- Thread starter
- #61
Tony Hill
Tech Sergeant
Cheers Wayne
OK, Easter's work effort:
4 warning placards etc made a few weeks ago.
The first three are printed on plain paper and then glued to aluminium plates and sprayed with sealant. The last is on laserlite, black over silver, which is self adhesive
And put onto another alu plate.
More of my crap glue joins, they will be cleaned up but I wanted to avoid diagonal nails etc which will show on the finished "painted metal" look finish.This meant cutting slots for the joins and using a heap of glue which will be sanded away from all but the hollows of the joins.
The instrument panel baseline is on the datum and therefore determined the position of the top longeron.
The bottom one was placed by educated guess and a bit of extrapolation from GA drawings. It is also placed to provide a good base for the seat supports I have to build in, which will be hidden under the seat and not at all "original" or accurate.
Finally, the finish of the Easter work:
The seat back frame needs to be further shaped and this is marked but not done. Then a large triangular armour plate covers it anyway!
The hardest thing was deciding on the shape of the hollows in the frames and cutting them out. The plans only had the outside shape of the frames and the same shape on the inside (ie gave a thickness only) but that is not how a real Spitfire is shaped. A lot of pouring over drawings and photos late I "trial and errored" its ar$e until I got something I was happy with.
Next step is to build the upper cockpit walls and the door on the port side.
The controls are in the final stages of production, so I hear, and they should be ready in a month or so. The other instruments are "nearing completion" (as they have been since December!) .
Once I have them I can finish the IP pattern and get it properly cut out of 3mm Aluminium.
Very pleased just now
OK, Easter's work effort:
4 warning placards etc made a few weeks ago.
The first three are printed on plain paper and then glued to aluminium plates and sprayed with sealant. The last is on laserlite, black over silver, which is self adhesive
And put onto another alu plate.
More of my crap glue joins, they will be cleaned up but I wanted to avoid diagonal nails etc which will show on the finished "painted metal" look finish.This meant cutting slots for the joins and using a heap of glue which will be sanded away from all but the hollows of the joins.
The instrument panel baseline is on the datum and therefore determined the position of the top longeron.
The bottom one was placed by educated guess and a bit of extrapolation from GA drawings. It is also placed to provide a good base for the seat supports I have to build in, which will be hidden under the seat and not at all "original" or accurate.
Finally, the finish of the Easter work:
The seat back frame needs to be further shaped and this is marked but not done. Then a large triangular armour plate covers it anyway!
The hardest thing was deciding on the shape of the hollows in the frames and cutting them out. The plans only had the outside shape of the frames and the same shape on the inside (ie gave a thickness only) but that is not how a real Spitfire is shaped. A lot of pouring over drawings and photos late I "trial and errored" its ar$e until I got something I was happy with.
Next step is to build the upper cockpit walls and the door on the port side.
The controls are in the final stages of production, so I hear, and they should be ready in a month or so. The other instruments are "nearing completion" (as they have been since December!) .
Once I have them I can finish the IP pattern and get it properly cut out of 3mm Aluminium.
Very pleased just now
Strewth you have been a busy boy!...great work man!
