1:1 Spitfire K9817 Cockpit Build

[Airframes]

That looks bl**dy marvellous Darryl ! The cockpit colour looks darned close too, well done mate.
Don't forget to get pics of the first 'test flight' - and don't forget to lower the wheels for landing!!! (I guess a red flare would bounce of the ceiling and burn a hole in the carpet...or worse. Her indoors would not be pleased!!)

 

[Geedee]

One word....stunning !

Mate, thats a ripper of a 'pit you've got there. I know I'd be burning the midnight oil, just so's I could get that first flight under way.....at whatever time of day or night that would happen to be.

 

[Gnomey]

Coming along great Darryl!

 

[B-17engineer]

Cool Darryl

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks all...this really is the place for encouragement..and yes Gary, all hours is what it has taken to get anything done lately. (try converting the time of my last post to WA time and see what I mean).

I have been unhappy with the Throttle (as regards type..not Gwyn's carftsmanship) for some time. Now A2A WILL Accusim their Spitfire, I am working on a pretty much full conversion to a Mk II PRU B type aircraft. So in the end I thought"I'll have a go" rather than get a new one built. It wasn't too hard...the catch plates inside to make the throttle and mixture link over only half the range were the hardest part for me.

The housing for the two side switches was also problematic but I ended up making that out of a single sheet of 1mm aluminium after cutting a detailed plan on paper and sticking it on....it worked a treat after I folded it all up. (even though I STILL believe that drawings, plans and instructions are for girls!!)

THIS weekend I WILL finish the flying controls and have enough wiring done to have a GENUINE test flight. I have been very tempted to half fly her but have resisted the temptation to get the "real" feeling of a maiden flight once she is truly airworthy. After that I will fit and wire the PRU specific gear.


Terry, Yes, they do say there are only two types of pilots who fly retractibles...those who have landed wheels up and those who are GOING to. I know I have forgotten the prelanding check on AT LEAST one occassion...thank heavens for fixed landing gear!!

Gnomey, B17 cheers guys!

Watch this space and THANK YOU ALL.

 

[Great White Spit IX]

That's some nice work Darryl, I look forward to your first test flight report.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Looks great Darryl and such clarity with the pictures.

 

[Wayne Little]

look forward to more......

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

STUPENDOUS work Darryl!!!!!!!

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks guys!!

I got a heap more done over the weekend. The plan WAS to do all the wiring and make her flyable.

I got the Remote Contactor (radio) wired and did a dummy run of wire for the IFF Destruction panel. I also wired the undercarriage unit, the bright coloured wiring being nicely hidden by the fairing which in the real thig covers the cables and wheels.

I had been toying with a wiring plan, a while back, that hid most of the wires. The "electrical" equipment is easy...since wires are supposed to show..but the hydraulic, pneaumatic, mechanical functions obviously shouldn't have wires hanging off them!! I hit upon the idea of running the wiring through the hyd/pneu lines. Now this will look good but, of course, means ALL those lines need to be put in place before/during wiring.

This will slow things up considerably. However it should look a treat. The first one I have done is the Windscreen De-ice (just the pipe from the tap to the bottom of the panel. So there are no wires showing at all but a beautiful "brass" pipe that runs forward.

For small diameter pipe I used 4mm garden trickle with coat hanger wire put through it, primed with polyethelene primer (an EVIL brew which you should really use a respirator for!) and sprayed with a high gloss "gold" outdoor fitting paint.

The larger pipes will be half inch copper (which I may leave natural to develop a patina, seal with a metal protect coat or spray "gold" as well).

I also had the chance (in between coats) to remake the panel which covers the Trim chains and houses the Pitot Heat, Gun Camera switch and fuel pump switch. The Mk II didn't have an electric fuel pump but "my" PR version has a rear tank and therefore a pump for that.

As soon as I find the camera charger I'll post pictures.

cheers



Darryl

 

[Tony Hill]

Oh, and I have also had the radiator shutter lever with gate designed and it is being built now:

 

[Airframes]

Sounds great Darryl. You've put a heck of a lot of work into this, and it shows mate. Have a beer...or six !

 

[T Bolt]

Sounds like you got a lot done Darryl. Can't wait for the pictures!

 

[Spits]

Looking great mate.Will pack off the handle to you tomozz

 

[javlin]

Damn!! When do the wings show up??Cheers

 

[dada1995]

Email noted. You might like to remove it from the post or you could get 50,000,000 spam emails when the web spiders pick it up!!!

cheers


Darryl

can you mail the technical drawing to me too?

my project mail = [email protected]
thanks,
Dada1995

I'm sorry for my bad english

 

[Wayne Little]

looks rather good!!

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks all.

Terry, cheers mate. She will look a million dollars when all the pipework goes in I think. I only got the Landing Lamp unit and the one run for the De-ice before the dreaded lurgy took hold.

Glenn, ASAP, I promise

Javelin,wings on back order

Wayne, cheers mate, I can't wait to see the finished radiator lever.

I have been forced to take a coupel of days off (dogs disease) but I will be back onto her tomorrow night with any luck at all. By then I should have pictures too.

Dada1995..I'll dig out what I have as soon as I can..probably the weekend. I'll war n you though, they are not compehensive. I had a lot of eyeballing and guesswork under my belt befoe the fuselage ribs looked "right". There are also some erros in teh Supermarine drawings believ it or not!

Spits, cheers, loved the photo you sent...I am looking forward to making the door..it should really close the whole thing in on you once it is there!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very nice!

 

[Rocketeer]

excellent progress well done!