Tim Flyer Posted October 27, 2021 Author Share Posted October 27, 2021 Thank you Nigel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted October 29, 2021 Author Share Posted October 29, 2021 (edited) One bit I haven’t posted is my final underwing finishing . I fitted aluminium straps I cut from thin .016” sheet on the oleo legs and made retract fairings with it that I painted. I wasn’t happy with the zip ties I had by originally used. The didn’t hold the wheel covers securely and also didn’t look good. The aluminium straps clamp the legs well without relying on any glue. They are secured with nylock bolts on one side. The other side is bonded with epoxy/cotton filler inside the wheel cover fairing. Edited October 29, 2021 by Tim Flyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 Hi @Tim Flyer, have you managed a flight with the Spit yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted March 7, 2022 Author Share Posted March 7, 2022 Hi Ron no not yet. Conditions at our club have been rather unpleasant and I have been very busy with home projects so only flown once this year. Hopefully I will get a chance midsummer when conditions have improved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Somerville Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 Midsummer Tim! That is not very optimistic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Collinson Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 Anyone know what day summer is this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 June the 15th between midday and one o'clock, so don't be caught napping,,,,? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyB Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 On 07/03/2022 at 09:46, Tim Flyer said: Hi Ron no not yet. Conditions at our club have been rather unpleasant and I have been very busy with home projects so only flown once this year. Hopefully I will get a chance midsummer when conditions have improved. On 07/03/2022 at 17:07, Nick Somerville said: Midsummer Tim! That is not very optimistic. I know, even I'm not that pessimistic and I regularly attach pictures of Mr Schafernaker to the centre of my dartboard during the winter... ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 On 07/03/2022 at 09:46, Tim Flyer said: Hi Ron no not yet. Conditions at our club have been rather unpleasant and I have been very busy with home projects so only flown once this year. Hopefully I will get a chance midsummer when conditions have improved. Hopefully weather related and not awkward club mates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted June 22, 2023 Author Share Posted June 22, 2023 Hi all I hope everyone is well. Sorry I haven’t been around on the forum for a while. I just thought I might post a short video clip of some of the “maiden” flight of my DB Spitfire expertly piloted by Jon . With all the work on this plane and worry about it’s near 22lb weight I was worried how it might fly and whether it might be underpowered by the Laser 180 engine. However I was totally delighted and my concerns evaporated as it looped and rolled really well . It also has a very good turn of speed and certainly doesn’t seem under powered 😊. I had a brief fly of it and after Jon trimmed it, the handling was great. 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted June 22, 2023 Author Share Posted June 22, 2023 I’m afraid I didn’t get decent pictures of all the loops and rolls Jon did as I was filming from my phone in bright sunlight and it was hard to capture the plane high in the sky with such a basic phone camera . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted June 22, 2023 Share Posted June 22, 2023 Brilliant Tim, well worth the wait. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted June 22, 2023 Author Share Posted June 22, 2023 Thank you Ron😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Somerville Posted June 22, 2023 Share Posted June 22, 2023 Fabulous. Great to see Tim, congratulations. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted June 22, 2023 Author Share Posted June 22, 2023 Cheers Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted June 22, 2023 Share Posted June 22, 2023 5 hours ago, Tim Flyer said: the handling was great It was by then! That first takeoff was rather exciting, to say nothing of getting it back down again with that flap issue. I think i aged a decade on that first flight 😉 Like all models, but warbirds especially, it took 4 or 5 flights to get it tweaked and set nicely. These first few flights are where most bite the dust in my experience, and if you can get through the first 2 or 3 with setup improvements in between then you are usually well set for the future. The biggest issue, as usual, was excessive elevator rate. Tim set it to the recommended elevator deflection, i was dubious so halved it as a backup rate, and then knocked another 20% or so off that if i recall as i immediately went for the lower rate after the first takeoff and still found it over sensitive. The ailerons and rudder are also very effective and the kit recommended aileron rate gave extra 300 rates of roll. I dont know why models come with such excessive rates recommended. I think we ended up at about 60% of the kit recommended elevator throw used for takeoff, then probably 30% for flying normally. With ele/flap mix finalised (not quite there yet) i think landing with low rate will be fine. Certainly we do not need the full elevator deflection the kit recommends. Ground handling is good and it is quite resistant to wanting to nose over. Next time out we plan to tweak the ele/flap mix a little more, tweak the slow run on the engine as its a bit rich, and then its landing practice for Tim as its the getting up and getting down which is always the hard part. Even without the incoming minor tweaks i really enjoyed my stick time with it and while its a moderate workload for the pilot its not tiger by the tail stuff. Its generally very confidence inspiring to fly, has a few standard warbird quirks to manage, and generally feels very solid. More so that the H9 artf 30cc spit i have also flown recently. The DB is better in almost all respects despite being heavier and using the same engine at the same span. The only win for the H9 is its very benign in a stall, but the DB will spin if you push it. However, this specific example is about 3 or 4lbs heavier than the H9 i flew so not apples to apples there, and you have to be pretty high on the angle of attack to really provoke a spin. Flown in a big sweeping sort of style its just lovely. Banked and yanked it would be awful as its just not the right model for that sort of flying. Also, while not a 100% exact scale model its considerably more accurate than most and it really shows in flight. Tims efforts to hide the cooling, fit undercarriage doors, and lower his fuel tank etc really worked well. it really looks superb and the engine didnt protest at any point, which is good for the confidence. In the air it just looks right, and you cant help but grin like an idiot while playing the Battle of Britain theme in your head. So if anyone is considering an 70-80 inch Spitfire i would bin the idea of paying a grand for any of the current crop of ARTF's and buy one of these DB kits instead. You can finish it for the same or less than an ARTF, it will be stronger, better looking, and fly very well. I know its more work to build it, but if you have the space to build the results speak for themselves and it will be yours, in your paint job and all that rather than a cookie cutter clone of the next one on the line. The DB Hurricane also gets two thumbs up from me and is even more stable than the Spitfire. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted June 23, 2023 Author Share Posted June 23, 2023 (edited) Thank you Jon that’s a great summary! It’s definitely plenty of work to build but definitely worth the effort . As in all these things we learn as we go and the build taught me quite a lot of new techniques. It’s also very pleasing that what is a relatively small engine by powers this model so well plus the nice sound. The instructions mention 30 -50cc two stroke engines which for me with their rasping note would considerably detract from the overall “Spitfire experience”. Edited June 23, 2023 by Tim Flyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan martin Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 Tim hello so interested that you too are building the sport and scale Spit mk1a my kit which I’ve had for years has seen the fuselage constructed been putting wings off untill now ( arthritic hips have slowed me down abit) they are polystyrene core with pre- fitted veneer on underside of wing,, the top veneers cut ready but foam needs alot of shaping before I attempt the gluing up,, hope your enjoying the build as much as I am ,, On 23/12/2020 at 21:47, Tim Flyer said: Hi Dave. Thanks for your interest. Good to hear a fellow builder of this model . One thing I noticed on the retracts is that the are “cranked “ so will move forward when extended (I think that’s called “pintle angle” that should reduce nose over possibility. Here is a picture of them . /sites/3/images/member_albums/134974/884236.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 7, 2023 Author Share Posted December 7, 2023 Hi Alan it is good to hear you are getting on with your build. It’s a long project, but well worth the effort and makes an attractive plane. Good luck with your build and it’s great you are enjoying the process. My DB Spitfire construction is all finished and it’s now happily hanging in the garage after enjoying a few flights last summer. Hopefully next year the weather will be better and it will get more flying. Im also putting together a Hangar 9 P51 which will be out when the weather improves and our runway dries out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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