1:1 Spitfire K9817 Cockpit Build

[Tony Hill]

Two birds with one stone:

The absolute best paint to use is the relatively thick acrylic craft paint. You can then wipe it away with a damp tissue while wet and lightly "scratch" it off with a fingernail (gently) when dry. I let my bottles sit with the tops off for a day or so when I buy them just to thicken it a bit. It is about the consistency of artists oils but THEY tend to bind far too well with the surface around the engraving. I often rub the dry paint with just a bare fingertip to remove some.

The stuff below is the general TYPE that you are looking for. It will do the job when runny but is better a little thicker.

The beauty of it is that you really don't need to be careful applying it as everything outside the engraving comes off pretty easily. The skill (if you like) is wiping gently enough with the damp tissue to take off the overflow but not wick up the paint in the engraving. I find a damp cloth will tend to mark the surface, tissue is best. You need to remember to use a new place on the tissue for each stroke too, or jou reapply some of the paint off it... not a good thing!

 

[Crimea_River]

Many thanks Darryl. A big help you is!

 

[Gnomey]

Looks great so far Darryl!

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks Hugh.

The panel has arrived from the UK so this weekend will be spent making the Fuel Gauges, instrument standoffs for everything and fitting out the panel for publicity pictures for Replica Aircraft Parts.

Stay tuned!

 

[Tony Hill]

A poor quality, phone photo, sneak peak, of the panel in the final stages of fitting up all of the switches and fittings. Most of the instruments are just balanced in place, not fitted on standoffs etc yet.

The exceptions are the very early, American "Pioneer" company climb and descent gauge and the boost gauge which are mounted on plates to adapt them to the "standard" holes, just as they were on the original aircraft. The boost, interestingly, was mounted with locking nuts on the face and had a small "silver" triangle on the upper left corner, not sure what this is and it appears to have been blank, not an index.

I've also made the indexing plate on the TBG which marks 300 lbs per sq in (the maximum permissible pressure in the 200 "normal" tanks.)

RAP's Undercarriage Indicator has been fitted now too!

 

[Airframes]

Great !

 

[T Bolt]

Fantastic!!!

 

[Crimea_River]

Very nice. Is that a crack I see in the turn and bank gauge glass?

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks Terry, Glenn and Andy!

No Andy, it is just the reflection of the rim of the large light fitting overhead.
The glass from the AH is missing though, after a short flight and some hardboard induced spacial reorientation.

D

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Great stuff Darryl!

 

[fubar57]

 

[Tony Hill]

Cheers Hugh and Geo!

 

[Tony Hill]

No progress here apart from some drawing.....But another intriguing question has raised its head!

I've seen reference in PRU ORB's to "Eddy" seemingly a navigation aid and also to "Eddy or Fairhurst (pilot) having definite finger trouble" and the pilot ending up at an unintended place. Now I presume from this that "Eddy" was RDF and that the communications were Morse, not voice. Can anyone confirm this?





Now, the drawing. The Writing Pad Holder only found on I's & II's.

 

[Crimea_River]

Sorry Darryl, no help here but curious now.

 

[Tony Hill]

Me too Andy!!! I've found some more descriptions of flights by John R. Bendixsen and he makes another "interesting comment" about "Eddy"...

"The distortion on the V.H.F. was to blame I guess, neither of us could quite understand what we were saying, and it resulted in the finger like confusion. "

So now terribly confused and even MORE interested!

Also, definitely a call sign and something to do with navigation...

"The weather looks pretty bad ahead — get in touch with "Eddy" I guess — hello Eddy — hello Eddy —
They say a special flare path is lit for us at base — good show — we'll get in O.K."

 

[Airframes]

Maybe "Eddy" was the call sign for the airfield being used ?
All RAF airfields had their own code letter(s) for the flashing beacon, and a code name for their ATC frequency. Reference to the use of VHF suggests this might be the code name for the airfield.

 

[Tony Hill]

Cheers terry,

Yes, "Eddy" would make sense AT the home field (knowing about the flarepath for instance).
But I've led you a bit astray with the VHF reference. That was a discussion between pilots that I quoted to show use of "finger problem" again.
Sorry .. as usual "I" knew what I was talking about

 

[Tony Hill]

At last, the camera back on line and some proper panel pics. These ones at night, should get some daytime shots this weekend.

 

[Crimea_River]

Looks fantastic Darryl. Airspeed gauge in MPH for this one?