Mike Chantler

I especially like the idea of the fresh 60 grit - and think I'll also try this on some XPS shaping that i am doing at the moment.

Have always wondered - do you chamfer the edges of the planks to fit. (Its looks as if you have yours nicely butting) And if so, what's the best way with delicate 3mm foam?

Nice project, interesting! looking forward to seeing how it works out at this size 🙂

The 3d printed tailplane frame covered in 1/16th balsa was surprisingly heavy at 50g or so. So decided to experiment with using a 3D printed frame to help carve a XPS fin: Quite pleased at weight and how quick it was to do. We'll see how much I add with the glass etc.

So I have still been bashing on with various ways of using 3D printing to help in building the tail. Have only had a little time so it's been slow, and I've probably discovered everything you shouldn't do when 3D printing. Quite a few attempts at different ideas: Various things I wouldn't try again!

Wow, that's an impressive build, missed that one! Quite a challenge! Not sure I would have so much patience or skill 🙄 Very interesting methods - may borrow some of these 🙂 Thank you

Simon, Looks great 🙂 and tres light 🙂 Is it planked with 3mm foam? Can you let us know what sort of size are the formers are and what you use for a jig? (or is there a build thread?) Thanks Mike

i agree - I think I should just bite the bullet and go for all foam tail feathers, the alternative would be flat balsa which for a spit would be soooo much easier. And my 3D skills are still very questionable as I am so slow!! Next WW2 project with have wings and tail feathers that I can hot wire!

Having got the model I was then tempted to see if I could 3D print a framework for the tailplane: First attempt at splitting framework horizontally for printing didn't really work, so changed to 45 degree cross members (to prevent need for supports) and printed whole thing vertically. Then CAed 1/16th balsa skins on each side and have easy to produce tailplane half at circa 16g. In comparison with a hot-wired foam/carbon/glass version it's at least twice the weight and has yet to be glassed(!) However, I'm not sure i have the patience to carve/sand the foam version to the curvy shape required for a spit. If I had a laser cutter I might prefer trying a fully balsa built up structure. Current plan is to go to the pub and rest my head!

I went down a real rabbit hole with the 3D modelling. But I now have a full solid model of the tail section and feathers - took ages - there's not a single curvature or even bi-linear surface anywhere on a spitfire 😞 So all of the lofting etc takes ages. Result is a quite scale body with NACA 0010 fin and tailplane sections: Would I do it again --- hmmmm... maybe not! But one of my goals was to come up the learning curve in the modeller.

Looking really nice 🙂

Some print settings while I remember:

One problem I had was that while the foam cores were exactly the right size, the veneered wings are too thick - by errrr... 2 x .8mm veneer. duh! 😮 😞🙄 I was convinced the vac bag was going to crush the cores a bit and in a traditional build this extra thickness would not matter as you'd just build the fuselage on top of the thicker wing. However, the pla is really difficult to sand, so I added a skin in the 3D design and moved the wing up by .8mm. This is fine for the body but means that the fairings of the next section (behind the wing) definitely will not fit and I'm not sure I can be bothered relofting it as its edge rails are both time-consuming compound curves and the loft itself is a bit problematic. So I think I'll maybe print the next section without fairings and then add them traditionally.

Still going - but very slowly! Got chance to print off front two sections (first section in 2 parts). Thinking it is beginning to resemble a griffon engine spit 🙂 Designing the second (blue) section took me several goes due to the cockpit and additional flanges for the bulkhead and servo tray.

Nice 🙂