. The spit flies great and you don't have to worry about a LITTLE extra weight in the nose. Also - I don't know about the SBK but the plans have the overlap on the wing spar wrong. They don't dove-tail together.

 

[Bigeard]

@Bigeard - you can use the carbon you have and that will work great. I've also used bbq skewers and glued them in as I was joining the wings. Glue the skewer to one wing spar and let it dry and then put enough glue on it as you slide it in for the other wing. I've also made the entire motor pod out of wood. I use wooden paint stir sticks and wooden 1 meter rulers. The spit flies great and you don't have to worry about a LITTLE extra weight in the nose. Also - I don't know about the SBK but the plans have the overlap on the wing spar wrong. They don't dove-tail together.

Hello danskis ,
Very interested in your reply saying how you make the whole motor pod out of wood which I assume is either between 1mm or 2mm thickness ? as anything heavier surely would be too heavy ? And when you say the motor pod , do you mean only the area that surronds the motor from the firewall up to where it meets the propeller ? So in the Corsair for example it would only be that rounded nose casing that you make out of wood ? What kind of wood do you use ?
Thanks

 

[danskis]

@Bigeard - OK I'm only talking about the Spitfire. In the Flite Test spirit I use inexpensive materials. I made the firewall out of a "yardstick" I bought at the hardware store - it's probably pine about 7mm thick - and a yard long - used for measuring. The paint stir sticks are used for well - stirring paint in 2 liter cans - they're also pine about 3-4mm thick and 25mm wide - they reinforce the foam going back to the tale about 8cm. I also put 1/32 plywood on the outside of the nose to reinforce it. Most of these planes are tail heavy so a little bit more weight up front doesn't matter. I'll try and get some pics tomorrow. I don't run mine on 4S as 3S is plenty for me at the moment.

 

[Bigeard]

@Bigeard - OK I'm only talking about the Spitfire. In the Flite Test spirit I use inexpensive materials. I made the firewall out of a "yardstick" I bought at the hardware store - it's probably pine about 7mm thick - and a yard long - used for measuring. The paint stir sticks are used for well - stirring paint in 2 liter cans - they're also pine about 3-4mm thick and 25mm wide - they reinforce the foam going back to the tale about 8cm. I also put 1/32 plywood on the outside of the nose to reinforce it. Most of these planes are tail heavy so a little bit more weight up front doesn't matter. I'll try and get some pics tomorrow. I don't run mine on 4S as 3S is plenty for me at the moment.

Hello danskis , yeh be good to see thanks

 

[Matthewdupreez]

Paint job getting started with the underside.
View attachment 182019
View attachment 182020 View attachment 182021
Masking tape off and she's all painted! Definitely one of my favorite paint schemes for any plane, ever.
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All that's left is the cockpit, exhausts, and markings. The cockpit has been a real pain in the ass to get right, but I am going to try my best as that Malcolm hood is such an iconic look.

Did you do the brown coat first? Or the green first?

 

[Matthewdupreez]

Got around to flying it again today. Here are some shots in the field.
View attachment 182357
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Now would also be a good time for a parts list.

Radio: Dx6e
Receiver: R620X V3
Motor: FT Radial 2218 1180KV
ESC: FT 35A
Servos: Cheapo Amazon 9 grams
Prop: Master Airscrew 9x6
Battery: Any HK 3s 2.2Ah/4s 2.2Ah
Spinner: Great Planes 2.25in Black
Paint:
Black - Rustoleum Black Primer Flat
White - Rustoleum White Primer Flat
Brown - Rustoleum Nutmeg Satin
Green - Rustoleum Camo Green

Does the Rustoleum paint eat away at foam?? I found some at a hardware store...

 

[danskis]

@Bigeard - This was not meant to be a thread hijack but I strongly agree with @ThatPolishHotdog that the SBK Spitfire benefits with some reinforcement. Because I've reinforced the nose I've been able to more easily rebuild it several times. Here's how I do it - the internals are not pretty because its a rebuild of a rebuild. This also shows the paint stick and part of the yardstick I used for the wood. The second shot show the 1/32 ply on the outside of the nose. Also, I use rubber bands to hold the wing on - I use this to access the internals and to add some crash proofing. This Spit is my 3rd and its seen plenty of airtime.

 

[Bigeard]

@Bigeard - This was not meant to be a thread hijack but I strongly agree with @ThatPolishHotdog that the SBK Spitfire benefits with some reinforcement. Because I've reinforced the nose I've been able to more easily rebuild it several times. Here's how I do it - the internals are not pretty because its a rebuild of a rebuild. This also shows the paint stick and part of the yardstick I used for the wood. The second shot show the 1/32 ply on the outside of the nose. Also, I use rubber bands to hold the wing on - I use this to access the internals and to add some crash proofing. This Spit is my 3rd and its seen plenty of airtime.

Hi danskis , I am going to make a note of all the mods and reinforcements that you and others have kindly contributed and weigh up the pros and cons of what any added weight may be and then try and work out how they will benefit whichever model I buy .
Thanks

 

[SSgt Duramax]

Does the Rustoleum paint eat away at foam?? I found some at a hardware store...

If you go over it from a long distance lightly.... no. If you layer it on yes. It isn't the paint that eats the foam, it is the propellant.

If you really wanted to be safe, you could get the stuff in the little paint can (not aerosol) and put it in an air brush or a spray gun and do it like that.

 

[Matthewdupreez]

If you go over it from a long distance lightly.... no. If you layer it on yes. It isn't the paint that eats the foam, it is the propellant.

If you really wanted to be safe, you could get the stuff in the little paint can (not aerosol) and put it in an air brush or a spray gun and do it like that.

ya, ive got a normal spray gun (with a big compressor) and ive also got an airless paint gun (for painting walls with)
both should work... plus our hardware store now stocks, self mix paint dyes

 

[SSgt Duramax]

ya, ive got a normal spray gun (with a big compressor) and ive also got an airless paint gun (for painting walls with)
both should work... plus our hardware store now stocks, self mix paint dyes

Yeah, i have a little detail sprayer that i use to paint car parts and guns with. It would probably work.

 

[MCNC]

I read about paint schemes to help with orientation. I have tried some of that with colored tape, truth is I can just barely make out the shape of my plane when flying, discerning color is nearly impossible. I must be flying too far out?

 

[danskis]

Black and white invasion stripes on the top of the wings - and yes don't get too far away. You might have to slow down to do that.
invasion stripe pictures - Google Search

Yellow on the nose works well too