Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aircraft and Vehicles => Topic started by: StarOfAfrica2 on January 19, 2005, 05:32:17 PM
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Can anyone direct me to where I could find design drawings for the Spitfire? Preferably the Mk I, but I think any of them should give me what I need. I am especially looking for wing design info, but the rest is necessary as well. Basically I'm looking for a blueprint to scale from for building a smaller version of the real thing.
Thanks!
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Originally posted by StarOfAfrica2
Can anyone direct me to where I could find design drawings for the Spitfire? Preferably the Mk I, but I think any of them should give me what I need. I am especially looking for wing design info, but the rest is necessary as well. Basically I'm looking for a blueprint to scale from for building a smaller version of the real thing.
Thanks!
Try here.
http://www.spitfirerestoration.com/
Might cost a little, but should give you everything you want
Dan/Slack
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http://www.members.tripod.com/mears-spitfire/
(http://www.members.tripod.com/mears-spitfire/images/supermar.jpg)
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SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE BEING BUILT BY BOB MEARS, POWERED BY A MAZDA 20B 3-ROTOR WANKEL. THESE LINKS WILL DOCUMENT THE CONSTRUCTION
You linked to a Supermarine kit plane, Milo. I think Star is looking for the WWII fighter, not:
http://www.supermarineaircraft.com/About.htm
Crumpp
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Actually what I am working on is building an ultralight scale model. A friend of mine used to build boats for a living and has expressed a desire to build a plane. I was in the market for a new Ultralight, but was not happy with the current offerings as far as design goes, and with shipping costs to get kit type frameworks sent here to Hawaii. Doing a little research into wing designs pretty much had me leaning towards an elliptical wing, and I thought "Why do the hard work of trying to design an airplane from the ground up, when that much has already been done". I'd also like to have a design that somewhat mirrors my interests.
I've got rough plans for a frame sketched out but I am unsure of the actual dimensions of a real Spitfire. Once I can get ahold of a set of plans, I can scale them, and work out a weight. I'm shooting for around 400-500 pounds empty weight. We are going to utilise aluminum for the framework, and carbon-fiber for the "skin" (at least on the wings and the engine cowl, the fuselage itself we may make out of fiberglass from a mold, depends on money). It will have an open cockpit and fixed landing gear.
All the links are useful and I thank you. :)
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You'll need the blueprints, but some have already scaled them and done the basic work.
Have a look at http://www.supermarineaircraft.com to see what it looks like.
http://www.loehle.com has something as well, - wooden and cheaper.
But the australian one, - nice nice.
I could live with it :D
(http://www.supermarineaircraft.com/Images/About/gpjones%201a.jpg)
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Now I have a serious delimma. One of the kits from the loehle website is pretty close to the final cost we were looking at for what I was going to build. And it has retractable landing gear. And 13 gallon fuel capacity. And a bigger engine than I was going to use. Or I could buy one of the Bi-plane kits! Ahh, a Spad! Or even the Fokker! Heck, even the Jenny would be fun!
Granted, shipping has to be figured in, and it wouldnt be cheap, but then I'd be using a tested airframe vs. one we made from scratch.........
Ah well, more to think about.
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And it looks like a real Spit. Or at least a lot closer than any of the other smaller scale warbird kits I've seen. I'm thinking of getting one!
Crumpp
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I've spoken to some people up here that knew the Loehle stuff.
It's quite fine they said, apart from the wing cover.
Apparently they use a kind of a bag rather than stretching the fabric on (thermal issue).
The baggy cover will leave a much weaker surface, causing more drage etc.
However, there is no technical reason not to apply the other method, since the framework is all there, - just a question of skin.
Anyway, I wish you the best, and it would be fun to hear how you'll do in the future.
I have a friend who is an avionics expert, and some mates that are in the ultralight business. If I can be of assist, just mail.
:)
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Oh, forgot.
I spoke to Loehle some 3 years ago.
Very nice people.
It's a small business, so I imagine that the business is close and rather friendly.
I've also corresponed emails with supermarineaircraft.
They responded very nicely and quickly.
IMHO their kit is IT !!!!!!
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Originally posted by Crumpp
You linked to a Supermarine kit plane, Milo. I think Star is looking for the WWII fighter, not:
http://www.supermarineaircraft.com/About.htm
Crumpp
Seems that is the way SoA is going now, eh Crumpp.
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The supermarine plane is nice. I mean, its really nice. Basically, its a Mk26 spitfire with a modern engine and modern, lightweight materials for the frame. However, way too much money and not what I'm looking for. I fly ultralights. Not the same thing at all. And while I am working on getting my private pilots license, I dont have one now, and I'm not sure what the licensing requirements are for a warbird knockoff like that. If I go with the lightweight kits like Loehle has, those are considered Light Sport planes. Still above an Ultralight, but much more what I'm used to. I still dont know, as I like the thought of building something myself. But at the same time, I'm impatient and this would be oh so much faster and easier lol.
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Me and a friend are planning for the Supermarine in the future.
It's financable, and basically costs about the same as a good jeep.
But,,,,,we need a hangar, and I don't have one yet.
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How safe is ultralight flying compared to other forms of avaition?
Charon
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Everything from totally disaterous to safer than a Cessna ;)
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http://www.albentley-drawings.com/spitfire.htm
(http://www.albentley-drawings.com/images/Spitfire%201.jpg)
(http://www.albentley-drawings.com/images/Spitfire%202.jpg)
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Everything from totally disaterous to safer than a Cessna
LOL Angus, thanks for clearing things up :)
Charon
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Originally posted by Angus
Me and a friend are planning for the Supermarine in the future.
It's financable, and basically costs about the same as a good jeep.
But,,,,,we need a hangar, and I don't have one yet.
Huh? A good JEEP?? The pricing on their website said the kit alone is over $98,000. And that doesnt include an engine. You have expensive tastes in Jeeps.
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Originally posted by Charon
How safe is ultralight flying compared to other forms of avaition?
Charon
Ultralights are not only very safe, they are very fun. I heard one quote from a man who said that Ultralight flight is the "last true form of flying left to a man." Meaning, "seat of your pants" style flying, without instruments and computers. Although the nicer Ultralights do have basic guages.
Here is the USUA definitions and requirements for Ultralights and Hang Gliders.
http://www.usua.org/Rules/faa103.htm
Typically, most places do not require any certification to fly Ultralights. If you can get a Drivers License, you can legally fly one. The FAA would like to change that, mostly due to some really boneheaded stunts by Ultralight flyers (I wont call them Pilots), but until they can come up with legal definitions that satisfy everyone in the community, they are unlikely to get much support.
The next step up is a "Light Sport" plane, typically around 400 - 600 pounds with a slightly larger engine. These require passing a FAA medical exam, plus Drivers License to get your "Sport Pilot" license.
Hope this helps!
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I've been interested in learning to fly most of my life. But, something has always come up. Now, it's grad school and starting a family (at 40 :)), future kid's college and retirement hitting about the same time down the road. One thing with a PPL for me is the cost, another thing is flying enough to remain safe in congested areas like Chicago. There is also the weather/winters out here. An ultralight would seem to offer an affordable, fun way to do some low impact flying.
Charon
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This seems an oppertune place to post this:
A sim addict goes flying (http://www.musketeers.org/NICEGUY/Scavenger/scav-lit.html)
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Seeker,explain,SCAV left us,meaning he passed away or made a change in game?
btw,that was great reading,one of my reasons for building a simpit.I grew up close to an airbase and could sit on top of my grandparents roof and see them practice,quite a few old planes back in the 60's still in the air plus of course jets.
Airplanes were the only toys i played with and thats all i got for christmas.Thnaks for sharing that link.
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Ahh, THATS where I remembered that quote from lol. I heard a guy say it once, and knew I had seen it in print. I wonder if he was a flight sim addict too?
Originally posted by nsty1
Seeker,explain,SCAV left us,meaning he passed away or made a change in game?
Scavenger died in 1994. I didnt join AW until Feb. 1996, so I never met him or got to know him except through the writing he left behind, and talking to people who knew him. Heck of a guy.
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Originally posted by Charon
I've been interested in learning to fly most of my life. But, something has always come up. Now, it's grad school and starting a family (at 40 :)), future kid's college and retirement hitting about the same time down the road. One thing with a PPL for me is the cost, another thing is flying enough to remain safe in congested areas like Chicago. There is also the weather/winters out here. An ultralight would seem to offer an affordable, fun way to do some low impact flying.
Charon
Charon, you can get an entry level Ultralight for around 3-5k. We are talking no cockpit, just basic aileron, rudder and elevators. Probably no instruments other than a compass, although I really recommend airspeed and altimeter. I said before they are very safe. And they are. But because of the lack of restrictions, people will do some very boneheaded things. You have to be careful, just like anything else in life. Study the weight restrictions of the model you like. Make sure its capable of hauling your butt into the sky without crashing. Since I've been old enough to drive, I've never been a "small" guy, and thats even more true now. At my current weight, I'd have to step up to a mid-range Sport plane to feel safe in the air. Ultralights are going to be out unless I lose some weight. Study your intended takeoff/landing area carefully. Most Ultralights need around 100ft. to takeoff, and 150ft. to land. Give yourself a MINIMUM of 225 feet clearance, I prefer 300 feet. I watched a friend die because he didnt pay enough attention to his landing approach, got caught in a downdraft and ran into high tension powerlines. Sheared half his tail off and it crumpled like a squashed soda can on impact. If he had just taken the time to go around to the other end of the field before starting his landing approach, he'd still be alive. There's no control tower to keep you out of trouble and make your decisions for you. It also doesnt hurt to learn some of what they teach Pilots going for their Private. Learn to know the weather when you plan on going up. Even though you have 5 gallons or less of fuel, learn to calculate fuel consumption and keep track in your head of your estimate of what you have left. You want a comfortable margin when you are ready to land, most Ultralights are designed to have a steep rate of descent and alot of drag to keep you from coming in too fast on a landing. In other words, they dont glide well. Or wont for a long distance anyway.
All that being said, if you are really interested in getting into it, shoot me an email. My old bird is hangared in a barn in S. Illinois and I cant afford to ship it here. Its just collecting rust and dust, and I'd be willing to let it go fairly cheap. You'd have to find a way to get it up north where you are though.
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"Huh? A good JEEP?? The pricing on their website said the kit alone is over $98,000. And that doesnt include an engine. You have expensive tastes in Jeeps."
Well, a good Nissan Patrol, straight from the box, costs some 80.000 USD where I live.
But it looks like the kit went up a bit since the last time I looked
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I'd want to go along for a test flight this summer first, SoA. Don't know how well I would like sitting out in the open like that. I have no trouble in cessnas or a UH1 with an open door (and me sitting feet from the edge) but you do seem to be hanging in the breeze there and I have some dislike for "open" heights.
Charon
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If I was looking for an ultralight I'd go for a little monoplane with stretched skin wings like the Kolb.
Or a tiny Jodel.
Tried to takeoff last year in an autogyro without success.
Don't recommend those at all.
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My old one is an enclosed cockpit, high wing design with a 60 HP Rotax engine. No doors on the sides, but it has a floor and basic instruments. Fixed landing gear. I'll see if I can get my brother to take some pics of it and email them to me.