Spitfire IX Project [Archive]

Tony Hill

09-19-2008, 04:55 AM

Well, I have not got much to show for it but have actually done quite a bit of planning and sorting out. The F-16 is almost finished and that gives me more time for the Spitty.

I have not been able to catch up with Gwyn, so the controls are not done yet but I have a "no problems" assessment from him on making them functional.

Recent acqusitions...the Sutton is "period" and I am wrapped!!!
The release functions perfectly.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/sutton.jpg

I picked up three of these...spare lights which sit high on the right side of the cockpit.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/light.jpg

Gunsight Dimmer Switch.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/dimmer.jpg

I have also found that Flight Illusion have done a few more "antique" gauges and some Spitfire specific. I am about to go to the War Office for funds. Not sure how THAT will go as the gauges alone are worth more than my total budget for the sim!! (and which I have already spent in full on controls and gunsight.) :oops:

Well, she should'nt 'av joined if she couldn't take a joke ;)

Padraig

09-19-2008, 10:48 AM

Hi Tony,

I also love the old birds, I am looking forward to viewing your progress with your spitfire project. What main software are you going to use ? is it FSX, 2004, IL-2 ? or combat simulator ?

My favourite is the HE-111 Bomber used in WWII, My grandfather used to fly these during that time.

Tony Hill

09-21-2008, 07:31 AM

Padraig,

Mainly FSX with RealAir's MkIX / MkXIV. I will look into IL2 down the track.

I have a plan to slightly modify the layout to include a small Collins type Com radio next to the gunsight and have a lift off plate on the left with a fake clock and Triple Brake gauge. Under that panel will be, eventually, a VOR, and ADF with corrosponding Collins radios on the right cockpit wall where the Remote Contactor and Morse Key would have been.

Whilst not "scale" this will allow me to use the pit for GA as well. I want a GA pit but already have the F-16 and only have room for one more pit!!!!!

The NAV stuff will be last priority though as my immediate dream is to fly some mock PRU missions with "dead reckoning" navigation.
The challenge of that and fuel management, in bad weather, in a fast prop is something to really look forward to.

Always loved the Heinkel. Looked like it meant business.

Padraig

09-21-2008, 08:45 AM

Sounds like you have it all planned out, please keep me updated on your progress, I am very eager to see it come to reality.

As in IL-2, It would be great also, if you could just switch between the two, (FSX / IL-2 Compatibility) FSX for what you were talking about, and then Il-2 for some online action !!

regards

Padraig,

Mainly FSX with RealAir's MkIX / MkXIV. I will look into IL2 down the track.

I have a plan to slightly modify the layout to include a small Collins type Com radio next to the gunsight and have a lift off plate on the left with a fake clock and Triple Brake gauge. Under that panel will be, eventually, a VOR, and ADF with corrosponding Collins radios on the right cockpit wall where the Remote Contactor and Morse Key would have been.

Whilst not "scale" this will allow me to use the pit for GA as well. I want a GA pit but already have the F-16 and only have room for one more pit!!!!!

The NAV stuff will be last priority though as my immediate dream is to fly some mock PRU missions with "dead reckoning" navigation.
The challenge of that and fuel management, in bad weather, in a fast prop is something to really look forward to.

Always loved the Heinkel. Looked like it meant business.

Westozy

09-21-2008, 09:45 PM

[quote=Tony Hill;65529]
I have not been able to catch up with Gwyn, so the controls are not done yet but I have a "no problems" assessment from him on making them functional.

Looking forward to helping out Darryl...

Gwyn

Tony Hill

09-22-2008, 12:52 AM

Hi Gwyn,

Thanks, I didn't end up comming up the other day anyway....

I will give you one more to think about...the "handbrake". On the Spitty this lever actuates the compressed air in the brakes. The pedals merely distribute the brake pressure differentially. Whilst I know that FSX won't do this, making the differential toe brakes conditional upon a switch triggered by this hand brake may achieve the same effect. I believe this might be possible through FSUIPC.

So a switch on the control column triggered by the handbrake would be nice!!

I am up there again 11/12 October and I'll PM you and Kennair to see what can be arranged.

cheers

Tony Hill

10-14-2008, 08:29 PM

Well, a frustrating time here. I missed the Perth trip again due to circumstances.

I have been talking to RealAir and to FI about the gauges and it now seems that most but not all can be made functional. Enough will work, I think, to make the investment in the gauges worth it. We shall see.

Other than that I have only done some planning and scouting for the "right" type of wood at a reasonable cost.

More hours in the day would help......

.

Tony Hill

10-31-2008, 12:27 AM

Well, plunge taken.

I have ordered all the FI gauges needed (except the analogue Altimetre which will not be produced until next year).

Mark is going to do some customizing for me to represent the Spitfire Oil temp, press and the 4000 fpm VSI.

The live gauges will be:

Attittude Indicator
VSI
ASI
Turn & Slip (vintage)
RPM
Oil Temp
Oil Press
Fuel Gauge

Also to be fitted either next to or in place of the oxy regulator there is a B737 style Com Radio.

Eventually the altimetre will slot in and I still hope to find a "cheat" to make the radiator temp possible. I have to look at oil temp and its relationship and see if I can fake something.

Next I have to start on the corel draw pictures of the other "dead" gauges to get them laser designed and laser cut.

Gwyn, I am thinking of just couriering the spade grip up to you...I'
ll PM.

.

NNomad007

10-31-2008, 08:29 AM

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RAF-WW2-Spitfire-type-twinknob-magneto-switch-AM-5c-548_W0QQitemZ280280482070QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item280280482070&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Go take a look..maybe you're interested.

jsut to let you know tony.

Cheers,

Alex

Tony Hill

11-03-2008, 11:07 PM

Go take a look..maybe you're interested.

Alex

Thanks Alex,

I saw your post too late. I have access to a laser cutter (from a mate) and will probably make all those types of things on that. The old panels and gauges may have a (debatable) radiation risk and so I am avoiding them for the most part. I did buy a compass but have now decided to use FI's gyro compass in that place.

Anyway, cheers

.

Tony Hill

11-05-2008, 03:59 AM

More progress. I have been talking to Realair and it looks like I need to learn some C++. If I do that I should be able to get a couple more gauges working. So I just ordered my Christmas present (can't remember exactly WHICH Christmas we are up to so far!!) of two more small gauges for Radiator Temp and Boost. I also decided to go with the Digital Altimetre to start with which I will probably keep as a spare once the analogue one is released by FI.

I got hold of a P-51 rudder trim knob...(closest I could get to the Spitfire's) and luckily the hole for the shaft fits perfectly onto the pot. I then bodgey'd up a temporary Elevator trim wheel as well. I'll have to get photos of them done. I have just used two Desktop Aviator USB trim wheels as a base.

The main thing that I keep pinching myself over is how SIMPLE the wiring plan is. One sidewinder joystick, one saitek throttle unit, two DA trims, the daisychained FI instruments and a phidgets64 card with half a dozen LEDs....

Tell me I'm dreaming and I am going to get to solder 6000 connections after all???

.

Tony Hill

12-11-2008, 12:39 AM

Well no pictures but some fairly significant progress.

Met up with Gwyn as I blew through Perth the other day (still have to catch up with Kennair when I get some time) and sorted out a lot on the control side.

The Spade grip will have a very light return mechanism on the pitch axis but a heavier one on the roll. This slightly non harmonised control set up will simulate the Spitfire at it's mid to mid upper speed range, where I will do most of my flying.

With the throttle quadrant, rudders and undercarriage lever also to be made for me by Gwyn, I can concentrate on the structure and the gauges. Latest news on them is that most are ready and when the couple that Mark has completely customized for me are done I will get them posted. So they should be here, clear of customs and ready to put in a panel just after christmas.

I have also acquired a real Starter Button and safety cover, 7 electrical switches (unfortunately not "Air Ministry" but identical ones made in the '60s) plus some black push buttons for radiator test, supercharger test etc. I picked up a real supercharger switch as well.

I had a look at the FI software and that looks easy enough. Boost is no problem with a straight conversion from Manifold pressure, radiator temp will need Sean's help as RealAir have done that one independantly. So the new working gauge count is:

Blind Flying Panel
ASI
AH
VVI
Altimetre (digital until later next year)
DG
T & S

Engine instruments
RPM
Boost
Oil Temp
Oil Pressure (not sure yet whether rectangular or round)
Radiator Temp ...HOPEFULLY
Fuel Gauge

Other
A B737 Comm Radio to top it off (and placate the "bus drivers" around here :p ) will take the place of the Oxygen Regulator.

I have also finally fixed on the FR IX, only 140 of which were built but which allows me to use my real gusight AND a Type 35 Camera Controller. I've been doing a heap of research on them and have a good picture of the controller and it's functions. I will use it to control screenshots.

The refuel / repair function in FSX will be used to simulate drop tanks. I've been mucking about with flight testing and planning to see where I can fly to exactly on a single flight out and back. Best estimate so far is about a 200 - 250 mile combat radius with time over target 5 minutes and a 10 minute combat reserve.

If anyone has any PRU information I'd love to hear it.

The low level Fighter Recon idea looks like it is going to be a challenge to fly...but who wouldn't want a 300mph lawn mower??

.

Tony Hill

01-14-2009, 12:13 AM

For anybody interested who hasn't caught Gwyn's announcement on the undercarriage mechanism...have a look here:

http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/showthread.php?p=72742#post72742

This one item has made me completely overhaul my plans. Originally I was going for a semi scale structure with wood ribs and a sqaure-ish shape. The structural drawings I had seemed complicated and didn't seem to be worth the effort. The inside could be "built" using a few wood battons etc to look like cockpit bracing. A simple "box" filled with Spitfire bits, it would have looked OK from inside but really just because of the parts.

But the U/C Lever has convinced me that Gwyn's controls will definately deserve a proper scale cockpit, so plan revision 1 (Ok, I'll be honest, I am up to about 456 already!) is to build the basic rib structure out of wood and cover it with aluminium sheeting. I have then worked out a way to do the riveting details with some thin aluminium and filler joined to the wood spars. So it should end up looking like moulded aluminium ribs but won't require the complex curves.

The Instrument Panel and BFP will be of light aluminium which I will probably get plasma cut or acrylic which I can get laser cut.

Unfortunately no sign of the FI gauges yet. The latest estimate was late last week but obviously that did not happen. I really hope they come soon as I am stalled now (I can't start the structure until I know how I am going to have to build in the flying controls Gwyn is doing).

It will be nice to eventually have some pics to put in a post again!

.

mounty

01-14-2009, 09:05 PM

Hi "Tony"

I don't know if you are aware but there's a website in the UK that specializes in Spitfire stuff and they manufacture the joystick, throttle and landing gear components. Unfortunately I can't remember the name, but I'm sure if you goggled spitfire aprts you might sind it.

Rob

Tony Hill

01-15-2009, 01:40 AM

Thnaks Mate,

Yes I was aware of it:

http://www.simcontrol.co.uk/offboard.htm

I emailed them a while back for their prices but the cost of freight to Australia would be prohibitive given the weight of the kit. I also have a problem as to how to fit their frame into a scale cockpit. It is really designed to "stand alone".

As I got the chance to pick up the spade grip I elected to go the fabrication route. Then I found this place and got in touch with Gwyn. After seeing what he did with the U/C lever I have abandoned all intentions to do any of the mechanical work....much easier and more effective to get THE MAN who knows these things and has talent, to do them for me! I can now concentrate on the things I can do and the overall result will be much better for it.

cheers for your interest

.

warvet

01-15-2009, 06:11 AM

That is a Fantastic project and definitely the man to help you is Gwyn, Phil also would be an excellent guy for specialized panels and stuff. I wish I had an 1/8 the talent these men have in the little fingers :)

Tim

Tony Hill

01-16-2009, 04:06 AM

Thanks Tim,

I hope it is different enough to provide some interest.

Gwyn certainly is a master. I don't know Phil but the panels in the Spitty are restricted to warning placards and I have access to a Laser Machine so they are pretty right.

Below is the real thing that I am building a copy of as my current project whilst waiting on the gauges:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Instruct.jpg

and a colour picture of same

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Camera.jpg

As you can see from the next picture, it will be highly visible on the cockpit wall, so I want make a good job of it:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Mountingincockpit.jpg

I should have it finished by tomorrow and be able to post pictures. So far just the face plate and knobs are done. A lot of the work (thanks to my mate Chris and his Corel draw talent and Engraver) is laser engraved. I then paint and detail, assemble add knobs, switches etc and scratch build the parts that are too 3 dimensional to cut on his engraver, in this case the plug area. I will also wire the switches to operate the screen shot functions...so in a sense it will truly be a "camera control" not just an attractive curiosity,

.

Tony Hill

01-18-2009, 06:09 AM

Ok,

Just to prove that I can actually build something, here are the fruits of this weekend’s interrupted labour….

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3639.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Camera.jpg (Photo credit to SpitfireSpares.com)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3644.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3645.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3640.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3641.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3642.jpg

The results are quite pleasing, to me at least.. Thanks to my mate, his talent and his laser engraver, much of the detail work was done on corel draw and engraved on Laserlight adhesive film. That makes the aluminium labels really shine! The box is a project box in ABS plastic (a new face plate had to be done because ABS gives off toxic fumes and can’t be laser cut)

The knobs are standard electronics store ones except for the “pull out to turn” which was custom made. The lights are 20mm LED’s with a laser cut surround.

The exposure counter is fully 3D, achieved by a technique we worked out to do some F-16 gauges. The face plate was engraved with the kidney shape and the marker hairline. On the back we engraved the numbers and counter ticks as a flipped image. The hairline marker, numbers and “ticks” are then filled with black paint. The back of the window is then painted white over the top of that black and the screws melted into the face plate to make it look like they secure the window.

The result is a marker line that actually casts a shadow on the number face which is literally behind the glass! Sorry the camera can’t quite catch it.

The unit is controlled by a rotary as on/off and a rotary for exposure delay which will be the trigger for a screen shot to be taken. I had hoped to get rotary with a push button action as well but no luck. I could use an encoder but that would mean another board to buy…I don’t actually need any encoders in the pit. (this could change if I decide to use encoders for Trim..at the moment in my test bed I am using DA pots and they seem to work satisfactorily.

The Counter Re-set is a dead control.

The 24 volts, on off and arrow plus the “pull out” legend were then backfilled with white paint and “worn” to look a bit used, as was the pull out knob. I still need to age the other knobs with some cotton wool and turpentine.

Finally the base area and plugs were scratch built, painted and “worn” to represent plug in, plug out a number of times. They are of MDF and will contain dummy wires for the control plug and the rotary switch wires etc in the “power plug” (left) which will run forward to behind the panel.

More soon I hope

.

phil744

01-18-2009, 07:01 AM

Hey Tony,

I have to confess, I am a secret subscriber to this thread, the spitfire is my personal number one aircraft, 2 is the 747 classic and 3 is the hawker hunter, I am always gobsmacked by the infinate level of detail you are putting into your build, simply amazing stuff,

anyway, you have probably seen these before on Ebay, just want to make sure, would look great in your sim, keep up the good work

item numbers 290287457260 & 120365043865

Kennair

01-18-2009, 07:20 AM

Wow very sweet. I look forward to seeing this baby someday.

Ken.

Michael Carter

01-18-2009, 08:46 AM

That's fantastic work, a brilliant reproduction.

That shows a lot of talent and the attention to detail is obvious.

Westozy

01-18-2009, 08:13 PM

Good stuff Darryl, that is really pro....

Gwyn

Tony Hill

01-19-2009, 08:36 PM

Thanks Gents,

Phil, the ebay items look great but postage to Australia is a real killer on heavy items. You did however get me looking at ebay at just the right moment to pick up a WW2 RAAF flight computer, so cheers for that!

Gwyn, cheers that is high praise comming from you.

Michael, looking at your thread, I think you beat me hands down for attention to detail!

Ken, any time. The '16 is flyable, so next time you come down this way, call in, I'll show you that and the "Spitfire Bits". Hope to catch you up there on Sunday.

I just hope I can get my large scale building to look OK. I suffer from extreme impatience when it comes to structures!!

As soon as FI get me the gauges I can rough out the exact instrument panel layout. Then the structure can start to be designed around that. I will probably tackle the seat in the mean time. It will all have to wait until after the Australia Day long weekend now...I have a hot date with a Super Decathlon this weekend :)

Darryl

.

Tony Hill

01-23-2009, 02:29 AM

Had a win today, my latest acquisition:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/morsekeyforsignallights.jpg

It is the morse key that links to the upper and lower signalling lights. All Spitfire pilots had to be able to send morse at 15 wpm. The main use apparently being to send the aircraft's code number to the tower/ground handlers.

Another highly visible piece, high on the right wall but this one would have been hard to make. Besides, I am thinking of wiring it to a signalling light to tap out basic instructions like..."beer"..."dinner"..."phone"..."dog wants to go out" etc. Now I just have to figure where to put it so that the "hostess" can see it :D

I have also picked up a set of 1:1 plans for the fuselage which should aid considerably in construction!

Happy days....

.

Tony Hill

02-06-2009, 02:11 AM

Great news for me today, half the FI order arrived. Todays package included a controller card, AH, DG, ASI, T&S, Oil Temp, Radiator Temp, Boost.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3646.jpg

An idea of the quality of the gauges :

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3647.jpg

They are so thin, it is amazing, yet they are heavy and feel very business-like.

The old style T&S is great to have. I want to make the instruments as "period" as possible.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3650.jpg

The three engine gauges so far. Each of these has been beautifully rendered by FI from Photo's I sent them. The gauge casing were left black at my request, the actual gauges come in a few different colours and i still haven't decided which colours will look best yet. The Boost will, of course, be Fire Engine Red, as were all the Spitfire boost gauges I have ever seen.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3649.jpg

Hopefully the rest will now not be far away!!

Other than these beauties I have ordered from SpitfireSpares a gunsight holder frame, an Oxygen Regulator (the radio will now be shifted to either the left cockpit wall, or if I decided to get a Type 3 selector, the radio will go in the Map Box to the left of the seat and that selector will go in the correct place just for show, I actually favour this arrangement as it hides the LED display on the B737 radio control), a Ki-Gas Pump and mounting kit (total extravagance but hey....) and just won a couple of Dimmer Switches off Ebay.

I also prised the U/C Lever away from Gwyn and have spent a couple of weeks playing with it, (to no particular end, just the odd undercarriage comming up noise when no-one is around ). I have started a little bit of the detailing work on it, fitting bits which will join it to the aircraft and a piston housing that was not on the phots and plans I gave to Gwyn.

All the wood was purchased last weekend and a detailed plan of how I will cut and place the ribs and Instrument panel is taking shape. The instrument panel will now be in three pieces (just like the later Spitfire marks) left, right and Blind Flying Panel.

I can't wait to get into it this weekend!!

.

Crescent

02-06-2009, 11:19 AM

Tony, those look real good. Where did you get them? I"m not sure who FI is. Thanks. Oh, and what type of wood are you using for your panel?

Tony Hill

02-08-2009, 06:09 AM

Hi,

FI is : http://www.flightillusion.com/

Beautifully put together gauges. They are solid and don't have that "toy" feeling that some I have seen have (including the multi thousand dollar simulator at out aeroclub).

The wood for the panel...well my test bed is blackboard masonite. The final panel will however be laser cut 2mm acrylic strengthened by wood frame. That is, of course, unless I can get a plasma cut aluminium panel at a good price.

.

Tony Hill

02-11-2009, 01:14 AM

Some more progress.

The gauges are all attched and functioning except for the AI which appears to be faulty (EDIT: the "zero" trigger was not long enough to pass completely through the sensor..a bit of heatshrink tube fixed it) .

The Turn & Slip indicator was a challnge to get calibrated but it is up and going now.

The rest of the gauges need calibrating still.

Some more parts arrived too. KiGas Primer and mounting kit.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/K20Gass202.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Kgass-bracket_j300.jpg

Gunsight Mount

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Gunsight-bracket-1-large.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Gunsight-bracket-2-large.jpg

Oxygen Regulator
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/ff_1_b.jpg

More on the way. The gunsight mounting gives me the pattern and curve for the cockpit coaming, so I can start the structure soon hopefully.

.

Tony Hill

02-16-2009, 01:22 AM

More toys: http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14655 ,thanks Gwyn.

I spent the weekend getting the rest of the gauges I have received to work. Despite promises of help from RealAir, I haven't been able to get them to reply to my emails..no matter, I am not really happy with the way the oil temp and radiator interact anyway.

Most accounts tell of difficulties on the ground with keeping coolant cool and getting oil warm enough, or keeping them both cool enough and the mismatch between the two, which varies on different days or rather at different outside temps. The Realair oil temp seems to jump straight up to 60 on engine startup and then doesn't increase until takeoff power.

The radiator doesn't seem to actually do anything in the sim anyway (appears to be linked to oil pressure of all things!) so I played around with values until I got the radiator gauge running to the Pilot's Manual and the first hand accounts I have read. I used a different offset (an FS2004 one) and had no trouble setting it up to mimic the real behaviour.

Now you can not afford to waist time on the ground or the radiator heats up rapidly, especially at high OATs. It is a challenge to get all the checks done and take a long taxi before reaching the 100-110deg limit. One takeoff it had climbed to 125deg by the time I got the gear up and out of the radiator inlets!
Whilst that still left 10deg before absolute max, the OAT was only 30C. A really hot day would give you interesting times. As soon as airborne, the radiator cools down unless you flog the Merlin.

Then I turned to the oil temp. Again, it seems to reflect 60 at startup or normal cruising temperatures unless you really flog the engine, then it increases suddenly in the VC not much in between. So I tweaked the CHT value and based it on that instead. The oil temp now heats much more slowly in the lower ranges and much quicker at high temperatures. The actual "critical" level is similar in the VC and the external gauges (so you can monitor whether you are stressing the engine) but the gauge now continues to climb if you mistreat the engine, rather than just sitting around 100, 105. You can reach the 115deg emergency allowable limit and provided you don't hold it there for more than 5 minutes, you don't blow up.

The only small disadvantage of doing it this way is that the gauges drop temperature far too quickly once the engine is switched off. A small compromise because either A: your flight is over and so gauges don't matter, or B: you've blown the engine in which case it is far better to worry about where to land than to watch temp gauges!

So total count is now AI, DG, Oil Temp, Radiator Temp, Boost Gauge and ASI working. Next job is to cut the temporary instrument panel and get them mounted. Next weekend I start on the actual structure of the cockpit.....

.

Kennair

02-16-2009, 01:31 AM

Darryl you're definitely up there with Mike with your attention to detail. Great stuff and I look forward to seeing it one day.

BTW I saw one of the 2/3 scale Spitfires flying down at Jandakot some time ago. I wouldn't mind a spin in one of those!

Ken.

Tony Hill

02-16-2009, 01:51 AM

Hi Ken,

Any time, I'm but a heartbeat away (once the wonderful new highway ACTUALLY opens..).

I have only ever seen the Mustang but I would love to see a real or a 2/3 Spitty. We provincial types are disadvantaged :(

Attention to detail...yes, well I passed up the chance to fly a Spitfire once and have always regreted it. (long story) So I am hoping to make this as close as. With Gwyn's help (the man is a maniac!!) it all seems to be getting there fast now. I am hoping for a 12 month total build but we will see.

I have to come up to Gwyn again shortly, hopefully the three of us can meet up then,

best

Darryl

Michael Carter

02-16-2009, 01:58 AM

Tony Hill

02-16-2009, 02:09 AM

Tony those gauges are fantastic! That was a custom order was it?

How many red X's did you have to mark off of the calender for those?

If they could design a gauge with an off-set drive and electronics card I might get some flap gauges after all.

Hi Michael,

Yes, the Spitfire gauges were custom made, the T&S and ASI along with the Fuel Gauge and RPM were done a while back for another guy, so the artwork was already there. The VSI, Boost, Oil & Radiator Temps were done up by Mark off photos I sent him. The AI was done a while back for a BF 109 project but fits the Spitty perfectly.

As to "red X's" well, let's just put it this way...Henry Kissenger had started to negotiate for my release.... and I am still waiting for about half the order (promise by end of Feb/early March).

Can you email me a photo of the 727 flap gauge? I have a couple of ideas.

cheers

Darryl

Kennair

02-16-2009, 02:22 AM

Attention to detail...yes, well I passed up the chance to fly a Spitfire once and have always regreted it. (long story)

I have to come up to Gwyn again shortly, hopefully the three of us can meet up then,

best

Darryl

You must have had 3 broken legs and severe concussion to pass up that chance! But hey we've all got a story to tell.

I haven't seen the scale Mustang and it's probably my favorite warbird next to the Spitfire. They had the 2/3 spitty's on display at Pearce's last airshow in 2006, around $30,000 in kit form if I remember correctly. I'm off to Avalon in a couple of weeks so maybe they'll have them on display.

Let me know when you're planning your next visit and hopefully I can coordinate my work schedule to suit.

Ken.

Michael Carter

02-16-2009, 02:31 AM

Hi Michael,

Yes, the Spitfire gauges were custom made, the T&S and ASI along with the Fuel Gauge and RPM were done a while back for another guy, so the artwork was already there. The VSI, Boost, Oil & Radiator Temps were done up by Mark off photos I sent him. The AI was done a while back for a BF 109 project but fits the Spitty perfectly.

As to "red X's" well, let's just put it this way...Henry Kissenger had started to negotiate for my release.... and I am still waiting for about half the order (promise by end of Feb/early March).

Can you email me a photo of the 727 flap gauge? I have a couple of ideas.

cheers

Darryl

Ha! Yep, and Nixon was giving his resignation speech!

I'll dig up a bitmap and send you a .jpg of it. Thanks. Probably won't be really soon. I have a couple of other projects on the front burner, but I'm not forgetting about it.

Tony Hill

03-01-2009, 11:18 PM

Well, a long weekend here and despite losing one day to work, the tools took a hammering!

It was good to finally get the fuselage off the paper and onto some wood. The plans needed a fair bit of “managing” as they came in a single sheet of paper. That meant that the various sized frames had to be traced out and from the plan after it had been cut up, making some bits harder (having to join plan bits together). Someone more organised may have worked backwards from the biggest bits to the smallest, hacking off sections as he went……I didn’t. Two reasons, really. First, hey, I’m just not that organised. Second well, er..see point one……

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3658.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3654.jpg

The seat frame, the frame behind the instrument panel and the plan. The seat frame was extended at the bottom to be square as it is the rear frame of the sim. This forms the “feet” and is rationalised away by the fact that there is a wing at the bottom anyway. The IP frame is the correct curve at the bottom. I will probably build a “wing stub” on the left side (for mounting the sim) and leave the right side with the curved base.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3661.jpg

The seat frame is, at the moment cut fully rounded…this was going to be the frame at the back of the radio compartment but that made the sim too long. So now that top area will be cut down to the right shape and the angle aluminium frame above will form the canopy frame above the seat back. I actually formed it around the top of the seat frame with a rubber mallet, so it is nice and smooth and even.
I just need to cut a pattern (or Tracey will) for a curved aluminium plate to rivet onto the side which needed to be cut to allow the angle alu to bend.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3655.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3663.jpg

How not to draw a pattern on to wood, measure twice, cut once…but probably best to remove the markings of the first (unsuccessful) measurement. …the firewall (front frame of the sim) also with “feet”. The spars on the side are the “main” spars which run the length of the sim, through the bottom of the instrument panel line. There are two more which will run either side about 8 inches from ground level.

The Instrument panel full mock up is next to be made because this will determine the placement of the main spars (which are not on the plan I bought) as they pass through a small “notch” cut in the bottom edge of the panel.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3660.jpg

Cardboard pattern cut by my wife to be used for mapping out the short frames that make up the cockpit area and door. There are now two of these which will be cut up into the smaller sections that brace the actual cockpit seating area and mount most of the equipment.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3659.jpg

All of the pieces from this weekend. (the silver objects are the bracing plates..I have to make the cockpit in two halves to fit through my doors.

A couple of detail shots to finish…the start of my IFF switch and destruction buttons unit and my brand new shiny fire engine red boost gauge. The flash made the metallic paint look blotchy and pockmarked. It is actually silky smooth after spraying a priming coat and four red coats over the already painted aluminium bezel but looks “bulky” like the original bakelite bezel was.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3651.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3652.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3667.jpg

All in all a satisfying weekend’s work and proof for the wife that I don’t just spend money on parts!

.

Michael Carter

03-01-2009, 11:24 PM

Looks great Tony! Always good when you can save some money on the project.

I can't wait to see this after it all comes together. ;)

Crescent

03-01-2009, 11:33 PM

Looks real good Tony.

Tony Hill

03-01-2009, 11:46 PM

Thanks Guys! The real work starts now I guess.

I also got news from Gwyn that the rudder pedals are done but I'll leave him to post pictures of them..they are STUNNING!!

regards

Darryl

.

Westozy

03-02-2009, 04:45 AM

Thanks Guys! The real work starts now I guess.

I also got news from Gwyn that the rudder pedals are done but I'll leave him to post pictures of them..they are STUNNING!!

regards

Darryl

.

Well, what can I say?

http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_rudders_02.jpg
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_rudders_03.jpg
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_rudders_05.jpg
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_rudders_06.jpg
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_column_028.jpg

Gwyn

Tony Hill

03-02-2009, 08:48 PM

Gwyn, marvellous work. I am constantly in awe of what you are building for me.
I send pictures and they turn into reality.

To show everyone how good this really is, here is a photo of the real thing…..

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SmallSpitfire10cockpit.jpg

I told you the man was a maniac!!!

Inspired by Gwyn, I couldn’t leave the pit alone last night after work. When you are on a roll, I guess it is better to keep going. I decided to ditch the wood IFF Destruction and Control Unit and build it from aluminium instead. This required a few extra things…firstly I had to draw a pattern (unheard of) secondly I had to cut metal (NOT my thing) thirdly I had to fold and file it (bloody impossible for me) lastly, I had to get over my pathological fear of working with metal, drilled into me by a sad old man who liked nothing better than to crush young boys in his class.

Here are the results, with which I am pleased enough. Just do me a favour and don’t compare them to Gwyn’s work above!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3669.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3670.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3672.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SIMG_3671.jpg

It is now all primed and ready to be painted that sickly cockpit green colour that I will have to have the local paint supplier mix specially for me.

Baby steps…..

Darryl

.

Michael Carter

03-02-2009, 08:55 PM

Man that look absolutely great Tony!

The rudder pedals by Gwyn are awesome too. He IS the Master of Mechanics.

Tony Hill

03-03-2009, 04:56 PM

Michael,

Cheers for that. It really did take a fair bit for me to pick up a hacksaw...but the next piece, the "spare globe holder" will be easier to build but have three cutouts. I will have to improve on those, as they will need to be perfectly round to fit the light holders.

Using aluminium will significantly improve the realism of the sim though, so.....

thanks

Darryl

.

Westozy

03-18-2009, 01:17 AM

Hi all,

Here are some more progress shots of Darryl's plug'n'play flight controls. I plugged them in the other night for a 10 minute test flight and found that the ailerons were reversed...doh! So after a quick modification to the roll potentiometer mount it was ready to fire up the Merlin again. The Sidewinder software made it so easy set up and I've been flying "Darryl's Spitfire" every night since the controls have been working. It's been so long since I've flown anything but the 737 it has been great fun, the helicopters were great with this set up to. Another job that I won't want to hand over!

Front damper and rudder bar pivot point. (The timber is a temporary footing)
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/watermark.php?file=3844

Brake switches and yaw pot drive
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/watermark.php?file=3846

Pitch pot drive and adjustable yoke travel stops
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/watermark.php?file=3848

Roll pot drive and the 'black box' which houses the Sidewinder joystick circuit boards.
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/watermark.php?file=3850

Door closers used for centering, they work much better than I expected which was very pleasing. Note the grey stoppers locked to the rods which keep the column in the neutral position. When the column tilts, the damper rod that isn't being pulled slides freely through the stainless brackets fixed to the column.
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/watermark.php?file=3852

This is an airworthy replica spade grip supplied by Darryl, it is really heavy and the chain had to have large springs fitted for self centering.
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/watermark.php?file=3854

Almost finished, it just needs the brakes and chain guard finishing before Darryl's paint job ruins the shine!

Gwyn

Kennair

03-18-2009, 02:04 AM

OMG Gwyn, that is one of the most professional looking mechanisms I've seen in a long time. I have got to get a look at this baby before it travels to Bunbury!

I'll see you Sunday.

Ken.

Tony Hill

03-18-2009, 03:35 AM

Hi all,

Almost finished, it just needs the brakes and chain guard finishing before Darryl's paint job ruins the shine![/FONT][/FONT]

Ruins the shine? RUINS THE SHINE???

Those Fokkers will see me a hundred miles away if I cruise around with all that silver glinting in the sun....might as well paint the whole cockpit bright yellow. ;)

No, I'll go for that horrible sickly green thank you very much. No nasty cannon shells messing with your fine engineering that way!

:D:D

Looking great Gwyn. Looking forward to Sunday.

Ken,
I recon if we BOTH tackle him at the same time, we might just get it off him...

cheers

Darryl

Oh, and yeah, those fokkers IS Messerschmidts!!

Kennair

03-18-2009, 03:46 AM

Ken,
I recon if we BOTH tackle him at the same time, we might just get it off him...

cheers

Darryl

LOL!! Darryl, you distract him with another tricky hardware request and I'll chuck your lot in the car!! :D:D:D

Ken.

Tony Hill

03-18-2009, 04:01 AM

LOL!! Darryl, you distract him with another tricky hardware request and I'll chuck your lot in the car!! :D:D:D

Ken.

I have this other idea: we build this giant wooden BADGER simulator and..........

oh, never mind......

.

Kennair

03-18-2009, 04:09 AM

I have this other idea: we build this giant wooden BADGER simulator and..........

oh, never mind......

.

LOL! Love it, another Python fan!

Ken.

Crescent

03-18-2009, 09:04 AM

Looks real sweet. That's a very similar design to what I'm working on for the Lanc...in fact I think I'll have to "borrow" a few ideas there....bwuahahaha!

Westozy

03-18-2009, 06:15 PM

LOL! Love it, another Python fan!

Ken.

You're both using coconuts, it's only a model!

Gwyn

Tony Hill

03-18-2009, 07:51 PM

You're both using coconuts, it's only a model!

Gwyn

It's people like you what cause unrest!

Tony Hill

03-23-2009, 12:54 AM

Well, a frustrating Saturday still fiddling with the Oil Temp. I now have 3 different templates but each has its strengths and weaknesses. I still have another couple of avenues to pursue this week.

But Sunday made it all worth it.

I met up with Gwyn and Ken and got to see the controls in action. Due to some quick thinking on Ken's part (a quick recitation of "The Dead Parrot Sketch") Gwyn was distracted long enough for me to have a go! :p:p

The controls are unbelievable. Quite simply stunning.

I took up a copy of Tony Bianchi flying the MK I and after showing the guys some serious aeros in the sim, we watched the dvd just so Gwyn could see how close he had pegged the setup. The aileron controls are very accurate with a set of near perfect square rolls and cuban eights being achieved after only 5 minutes feeling out the inputs. The square rolls were an absolute delight to fly and all that was missing was the sensation of hanging upside down in the straps when half way round. The stick feels like a real aircraft joystick and responds very much like the stick in the Extra...exactly what I was looking for.

I am seriously sold on the "broken" stick arangement and can see why the Brits used it. I can't undestand why more aircraft designers didn't follow suit, the Spitfire and Hurricane being the main, if not only, aircraft to use it.

Ken then had a go and after a nice approach and landing, took off and demonstrated what could best be described as an "upward rolling half cuban spinning stall turn with a double pike". I believe it is "patent pending" :D

After that (and a disasterous foray into helicopter operations by Ken and myself) we took off to Bullcreek for a look at the resident Spitfire 22. Gwyn's connections got us into the museum for the right price ;) and also got access to the left and right sides of the Spitfire for photographic purposes. Unfortunately we couldn't actually get in as there was manequin firmly holding that territory.Some good scaling and detail photos had.

The afternoon concluded with a nice lunch and dozens of flying stories at the cafe overlooking the main runways at Jandakot. A very sullen, sulky Darryl then departed without the controls (on the rather thin premise that ALL pots have to be connected for Gwyn to build and calibrate the throttle:roll: ) :) :)

Various prizes are to be awarded for the day:

Gwyn..best Helicopter flying
...Best overall Spitfire Controls Build.

Ken..best Controlled Flight into Terrain (Bell Jetranger)
...Biggest B^$7^#& (for his aircraft carrier story).

Darryl..Best choice of vehicle (you know that Ford makes them now, Gwyn)
...Best "almost collection" of secure documents previously left behind
at a flight school

cheers guys for a great day!!!

TONY er.....Darryl

Kennair

03-23-2009, 01:14 AM

Thanks Darryl for a very entertaining expose on the afternoon, and I thought I just rocked up for lunch!

Seriously though I can vouch for the incredible craftsmanship of the spitfire controls. The combination of Gwyns skills and Darryl's attention to detail is going to result in a very authentic build, and after hearing how dedicated Darryl was (is) to his F16 pit, you can bet the Spitfire's going to be a doozy!

Thanks again guys,

Ken.

Michael Carter

03-23-2009, 01:28 AM

Sounds like a great afternoon of simming.

Hope to see it in action soon!

Tony Hill

03-24-2009, 09:06 PM

Thanks Michael,

Ok, I got the camera charged and a couple of recent progress pics.

The “Danger” flap on the IFF completed:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3713small.jpg

Panel work. The temporary panel is out of 3mm hardboard. It is OK for test fitting but too weak for the final product. We will draw a detailed measured plan off this and send it for laser cutting in 3mm aluminium.

The real plan here is difficult to get cut because it is in Imperial (and everybody here speaks that metric crap these days) and the gauges from Flight Illusion are slightly different size to some of the real ones. It was a useful guide though.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3712small.jpg

And my temp:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3708small.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3710small.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/CopyofIMG_3709small.jpg

The Blind Flying Panel cut out is also not quite right but the coreldraw plan for cutting will have it marked correctly and the BFP covers it anyway.

And finally …a very frustrating night spent masking, painting, stripping, repainting etc the gunsight buldbs….until I was ready to smash them for the untidy edges…..THEN I found a few pictures of real ones
And they have untidy edges anyway. So here they are, finished for better or worse.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/CopyofIMG_3711small.jpg

This weekend is hopefully to be spent assembling and truing up the fuselage section.

Cheers

Darryl

Tony Hill

04-06-2009, 11:37 PM

Hi, not much time today but thought I’d give a quick progress report:

The cast of characters..these are the port side ribs and frames (ex the top part of the actual cockpit area. Visible are the instrument panel, instrument panel spacer, instrument panel main support frame, front wall, rear “seat” wall and the U shaped ribs.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aMG_3718.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aIMG_3717.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aIMG_3719.jpg

My home made jigs for truing up the framework.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aIMG_3720.jpg

The starboard side substantially put together and trued up. The only thing left to do is the front firewall needs fitting to the longerons once they are cut to final length..that is tonight’s job.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aIMG_3714.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aIMG_3715.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aIMG_3716.jpg

More to come. Over Easter I should be able to get the cockpit framework just about complete..that is the plan anyway.

Tony Hill

04-14-2009, 09:40 PM

The weekend’s work plus 4 warning placards etc made a few weeks ago.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aaIMG_3721.jpg

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.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aaIMG_3727.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aaIMG_3725.jpg

The instrument panel baseline is on the datum and therefore determined the position of the top longeron.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aaIMG_3726.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aaIMG_3723.jpg

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:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aaIMG_3722.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aaIMG_3724.jpg

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 other instruments from FI are “nearing completion” so hopefully not too much longer. Once I have them I can finish the IP pattern and get it properly cut out of 3mm Aluminium.

Very pleased just now :) :)

Crescent

04-15-2009, 11:16 AM

It's almost flyable! Sweet. I think you probably got the thickness fairly correct from drawings I've seen, so it looks good.

What are you going to use for the armor plate on the pilots seat?

Tony Hill

04-20-2009, 03:12 AM

Thanks Mate,

Yes, she will be flyable, at least to a basic level very soon. I just have to convince Gwyn that the controls have actually finished their "extensive pre-release quality assurance assessment and implementation testing phase" (read : He gets bored playing with them :D:D:D)

The armour will just be an MDF sheet. I am not planning on getting shot at for real!!

Darryl

BHawthorne

04-20-2009, 04:16 AM

This is starting to look pretty cool. I'm interested in watching the progress of the build. :)

Tony Hill

04-21-2009, 09:21 PM

Thanks Mate,

Last weekend I ended up RL flying and building was put off. One full day comming up this weekend which should see some major additions go on to complete the starboard structure and maybe some seat work. Port side I still have to decide how I am going to do the door.

Darryl

geneb

04-23-2009, 10:38 PM

Darryl, that Spitfire is f****** awesome! Great Job! If you ever want to part with the CAD files, let me know. My 'bot 'll make quick work of them. ;)

g.

Westozy

04-27-2009, 07:37 PM

Hi Darryl,

I'll be starting the throttle quad next weekend and finishing off the flight controls soon after. Ken and I are planning on flying a C172 to Bussleton to deliver your parts and visit Darryland when it's all ready to go!
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/watermark.php?file=3854&size=1

Gwyn

BHawthorne

04-28-2009, 09:44 PM

Any possability of you making and releasing CAD files for the build? Looks great.

Tony Hill

04-29-2009, 02:15 AM

Any possability of you making and releasing CAD files for the build? Looks great.

What is this "AUTO CAD" of which you speak? :)

Sorry mate, strictly a pen, paper, cardboard cutout sort of a guy. I would not have the first clue of how to create a CAD drawing. The shapes, apart from the outside curves, are all done by eye, carpenter's pencil and a lot of "spit, wipe off, redraw". Although I have very little ability to actually work with wood, I have always been able to look at a pile of it and form a good picture in my head of how it will look made up. The real challenge to then make my limited ability approximate what I saw in my head.

I would be happy to give someone the information and measurements to put a drawing together..if that is enough? Photo's of bits with some measurements drawn on in MS "Paint"? Copies of GA drawings etc?

Let me know if thta would help.

Gwyn,

Legend!! I'll look forward to it. It is a pitty the aerobat is gone, otherwise I would quite happily torture you both for hours :p :p

Darryl

Tony Hill

05-08-2009, 01:21 AM

Some small progress, I still need to take pictures of the starboard upper cockpit wall taking shape.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/TestfitinstrumentpanelandUC.jpg

AND a sneak preview of the throttle...I hope Gwyn doesn't mind but it just looks SO good I couldn't keep it to myself....

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SpitTQ002.jpg

.

Crescent

05-08-2009, 08:02 AM

Oooohhh....cool. Where and how is the pot going to be attached to the throttle? Just out of curiosity cause I had some serious problems figuring out my own.

warvet

05-08-2009, 11:04 AM

Tony just out of curiousity how in the world do those gunsight thingys work that are shown the pic the 3 silver balls that look 1/2 black 1/2 silver.

Tim
A10 Thunderbolt II

Tony Hill

05-10-2009, 12:18 AM

Cresent,

Not quite sure where the pot will go but Gwyn tells me it will be on the quadrant somewhere. The mixture and prop pitch are going to go on rods, forward through the instrument panel frame running to linear pots.

Tim,

The bulbs work by shading all the light forward and up through the silver portion and onto the reflector glass. Simple and effective. I am still considering whether to use the 12 volts and relays for the lights or replace the whole lot with LEDs driven directly by the Phidgets card.

I was hoping to have photos of the upper cockpit structure but have found that although I worked off the real plans, they are wrong for the placement of the ribs above datum in the cockpit area!! Can't believe it but several dozen photos prove it. I am not pleased!! When the damage is repaired (and when I sober up and when I stop strangling small animals!) I will rip it all off and start again. It's days like this I really wish I had listened to what my mother told me when i was a child.....

Darryl

Tony Hill

06-15-2009, 01:59 AM

Ok, a little later than I'd hoped but here goes....

The upper starboard structure (there is a u shaped hood slide that goes on top of the aft section that is still under construction)

This has been rebuilt to match up with the actual plans for the door on the port side...a whole drama there with unreliable GA drawings.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3768.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3769.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3770.jpg

The instrument panel was going to be plasma cut but I thought I would have a go first..if I $&^(&*^ it I can always get it plasma cut later...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3766.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3767.jpg

The holes were cut by scribing the correct size circle with a compass, "gang drilling" to within 1 mm of the circle (there is never a gang drilling assembly around when you need one, so I had to do that the old fashioned way with a compass, a centre punch and a single drill bit!) , cutting out with a jigsaw and then hand finishing until the gauge surround fit snuggly into the holes. This had to be done slowly and carefully because the gauges actually poke through the holes from the back...so nothing covers any mistakes.

It is not perfect but it is close enough....only 10 instruments, two indicators, three switches, one flap valve, one oxy regulator hole and one gunsight shade slit to go....total time on the BFP and cutting the IP blank, so far, six hours!:oops:

And the wood BFP fitted with the instruments.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3765.jpg

More soon hopefully

Darryl

makoy

06-15-2009, 03:39 AM

Hi Darryl,

Nice to see some project not common here and yours looks very interesting.
You have make very good work there.
Cool :D

Anderson/SBSP

06-15-2009, 07:26 AM

Wonderfull!!!

Tony Hill

06-16-2009, 05:04 AM

Thanks Guys,

I should have some more progress to show by the end of the week,

Darryl

Tony Hill

07-08-2009, 12:01 AM

I finally decided to take a day off work yesterday and get most of the finishing touches on the panel. The Hand drilling and filing is a serious PITA but I was determined to at least have a go. All things considered I think it went quite well.

The original wood mock up.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3708small.jpg

A start on the metal versions.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3766.jpg

The metal drilled, cut and filed to get the basic patterns.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3771.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3772.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3767.jpg

The first test fit of some of the instruments and panel fittings. I have painted the BFP and am happy with the textured finish. Part of it didn’t take well though and I tried to patch it. Not 100% successful but a strip down and re-paint will be last on the list as it isn’t too noticeable and I have a lot of other fish to fry. The drilled screw holes for the instruments in the main panel still need to be cleaned up on the reverse, so none of the small stuff on that panel has been fitted yet but I don’t anticipate any real problems. I also still have to get together with Chris and his laser cutter soon to cut the Oil Pressure Gauge and Ammeter dummies, the U/C Indicator and some faces for the new twin needle gauges that have now arrived. One twin will be used for Oil and Fuel Pressure (unfortunately this will be an “extra” round gauge that is not on the original panel) and the other will have two identical graduated scales marked as Brake Pressure with one needle indicating Brake Pressure and the other scaled off EGT to use for adjusting mixture on the A2A Spitfire 1A (FSX only has an overall “brake pressure” figure, not one for left and one for right).

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3775.jpg

A real panel being restored and at a similar stage.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Paneel_eigen.jpg

Finally, the detail of the Blind Flying Panel stand-offs…I decided to leave the main panel as complete as possible for structural integrity so rather than cut extra volume out of the middle and use brackets, I used tabs left on the panel as mounting holes for bolts. The original uses brackets with rubber boots…mainly to cut down vibration on the six primary flying instruments which are particularly susceptible to it.

A couple of small adjustments still necessary to stop the PCBs shorting on the aluminium frame. I haven’t powered it up yet for that reason.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3777.jpg

Hopefully the next step is to get the main panel “finished” and primed for painting.

Darryl

Westozy

07-08-2009, 08:32 PM

It looks sweet Darryl, a great match for your nearly completed flight controls, end of next week maybe!!!

Gwyn

Westozy

07-17-2009, 05:52 AM

Hi all, here are more progress pics of Darryl's flight controls

http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_002.JPG
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_005.JPG
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_012.JPG
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_015.JPG
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_017.JPG
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/Spitfire_022.JPG

Gwyn

Tony Hill

07-18-2009, 10:37 PM

Hi Gwyn,

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D

They are looking fantastic. I can't wait to see them in the flesh (Oh, and I WILL be armed, should you have any last minute doubts about handing them over! :lol: :lol: )

I really can't thank you enough mate, and I hopethe rest of the pit is doing justice to your work.

Darryl

Tony Hill

10-06-2009, 10:00 PM

A bit of an update after a long lay-off.

The Undercarriage Indicator is now finished thanks to Chris and his laser cutter and some heavy duty scratch building to finish it off. It is made of several layers of 3mm acrylic each with a different detail etched into it…LED holder, legend, darkening panel, reflectors, mounting panel, top panel with “Chassis” and spacers.

The legend is engraved into the front face of two clear pieces, painted black before engraving and separated by a painted edge to prevent light bleed. A clear panel was then placed over this to give depth and make the writing “just” visible when not lit. (as per original).

The Night Shade holder is made from pine rod, with laser cut frames and end caps from power point screw cover tabs. I elected not to try to engrave the “For night use” label into this or stick one on the outside…I may reconsider.

The clip for the nighthshade (bottom) was made out of a 3mm rivet with the rod removed and edges ground to a "nut" look and the case thumbscrew (centre) was made out of "bits" from old instruments

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/instruments3.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/instruments2.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/instruments4.jpg

The real thing.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/instruments2a.jpg

Oil Pressure Gauge

Again, laser cut in layers to allow a 3d effect. The hard part was putting this one together. The inside needed to be curved as it is a “drum” type instrument. The needle is scratch built from aluminium and fits into a slot lasered in the back plate.
The scale is laserlite which had to be bent onto the curved interior and stuck in place with no creases…not fun. The needle floats above this by 1/2mm and then a sheet of clear had to be heated and bent to the curve (over a stainless steel coffee plunger!!), then mounted and glued keeping it above the needle and fitting in below either end of the face cut out. Again, a slow careful job and I had three spare “windows”. Luckily I managed to nail it with the first one.

This one is non functioning due to the “drum” arrangement being impractical for the sim cards. Above it on the panel will be a dual needle Fuel and Oil pressure gauge.

Finished product:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/instruments7.jpg

Real Gauge

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/instruments7a.jpg

Two that were always going to be difficult to manufacture but the original U/C indicators are about A$2500 and the original Oil Pressures are radioactive.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/instruments8.jpg

The third is completely scratch built (I thought Chris and his laser had already performed “above and beyond”) from an old helicopter oil pressure gauge. It is the Ammetre and came up quite nicely.

The face is actually a picture, photo-shopped to remove the needle then printed out on paper AND a reverse image on transperancy. These two were stuck together with clear glue and then fitted to the old face. This worked really well and makes it look much less like a picture and much more like a real face. I’m going to use it for all the gauges I scratch build in the future.

The original OP gauge had a round face, which the ammeter doesn’t, so I cut a front plate out of 1mm aluminium and shaped it to fit into the round raised bezel and cover the bottom third to match the original as closely as possible. The needle was fabricated from some plastic screw packet offcuts and a spacer put in to mount it on so it “is” 3d as well. The actual inside workings visible under the base of the needle came out particularly well but are just part of the picture.

Finished product.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/instruments5.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/instruments6.jpg

Original instrument (but with needle removed from photo)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Ampmeter.jpg

I’m not unhappy with the final results and it keeps me busy until I can finish cutting the mount holes for these and the indicator lights and get the damned panel painted and assembled!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/instruments1.jpg

Darryl

Crescent

10-08-2009, 09:41 PM

Looks amazing as always. I havn't touched my own since the spring...been too busy, but starting up again.

Question regarding the yoke assembly and specifically the gas shocks for resistance. I'm using a similar set up, but I'm wondering with the yoke in the neutral position, are the shocks half compressed?

Through my own thinking on the problem they would have to be in order to allow travel on the opposite shock when say you pull all the way back on the stick. I'll be testing it in the next few days with my own, but I'm curious how this was solved.

The only other solution to this I was thinking of is to allow the opposing shock ie. the opposite shock as opposed to the direction you are pulling the stick, to slide on a rail in the direction you are pulling then when moving forward lets say, it would hit a stop then start compressing.

Also, what size are the shocks and how much travel do they have on them and how many pounds do you have to exert to compress. Thanks.

Tony Hill

10-15-2009, 12:32 AM

Question regarding the yoke assembly and specifically the gas shocks for resistance. I'm using a similar set up, but I'm wondering with the yoke in the neutral position, are the shocks half compressed?

Through my own thinking on the problem they would have to be in order to allow travel on the opposite shock when say you pull all the way back on the stick. I'll be testing it in the next few days with my own, but I'm curious how this was solved.

The only other solution to this I was thinking of is to allow the opposing shock ie. the opposite shock as opposed to the direction you are pulling the stick, to slide on a rail in the direction you are pulling then when moving forward lets say, it would hit a stop then start compressing.

Also, what size are the shocks and how much travel do they have on them and how many pounds do you have to exert to compress. Thanks.

Thanks mate,

I'll have to let Gwyn answer most of your questions mate but I do know that the travel is only 11deg forward and 11 deg back so the stick does not move a huge way.

I think the forward shock actually "pulls" on the stick as you move the stick back and the rear when pushed forward. But it is a few moths since I have seen the unit.

Darryl

Tony Hill

11-16-2009, 03:49 AM

At long last (and with the arrival of the clock) I have had a chance to cut the last of the instrument cutouts and finish off the panel.

With every new hole I got more nervous about *^&&(*&* up the next one and having to do the whole panel again but got there in the end.
Here is the raw panel ready for painting:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3808.jpg

The spray painting went OK, but spray cans are not as reliable as they could be so the finish is not perfect..but good enough for a rushed wartime factory job I think.

I let it dry for twenty four hours and then fitted all the instruments, switches and additions.

I am very pleased with the results but the nightime photos with flash wash out the panel and really don't do it justice. I'll try to get some better ones soon.

Next I will finish fitting the controls to the shell and build the seat over the next couple of weeks. Not a bad weekend's work!!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3810.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3811.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3826.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3814.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3825.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3822.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3816.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3824.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3821.jpg

I will have to take some more photos in daylight, the flash really does not do justice to the panel!!

Westozy

11-16-2009, 03:57 AM

Explanation coming tomorrow, no time today!!! Gwyn

Looks amazing as always. I havn't touched my own since the spring...been too busy, but starting up again.

Question regarding the yoke assembly and specifically the gas shocks for resistance. I'm using a similar set up, but I'm wondering with the yoke in the neutral position, are the shocks half compressed?

Through my own thinking on the problem they would have to be in order to allow travel on the opposite shock when say you pull all the way back on the stick. I'll be testing it in the next few days with my own, but I'm curious how this was solved.

The only other solution to this I was thinking of is to allow the opposing shock ie. the opposite shock as opposed to the direction you are pulling the stick, to slide on a rail in the direction you are pulling then when moving forward lets say, it would hit a stop then start compressing.

Also, what size are the shocks and how much travel do they have on them and how many pounds do you have to exert to compress. Thanks.

Tony Hill

11-16-2009, 08:10 AM

Ok,

Couldn't leave it alone, some more progress in a short time tonight.

The updated photos in better light conditions:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3843.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3842-Copy.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3841.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3845-Copy.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3846.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3847.jpg

The Trim unit I built (with a real P51 Rudder Trim and Gwyn's fabricated Trim wheel), the two switches at the bottom are for Camera Power and Pitot Heat. The "tracks" are to run the chains back from the Elevator Trim wheel to a dummy set of push/pull rods.

Next to it is Gwyn's shameless attempt at making me look REALLY bad..his beautiful throttle Unit!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3853.jpg

"The Office"

The real thing:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0090_12_1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/448762773_0399812d86.jpg

The sim so far

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3854.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3849.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3850.jpg

My favourite shot of the whole thing so far...the view from the throne:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3814-Copy.jpg

I am actually starting to think I may finish this......

Darryl

Joe Cygan

11-16-2009, 08:42 AM

Wow!!! Your project is insane!

Crescent

11-16-2009, 11:43 AM

Just awesome Darryl!

Westozy

11-16-2009, 07:29 PM

I want it all back!!!
Gwyn

Ok,

Couldn't leave it alone, some more progress in a short time tonight.

The updated photos in better light conditions:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3843.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3842-Copy.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3841.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3845-Copy.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3846.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3847.jpg

The Trim unit I built (with a real P51 Rudder Trim and Gwyn's fabricated Trim wheel), the two switches at the bottom are for Camera Power and Pitot Heat. The "tracks" are to run the chains back from the Elevator Trim wheel to a dummy set of push/pull rods.

Next to it is Gwyn's shameless attempt at making me look REALLY bad..his beautiful throttle Unit!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3853.jpg

"The Office"

The real thing:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0090_12_1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/448762773_0399812d86.jpg

The sim so far

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3854.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3849.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3850.jpg

My favourite shot of the whole thing so far...the view from the throne:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3814-Copy.jpg

I am actually starting to think I may finish this......

Darryl

Westozy

11-16-2009, 09:01 PM

Thanks mate,

I'll have to let Gwyn answer most of your questions mate but I do know that the travel is only 11deg forward and 11 deg back so the stick does not move a huge way.

I think the forward shock actually "pulls" on the stick as you move the stick back and the rear when pushed forward. But it is a few moths since I have seen the unit.

Darryl

This is how the yoke works!

http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/597/Joystick_centering.jpeg

Regards Gwyn

Tony Hill

11-16-2009, 10:07 PM

Thanks guys.

Gwyn, you can have them back when you prise them from my cold, dead hands!!

Joe, not entirely sure that it is just the project that is insane!

Chris, cheers mate.

The constant battle is to produce parts that fit in with Gwyn's. Not easy for a non tradie, non artiste like me. It is comming along nicely now though and the metalwork is getting easier as I learn. The next job is the wood seat and then making the other side cockpit coaming. THAT is not a nice job and matching it to the right side will be "interesting" no doubt.

thanks again guys, always nice to get some encouragement in my delusions!

Darryl

Tony Hill

03-03-2010, 07:09 AM

Well, a long while between posts..a lot of jungle, some bad luck, some carelessness and some challenges in between.....but I made it here at last.
This weekend has been spent almost entirely on the Spitfire, so some fair progress made. The upper structure (save for the door) is complete. The cockpit coaming was a terror but didn't finish up too bad I think. I also put all the labels on the main panel and temp fitted the gun sight.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/fromseat.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/front.jpg

I also finally got the compass finished and while it is not functional, it does look pretty good and unless I put the real one beside it, it is hard to tell the difference.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/forwarddown.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/compassetc-Copy.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/compas-Copy.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/fromseat-Copy.jpg
The position behind the stick and well forward makes it quite hard to see and the parallax error is huge so navigation on the compass alone must have been a nightmare.

Last of all I did up a couple of templates for the skin. I am still undecided on material but the plastic I used for the templates is pretty durable and if glued onto the formers looks like it would be quite strong. It is not too bad to work with and I may just get some more, cut better pieces and use it as the final skin. I will have to test paint some to see how well it takes. The structure may need a couple of extra longerons if I go that route, as the monocoque effect is not great with the plastic skin.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/right2-1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/right-Copy.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/right3.jpg

Lastly, before I went away, I almost finished the seat
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/seat2-1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/seat3-2.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/seat1.jpg
Once the skin is done there will only be the wiring and some detailing to do in the pit itself and the computer box and monitor tray to build (plus rearrange my whole office to cut down the desk and fit the pit in......

More soon with any luck.

Crescent

03-03-2010, 12:32 PM

Looks fantastic Tony. Good progress on the pit. Did you consider thin aluminum for the skin? I'm going to use 1/32 (20 guage) aluminum for mine. It's very flexable and easy to work over the frame. Also, where did you get the compass? Original or built?

Anderson/SBSP

03-03-2010, 08:38 PM

Wow!! Amazing work!!

Tony Hill

03-03-2010, 11:09 PM

Thank you gents,

Cresent, I considered Aluminium but it will be difficult to fix...I would need to flush rivet the whole thing instead of pop rivets as there is no inner skin or floor in the Spitfire to hide pop rivet bulges. The thin alu would also be susceptible to bending damage, kinks etc.

The compass is a mockup, made from plumbing fittings, fabricated aluminium stop lever, laser engraved numbers and n,s,e,w, and using my "3d" method of back and front engraving on several layers of acrylic. I have a real compass but don't wish to use it due to the radiation (it pegs my dosimeter at about 2 yards!) Put together they are very similar, apart the one is barely distinguishable from the other.

Darryl

Westozy

03-12-2010, 05:53 AM

Hi all,

I spent another few hours on the CNC today making switch levers for Darryl's Spitfire sim! I'll post them Monday Darryl...

http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/Spitfire-De-ice-cock.gif
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/Spitfire-air-cock.gif

Cheers Gwyn

Tony Hill

03-12-2010, 06:02 AM

Magic Gwyn,

Another fine job of work! I suppose now I will have to make the mountings this weekend.

Darryl

Kennair

03-12-2010, 06:45 AM

One word Gwyn.......F**WKD!

Ken.

Tony Hill

03-19-2010, 02:50 AM

Well, that was a ^%&& of a night wednesday!! 3 Switch Housing attempts for the IFF and three tossed in the bin (well, the last one went via the back wall of the garage...Dog well out of range!!).....but last night I went back out, made a better wooden "plug" and cut a fourth...that one worked OK, not brilliant but matchbox size is not easy to build with 2mm aluminium. The switch however fits snuggly into the housing and looks OK.

Later I built the Windscreen De-icing unit which went much more smoothly. It is currently drying its third coat of white and tonight gets the topcoat of satin black. Early next week I will get Chris to laser engrave the legend through the black into the white the same way we did on the magneto switch panel.

I'll wait 'til then so I can get some decent light and post all the detail pieces up to date.

Also wrestled with the Sutton Harness for a while but not much progress on that.

The next project will be the fairing that sits over the lines from the Chassis control to the instrument panel frame in the left of the picture of the real thing below. The small wheel is already done but nothing more.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/04es09_025.jpg

The Windscreen De-Icing Unit can be seen on the right just near the gear handle.

Some random pics:

The rear of the instrument panel with gauges fitted.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/panelrear.jpg

The gunsight cleaned up and ready to fit

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/2e42_1.jpg

The TR radio controller ready to be fitted:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/electric20controller20small201.jpg

The "real" radio unit for the sim will now be mounted in the Remote Contactor frame as I think I am out of room on the left for a mapbox

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3802.jpg

More soon

.

Chaser

03-19-2010, 03:14 AM

Beautiful work!!! She's coming along so well!! Not too long ago when I was searching for Spitfire (I still search for some of the projects I see on here in hopes I can tag something to help out), I came across some really unique pieces to a P-38 Lightning and had to talk myself down.

Definitely beautiful to see the work coming together!! I can't wait to see her taking to the skies once again!
Jon

Tony Hill

03-19-2010, 11:50 PM

Thanks Mate!

A little bit more progress before I have a weekend off...

The Fuelcock finished and ready to bolt on. It is built from some garden irrigation fittings and an old landing gear lever I had. the handle is 3mm aluminium pollished and the grip "buttons" are chromed nuts joined by a threaded rod.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Fuelcock1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Fuelcock2.jpg

Sundry Placards generously cut for me by Chris and his invaluable laser.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/placards1.jpg

A couple of better photos of the compass...again, the degrees disk by Chris and the body out of 120mm plumbing fitting with the "card" holder in 2mm aluminium and a heavy gauge screw onto angle alu. As always a great 3d effect is obtained by multiple layers of acrylic with different details etched on them and painted.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/compass1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/compass2.jpg

The completed %^%$& of an IFF Destruction unit. Save for the 1 1/2" problem with the GA drawings in the fuselage, this bit has given me more trouble than any other. About 12 hours spent on it all up to finish!! It is a whole 8" long and 2" wide. I should have just bought a housing from Spitfirespares for $300...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IFFDEST1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IFFDEST2.jpg

A nice family shot to finish..
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/group.jpg.

More later in the next week. As always, cheers for the interest.

Tony Hill

03-20-2010, 01:02 AM

And just before I pack it in for the day....

The controls now painted and ready to drop in and wire:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/controls1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/controls2.jpg

The De-icing switch, the best alu part I have made so far , very pleased. The legend should get engraved this coming week.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/deice1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/deice2.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/deice3.jpg

kermit

03-20-2010, 05:47 AM

Hi
If I wore a hat , I took it off.
It is just stunning to see such a project,
I`m very impressed by the look of something like this, it is a real tribute to the guys who were fighting for our freedom I must say.
greetz

Tony Hill

03-21-2010, 07:21 AM

I'm very glad you think so Kermit, to honour them (and particularly the relatively unknown Tony Hill) is a big part of my motivation.

Cheers mate

Darryl

Tony Hill

03-24-2010, 08:50 AM

An incredible piece of luck this afternoon....picked up the following for just $30 more than it cost me to make the replica!!!

Last time I had the oportunity to buy one it was A$900 and I saw one really bad condition that sold for $550.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/type35REAL.jpg
I am still shaking my head in disbelief!!

HitchHiker

03-26-2010, 04:04 PM

Truly amazing work Tony, look forward to your continued progress. Being a generic cockpit guy I have a deep respect for those of you that go for the replica builds, it's a massive amount of hard work and building genius!

Matt Olieman

03-26-2010, 05:44 PM

WOW Tony, Congratulations!!!!! You got be in the right place and at the right time, and you did it!!!! :) :) :)

Tony Hill

03-28-2010, 11:10 PM

WOW Tony, Congratulations!!!!! You got be in the right place and at the right time, and you did it!!!! :) :) :)

Thanks Matt,

Given the silly prices I have paid for some things it is good to have a win. I think this and the Sutton harness deal break me about even, so I guess that's as good as you can hope for.

I spent this weekend doing the housing that protects the control wires running from the Undercarriage unit. I am gradually beating aluminium. It took some difficult measuring to get it all fitting fluch after the bending of the sides and edges. Allowing for differences in length that different bends cause is not someting I have much experience with...but I resolved to cut it too long, and test fit/eyeball/trim it until it worked. It came out as well as can be expected , as did the Remote Contactor unit with the modern Collins radio inserted instead of the timer.

Pictures to follow

Darryl

Tony Hill

04-03-2010, 04:22 AM

The weekend, as usual, is not running to schedule but I will almost get there. I won't be finished the structural due to getting sidetracked on my new toy yesterday.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/btype352.jpg

The push for single exposue button is working (for taking screen shots) and the red light is functional. I have an idea for the green light but have to check if the "flashing" circuit I have will work. Otherwise I may well arm it with a flashing LED. We'll see.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/atype35.jpg
I am very happy with how close we came with the mock up. It is very close in dimensions, just a fair bit thinner than the real one and a little smaller. Still, going off scaling from photos I am pleased. The real one will now take up residence, the fake one will be converted to a junction box for the wiring.

The Windscreen De-Icing done and engraved:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/wind2.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/wind1.jpg
Remote Contactor (mounting the Collins Radio instead of the timer) is also finished and engraved.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/rem1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/remwind.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left8.jpg

On then to the U/C controller unit
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/UC_Lever_008-1.jpg
The cover that runs between the U/C unit and the panel frame was a major job. Measuring the angles and the bends to still fit squarely in the gap was a major stretch for me. I ended up leaving lots of excess and trimming it down to fit in. It compliments Gwyns U/C perfectly I think (to which i also added the small detail of the cylinder on the rear. Pictures: (I did however not notice the sawdust until after these shots DOH!!)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/uccover1.jpg http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/uccover2.jpg

I also found that I had given Gwyn the wrong picture of the Tank Pressurecock. So a little modification, a repaint and it was ready to go. Then I fabricated the front and rear plates to hold the legend and the rotary switch for thecock.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Spitfire-air-.gif
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/tankpressure.jpg
Assembled and fitted..(just some painting left to do)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3910.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left6.jpg

The new version of the IFF Destruction Unit. NO COMMENT on this, at least none that is printable..but it looks OK now (ended up changing to a bigger "Emergency" warning label as Gwyn has agreed to make me a scale Emergency Undercarriage Lowering bottle , handle and valve, so it will be nice to draw more attention to it!!.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/bIFF2.jpg

Another gratuitous compass shot...simply because I LOVE this bit!!!
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/compass.jpg
The current "persons of interest"
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3888.jpg

And to finish for the day, a fairly busy section of "Spitfireville", the right hand side almost complete and test fitted before the skinning starts:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left1-1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left2.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left3.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left4.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left5.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left7.jpg

Well, a solid couple of days..tomorrow has to go because of family stuff unfortunately but Monday will be all building..hopefully to skinned stage still?? Paining next weekend, wiring weekend after? We'll see....

Tony Hill

04-05-2010, 10:05 AM

A VERY belated thanks to Hitchhiker. Generic cockpits are, however, much more useful...the range of aircraft properly flyble from the Spitfire cockpit is fairly small! Cheers mate.

Another frustrating day. I got playing around with the radiator shutter handle. I have a Dowty switch to use as a "base" and I was going to just tack on a wood handle....then I got thinking about how the real thing works. It has a button on top which releases a tang from a gate so the handle can move. After some mental gymnastics, I realised that if I cut slots in the bottom of a metal tube handle, I could slide a wingnut up into them on a piece of threaded rod, lock at the bottom and have a compression spring to hold the tang (wingnut "ears") in the gate ... push down and hey presto...out of the gate. It is about half finished and seems to work well so far. Pictures later in the week.

Darryl

See Gwyn, you are becoming a BAD influence**G**

Tony Hill

04-06-2010, 07:55 AM

An unexpected few minutes with the camera tonight...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/radlever1.jpg

The Radiator Shutter Lever in progress. I cut two grooves up either side of a steel tube. Screwed a butterfly nut (wingnut) on the end of a threaded rod (with a locking nut) put a couple more along the length to stop the "play" inside the tube and topped it off with a nylex locking nut "button".
The bottom wooden stopper doubles as a mount for the Dowty switch.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/radlever3.jpg
When the button is depressed the against a compression spring it moves the butterfly nut down and this will disengange it from a "gate". The gate will have positions for each of the of the switch (four ..corresponding to Open, cruise, guns warm and closed, the four normal shutter positions.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/radlever2.jpg
The gate and mount is the next job.
The Morse Key mounting is my first compound curve (I cheated with the cockpit coaming) achieved by bending over and around an old jar lid. A simple looking piece but not easy to make. I think it came out satisfactorily though.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/morse11.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/morse12.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/morse13.jpg

A few of the progress on the left cockpit wall.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left11.jpg
The Throttle is painted, the handles painted and clearcoated, the red boost cut out now adjusted to the right colour, the mounting made more secure and I just need to make the "Airscrew Control" legend to go on the black lever closest. I think I will leave the others bare metal for effect.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left12.jpg

The great Trim Wheel Gwyn made is, in some respects like the later ones and in others like the earlier version. As the primary focus is now the Spitfire 1A / 2A, I painted in the centre and it is now very like the early model. (another jar lid as a painting mask!!) The rudder trim is still wrong (Mustang) but I will replace that in due course.
All the levers, panels, handles and trims have now been clear coated and the duller finish is more in line with a warbird.
I've also added a third switch housing to the bottom of the other two ...so now have Pressure Head Heat, Fuel Pump (not strictly a Mk 1 or 2 feature!) and a Camera Master. I still need to get the chains to run dummies from the trim wheels.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/left13.jpg
That's about it for now.

Tony Hill

04-11-2010, 09:07 AM

The final test fit before pulling all the non essential stuff out and skinning the outside. Then on to painting next weekend. Pictures:
The front frame of the canopy section covering the accumulator and radios is where the sim ends at the back. I have now made this canopy frame from alu. In it the circular button at the top is for "canopy open/close" in FSX. This positioning means that to open or close the canopy you need to bring your hand up and over your head just as in the real thing. Hopefully a nice extra little touch of immersion.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3931.jpg

The sutton Harness is just draped over the seat for this test fit. It will be installed tomorrow or Wed night.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3932.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3924.jpg

The view behind the panel.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3930.jpg

The engine instruments and fuel controls. It has never struck me until now how logically and conveniently placed all of these are, I have read criticisms of teh layout before today...can't understand them now. Just out of frame to the left of the Kygas is the main fuelcock.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3938.jpg

The "six pack"
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3935.jpg
The other side.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3940.jpg

The Full monty.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3942.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3934.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3933.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3927.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3921.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3920.jpg

I am so close now, I can smell it!!

Anderson/SBSP

04-11-2010, 11:51 AM

This is a masterpiece!! Congrats for all!! Amazing.:D

Tony Hill

04-11-2010, 11:57 AM

Thanks Anderson. All the extra hours (and dollars) trying to get things "just so" seem worth it when you get nice comments such as yours. Deeply appreciate it mate!!

Darryl

capetonian

04-11-2010, 04:12 PM

Thank you for your comments regarding our build. My son and I had a good look at your thread today. As a keen Spitfire lover (the IXc is my favforite, with the Vb coming in second) I must say I am really jealous of your craftsmanship. Keep it up!!

Tony Hill

04-11-2010, 11:41 PM

Thanks mate. The spitfire has always been my favourite. The early models mainly. After the IX they went downhill a bit I think...

and of course, if it doesn't have a Merlin, it ain't a REAL Spitfire.

Your project is amazing and great to see a father and son effort.

Tony Hill

04-21-2010, 10:00 AM

New update. Getting very close to finished now.

First some detail shots of the interior
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/interior1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/interior2.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/interior3.jpg
They pretty much speak for themselves.

The seat..with Sutton Harness now fitted (the other two straps will be attached, one behind the seat and one through and onto the back of the sim with an elastic "inertia lock real".
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/seat1-1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/seat2-2.jpg
Armour plate waiting for it's next coat of paint.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/armour1.jpg
A closer look at the undercarriage unit fairing
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/uccover.jpg

The bottom frame of the bullet proof windcreen with the sides of the front canopy frame.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/windscreen1.jpg
Most of the bits to fix back in..the Lightbulb holder arrived an is currently drying..thank you Spits!
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/group-1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/bits1-1.jpg

The "sound system"
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3960.jpg

The top coat of Cabots is on but isn't as shiny as I'd hoped. I think I will go get a gloss and use that for another top coat. Sorry but the flash obscures some of the features
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/MoodyFull.jpg

And the final for tonight...the "signwriting". Painted by putting a cut stencil (adhesive) on the wall..had some fun with that twisting and sticking to itself but we got there. Pay no attention to the rough green line...that will be covered by the windscreen frame.

the shiny glow around the Moody Blue" is the "cloud" I painted on to break up the outline.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Moody1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Moody2.jpg

More to come Saturday night chaps

Steve A

04-21-2010, 10:17 AM

Awesome project and such a wonderful aircraft

Tony Hill

04-21-2010, 12:03 PM

Thanks mate, yep, she's a keeper.

Anderson/SBSP

04-24-2010, 09:41 AM

Wow!! amazing!!

388TH_A

04-24-2010, 11:25 AM

VERY NICE! Great JOB

Trevor

Westozy

04-27-2010, 03:55 AM

Hi all,
Darryl came up to Perth to collect this part for his Spitfire, no doubt we will be seeing pics of it installed soon. It's a replica CO2 cylinder which was used to hopefully blow down the landing gear in the event of a hydraulics failure. Thanks for lunch and free entertainment Darryl!!!
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/Spitfire-cylinder-1.gif
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/Spitfire-cylinder-2.gif
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/Spitfire-cylinder-3.gif

Cheers, Gwyn

Chaser

04-27-2010, 11:00 AM

Man.....that project is looking absolutely incredible!!! Glad to see this coming to fruition.
Jon

Tony Hill

04-28-2010, 10:37 PM

Thanks Gwyn & Jon

Ok, a series of the real thing and then mine to as she is now:

1
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Spitfire10cockpit.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aspitfireleft.jpg

2
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/001_kpit_003.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aspitfiretopback.jpg

3
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/04n_15_023.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aspitfireright.jpg

4
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/448762773_0399812d86.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aspitfiretrhoughdoor.jpg

And some gratuitous detail and general shots:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aspitfirefront.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aspitfirerear.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aspitfirefront1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aspitfirerightdetail.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/aspitfireside.jpg

Still a lot to do to make her "flyable" but sitting in her now is great. The leather seat back and headrest are being done, and Spits is making teh door mechanism for me..thanks mate...so it is all go. Hopefully an update soon.

Westozy

04-28-2010, 10:41 PM

And I get to fly it next week - whooo hooooooooo chocks away Ginger, tally ho, pip, pip....

Cheers Gwyn!!

Tony Hill

04-29-2010, 02:18 AM

And I get to fly it next week - whooo hooooooooo chocks away Ginger, tally ho, pip, pip....

Cheers Gwyn!!

Still hoping to have it flyable to a basic level by then Gwyn but work has piled onto me at the moment.

I'll let you know.

Darryl

Westozy

04-29-2010, 02:57 AM

[QUOTE=Tony Hill;103590]Still hoping to have it flyable to a basic level by then Gwyn but work has piled onto me at the moment.

Your not alone there Mr Crusoe!!! I'll wait for bells and whistles and a 2.6m curved projection system so make it a fortnight after!!!

Gwyn

Tony Hill

04-29-2010, 04:02 AM

22nd of May sounds good..and a safe bet. We'll aim for that then. Bring some wrestling gear as well :)

Tony Hill

05-06-2010, 07:30 AM

A brief "update" well, actually a step backwards (thank you so much Andy!!!...MATE :) :) :)

I now find I need to build yet another camera control. The Camera Selector Unit. Until now I had never seen one, couldn't find one and was going wing it with a 3 position switch. OFF/Oblique/Vertical. But Andy to the rescue with a picture of the unit.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/CockpitPortsidePR1XI.jpg

It seemed to have three switches and lights, and what I thought was a fuse box...details Andy confirmed for me soon after when he found the diagram:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/CameraSelectorUnit1.jpg

Luckily I have three supercharger type switches spare, two lights (and just found a third) and stumbled upon a fuse box that is very close or identical, provided it is the size i think it is when it arrives. It is a Type G fuse box...I don't suppose anyone can say "yep, that was the type used in the Camera Selector"?? And into the bargain I picked up a shallow two way AM switch for the OFF toggle!

More work but all for the good I suppose. A genuine thank you Andy.

.

Tony Hill

05-06-2010, 07:31 AM

ISeat is now with the Upholsterer for the cover and the head rest.

A week or two

Tony Hill

05-08-2010, 01:49 PM

A few spare moments only but a start to the hydraulic and pneumatic lines.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3972.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3973.jpg

Anderson/SBSP

05-08-2010, 02:07 PM

WOW!!! Amazing!!

Tony Hill

05-08-2010, 10:12 PM

Thanks Anderson. More next weekend with any luck.

capetonian

05-09-2010, 04:33 AM

A few spare moments only but a start to the hydraulic and pneumatic lines.

Excuse me, you are supposed to post pics of your sim, not of a real aeroplane.....

Eer, ..hang on a sec .....

Seriously, . it looks bloody awesome , .... Tally Ho!!

Tony Hill

05-09-2010, 05:27 AM

Thanks mate, I agonised over using PVC irrigation line or copper tubing or brass tubing for ages. I knew nothing about bending pipe until yesterday!! I settled on copper instead of brass because that was what was available yesterday. As the aircraft seems to have used some copper and some brass, I'll live with it for now.

kermit

05-09-2010, 05:41 AM

Hi, If you want real clean bents ,
you can fill the copper tubes with very fine sand and heat it over a flame untill the tubes start to change colour.
then you can use any circular sample for bending without the need of using special tools.
For special bents you can heat the tubes untill the colouring stops and let it cool down,
the tubes stay very soft again fill the tubes with sand and bend it to your likings.
The sand keeps the tubes round instead of going into oval shape if done correctly.
greetz

Westozy

05-09-2010, 07:24 PM

Hi Darryl, if you buy copper tube in a coil, it is already annealed (softened), and can easily be bent by hand!

Your sim looks fantastic, it has been a pleasure to make parts for it!

Cheers, Gwyn

Tony Hill

05-09-2010, 09:52 PM

Thanks Kermit..I'll try that trick where the bends are too tight or close together to use the bending tool.

Gwyn, cheers mate..The coils are what I bought. Nice stuff.she will be a little longer to be flyable now as I can't get time on the tools to do the big assembly that is left..the monitor tray. The neighbours don't seem to like me running the saws and drills at 23:30!!

It will be late June now before I can do that...NOT happy. I have managed to get the slide pots installed for the Mixture and Prop Pitch....you did me the great favour (or Supermarine did with their design??) of making the throw on those levers pretty much exactly the length of the slide pots!

So all that remains now is for Leo Bodnars card to arrive, the wiring to be completed and the monitor tray and she will be "basically" flyable. The detailing will probably go on for years :(

Tony Hill

05-19-2010, 08:44 AM

The Seat upholstered and the head pad done. He did a great job on both...the seat pad is a "private purchase" item, longer in the back than standard issue (as I am getting too old for hard seats fro 3-4 hours at a time.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_3979.jpg

Westozy

05-20-2010, 12:53 AM

Gwyn, cheers mate..The coils are what I bought. Nice stuff.she will be a little longer to be flyable now as I can't get time on the tools to do the big assembly that is left..the monitor tray. The neighbours don't seem to like me running the saws and drills at 23:30!! (

Saws and drills, I've heard of those hehe... Started your valve thingy, it will be ready for your visit!

Cheers, Gwyn

Tony Hill

05-20-2010, 06:54 AM

Saws and drills, I've heard of those hehe... Started your valve thingy, it will be ready for your visit!

Cheers, Gwyn

:) :)

Great news....I will phone you shortly with another little job to fit in between all things 777.

Darryl

Tony Hill

05-22-2010, 01:27 AM

Just ordered from Sefton Clothing Co:

Late pattern Type C Helmet
Type E* Oxygen mask

All fully wired and spliced to a NATO plug, for which I can plug a converter straight into the computer!

I also have a line on an early type Landin Lamp lowering unit.

Not much else done as work is too flat out ATM

graemesmith

05-29-2010, 07:24 PM

The position behind the stick and well forward makes it quite hard to see and the parallax error is huge so navigation on the compass alone must have been a nightmare.

Actually no. The reason is that it is an Admiralty Pattern Small Boat Compass of the "grid" type - designed for this situation. If you look at your original with the moving card the procedure would run:

- Release the lock on the top rotating ring and dial on the course you want to fly. Lock the ring.
- Fly round the sky till the card floating in the bowl lines up with the two parallel "lubber" lines on the rotating top ring. This is actually easy to judge from just about any angle as the eye/brain is very good at judging when two sets of lines are parallel. Even when viewed from difficult angles. There is no reason to read the numbers. You just need to fly keeping the sets of lines parallel.
- Then dial the course on the gyro compass on the blind flying panel and uncage the gyro. Fly on Gyro which is in the important 6 instruments.
- Every 10-15 mins check the gyro against the magnetic compass (because the gyro tends to precess).

In practice you hardly ever use the compass except for quick checks.

Those P8 compasses were VERY popular in the UK on small yachts till the late 1970's. With no GPS, Loran or Decca on small yachts we used to navigate for real - just like Spitfire pilots did. With a small yacht heaving around like an airplane - you needed a simple system to stay on course. Keeping the lines parallel after dialing on the course was the way to do it. And of course we were always told we were using "Spitfire" compasses. Though in reality Spitfires were using boat compasses.....

Tony Hill

06-01-2010, 03:19 AM

Actually no. The reason is that it is an Admiralty Pattern Small Boat Compass of the "grid" type - designed for this situation. If you look at your original with the moving card the procedure would run:

This is actually easy to judge from just about any angle as the eye/brain is very good at judging when two sets of lines are parallel. Even when viewed from difficult angles. There is no reason to read the numbers. You just need to fly keeping the sets of lines parallel.

- Every 10-15 mins check the gyro against the magnetic compass (because the gyro tends to precess).

In practice you hardly ever use the compass except for quick checks.

Keeping the lines parallel after dialing on the course was the way to do it. And of course we were
always told we were using "Spitfire" compasses. Though in reality Spitfires were using boat compasses
.....

Thanks Graeme, we will agree to differ I fear. (but I welcome friendly discussion any time).

I've used the P8 (or P11 which is idetical in all important respects) in Tigermoths and it is a good
compass..but there it is in clear view over the top of the stick, not hidden half behind a spade grip. A
position which also introduces a curve and another straight line (column spade and straight edge) into
the field of view. It is not a particularly stable compass and in any sort of weather does not settle at all
well, which makes keeping an exact course difficult. As I said, I would have nightmares if navigating
just by it alone.

A DG is also only as good as the accuracy of it's setting against the compass...and the numbers must
be read for that. A preflight check I have read for the Spitfire is "allign DG to runway heading" rather than
Compass. The constant weaving on taxi (voluntary AND involuntary due to the fully castoring tail wheel)
is unsettling to a modern Whisky Compass, let alone that bowl of oil!

You must also remember that in a small yacht you are making what, 5-6 Knots? That gives you a fair
few oportunities per hour to average out the movement, take landmark sightings, chart readings
triagulations etc. In the Tiger' that is 60mph (50odd knots) In a Spitfire cruising at 250mph you have
barely 1/40th of those oportunities. And that is assuming that you can see the ground through the
cloud in sufficient detail to make an assessment (usually done in a Spitfire by rolling 90 degrees
to look straight down, a game not conducive to settling the compass).
At 25,000 a Spitfire's wing covers the whole of south east England (Johnnie Johnson, if memory serves)

A noted Spitfire Recce pilot (whose name escapes me for the moment but whom I could chase up
easily enough) said that it was barely possible to fly within 5 degrees of planned course . 5 deg being
considerable error over, say, 350 odd miles.

The distinct lack of anchorage or sheltered cove in which to take a break and consider the next course
is merely an unpleasant bonus, as is the certain knowledge that what goes up must come down! :)

cheers

Darryl

graemesmith

06-01-2010, 07:38 AM

friendly discussion

Same back!

A noted Spitfire Recce pilot ....... said that it was barely possible to fly within 5 degrees of planned course . 5 deg being
considerable error over, say, 350 odd miles.

You are lucky if a small yacht can achieve +/- 10 degrees

The distinct lack of anchorage or sheltered cove in which to take a break and consider the next course

What anchorage? You have to find it first!! :-) Fog=cloud or fog, Tide=Winds aloft, Sea State=Turbulence, Anchorage to consider next course=handy airstrips dotted all over the clouds to let you take a break! ;-)

Couple it to the fact that a yacht engine would often hit resonance with the P8 card which would proceed to circle the bowl at often impressive speeds.

Let alone that bowl of oil!

There's your problem! Every P8 I ever came across was filled with alcohol. Mix the oil and alcohol and it turns milky white. No wonder you can't see it!! :-) :-)

Alcohol made them lively to respond but slow to settle.

Tony Hill

06-01-2010, 09:48 PM

Alcohol made them lively to respond but slow to settle.

Has much the same effect on me!

Tony Hill

06-03-2010, 10:47 AM

A couple of late night sessions to save my sanity:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/camsel3.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/camsel1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/camsel2.jpg

I used a red light for Port Camera, Blue for Oblique and green for Starboard. Not sure what colour they really were, probably all red? Anyway, I'm happy enough. I also chose grey to match the Type 35 controller...I guess that would have been the colour.

I'm not at all happy with the label but when I get a minute I will impose on Chris's good nature yet again. I will also need him to do a couple of labels for the Lamp unit.

Also a bit of a start on the Landing Lamp Unit.

The handle is spring tensioned and feels very like operating a bowden cable..it is not/won't be linked to any electronincs, just there for the look of it. Gwyn turned an endcap for me. I made the rest. (except of course the flap lever,)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/ll1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/ll2.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/ll3.jpg

More later, late now.

Tony Hill

06-21-2010, 09:32 PM

At last a bit of progress. 3 full days work I had set aside turned into two half days..but never mind.

Before:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/ll1.jpg

The completed Landing Lamp Unit:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/LLUNITF1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/LLUNIF2.jpg

I am half way through a respray of the interior to this new green colour..still not quite right but as close as I am going to try to get.

I spent a lot of extra time on the LLU because of the great pictures I had access to. Thanks mate!!

It is a nice looking unit and it looks great mounted under the panel. I just have to do a legend for it and finish the painting in the area and it can go back in. Pictures then!

The radiator shutter lever has been ditched and I have ordered another which will look spot on and work of a pot for controlling radiator shutters (or cowl flaps in GA aircraft Thunderbolt etc.)

More soon hopefully.

Anderson/SBSP

06-22-2010, 05:49 AM

Awesome!!! Congrats my friend!!

Tony Hill

06-23-2010, 12:39 AM

Thanks Anderson!!

Getting closer now.

A few of the improved CSU:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/camseltop.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/camseltag.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/camsellabelnew.jpg

Kennair

06-23-2010, 06:42 AM

Darryl, your attention to detail is astounding. I look forward to perusing it sometime.

BTW, how do you think a 777 would stack up against the Spitty in a dogfight? :p

Ken.

Tony Hill

06-23-2010, 09:12 PM

Thanks Ken,

You are most welcome down here any time.

Spit versus 777? I think the jet wash would be a huge problem for the Spitfire!

I did see a Chiuaua kill a Doberman once though....,,

It got stuck in the Doberman's throat
:)

Tony Hill

07-06-2010, 01:54 AM

OK, finally some photos of the Throttle (and you can see the new better green interior as well).

1. Closed position, Prop Pitch full fine...as you would leave the aircraft.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/t1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/t6.jpg

2. Maximum weak mixture setting with the mixture lever (left) at its full travel. The throttle can be moved forward from here but will exceed the allowable boost if weak mixture is selected. When the throttle is closed from here it takes the mixture back with it to "rich" (fully back) position, so the engine can not be run at weak mixture and low power, which causes detonation if allowed to happen.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/t5.jpg

3. The warning horn switch (rear) and undercarriage indicator power switch(forward).

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/t8.jpg

4. The label for the throttle...carved with an engraving dremel bit into the wood handle I made.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/t9.jpg

5. Full rated boost with the throttle at the forward stop...if moved a little left from here it can be pushed further forward to the takeoff setting (or to full boost if the boost override cutout is flipped. I've just noticed that this setting is NOT safe as the mixture is "weak"..it should be pulled back fully...Ill catch **** from the Mechanic for that!!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/t4.jpg

6. Top view..you can see the stop on the left for the mixture at half way...also the forward stop for Rated Boost and then the slip chanel of the gate to go sideways and a little further forward into Take off Boost.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/t3.jpg

And a couple of the monitor tray now ready to be installed after the wiring is finished.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/tray2.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/tray1.jpg

1995Dada

07-13-2010, 09:33 AM

does somebody haves the correct measurements for me?
my project mail = spitcockpit@gmail.com
greetz,
dada1995

Tony Hill

07-29-2010, 08:10 AM

SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last night I battled the million little problems that always plague something that is “practically finished”. But all the frustration was worth it. By 23.30 I was ready and called my long suffering wife in. I had decided to give her first flight. It was actually more fun to watch I think. Unfortunately the video battery died but I was NOT postponing.

After a 10 minute briefing on procedures etc, she went through the startup drill (with minimal prodding) and that beautiful Merlin roared to life. Takeoff was “interesting” but basically safe. The U/C “up” was flawless, no Spitfire wobble at all….bi7ch!!!! 

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/overhead1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/sidea2.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/sidea3.jpg

There followed a 32 minute flight where she chased a few AI around Biggin Hill, beat up a small field nearby (not sure which, but they will have rung the authorities by now  ), tested the instruments and after an aborted first circuit made a very passable “wheeler” landing back at Biggin. The brakes unfortunately proved very effective at the end of the landing run .... but nothing a new prop won’t fix. 

She is definitely a fan now and I got the nod of approval on my building. Seeing the War Office get so excited about something like that is a rare privilege indeed!

So then it was on to the advanced air test. It all felt quite natural getting her started. The temps came up fairly quickly as the engine was still hot from Tracey’s flight, so a quick taxi was in order (thankfully the ground run tests had honed my skills on the brakes). Without much pre-flight (Fuel, mixture, prop pitch, elevator trim, temps and throttle ) I let off the brakes and eased the throttle forward at about the same rate as my right leg. A bit of right aileron as well. When the tail came up though she gave a kick to the left and I needed to boot in more right rudder. (I have read where some pilots use their feet rather than setting the rudder trim, as you have to retrim immediately after takeoff in any case and the rudder forces are not huge …I tried this and think it is probably the method I will adopt permanently…you just need to watch the kick as the tail comes up..standard tailwheel flying stuff really). In what seemed like a heartbeat she was airborne and it was time for the U/C. A little bit of porpoising (and a raised eyebrow from the War Office!) and we were off. +6 Boost and 2650 and she climbs like a homesick angel. Level off at 5,000 just under 2 minutes later. Time for a HASEL check. That done, into the test.

The controls are great. Full stop. The aircraft should be and is, VERY sensitive in pitch. Very small movements fore and aft are necessary OR in fact desirable. The total travel is only about 22deg full forward to full back. In tests they found that in a steep turn, a backwards pull of only ¾ of an inch is enough to induce pre stall buffet. The A2A model is not quite that severe but almost. Tight turns are a joy though.

Next came a couple of lazy slow rolls. For me as an aerobatic pilot, flying a roll without feet on the rudder pedals is counter-intuitive. But the Spitfire does this admirably. I could almost hear the “aaahhhhh’s” from people on the ground 

Then I tried some square rolls. WOW!!!!!! The first was spot on with perfect 90deg angles and a nice little “cough” while inverted. The next two I got cocky and missed the angles by 5-10 degrees….oh well. Not the aircraft’s fault.

On to the Cuban eights as a pre-requisite for a full loop. First one worked a charm and I used a normal half roll off the top of both halves. The second was also great and I threw in spirited square half rolls for good measure. The cockpit handles it all very nicely.

A loop was next and that went off without a hitch, although you need to be very careful on the pullout as the whole world gets grey pretty quickly. (note to self, rig a G Meter somewhere).

I left the Stall Turn until after all this, as they are not all that easy. I find that in the Spitfire there is a nasty surprise (the model, I wonder if the real one is the same?) The fact that the controls remain effective right down to the stall means that it hard to judge when to do the “turn” part of “stall turn”. The first one I fell into through too much rudder authority and was lucky to avoid a spin. The second I tail slid out of because I held on too long (…not a nice feeling in real life). The third was perfect.

I’ll leave the “Upward Charlies” until I get a better feel but want to get at least two in a row out of her.

Last but not least was a shallow dive at full boost reaching 390mph from 6,000ft. As fast as I wanted to go first up and ending at 1000ft. Then I dodged trees back to Biggin for a “run and break”.

The circuit was a bit wide but the speeds were spot on and she settled into a perfect three pointer at 65mph.

WHAT A BUZZ!!!!!!!!

A few shots, video asap.

The office.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/overhead3.jpg

From rear starboard quarter
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/overhead4.jpg

Panel
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/overhead2.jpg

Pipe detailing, right hand side.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/overhead6.jpg

Landing Lamp Unit and Compass
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/overhead7.jpg

Helmet and Masks
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/helm1.jpg

Tony Hill

07-29-2010, 08:15 AM

does somebody haves the correct measurements for me?
my project mail = spitcockpit@gmail.com
greetz,
dada1995

Email inbound

Tony Hill

08-05-2010, 02:16 AM

Gwyn and Leonie came down on the weekend with the final piece for the Spitfire...the Radiator Shutter Lever. It is not functional in the A2A model yet but will be. We had a great fly, cracked a bottle of Moet to "christen" her and generally had a good time. No video yet but a whole lot of fun. A mate has an Irvin Jacket, so we just couldn’t resist…. It makes the whole cockpit shrink VERY quickly and you start to get a feeling for what it must have been like to sit squeezed into the Spitfire for hours. It also explains some of the “put the Spitfire on“ rather than “get into the Spitfire” which many pilots describe.

Unfortunately even in mid winter, as it is here now, the jacket is intolerably hot, so I just couldn’t wear it for long periods. In summer you would literally boil your brain.

I now have a whole new understanding of some of what Spitfire pilots faced. Maps on knees and trying to stay on course whilst barely having room to move and heaven only knows how the **** you look over your shoulder to see behind!!

Video as soon as possible, probably on Sunday.

When they will see the pig half-man:
Noise, song, battle, fighting in the sky perceived,
Nostradamus

Ready to go.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/pigs.jpg

Chocks away
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/putonweight.jpg

Easy turns.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/pan.jpg

Throwing her around
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/rollout.jpg

Hanging in the straps
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/invert.jpg

Pre landing checks
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Dive.jpg

Turning final
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/turnfin.jpg

Short final
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/shortf.jpg

Having a ball flying this baby. It’s a pity I have to work during the day!!

Kennair

08-05-2010, 03:26 AM

That is awesome Darryl! I wish I could have been there. Does that inverted shot mean you have a 7 DOF mount :)

Cheers,

Ken.

Tony Hill

08-05-2010, 04:23 AM

Hi Ken,

Any time you want to come down, there's a room free.

The inverted picture is my (soon to be patented) 7PoG model. I find that after 5PoG the room spins and the extra two pints then make it stay upside down:lol:

Kennair

08-05-2010, 05:34 AM

Ahh, yes I see now. Sometimes called the hops effect or down your way, the Cab Sav effect. Darn good addition to any home sim I must say.

Ken.

Tony Hill

08-07-2010, 06:19 AM

Cheers, I just have to organise a "fuel bowser" to keep up the rate!

:)

jackwall

08-24-2010, 11:11 AM

Just read this entire thread .... having had the thread's link forwarded by Gwyn. I'd probably have found it eventually, but glad for the bump!
I'm starting in this world of flight sim with a modest Cessna 172P simpit. However, long time growing aspirations for building a Spitfire bubble every so often and what a motivation this thread has been.

The fabrication is truely amazing [kudos to all involved].

I've got a question to clear up .... Looking a Gwyn's master class in fabrication earlier in the thread [the rudder pedals], I can see yaw control but where was the brake control?

Now I learn that the brakes in a spitfire are hand lever controlled and not rudder applied ...right?

Happy flying

Jack

Tony Hill

08-26-2010, 01:18 AM

G'day Jack,

That is almost correct. The hand lever activates a valve which releases stored pneumatic pressure (courtesy of an engine driven pump and two cylinders at 200psi) to the brakes. The pedals actually share this pressure between brakes, so at neutral both brakes get even pressure. If one pedal is depressed, this directs more pressure to that side. So turning on the ground is done by means of pulling the hand lever and then depressing the appropriate pedal. (a little power helps too of course but must be used VERY carefully).

Now FSX does not replicate that but after giving some thought to how I wanted it to work and some discussion with Gwyn he came up with a practical solution....
A 3/4 pull of the lever (achieved by keeping the bottom two fingers on the spade and pulling the lever up against them) closes a switch which makes the left and right brake circuits available. Two switches on the left and right rear of the rudder bar can then be closed by pushing the appropriate rudder to near full travel. The "full" pull without fingers in between, causes BOTH brakes to activate.

It is an acceptable compromise, particularly for the early, small rudder, Spitfires with fully castoring tail wheel, as they are never turned with anything less than agressive use of rudder and brake.

The real problem came with getting the "feel" of hand braking as the Spitfire is also notoriously nose heavy on the ground and anything more than a gentle prod tends to lift the tail at once. Wise Spitifre pilots do not use the parking brake for "run ups" as if it begins to tip, there is no way to disengage it quickly enough to let the aircraft run forward rather than nose over.

Even Carolyn Grace managed to have a "prop strike" a little while back, after all her hours on the Spitifre!! Hers was a taxiing accident if memory serves.

Thanks and glad you enjoyed the thread!

regards

Darryl

Crescent

08-26-2010, 10:51 AM

Awesome work Darryl. Glad to see you're up and flying!

jackwall

08-26-2010, 11:19 AM

Cheers Darryl, inventive and practical solution from a sim perspective.

I'd always assumed the Spitfire used conventional braking but then again, I'd initially assumed the stick was convention too.

....and nose heavy, this characteristic appears to be mimicked well in the sims I've played ..... My early landings were horrible. LOL ....... nothing to do with me noobness of course!!!

Wish you many hours a fun.

Jack

Tony Hill

08-28-2010, 05:16 AM

Awesome work Darryl. Glad to see you're up and flying!

Cheers mate!!!

Any progress on the Lanc?

Tony Hill

08-28-2010, 05:18 AM

Thank you. It is a blast. The real trick with teh spitfire on landing is to get slow enough...she is controlable right down to the stall practically. The most common problem is too fast, too high and then try to "fly her on". Doesn't work in a 172, deadly in a Spitty!

Tony Hill

09-06-2010, 12:15 AM

Thanks mate!!

First rough video. A lot of room to grow with the new video software but this is my first attempt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVfeiBX7Aww

Concentrates on visuals and a few gauges rather than an overall view of the pit.

Anderson/SBSP

09-06-2010, 11:12 AM

Wow!!! Great vid, and nice flight!!

Tony Hill

09-06-2010, 09:51 PM

Thanks Anderson.

jackwall

09-15-2010, 04:42 AM

Fantastic sounds there too ... Oh I need more time ... work is really getting in the way!!!

Tony Hill

09-19-2010, 12:24 PM

The latest video guys.....this time just the instruments and the cockpit.

It starts with a general look around, preflight check of the switches, levers etc then moves on to startup, warm up checks (the radiator temp needs to get to 60 or 70 which gives time to check the flaps, adjust the elevator trim and set the Altimeter to airfield height). Next is the preflight mag check, CSU, idle check (very important in the Spitfire, as excessive idle RPM can make it VERY difficult to land) and then, as temps are getting warm, takeoff. The video ends with gear up and set 0 boost 2400 RPM.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFJHBSX9Ps0

Hope you enjoy it. Next will be a video that combines "in cockpit" and "on screen" views.

Anderson/SBSP

09-19-2010, 01:30 PM

Amazing, wonderfull!!! Perfect!! Congrats my friend!!

Tony Hill

09-20-2010, 09:59 PM

Thansk Anderson and neilh,

Glad you enjoyed it. Next up will be a mixture of cockpit, panel and "out the window" views

jackwall

09-21-2010, 03:57 AM

Another little gem with awesome sound. [I keep saying that!].

Did you place speakers in the cockpit area as a matter of interest?

It looks cosy and tight in there too which I assume is very realistic based on my limitied opportunity to see a real cockpit.

The engine kickover and the tick over at low rpm's is another ... pure music. Realair did a good job there!

You must be really pleased with the gauges ... they seem are well worth it. The boost gauge's Red bezel immediately attracts the eye. Seeing them in their intended setup is impressive.

Fly safe

Tony Hill

09-22-2010, 12:31 AM

Cheers mate!,

The sound is actually routed through the flying helmet and mask. The sound in the videos is actually a cheat...I dropped the .wav files directly into the video program and then mixed them into the film!! That is why the sound is so good...it isn't re-recorded.

The speakers in the pit idea I did try and it was FANTASTIC but the vibration and several thousand dollars worth of gauges aren't a good mix.
The gauges are just great and flying by them is very natural. The size, shape and proximity of the panel makes it feel very much like real flying. and I hardly notice the onsceen instruments any more.

The tickover is a bit of a mix...none of the sim is Realair anymore, I am not a fan of their Spitfire after extensive testing (and after they stopped replying to my emails when I asked them about "unusual" Spitfire IX performance figures. ) The model is A2A Simulations but I admit I poached the "low revs" and "startup" sounds for the video from the JustFlight BoB release (and in my opinion they are the ONLY parts of that model that are worth having!!)

The cockpit is VERY tight with bulky gear on and from my Tigermoth flying days I know that it will be even tighter once the door is on. Even reading a map is problematic.

Anyway, more soon, cheers again

Darryl

jackwall

09-22-2010, 03:46 AM

Darryl,

:oops: you did mention A2A earlier but I missed that. Valuable observations regarding the sim models and something to bear in mind. Thanks for the insight. Great idea on the sound files .... it really really works and adds to the immersion.

I hadn't really considered the vibration issues with speakers ... hmmmm something for me to consider there!

I'm working on a two builds, with the Sim build being used as a bit of an escape [not that I escape much]. The second build is a house!!
I'm choosing to build the all the instruments [using Mike Powell's books are a guide.]
These small little projects are keeping me sane. It's a longer term project of course but there huge satisfaction to be had as well you know.

Your project has and continues to be a great inspiration.

Thanks for all the great information and the additional time you took writing it up

jack

Tony Hill

09-22-2010, 04:14 AM

Jack, my very great pleasure!

I would love to custom build some instruments but unfortuately my (rather meager) talents lie elsewhere.
Please post your progress on the C172 when you are ready, I'd love to see it. Much of my RW flying has been in them.
Maintaning that "inspiration" and enthusiasm is critical and not as easy as one might imagine. Sadly the majority of cockpit projects I have seen fall by the wayside. Although around here that is decidedly not the case.

I guess this is one reason why I bought/commissioned a LOT of the 'bits" for the Spitfire. After 4 years slaving away on an F-16 for mediocre results (flying wise) I needed a quick build. But I am well satisfied with the bits I did do, particularly designing and building the frame from the ground up.

And I am happy to see my work along side that of Gwyn and others such that it does not look at all out of place.

There is still a fair bit of detailing to go...and it WILL get done but I am "discovering" the joy of actually flying something that I built now after 6 1/2 years of pretty muchg JUST building .... something that is fully functional and leaves the keyboard out of the equation....and the F-16 will still take a considerable time to progress that far.

Keep at it and make each small piece completed a "victory". A modeller friend said to me a while back "sheesh, each bit you build is like me building a whole 1:48 scale model!!" That is actually a GREAT way to look at it!!

best regards

Darryl

jackwall

01-07-2011, 07:52 AM

Darryl,

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2011.

http://spitfiresite.com/2010/07/anatomy-of-spitfire-cockpit.html

Just came across this site [perhaps you have too, I don't know how old it is] but thought of your sim immediately and decided to post on your thread.

I'm still picking away at my C172 with house building and work still getting the lions share of my available time. And the spit plans are ever present in my head too ... just not enough hours in the day!

All the best.

Tony Hill

01-20-2011, 11:48 AM

Thanks Jack, and to you!!

Yes I have used that site from way back. Great details. And helpful too, now, as after a brief plan to convert her from a Mk IX to a Mk I, she ended up as a crossbreed Mk II and now, for a couple of reasons will end up as a Mk V. So she has seen almost as many "updates" as some of the real operational aircraft!!!!

Glad to see you are still going on the cockpit. I am still plodding away with some stuff. I will hopefully have some more soon to show.

regards

Darryl

Tony Hill

03-13-2011, 04:45 AM

Whilst the sim is apart, I have taken the opportunity to swap out some of the "temporary" bits and in the new stuff that has arrived. The fuel button now has the correct brass ring around it and the proper top swing fuel gauge has arrived and will go in this afternoon.

The rudder mechanism has to have a sleeve and bushes put into it and those are being manufactured for me by Gwyn. After the pot taking me three tries over four weeks and several hours hanging upside down, to fix, I got a whole 55 minutes flying before the pivot point failed....such is lfe.

Also just finished, Gwyn's drop tank unit he built for me.....for the Mk V when released. I will fit it in a couple of weeks when the whole lot goes back together.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Droptankday11.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Droptank004.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Droptank005.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Droptank008.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Droptank009.jpg

And the real thing in situ...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Droptank4.jpg

The pic below shows the Bowden Cable that runs from the Lever to the tap (natural aluminium). This is actually where I will be routing the wires.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/droptank-1.jpg

I try to hide wiring that comes out of "mechanical" places and shouldn't be there. The Emergency Undercarriage Bottle has its switch wires run through the CO2 pipe..hiding them and making it look like it is soley "mechanical".

Darryl

RojanTrojan

03-13-2011, 06:43 AM

Looks fantastic. The quality of the work is exceptional. Well done.

Rhydian

Anderson/SBSP

03-13-2011, 06:57 AM

For me your project is the most wonderfull and fantastic!!! Great job!!

Tony Hill

03-13-2011, 07:21 AM

Thanks Guys...still a lot to do but a lot of flying and little building lately...after nearly 7 years on building this and the F-16, I think I am due some flight time!!

Darryl

Tony Hill

03-20-2011, 11:09 AM

At last some progress on MY part...

The side wall bracket/frame which is swaged for strength and to starbord, supports the Windscreen De-iceing Pump.

The bracket is much shorter than the real one and attaches TO the frame rather than being the frame. A nice cosmetic touch though, I feel, as it is one of the more interesting structural features of the cockpit:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/StarbSide3.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/StarbSide2.jpg

And in situ..... first one mine, second picture the real thing...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/starbsideinpit1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/real.jpg

The De-Ice Pump finally in position after three repaints (one mistake and two impatience)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/dside2.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/dside1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/dside3.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/dside4.jpg

And a small "while the paint drys" job...my genuine Compass Correction Holders fitted with "repro" cards.

The Placard which goes underneath (for "with drop tank" and "without" ) will hopefully be cut this week.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/compasscards.jpg

Joe Cygan

03-20-2011, 11:49 AM

This is a spectacular job. This is by far, some of the finest work I have ever seen on anyones flight simulator, including commercial vendors.

Congrats!

Matt Olieman

03-20-2011, 12:23 PM

Absolutely AMAZING Tony. WOW!!!! I agree with Joe.

Matt Olieman

Tony Hill

03-20-2011, 01:04 PM

Thanks guys...

I have been doing some flying and maintenance lately, it is great to get back to actually "creating" something!!
I must say, I am happy and getting better at making alu stuff....still suffering from severe impatience when I get to painting and "is the paint still wet?...ahhhh, fingerprint" itis is a common disease!!

Darryl

1995Dada

06-08-2011, 05:49 PM

Hmm, maybe you can, while paint is drying, make some high-quality parts like that for me? :-)

Tony Hill

06-20-2011, 09:15 AM

:) Honestly, you wouldn't be so keen if you saw some of them up close.

Some more pics in the near future. I now have the seat parachute, K Dinghy Pack and a few other things in...the parachute necessitated the seat being lowereed by 2 1/2" which was a pain, as the bearers were solid jarrah..hard as **** to cut down.

I've also just picked up a "Ground/Flight" switch, which was about the only thing I still need for the conversion to Mk V.

Darryl

Westozy

06-20-2011, 08:07 PM

:) as the bearers were solid jarrah..hard as **** to cut down.

Darryl

Not surprised with your bandsaw!!! LOL

Gwyn

Tony Hill

06-21-2011, 11:41 PM

Ok, Ok, I'll get a new blade.....:lol:

Westozy

06-22-2011, 08:54 PM

Ok, Ok, I'll get a new blade.....:lol:

Make sure you count your fingers before you use it after that blade change, quick stocktake!!!

GP

Tony Hill

09-06-2011, 02:08 AM

Ok, a while since I had anything concrete to show (and I have actually been doing a bit on the F-16 again in between) But here is the latest:

Vent Control added under starboard coaming, Oxygen Stopc ock added, (also added a "Cockpit Heat" control which actually controls oxygen flow height) and an undercarriage warning horn cancell switch...all functional. The wires for these are all hidden in the pipework so everything mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic or cabled appears to work like that and not by electrical toggles, pots, encoders or limit switches as they actually do.

Relasered some gauges (notably the AH) , added all the pipework (mostly from aluminium but some polyethelene and some brass), added proper gun button (thanks again Tony!!) all to tighten up on the details...

Added a couple of PRU specific items (mudflap release on starboard , Amp and OAT gauges next Landing Lamp Control)

And also some general tidy up work, fuse boxes and the start of the Mk V modifications..(fuel pump switch, Oil Dilution Pushbutton and guard)

I have a ground/air switch here but I am still trying to confirm whether they were actually on the Mk V originally or have been added to the modern restorations.

Anyway, enjoy...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4181-1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4182-1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4183zzz.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4183z-1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4183l-1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4181l-1.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4194.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4193.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4190.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4185.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4189.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4186.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4195.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4188.jpg

And the result of some fossicking around the traps

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_4197.jpg

Tony Hill

12-13-2012, 05:05 AM

The biggest news I have is the arrival of an 900cm carriage lathe and a medium sized milling machine, which have allowed me to start to build what remains of the door latch (the completion of a project that fell through..)
and to build the primer mechanism out of all brass.
A small side project replaced a cracked plastic retaining block in the radiator shutter lever with an aluminium one and replaced the plastic button with aluminium also.
Slowly I am building the skills required to finish off the sim to a standard I can be happy with and this should lift my work up another notch or two!!
After the indefinite deferral of the Spit Mk V, I am now thinking seriously about converting the cockpit back to a Mk I but with "some" updates. Actually these will be "regressions" from where I am now but will look like updates.
I plan to make "blank" covers for the second fuel gauge and button and for the flaps gauge. These will then look "deleted" even though they never actually made it to the cockpit in the first place.
The undercarriage control unit is tweaking my conscience a little....if the other upgrades were done, it is almost certain that the current powered hydraulic unit would have been fitted...but the Mk I hand pump is just SOOOOO damed cool and
I now have the gear to build it.
The real thing:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/30050SHT16H.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/MK1picture.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/SpitfireMK1cockpitbroad.jpg

Of course it would mean relocating the slipper tank tap/release but I think that is a small price to pay. I may relocate it to where the map box should be low and left or rear right ... or I may just put it in a box next to the old U/C Unit....or sell them both.
Choices, choices, choices....of course Gwyn will throw a FIT!!!!!!

The P8.....

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Compass.jpg
The compass. The spider is mounted on a stepper motor and board hacked from a Flight illusion cessna compass that used to just be mounted in the main compass body. That compass was a whisky type and so the spider needed to be made to fit on top and the compass card had to be removed altogether.
The outer ring rotates to set course, the stepper turns the spider and it all works just like the original...which is NO compliment, I assure you!!! (see earlier post)

Cockpit and new screen also the extra Navigation Panel with ADF and the "second engine" panel on the right
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Cokpit.jpg

A small detail but it all helps..the Cabin heat label now on (this encoder actually controls oxygen flow altitude/rate)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/CabinHeat.jpg

The Primer mechanism...a slide pot which will use FSUIPC to send "open", "pump" and "close" codes to the sim via FSUIPC at different points on the axis. The brass rod is threaded so the primer lock can still be screwed closed/open. It will be tapped into the primer pump handle.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Primer.jpg

The hardest job so far, really, the door latch. The latch handle and rods were made for me (swapped for some laser work) but I've finished them from the rough blanks. The latches themselves were a lathe/mill combination job,my very first!!! with the square hole of the latch guide being hand finished. The claws are made from round and square steel stock and threaded together (saving me using an independant 4 jaw chuck to turn them and mill them from a single square piece.
I'm quite happy for a first try at "fitting". Making things "mate" is not at all easy
The whole assembly so far:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Doorlatches.jpg

The (front) claw and guide assembled... square holes are fun!! The finish is reasonable but not perfect..it does look a bit better "in person", the light of the flash does emphasise the ares that are not perfectly smooth....still, no excuses.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/doorlatches2.jpg

The claw of the rear latch..the second guide is still to be machined when I get some time.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/doorlatches3.jpg

And finally, an aquisition from yesterday, the very rare and, in this case still fully functional, Harness Recoil Reel. This will make the Sutton Harness fully functional and allow for the extra cockpit checks on takeoff and landing.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Reel.jpg
Not much to happen over the holidays as I am off trekking over mountains again....getting too old for that, just haven't realised it yet!!!

Darryl

Tony Hill

03-03-2013, 11:45 PM

Some very rough work on the door. This has proved to be a real challenge in that the factory drawings were inaccurate in the cockpit area so the whole sim is an inch too long. I have managed to "make" the door latch stretch but the proportions look a little off..never mind.
The real door is quite a work of art, very thin and strong and with a beautiful piano hinge base that pivots the whole thing out. It also fits snuggly into a designed recess, which was beyond me whilst using a wooden frame and plastic skin. It took me a wasted wooden blank, a small sheet of ali and about an hour to work out I was NEVER going to get it made like it really is!! So I settled on an "outside" fit of the skin, along the edge of the door "hole" in the sim and will use two or three ordinary door hinges. I wanted the door to "look" thin from the inside of the cockpit, so I made it thick enough to be strong but then made an inner skin which makes the whole thing LOOK thin when viewed from each side (and also gave me a useful cavity to hide all my dodgy joins, crossbraces and gluing!!)

I also found that to "look" square, the thing actually had to be made "out of plum" which was REALLY annoying until the outside skin went on and then it all LOOKED square...amazing and I can't explain it...just don't put a set square near it!! :)

So....The door itself, outside view.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0581_zps15ae5bf0.jpg

And inside.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0588_zps82132eb3.jpg

The Door latch, now attached to the top spar and complete except for fitting the aft latch claw and guide. The latch claw is made but the guide is this weekend's problem (hopefully).
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0580_zpsdf0c6a06.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0587_zps77846a81.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0583_zpsf56258ee.jpg

The way it works..pivot point in the centre and rotates away, retracting the claw.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0586_zps758f1b9d.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0585_zps4770a1e2.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0584_zps1a9161e1.jpg

Tony Hill

03-03-2013, 11:46 PM

The door with more detail and the bottom rail and hinge fitted. Tomorrow I will paint it after finishing the last latch guide.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/Doornearlyfin_zpsd5ea90eb.jpg

Why I haven't finished the last latch guide...
Not sure whether it is "completion anxiety" or attention to detail (let's call it attention to detail, eh??) but I didn't like the nice chromed head nuts that I had used on 1/4 bolts to secure the links in the door latch...so I spent the time available designing making and installing four brass cotter pins, as per the original.

These are 20mm long, to fit 4.6mm diameter hole and the end hole for the split pin is 2mm!! Obviously I am not going to win any machining contests just yet but I am pleased with the way they came up and all four are machined pretty much identical specs.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/cot2_zpscb5c5926.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/cotter_zps8be9868a.jpg

Temp fitted....

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/cotinsitu_zps867ef0c7.jpg

Tony Hill

03-03-2013, 11:47 PM

I guess I will just have to admit it is "completion anxiety" after all. After a late night and, um, a single drink (or maybe two) which went to my head I couldn't face the guide today....
But I DID notice that the cupscrew that is the axle for the door latch did not look right...so I turned a faux locking cap for the axle and it came up quite well.
I did manage to break my parting tool in the process (on aluminium no more/less!!) but that was not wholey uexpected as it was never quite "right" for my lathe. I will now search for a new one.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/capcupscrew2_zpsdbfd4410.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/capcupscrew3_zpsaec3e9e1.jpg

The real thing:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/03es09_013_zps5cc1ecb1.jpg

And a quick start to the paint job for the door:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/doorpain2_zps34d1c183.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/doorpaint1_zpsea4ed6ce.jpg

Tony Hill

03-18-2013, 10:15 PM

...I have now finished the door, its associated locks and the door pier and slots for the fitting. I confess that until recently (last year) I really ahd NO idea how solid chunks of metal became"things". I guess there are not THAT many people who have been living under rocks or exclusively in an office, (like I have) for 30- 40 years but for those who have, I thought I would post somee shots of the door latch guide making process.
I should say, I am probably BOTTOM of the heap here as far as metal work goes...but I hope someone else who is scared of the stuff will get some inspiration to try it!
To start I drilled the 16mm hole in the end of the bar stock, which hole will eventually become the square hole in the guide.I did this first as last time I learned that the cut down guide is not very stable in the vice, after large portions of material have been removed. Then I began to carve away the centre of the latch guide.
You can just see the edge of the hole in the right of the picture as the cutting beins.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0615_zpsea8bae07.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0616_zpse41e43c6.jpg

As material "disappears" the shape starts to look vaguely familiar.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0617_zpsc92140f5.jpg

The first (front) side finished, now time to start carving out the rear part.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0618_zpsa278490c.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0620_zps52a20bf1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0622_zps267be42b.jpg
(The middle swathe will be taken out last. On the front latch guide I used a 20mm cutter twice which caused some vibration etc..so this time I used a 16mm with a slower speed and that worked better..but meant three sections had to be cut instead of two. Time vs tool vs material..there is quite a bit to get your head around with this milling lark!!)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0623_zps25df70f3.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0624_zps8bf29896.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0625_zps11a6ac78.jpg

The job starts to look even more like a latch guide. (about an hour and a half to here with setting up, measuring and cutting)

Next, testing size, position and general comparison to the front guide.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0626_zps0f154210.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0628_zpsce4efa33.jpg

Domed rear end of guide started (at this point there is still over 1mm finishing cut to be taken off one side, you can see the hole is not central) This just fit with the bar stock size and not having to trim BOTH sides of the bar (another simple thing I had to learn LAST time!!)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0630_zps58e7283f.jpg

The small cutter machining and fine hand filing begin to convert the round 16mm hole into an 18mm x 16mm rectangular hole with squared corners.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0631_zps6f5b1262.jpg

An hour, some fine hand filing and two broken 4mm cutters later, the claw starts to get close to fitting into the (only now) "squaring" hole.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0639_zpsc79c4cea.jpg

Finished, fitted and painted. The door on half lock. Just like the original the front claw fits around the door pier on half lock. The rear claw slides into the outside hole in the seat back frame and the canopy rail (I guess that is how the real one works too, from the dimensions..but I am not sure.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0641_zps31a0a58b.jpg

And full... the front claw sits inside the door pier and the rear sits in both the holes in the frame.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0642_zpsb1800782.jpg

A very snug (MUCH to my relief!) fitting door and latch.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0643_zps54bd8f32.jpg

And the view from afar....
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0651_zps4cdf6d1e.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0650_zps69903de7.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0649_zps5934ef5e.jpg

(if you don't mention that the damned door is a different colour, even though from the same tin of paint, due to the main body floor seal coating fading over time, then I won't..

Westozy

03-19-2013, 03:24 AM

Now Tracy can lock you in and throw away the key!!!

Tony Hill

03-20-2013, 03:53 AM

:) :) :)

Tony Hill

05-24-2013, 11:31 PM

A lot has been happening here, none of it really sim related..but I did get some time a couple of weeks ago to start the Throttle Upgrade.
This will be the last major work on the Spitfire, bringing her up to full Mk I/II converted to Mk V converted to PR IV "ish" standard.

This will necessitate a complete rework of the exterior of the throttle although the main body of Gwyn's magic unit will remain.

I was lucky enough to get a casting of the original Horn Switch and this has been milled and new buttons made (finished shots to follow)

All of the bits made so far, fitted and ready to wire and paint.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/ucandthrottle_zpsc0ad943c.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/ucandthrottle_zpsc0ad943c.jpg.html)

The throttle grip:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/throtcomp_zps69b6e477.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/throtcomp_zps69b6e477.jpg.html)
This has an integral switch (camera button) which took a bit of brainwork for a non tradie such as me!! It was turned on the lathe in three parts..main body, end cap, recessed to take and retain button..and the button itself. Having had a bit of a play now, I decided to make the button concave to fit the end of the finger and this turned out OK.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/throttbody_zps131c39be.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/throttbody_zps131c39be.jpg.html)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/throtswitch_zps0dd6c007.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/throtswitch_zps0dd6c007.jpg.html)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/throtbut_zpsf2236981.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/throtbut_zpsf2236981.jpg.html)

Tony Hill

05-24-2013, 11:32 PM

The undercarriage warning horn switching unit:
Tony's (Rocketeer) marvellous casting milled out to accept the switches and buttons. The milling is a little untidy as I was getting used to the resin..very different to metal or plastic.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/ucmill0_zpsf6a4ea95.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/ucmill0_zpsf6a4ea95.jpg.html)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/ucmill1_zps47b57cf4.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/ucmill1_zps47b57cf4.jpg.html)

The switch and buttons. The top button was made in the lathe, the horn cancel button on the milling machine

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/ucbutts_zps0cf0aa13.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/ucbutts_zps0cf0aa13.jpg.html)

And finally, the first coat on the main throttle grip body.It should finish up with a high gloss black sheen.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/throtpaint_zps05c139a0.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/throtpaint_zps05c139a0.jpg.html)

Tony Hill

05-24-2013, 11:41 PM

The Horn Switch finished...just the backplate and mounting bracket to make now.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/uc2_zpsed0da637.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/uc2_zpsed0da637.jpg.html)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/uc3_zps6bf0c46b.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/uc3_zps6bf0c46b.jpg.html)

Tony Hill

05-24-2013, 11:43 PM

I put back on the original mixture lever handle Gwyn made me as well..looks better with the black throttle than my wood one I made to match the wooden handle ..the old ones;
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0649_zps5934ef5e.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/IMG_0649_zps5934ef5e.jpg.html)

The new throttle handle and Gwyn's original Mixture lever handle.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/thotfit1_zps1fe1e656.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/thotfit1_zps1fe1e656.jpg.html)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/thotfit2_zpsf29a25eb.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/thotfit2_zpsf29a25eb.jpg.html)

The next job will take more time as I need to remove the throttle altogether from the wall and pull it apart to add Tony's Chassis Indicator Horn Control unit to a newly made bracket and I will need to remake the UC Indicator switch housing to the fore as well.

Tony Hill

05-24-2013, 11:48 PM

Next is to finish the throttle, stick a magnetic cut-offswitch on the primer so that pulling it opens sends a signal, put a cutoff switch in the "full lock" door position so that the canopy opening switch won't function unless the door is full closed (to simulate the canopy rail interference) and finally, fit the sutton harness recoil mechanism. That is the Spit finished!!

Then it is back to finish a substantial rebuild on the F-16!!

Tony Hill

07-24-2013, 11:12 PM

Fitting the sutton harness tension/recoil unit in a decidedly NON standard way. I just don't have six feet of frames behind the seat to run the cable. This meant fixing the unit to the rear bulkhead and running the cable around wheels to take up the slack. The original cable broke the first time I used it, so I sourced a motorcycle clutch cable and took the WHOLE thing apart to fit that. In the end it came up well and functions perfectly...but unfortunately it is NOT a Spitifre unit, or at least if it is, it is from the rear seat of a two seater..you can see this from the frame being welded at 90 degrees from where a normal Spit unit is..necessitating an angled block being mounted to make the handle travel through the "normal" arc...no matter, it was still a very good pickup. Remembering to disengage the lock before leaning forward will be a task but the hard edges of the Sutton Harness are a very good reminder, cutting in as they do to near the collar bone and leaving bruises when you forget (ask me how I know!! :( )

The real "run"
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/30035SHT29GSuttonHarnesscop_zps3cb1aff6.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/30035SHT29GSuttonHarnesscop_zps3cb1aff6.jpg.html)

The main unit fitted and the home turned rollers to guide the cable.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0729_zpsad5f0e2c.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/IMG_0729_zpsad5f0e2c.jpg.html)

The roller unit made from scratch with 3mm aluminium, bent in the vice, a turned brass axle and turned roller. For the first time my wife, on seeing this, asked where I found it and how much it cost!!! My machine work must have improved!
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0725_zps3902a959.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/IMG_0725_zps3902a959.jpg.html)

The handle/trigger unit fitted in the cockpit. The tensioning makes it quite a job to pull it down to release the lock, just like in the real thing.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/KillratioDH/IMG_0730_zpsc761fc94.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/KillratioDH/media/IMG_0730_zpsc761fc94.jpg.html)