1:1 Spitfire K9817 Cockpit Build

[Tony Hill]

Thanks Hugh, Terry and Aaron,

I must admit, after nearly six months of not "flying", my patience is wearing a bit thin.

I've just bought a Tamiya 1:32 Spit XVI to sit with the IX and VIII. The three boxes get closer to being opened every time I have a probem with the Sim!!

I also got a 1/16 Sopwith Camel..of course there is zero chance I will ever actually finish ANY of them. My last model (less than 1rolleyes: ) was almost 30 years ago!

 

[Rocketeer]

very, very nice...well done!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

With your attention to detail, I don't think the models would be wanting.

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks Tony!!...did you manage to track down the engine data plate guy?


Thanks for the vote of confidence Aaron, I will see how it all goes.

 

[Rocketeer]

Not yet but I should see him at a show early March

 

[vikingBerserker]

That's truly outstanding!

 

[Tony Hill]

Not yet but I should see him at a show early March

Thanks Tony!!


Cheers VB. I am happy with her....be happier when I can do some "flying".


Darryl

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks again all,

One small bit of progress this week...an item which I had scratch built out of garden fittings as they are 150 UK pounds (somewhere..) a set and for two little Bakelite guards an inch in diametre and an inch and a 1/2 tall, that cover the destruction buttons , that wasn't happening!! But I recently picked up a brand NOS set on evilbay for 14.50 Quid. A very pleasing result.

The AM numbers are very clear and in great condition.

And Fitted: a mere one hour job with drilling out rivets

Darryl

 

[Airframes]

Good find Darryl.

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks Terry,

Pictures of the new Sefton B helmet, D mask combo soon. I also have a D helmet and external loom coming for the E* mask, as the E* was out of service before internal wiring came in..so I find now.

So the cockpit will be B/D for early, D/E* for the desert and C/H for late war. All functioning and all the sound piped through the old mics and receivers.

 

[Wayne Little]

Top stuff mate!

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks Wayne!

 

[T Bolt]

Nice work Darryl

 

[Tony Hill]

Cheers Glenn

 

[vikingBerserker]

Well done!

 

[Tony Hill]

Cheers VB...more soon

 

[Airframes]

Sounds good Darryl. (Oops! Pun not intended !)

 

[Rocketeer]

Darryl, do you still want a merlin plate as I am off to the place in 2 weeks!
Also, I am about to cast the throttle/undercarriage warning switches

BTW....Lovely destruct switches too! Well done!

 

[Tony Hill]

Darryl, do you still want a merlin plate as I am off to the place in 2 weeks!
Also, I am about to cast the throttle/undercarriage warning switches

BTW....Lovely destruct switches too! Well done!

Thanks Tony,

Sorry had huge problems with internet connections both at work and at home!!

YES!! I certainly do want the Plate! Hope I am not too late,

Let me know a cost mate.


Darryl

 

[Tony Hill]

I've had some good progress at last guys.

1. I picked up a "gold" three position toggle which will be my "Landing Light switch".

2. Got the "Cabin Heat" label cut.

3. Installed a helical pot as the trim wheel input..which now gives a true 4 turn total response on the elevator trim and cures all the programming problems with trim sensitivity.

4. Added a removable "navigation" panel with ADF and radio and another with a second engine rpm gauge and a dual Carb heat/ Cylinder Head Temp gauge (for flying some other aircraft)

5. Ditched the 3 screen setup in favour of a single 42" TV monitor.

6. Data plate, new Oil Press and Warning Horn switch housing all ordered from Tony as well.

7. (and most importantly) I have managed to convert the Whiskey Compass to a full working replica of the P8. Which is great...because now I can blame the damned compass for bad navigation..... What I have found now with the P8 is that unless the heading desired is North or South it is a nightmare finding a course, (and I have an eight point "spider" in the replica). The replica is the same size, position and function as the real compass, one of which I have. I have also used one in the Tigermoth, wherein it is positioned much more conveniently and sensibly. The replica does not, however, have the spider dipping and bobbing up and down I did however "lean" my spider a fixed 10 or so degrees (down right) to create some extra "fun".

The really striking thing is that I now know WHY Taylor said he could only fly within 5 degrees with the damned thing (and even THAT sort of accuracy must have taken real skill, believe me).

The answer is parallax error. Whilst setting the desired course is easy with the lubber line, lining the north pointer up with "North" is nigh on impossible on some headings, with parallax error of anything up to 8-10 degrees and no reliable way to allow for it, as it changes wildly depending on heading. The spider was also designed to allow for 16 degrees of tilt to allow for the variance in magnetic field and for some shock absorbsion but which ALSO creates a much more complex parallax problem! Nor can you easily move your head to come over the compass and line up..the gunsight, your straps and the canopy all conspire against you on this point. Sometimes you need to lean way over to the right, sometimes left, sometimes over the top. All are equally impractical. Sometimes you need to try to line up one of the alternate "arms" (legs??) of the spider on a straight line through a 180 degrees "pairing" AND guess which "pair" of degrees is the right one to make the North needle center on the north scale line, as the parallax error can make it look like, say, 198/18, 200/20, 202/22 or 204/24 ALL make the two arms line up perfectly!! So after doing this you then need to check that the north south arm (leg?? ) looks straight(ish) on the twin quidelines, allowing for the "dipping" of the whole spider which can easily make 2-4 degrees of difference depending on heading vs "dip" angle. Now all this is performed whilst leaning and looking a good way down to your left, which is, in itself, a VERY unwise thing to do whilst flying an aircraft, as it quickly leads to spacial disorientation unless you are very careful. Someone I know once got severely reamed by an instructor for trying to pick up a pencil "they" had dropped whilst on climbout! (I can't remember who that was after all this time )

It is easy to see why the early "two guideline" unit was replaced with the "T-bar" guidelines and which made things a little easier but not a lot (there was this later model in the Tigermoth I had my hours in).

Anyhow, photos this weekend.


And now 50,000+ views..THANKS GUYS!!!!!!