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Easy Built FF-55 Supermarine Spitfire Mk 1a by BillParker. Viewed 1578 times.
Build Thread
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| Image Comments |
| BillParker | 28-Sep-10 15:43 | |
| BillParker | 28-Sep-10 16:25 | | What I learned from this $20 Ebay Kit:
1.. There's NOTHING EASY ABOUT AN EASY BUILT MODEL. I've said this before, but it needs repeating. This ain't Guillow's, and is designed to be built by experienced modelers. Nothing wrong with this, but it needs to be said.
2.. Sheet the tail feathers on all planes where you can get away with it. The humidity here, (Houston) just can't be controlled. If I wait for the weather to be right to cover and dope planes, I'll have a hundred of em sitting around waiting. That just won't work for me.
3.. This was a "vintage kit" off of E-Bay, and as such came with medium silkspan for covering. Also the prop spinner was a balsa block. (a really big one... Those of us who don't have a lathe will be challenged to build a balanced prop spinner for rubber power. Then somehow cut opposing 45's into the back of it to accept the prop... I guess some guys could do it...) The new versions of this kit, as sold and shipped by Easy Built Models comes with a clear plastic molded spinner, and "Easy Built Lite" tissue in colors. Gorgeous colors, I might add, as I had the Easy Built Lite tissue, as well as a spinner shipped to me for future projects... (I have now received 2 copies of the Easy Built 50" P-40, and the Easy Built 50" Taylorcraft and will build all three U-Control for my .09 COX motor...)
4.. The 2 piece wing set-up that so many of the kit makers insist on is simply wrong. When the wing is 25 inches long on each side and has no top stringers, it's a disaster. From now on I will redesign to include the Guillow's wing saddle, buld a one piece wing, and simply do it right.
5.. Much of the plan information provided by Guillow's, specifically templature, is non existant in the plans for these kits. Wing farings, canopy glass, various intake scoops, exhaust headers, etc. have to be designed and built from the "pull a rabbit outta your hat" school of airplane modeling. On this kit, I simply didn't do most of it. I will however get busy on the P-40's... The plans are very "iffy" on the logerons and stringers as well. The plan will say, "all longerons and stringers 1/8 square balsa." The printwood formers have 1/16 by 1/8 notches. They give you lots of 1/8th stripwood, and just enuff 1/16 by 1/8 to make you very confused. I just winged it... (did it my way...) Did I mention that there's no diagram telling you where the stingers go? There ain't...
6.. Just wait till you see what they want you do for landing gear struts. The kit provided a couple of chunks of 29 pound per foot piano wire, (no, seriously) that they want cut into multiple chunks, bent and tied on with string. (don't get me started on the landing gear and string thing...) I made my own struts out of half inch hardwood dowel, and I promise they'll hold up way better than the wire deal. And then there's the famous Easy Built balsa landing gear tires... Probably won't use those on the U-Control P-40's...
7.. This was a fun build. I had no idea I would get such an education however. I bought 3 more kits from these people as I was building this, so obviously I'm not mad at em, but I will make things easier on myself with the next build. |
| MMitch2782 | 18-Apr-16 20:42 | | Hi Bill, your build was a while ago but I wanted to know if you got your Spitfire airborne under rubber. Easy Built now has a nice looking laser cut 28" wing Spit that I want to make Free Flight Rubber. I just finished a static Guillows 509 Spitfire and want to get one in the air and worry about weight. |
| BillParker | 18-Apr-16 23:07 | | That's the FF-55 kit. The BIG one. Some of these guys around here cpould maybe make that thing fly on rubber, but not me. Here's the build for the Hurricane: http://www.parkerinfo.com/ap101.htm that'll show you how it goes together. Keep in mind that most of the Easy built kits are absolutely designed to fly, but eve the EB Spitfire is not the easiest as all spitfires are tail heavy. This one is the big P-40: http://www.parkerinfo.com/ap102.htm All of these flew quite well U-Control with an .09 COX motor... |
| lukebozek1 | 19-Apr-16 06:59 | | Nice looking build. Tissue is the same in FL with the humidity, so I do it inside, with the AC on high and the wife at work. And that is a true statement, nothing easy about those kits, or GAR either. But the price is right, just add lots of extra stringers. Remember it takes about 5 hours to clear the dope fumes, and Febreze. |
| MMitch2782 | 19-Apr-16 20:54 | | Bill, thanks for Easy Built info. They have a variety of planes that interest me. Your P40 looks good. I see a Mosquito that is hard to find. And the Spit is just the right size for FF rubber. I saw a video on FF rubber by Maxfliart. I think his name is Tom Hallman. His attention to detail, weight and strength, and flying are unbelievable. I gota try it! His planes stay airborne on rubber an amazingly long time! His background music to his Youtubes is pretty good too! |
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