*Unofficial* FT Spitfire Master Series

Marty72

Elite member
Hi Marty72 , understand the point you make regarding foamboard and moisture but do you think that would still apply if a coating of polyurethane varnish was applied first to the paper covered board (FT speed build kit) , let it dry completely then start a paint job , then another layer of the varnish to protect ?
Thanks
Yes, it does still apply. I apply minwax to all my scratch built planes, this does help, the FB accepts paint better but if I get impatient and put too much paint down in one pass, I get the wrinkles. I typically do 3 light coats. I didn't mention this because you are buying the kit and they use "water resistant" FB, (brown color paper). This eliminates the need for minwax but I'd still be cautious putting down too much paint, too fast. You will be rewarded by being patient. Really, the best way (at no risk) to understand this is to paint scratch pieces of fb and see what works and what doesn't. I've built a lot of fb planes (probably 25 or more) but I've never bought a kit, so I can't tell you if minwaxing the kit fb (water resistant) adds value. Perhaps others who have used that foam can chime in.
 

Bigeard

Active member
Yes, it does still apply. I apply minwax to all my scratch built planes, this does help, the FB accepts paint better but if I get impatient and put too much paint down in one pass, I get the wrinkles. I typically do 3 light coats. I didn't mention this because you are buying the kit and they use "water resistant" FB, (brown color paper). This eliminates the need for minwax but I'd still be cautious putting down too much paint, too fast. You will be rewarded by being patient. Really, the best way (at no risk) to understand this is to paint scratch pieces of fb and see what works and what doesn't. I've built a lot of fb planes (probably 25 or more) but I've never bought a kit, so I can't tell you if minwaxing the kit fb (water resistant) adds value. Perhaps others who have used that foam can chime in.
Thanks for that Marty
 

CrshNBrn

Elite member
Another MS Spitfire comes off the line. Still the best looking airplane out there, in my humble opinion. Pardon the non-scale lights and (sort of) Wing Commander Robert Standford Tuck markings. Just watch out for those eight .303 machine guns, especially if you're sporting a swastika painted on your vertical stabilizer.

 

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I am building it now from scratch. Warning, the nose cone diameter is about 20% too big. You’ll have to eyeball it and cut it down to make it match the next section. The tail was easy, but the nose cone was a nightmare to make fit. It would actually be an easy build if not for that. Moulding is very easy.
 

CrshNBrn

Elite member
I am building it now from scratch. Warning, the nose cone diameter is about 20% too big. You’ll have to eyeball it and cut it down to make it match the next section. The tail was easy, but the nose cone was a nightmare to make fit. It would actually be an easy build if not for that. Moulding is very easy.
Its probably too late, but...if you have access to a 3D printer, someone made the formers available over on thingiverse. I've rebuilt the nose on my Spit using them to strengthen the motor mount and nose section. Congrats on your build!
 
Its probably too late, but...if you have access to a 3D printer, someone made the formers available over on thingiverse. I've rebuilt the nose on my Spit using them to strengthen the motor mount and nose section. Congrats on your build!
You're likely the person to ask about MS Spitfire battery. I also built Hangar's Tigercat twin, so I would guess both planes will use the same battery. Aliexpress has a promo on Teranty batteries. Wondering if I should get the 4S 3000 or 4S 3300. I'm new to electric power. The weight differs by 2g. I suspect I should pay the $1 more and get the added voltage? I also have 4S 2200, but I think the Spit will want the nose weight (although I've got a 3536 in it) and the twin will draw a lot of voltage.
 

CrshNBrn

Elite member
You're likely the person to ask about MS Spitfire battery. I also built Hangar's Tigercat twin, so I would guess both planes will use the same battery. Aliexpress has a promo on Teranty batteries. Wondering if I should get the 4S 3000 or 4S 3300. I'm new to electric power. The weight differs by 2g. I suspect I should pay the $1 more and get the added voltage? I also have 4S 2200, but I think the Spit will want the nose weight (although I've got a 3536 in it) and the twin will draw a lot of voltage.
I've always used a 3000 4S battery- it seems to balance pretty well.
 

CrshNBrn

Elite member
One more MS Spit off the production line. I think this is the 5th or 6th one of these I've built over the past few years. This one is in the livery of Alan Deere, the famous WW2 ace from New Zealand. If you don't know his story, it's worth a read. He's the real hero of Dunkirk.

Anyway, here's Kiwi!
 

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Venting here: second scratch masters spitfire build and the fuselage plans still don't wrap the formers - and these formers are 3D printed. Deeply frustrating that these plans are wrong. The entire fuselage is a nightmare of guessing how much bigger to cut each piece.
 

AIRFORGE

Make It Fly!
Moderator
Anyone know where I can get the plans? I can't find them anymore and I have to wonder if there is a better version than the faulty ones I've used.
SPONZ - Plans Index
Also, there is a link to the plans in the first post of this thread.
The plans are correct to my knowledge.
It may be that you have printed the plans at the wrong scale or printed the formers at the wrong scale.
 

CrshNBrn

Elite member
Venting here: second scratch masters spitfire build and the fuselage plans still don't wrap the formers - and these formers are 3D printed. Deeply frustrating that these plans are wrong. The entire fuselage is a nightmare of guessing how much bigger to cut each piece.
Are those the formers from Thingiverse? I've used the small front one to reinforce the power pod, but not the other formers further back on the fuselage. I wonder if their measurements are correct.
 
Are those the formers from Thingiverse? I've used the small front one to reinforce the power pod, but not the other formers further back on the fuselage. I wonder if their measurements are correct.
Yes, they are. They seem to match the plans perfectly. I may have found the issue, although I'm not convinced I'm not just crazy now. When I print the full plans in poster mode, the small pieces that fit onto one page are exactly the same dimensions as the tiled plans. However, parts like the fuselage wraps that span multiple pages are significantly bigger than the tiled plans. I am still not sure I'm seeing this correctly, but my eyes and the comparison doesn't lie. It looks like my first build was out of scale and so was the start of the second build. I'll go back and print out all large pieces from the full plans in poster mode.
 

Foamforce

Well-known member
Yes, they are. They seem to match the plans perfectly. I may have found the issue, although I'm not convinced I'm not just crazy now. When I print the full plans in poster mode, the small pieces that fit onto one page are exactly the same dimensions as the tiled plans. However, parts like the fuselage wraps that span multiple pages are significantly bigger than the tiled plans. I am still not sure I'm seeing this correctly, but my eyes and the comparison doesn't lie. It looks like my first build was out of scale and so was the start of the second build. I'll go back and print out all large pieces from the full plans in poster mode.

Print scaling has given many people grief. Have you read this article about it?

 
Update: after much grief with printing scale and having a wing warp (must have absorbed some moisture) I finally finished a masters series spitfire and got some flights into it. I have four factory planes, but this one is my favourite. It flies so well. I am using a 3536 1300kv motor on a 50a ESC. I had been flying it on a 3S 2200 battery, but it balances and flies better on a 4S 3000. I had a spare 11x7 prop that I threw on it. I haven’t tested its wattage but it flies great with it and I haven’t fried anything yet. Use a 63mm spinner. It is the fastest plane I own and literally has unlimited vertical. However, it will slow down to a crawl when facing a light breeze. It is surprisingly floaty. If you have flown the simple spitfire you will likely prefer this one due to its size. And in the air it looks very scale. It flies as well and even though the wing is not undercambered it is only slightly more prone to tip stalls. It is so light you can just power out of any stall with no effort. It flies very scale. Rolls are slow and aileron authority is modest. Elevator authority is rather extreme, but not in a bad way. You can always scale throws back and add expo. Mix in a little rudder with ailerons and it will carve turns in beautiful arcs. It’s larger size makes it substantially easier to maintain orientation, which I find extremely important particularly for novice fliers like me. I also prefer the masters builds. The plane is much stronger, more scale, a great flier and moulding the foam is easy. I’d rather do that than build boxes. I don’t imagine I’d build another simple design again. Just be sure to get the scaling right when you print the plans. Best of luck, to anyone thinking of building this plane. I can’t recommend it enough.
 
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