Warbird Replicas Spitfire LF mk IXc

[Ady Hayward]

Well I'm here at the covering bit. It may seem daunting but in actual fact is almost identical to the time old method of covering with nylon or tissue.

As explained earlier the wings are covered with 25g per square metre glass cloth and the fuselage, control surfaces and tail feathers are covered with 18g per square metre glass cloth. The fixing medium was water based varnish, in this case Wilco brand Ultra tough quick dry satin varnish.

First were the tailplane halves so the cloth was cut with some 20mm of surplus all round except for the root where the excess was around 5-10mm over.

The process started with the underside covered first wrapping around the surface all round working the varnish from the centre outwards wetting the glass cloth thoroughly but with the minimum varnish necessary. When dry the edges were sanded very gently with 400 grade wet/ dry used dry to cut the glass cloth on the leading edge centre line and the trailing edge upper edge. The upper surface was covered next in the same fashion wrapping the cloth well under the edges. When dry the cloth was sanded off in the same way except that it was cut from the trailing edge lower edge and round the tip and leading edge some 5mm inwards from the edge so effectively the top skin wraps further around with the edges out of sight. The edges can easily be partly feathered in especially at the tailplane root where the fuselage glass cloth will overlap.

The fuselage was covered in two halves with the overlap being quite generous around the wing fillet by around 150mm and to also include the fin. The cloth was laid over the fuselage and stabilised by a few pins, one just in front of the tailplane, one at the top of the cockpit side at the rear bulkhead, the fuselage centre at the front former and the last at the bottom of the fin post. This allows the glass to be folded under the tailplane so the lower tailplane edge can be marked with a soft pencil or crayon from the tailplane leading edge to the trailing edge. The glass is then cut some 2.5mm above the line with a further small cut upwards and downwards at the tailplane leading edge thus allowing the glass to be positioned around the tailplane with a small overlap onto the tailplane root. The upper section of glass cloth can also be stabilised with a pin at the trailing edge of the fin at the top.

The glass cloth is then wetted out from the fuselage centre along the centre portion towards the tail, around the tailplane and up to the fin top where like the tailplane the surplus cloth is wrapped over the centre and on to the other side. The glass will be found to form around the compound curves quite easily. If it appears to be in the wrong place then keep it wet and it can be carefully lifted off and repositioned. The glass was then wetted out down to the wing fillet where with some careful cuts with sharp scissors the cloth can be worked around the fillet and wrapped over the fillet to cover the fillet underside and any other fuselage area where the cloth cannot be manipulated. Again some pins may be useful to hold the cloth in position. The remainder of the glass is then wetted out to cover the complete half fuselage and overlap the centre by some 20mm or so. Any gaps can easily be covered with a suitably sized piece of scrap cloth wetted into position.

When dry the excess cloth is cut/ sanded away leaving a small overlap over the vertical centre line. The same process is carried out for the opposite side. When dry the whole can be carefully sanded to blend in the cloth edges, blemishes etc.

[Ady Hayward]

It is possible to cover the whole wing upper or lower surface with a single piece of glass cloth but there is also an increased risk of it all going not to plan so experience suggested to cover the wing as four separate panels.

The wing was covered in a very similar fashion to the tailplane with the cloth being cut a little bigger (Around 25mm all around) than the wing. Some scrap glass cloth is wrapped around the aileron root and tip sections ensuring they were kept tight so no air pockets could form until set and then had the edges feathered in to the surrounding wing skin ready for the main covering.

The cloth as positioned over the wing underside and held in place with a few pins at the tip and mid span at the leading and trailing edges mid span and at the wing centre. The cloth was then wetted out from the centre outwards until the whole lower wing surface is covered. The aileron opening was cut at the edge of the root and tip ends and the cloth wrapped around onto the wing upper surface.

All edges were then wrapped around with about 5mm of cloth adhesion on the wing upper surface and the centre section having an overlap of at least 25mm.

When dry the glass was cut at the leading edge centre line and the trailing edge and wing tip upper edges and the glass cloth edges were blended into the wing surface using the 400 grade wet/ dry paper. The same process was used for the opposite wing underside.

The wing top surface was covered in two parts in the same manner as the underside but having the glass cloth wrap around the leading and trailing edges by at least 5mm so all of the cloth edges are out of sight on the wing undersides.

The edges can be carefully blended in to some degree but they will disappear during the finishing process.

Adrian

[Tony Bennett]

nice work.

must try glassing one day.

[Ady Hayward]

Many thanks Tony.

With wbpu it really is easier than it looks.

Adrian

[Steve T]

I am def going for glossing next build cover, well done Adrian, this really has made it so much easier to follow than all the other sites I have trawled through, lack of photos on all of them has been my issue before, great job mate!

[Ady Hayward]

Hi Steve T

I'm very glad the blog has been of use. If you (Or anyone else) needs some more detailed info then please pm me or post here and I will do what I can to answer.

Cheers

Adrian

[Steve T]

Thanks Adrian, I will take you up on that. What a nice bloke.

[Ady Hayward]

I have decided upon a colour scheme now. The airframe will be painted to represent the Spitfire Mk IX of then Sqn Ldr Colin Falkland Gray when with 80 Squadron RAF. The Spitfire will be in the Desert colours as used in the Sicily Campaign and will be serial EN 520 FL- A

Group Captain Gray had joined the RAF in 1939 as a New Zealand Native. By the closing days of the Battle of Britain in September 1940 he had already confirmed fourteen-and-a-half kills, the vast majorities of these occurring during the Blitz, and on the 18th August 1940 shot down four Bf 110 (Zerstorer) on one mission!.
He went on to serve in North Africa and Sicily and was confirmed to have shot down an additional thirteen planes, bringing his total number of kills to twenty-seven-and-a-half. An ace 5 times over and the highest scorer in New Zealand.
For these, among other feats through his wartime flying career, he was awarded the DSO and bar (Distiguished Service Order) and the DFC and three bars(Distinguished Flying Cross). (Effectively awarded the DFC four times!). After the war he would continue to serve in the RAF until 1961, at which point he took his leave of the service.

He passed away on 2nd August 1995 aged 81

 

 

 

Adrian

Edited By Ady Hayward on 21/03/2015 20:50:38

Edited By Ady Hayward on 21/03/2015 23:36:57

[Jon H]

Great choice. Azure blue under side, dark earth and middle stone for the top. If you check out kings lynn models they do some nice hobbyflight paints with the correct colours.

As my DB hurricane will be a MkIIc with the 4 20mm cannon I might well do it in a desert paint job. If not, I have a smaller hurricane and a P40 that could get the desert treatment!

[Ady Hayward]

Many thanks Jon.

The Desert scheme has been a favourite of mine ever since I painted my little GAD Hurricane IIc in a Desert scheme.

This build is a small tribute to those Pilots and crews that joined us in fighting the axis powers in WW2 from the other side of the world in New Zealand and Australia.

Adrian

[Steve T]

I really like the proposed paint job, only problem is it's almost as if I am going to carbon copy your model. I will have to find other registrations from my Spitfire book.

[Ady Hayward]

Hi Steve T,

You may be pleased to know that there were a few Aces that also flew the Spitfires of 80 Squadron. I am also using this site:**LINK** for detailed pictures.Other Squadrons that used desert Mk IX Spitfires are: 72 sqn RAF, 92 Sqn RAF, 145 Sqn RAF, 465 Sqn RAF, 485 Sqn RAF, 1 Sqn SAAF to name but a few.

Adrian

[Ady Hayward]

For the past couple of days I have been working on the preparation for painting. After the initial covering with glass cloth two coats of varnish were applied and both were sanded back to the cloth to ensure that all of the cloth was sealed, bubbles were sanded out and varnish applied to any wood underneath. Fortunately very few bubbles were made so I ensured that all holes, hangar rash and steps in glass cloth were filled in with lightweight filler. My next step was to fill the remaining visible weave with thinned filler.

Only a tiny amount of water was needed to make the filler the consistency of thick yoghurt which was then applied by hand (Inside rubber gloves) to the airframe rubbing it firmly into the weave. This was left overnight to set, and was then sanded back to the cloth using only the slightest pressure under the 180 grit wet and dry (Used dry) so to prevent the abrasive from picking up the filler and rolling it underneath causing deep scoring. When that was completed a final coat of varnish was applied to seal the filler and airframe.

Adrian

[Ady Hayward]

The selection and fitting of retract systems can be a headache at times but not with this kit. Warbird Replicas can provide all the necessary add-ons for their range of aircraft from retracts, motors, spinners etc to sound systems so one has peace of mind that what is purchased will fit the model it is intended for. The advantages of a "One stop shop"!

My retracts arrived from Warbird Replicas already assembled, the next working day after ordering in a sturdy box.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the legs are custom made to fit exactly and are handed left and right to allow the coil in the wire legs to pass through the cut outs in the ply mounting plates. The ABS wheel/ leg covers are held onto the wire legs via an electrical connector which is a nice easy solution plus allows plenty of adjustment possibilities. Both retract units are joined with a Y lead and also come with a set of ABS Spitfire 4 spoke wheel hubs which hides the wheel collet and gives the wheel a more authentic look.

All that is then required is to fit to the wing, and once satisfied with the fit follow the note provided to make flats on the wire leg ends to prevent twisting.

Adrian

[Jon H]

Ady I am admiring your efforts but am concerned that your methods are adding a lot of weight to the model. When glassing models you must be so careful to use the absolute minimum of resin and filler (to say nothing of the extra varnish), especially at the rear end.

When doing my own models I tend to thin the zap resin by 50% and stipple it on with a little brush. Once set and lightly sanded I give it another coat of this thin epoxy before a quick touch with a heat gun to evaporate the thinners. Another quick sand before a coat of Halfords grey primer. The primer is then sanded back with fine wet/dry (used wet) so that 90% is removed and then I finally paint it.

Keep up the good work, but also keep the weight in mind as you do. The last thing you want is a flying manhole cover!

 

Edited By Jon Harper on 26/03/2015 08:39:31

[Ady Hayward]

Hi Jon, Believe me I am watching the weight. I try and sand down most of the previous application so increases are quite small. The wing thus far weighs 515g from a 448g start (Pre glassing) so has gained some 67g through the covering process. The fuselage weighs some 831g with motor fitted, and the control surfaces only gained some 2-3g each during the covering processes with Ailerons now 12g each, Elevators 15g and 16g, and the rudder 17g. All the weights will be useful as a benchmark as it is usually the colouring that really adds the weight and hopefully will aid others building this kit.

[Tony F]

Absolutely fantastic work Ady......Makes mine look like it was done by a.......beginner lol. It was !!!

I'll try and dig up some pictures of my build but you have gone so much more into it than I ever did and mine has never flown. The glassing is of great interest to me as I have a project in mind and this blog will help enormously...Thank you and well done so far

Tony

[Ady Hayward]

Many thanks Tony. I am very glad that the blog is of help to you, and please put the pics on here as they all help. The methods used do vary from person to person so it would be best to look at other peoples' work and then draw your own conclusion to the best method that suits your building style.

This kit is for sure the most accurate in the cutting and fitting of parts that I have ever built, and I would say for sure is a good first balsa build for those that want to try their hand at balsa bashing.

And.... Its a Spitfire!

Adrian

[Jon H]

Hi Ady

I hope you didnt feel im picking holes, your weights sound pretty good as that is quite a small gain. I must confess that my method for glassing adds very little strength to the model and I only use it to give me a nice surface I can paint. But I have done a few models this way and have not had any trouble with obesity!

As I said before, its tempting me to get my warbirds Hurricane kit out but there are too many things on the bench and no space in the hangar

One recommendation I would make is with your retracts. Those wire legs are likely to cause issues and I would suggest a swap to some cheap sprung oleos. They are far superior to the wire type and will make the ground handling and reliability of the u/c much better

Edited By Jon Harper on 27/03/2015 12:03:18

[Ady Hayward]

Hi John, Your comments are valid and valued in this build blog. I have been in contact with Richard and talked quite a bit on the Spitfire. The prototype of the balsa build aircraft flown many times with the wire legs for some time now and have caused little issue even though the Spitfire was flown off grass. The single coil in the leg does take a great deal of the shock and if a good quality wire is used (As supplied in the retract kit offered) stands up to reasonable use. I have had trouble with straight wire legs before so was glad to see the coil included in my set of retracts.

This is one of the pair of legs that may eventually go into the Spitfire, but first I want to build it as standard and then see what might be changed to add more scale detail. That way she stays as light as possible for the maiden.

Adrian

[Stephen Tye]

Hi, why has it got a 4 prop rather than a 3 prop?

[Ady Hayward]

The Mk8 versions and after had more powerful versions of the Merlin engine. Therefore they had to use more blades to absorb the power.

Adrian

[Colin Leighfield]

Ady, it's worth noting that the high altitude Mk VI and VII both had a four bladed prop. The Mk VIII was derived from the VII and they were the first production Spitfires to use the two stage supercharged 60 series Merlin which gave such a quantum leap in performance. That engine was originally flown in the prototype Mk III, which didn't go into production and had first flown with the Merlin XX. It was the urgency caused by the advent of the Fw190 that lead to the fitting of that engine to the Mk V airframe to produce the Mk IX. The performance of that was close to that of the Mk VIII and because it was so successful, it was produced in far greater quantities than the Mk VIII.

I believe some of the late and much improved Mk Vs also had a four blade prop as well, though that isn't well known.

You're doing a great job of this. I'm putting a pair of those HK oleos on my Chipmunk. They look good, bear in mind though that they won't be scale. Only later Spitfires had the linkage set up like these to stop the leg rotating in the cylinder, earlier ones used splines for the same purpose.

Edited By Colin Leighfield on 27/03/2015 18:12:52

[Stephen Tye]

The Nazis had jets didn't they.. how would this have competed?

[Ady Hayward]

Hi Stephen. The jets were much faster in a straight line but did not have the turning ability if it got into a dogfight so they would only do hit and run attacks. The Spitfires could catch unwary jet pilots that were cruising provided they had a sufficient height advantage. Many jets were shot down as they were landing too.

Adrian