Checking in

[Tony Hill]

Thank you all,

I've had some small progress painting over the weekend (in between getting some proof of concept stuff done on the Spitty) and will post some pics when I get a moment later this week,

Thanks again for the warm welcome. I think I'll enjoy it here...

Darryl

 

[Tony Hill]

Just thought I would share with you the fruits of Terry's research and several hours of me bumbling along....

The Type 35 is now finished and is awaiting a home on the left cockpit wall above the elevator trim wheel.

The more observant will notice that the line on the counter window moves in relation to the numbers in different shots. This because the footage counter window is three dimensional with the line engraved on the front and the numbers etc engraved on the rear as a flipped image...fill engraving with required colour and voila....

I'm pleased. Also a photo of the Undercarriage lever I have had built by Aerosim over here. The mechanics were beyond me even though I would have loved to give it a go.

More soon hoepfully,





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[Airframes]

Great stuff mate, glad I could help.Looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Terry.

 

[lesofprimus]

Frickin marvelous work Darryl....

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks Gents,


I am looking forward to receiving some 1:1 plans for the fuselage next week. Then the real fun begins.



regards


Darryl

 

[Lucky13]

Holy cr*p! Outstanding work mate!

 

[Geedee]

Echo the above comments !. Welcome to the forum as well.

I shall have to watch this thread closely to see how you get on with your build...might get some ideas from you !

 

[Gnomey]

Excellent stuff Darryl, looking forward to seeing more.

 

[gijive]

And there I am saying I only have room for 1/72 scale not 1/35. Never mind life size! Welcome.

 

[Njaco]

I'm with you GI!!

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks guys!!!

I hope to get to know the various names above and "talk" personally. Forgive me if I don't address your individual comments initially...I DO appreciate all replies though.


I am really looking forward to getting started properly. I collected bits for the F-16 over 18 months without being able to do much, so the Spitty should be good with a much shorter lead time. Main problem at the moment is that Flight illusions (the guys doing the gauges, which will almost all be functional) are very slow. The quality of their gear looks worth it though.

The spade grip is a flightworthy copy made by a guy out here, so it deserves a good set of controls built arounds it.

These are well on the way to being done. My mate at Aerosim has all the ability with welders, mechanical theory etc that I don't have. So when I decided to make the thing pretty much scale, I also decided not to do the mechanical work. The control column will operate elevators from the its full length and ailerons from the base of the spade, as per the real aircraft. The Trim for rudders will be mechanical and actually move the pedals, the elevator trim will be electronic. The controls will be "unharmonised" with the elevators very light and the ailerons heavier to represent operations at 250-300mph..the types of cruising speeds I will opeerate the sim at most of the time. Whilst I have never flown a Spitfire, I have limited experience flying high performance aircraft (Nanchang, Extra). The nanchang is very light in pitch, heavier in roll. So I have some idea of how it "should" feel. The guy building the controls has also flown a nanchang. The ultimate would be to find an old Spitfire pilot and get it really tested. The Extra is of no use to the project really (400deg per second roll rate!!) but is FUN!!!

I could have bodgied something up on the controls but this way I can concentrate on what I am reasonably good at : detail and generally making silk purses out of sows ears.

Access to a laser cutter means I can make all the non functioning stuff look "pretty" (eg the Remote Contactor, Triple brake gauge, Cockpit Placards) and things like the de icing pump etc can be made to look close with plumbing fittings etc.

I am quite excited about the whole project!

The latest acquisition:

Oh, and I haven't forgotten my promise of more up to date F-16 pics, just got a lot of crap piled around it at the moment and it is all pulled apart doing the last of the wiring. Pics soon.

I am surprised and flattered by all the interest in my work..THANK YOU!!



Darryl

 

[Njaco]

No worries...I think you'll fit in here rather NICELY!

 

[Tony Hill]

Hi Guys,

Sorry, I've been buried at work for a while but thought I'd share some progress with you...if anyone is still interested?


The guy building the main controls has been hard at it and the picture below is the result so far....

I am looking forward to seeing it finished!


Also, I have been buying plans and the wood..all of which are now ready to go, hopefully this weekend. I spent last weekend getting the gauges that i have so far received to work, properly calibrated with FSX. Not an easy job as the RealAir Spitfire IX does not really mimic the ooil and radiator temps acurately through the range. The critical temp in the oil is correct but how it warms up is suspect and the radiator just heats to 100 odd degrees and stays there. By fudging some "offsets" I now have it following real limits but it still blows up if you exceed RealAir's limits (which are correct) for any length of time.

A few other bits acquired recently:

Ki-Gass priming pump and mounting kit (for a total cost of two goats and my first born!!)

Gunsight bracket.

Also the gunsight:

(oh, for the "rivet counters", yep, I know it is a rocket modified gunsight....c'est la vie...


A dozen other switches and bits, enough to populate the instrument panel and a really lucky pick up...an original gunsight power plug and mounting connection for the panel!


Anyway, hope you like the pics and happy to keep posting progress as long as you will put up with me.

Thnaks to all for their help in getting this far.





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[Airframes]

Great stuff Darryl - you're really going to town on this one mate!
Sorry, I forgot to let you know, the Air Nav chart in the book wouldn't scan very well at all. I'm afraid the original was fairly feint, and across two pages; even altering resolution etc didn't help. I was going to photograph it and try that way, but the book was already overdue at the library!
Terry.

 

[Tony Hill]

Hi Terry,

No problems, I'd guessed as much. I am still without "the book" but have a couple of people chasing it down for me. Given what I have had to spend on "bits" already, I don't want to overspend on reference. I'll get a good priced copy soon.

Hopefully tonight I will get a chance to cut the temporary panel. The final is hopefully going to be plasma cut aluminium. The temp is not quite "right" at the bottom but will allow me to shape the cockpit around it and mount the instruments for soem "oh, aaah" moments....


cheerrs


Darryl

 

[Heinz]

Wow that is some master craftsman ship mate!

 

[Wurger]

I'm very impressed.Well done.

 

[Tony Hill]

Thnaks Guys, I am impressed too...just remember none of the photos on this page are MY work.

The controls are being built for me, the gauges are Flight Illusions and the rest are real or professional, flight worthy copies of originals.


My part (apart from the Type35 Camera Controller) started on the weekend with teh first of the fuselage ribs cut and shaped.

I am going to move this to the Start to Finish Builds under Modelling, which now i have looked around the site some more, seems to be the approprtiate place.


Thanks




Darryl

 

[Tony Hill]

Hi guys,

for anyone interested...and who doesn't already know, I'm now posting the progress on the build here:


Start to Finish Builds - Aircraft of World War II - Warbird Forums


AND..hello and welcome to all new members here. It is a FANTASTIC site.



Cheers


darryl