1:1 Spitfire K9817 Cockpit Build (1 Viewer)

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No worries Terry... I should have mentioned, the flight computer was only in view at that position until the adoption of the Remote Contactor. Then it disappears, probably (when carried) to be put jn the mapbox.

Oh..and as to the Height and Speed Computor. One assumes it would be somewhat difficult to use during a night Treejump
 
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Ah, that's why I hadn't noticed it before !
As for tree jumps, the very thought makes me shudder. A night jump is bad enough, but at least you know you're close to the ground when you drop into the 'black hole' and can smell the grass. But with the possibility of a tree branch up your ... er .... you get the picture .... !!
 
Well, a little progress at last. Tonight I managed to get the Map Box patterns finalised (except for the lids which are quite different for each and will be made to fit)

The pattern was first printed on A3 then cut out and folded as a proof..making sure there were 1-1.2mm gaps to accommodate material thickness.

The front piece has the final rivet holes marked (the rear will be "jigg drilling to suit")

The Rear piece has relief holes marked out. I haven't seen any photos of boxes with relief holes for the bends in the front, so I've left them out. At least the rear bits that will need "playing with" to fit will have them and be a little more plyable.

Lastly, the blanks were marked out, cut and cleaned up, ready for bending.....but that is for another night!

The drawing and marking and cutting seem to take ages (and I suspect I am a bit slow anyhow) but I am determined to do it all "properly". I want something that Ross is proud to put in his cockpit and something that I am able to brag about in mine

And a note of thanks in closing to Steve Phillips for the dimensions of the real fibre unit and a bucket load of advice and to Ross, as always for not only his advice but his constant reminders that I "can do this stuff".
 
Cheers Andy and Terry

As with anything, I've found that having the right tools makes all the difference...

CorelDraw makes up for my appalling lack of drawing skills and the Guillotine makes up for the propensity of the Band-saw to wander.
 
Cheers Wojtek and Hugh.

Terry, just the other day the Band-saw got over our back fence and got at the grinder up the back... we're hoping for Dremels....

Some more work on the Map Box for the Mk V. It helps me get ready for the more complicated Spitfire I Map Box and also squares up for some of the work Ross has done for me. Most of the bending was done in my cheap Chinese 900mm Bend Brake. The bottom folds could not be done that way, so they were done over a makeshift former made from old aluminium rectangular tube.

Lots of time but it was worth it as the bends all met up and the thing kept a beautiful shape. I'm very pleased! I still have to make the edge cap for the cutout in the front. That will be a challenge!

I've also cut the hinge to length and prettied up the edges.

Last before assembly, a shot of the clips and hinge.



Final two photos the bottom of the box assembled. Warts and all here folks..some finishing off to do but on the whole, happy. I left some machine marks on the face until I discovered that the bucking bar won't work up in something like that. A bar of 1" square steel in the vice though, worked wonderfully, holding the work and rivet gun instead of gun and bucking bar! The marks/dents will be tapped out and "bogged" smooth.

Tomorrow I make the top and hopefully, final assembly. I can't get the boxtop label engraved until next week but hopefully sooner rather than later.



















 
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Cheers Geo... you are so right. Also, if I'm honest, in one of the pictures above some dark staining can be seen on one of the faces of the box. Suffice to say that if you are drilling and you have to think "do I hold this or put it in a vice??" then you really have only one answer to that question.... Number 40 jobber bits cut extremely well over a VERY small area!
 
Great stuff Darryl, and going all posh with a 'bend brake' eh ?
When I made that switch panel, I bashed the 'ally' with a lump hammer, bending it over the edge of the kitchen table - my then wife was not amused !!!
 
Thanks Terry and Andy.

Much of what I've done has been bent over some sort of former, Terry. With relief holes and the bend brake life gets very much easier. (I have avoided my kitchen table as it has a natural edge and is no good for bending ) Good results can be had with formers though. I bet once the switch panel was painted, you'd have never known it wasn't standard fit!

Andy. Into the side of the knuckle, so very sore but not serious. It won't stop me building the lid etc today. It is the stupidity rather than any pain which annoys me! One of those "I KNEW that would happen " moments I'm having far fewer of them nowadays but that hasn't stopped my mate doing up a sign for me. There are far too many funny people in this world, I find....

On the plus side, only 38 minutes until I can hang it back up
 

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