apemax Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 Hey all. This is the beginning of my latest LEGO project, A motorised Supermarine Spitfire. I'm going to try and pack as many functions into it as possible such as the rudder, elevator and ailerons all controlled from the cockpit, motorised engine (Also controlled from the cockpit) and working landing gear (Hopefully ). Here's my progress so far: As you can see I've done the very front section which also includes the engine. I still need to figure out how to attach the wings as well as how to do the landing gear. If anyone as any suggestions I'm all ears. I'll leave you with a few more pictures: Quote
Alasdair Ryan Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 (edited) Do you plan recreating some form of gearbox for engine speed and to generate some propeller noise? I am going to try to enter the flying themed month with something in the next month. Edited January 10, 2014 by Alasdair Ryan Quote
Hrafn Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 That's going to be huge! What scale are you working at? Quote
Gee Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 Gotta love a Spitfire. If only you could replicate the sound of that beautiful Rolls-Royce Merlin... Quote
Thirdwigg Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 If it's helpful, here is my Spitfire. It might help you with construction techniques and scaling. A word of advice, make sure you focus on structures and control placement early, as you will soon run out of room, and things get very heavy very quickly. I am working on another plane, so it will be fun to watch your progress as well. Quote
Doc_Brown Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 My fav planes! Looking forward to seeing this. Quote
apemax Posted January 10, 2014 Author Posted January 10, 2014 Do you plan recreating some form of gearbox for engine speed and to generate some propeller noise? I am going to try to enter the flying themed month with something in the next month. I've already got it geared up quite a bit (First test I did the propeller flew off. ) and I'm just going to see what room I have as to anything else. You have officially started JFAIR Cool. Great idea. That's going to be huge! What scale are you working at? Well I'm working from a airfix model I have that I'm pretty sure is 1:72 and I'm going with 1cm (On the airfix model) equals 8 studs. Gotta love a Spitfire. If only you could replicate the sound of that beautiful Rolls-Royce Merlin... Yep one amazing aeroplane. Well I'm going to try my best to get it sounding like a Spitfire... If it's helpful, here is my Spitfire. It might help you with construction techniques and scaling. A word of advice, make sure you focus on structures and control placement early, as you will soon run out of room, and things get very heavy very quickly. I am working on another plane, so it will be fun to watch your progress as well. Thanks for the advice. Hopefully I can learn a thing or two from your Spitfire. By the way I remember seeing your Spitfire a while ago, Possibly one of the best LEGO Spitfires I've ever seen, Real nice work. Will also keep an eye out on your progress with your latest plane. My fav planes! Looking forward to seeing this. Thanks. Quote
apemax Posted January 12, 2014 Author Posted January 12, 2014 Hey again. Got around to adding a bit more to this. I've added the main part of the control system in and strengthened the body a bit as well. The control system is a slightly modified version of the one I used in my Fully controllable Aeroplane. It works well enough so should be ok. And here is a picture of my overall progress. Quote
Junpei Posted January 12, 2014 Posted January 12, 2014 Wow, this is looking awesome! I can't wait for the finished result. TLH Quote
apemax Posted January 12, 2014 Author Posted January 12, 2014 Wow, this is looking awesome! I can't wait for the finished result. TLH Thanks. Quote
apemax Posted January 15, 2014 Author Posted January 15, 2014 Another update today. Been working on it quite a bit the past couple of days so I've got quite a bit done. First I added the main section of the tail and started work on the elevator and rudder section. I've also changed the engine section quite a bit as well. With the M motor powering the engine and propeller it wasn't going as fast as I would have liked so I decided to swap out the M motor with a XL motor and gear it up a bit more. The speed is much better now. Also because of the extra power it has now I'm going to have to control it via the variable speed IR controller. Finally a overall shot of my progress. Not sure where I'm going to put this when I've got the wings on. Quote
Gee Posted January 15, 2014 Posted January 15, 2014 'Tis going to be a beast! I love the way you've got the general shape of the fuselage. If you didn't know it was a Spitfire then you'd definitely be able to guess. Quote
Thirdwigg Posted January 15, 2014 Posted January 15, 2014 What are the worm gears for? Flaps? Landing Gear? Quote
apemax Posted January 15, 2014 Author Posted January 15, 2014 'Tis going to be a beast! I love the way you've got the general shape of the fuselage. If you didn't know it was a Spitfire then you'd definitely be able to guess. Thanks. With this I've tried very hard to get the shape of it as close as possible to the real thing. What are the worm gears for? Flaps? Landing Gear? The worm gears are part of the control system for the ailerons on the wings. I have yet t decide on a way to do the landing gear. Quote
apemax Posted January 20, 2014 Author Posted January 20, 2014 Just a small update today. I've worked a bit more on the rear section where the elevators and rudder are going to go and I've added the tail wheel as well. I've also done the landing gear. Hopefully It will stand up to the weight. And finally the overall progress so far. Quote
hysot Posted January 20, 2014 Posted January 20, 2014 Hey! I really like your job here! Kind of old school, it's cool. I found the wheel a bit too small. I might be wrong Quote
Lakop Posted January 20, 2014 Posted January 20, 2014 It might be better to put the wheels on the inside of the beam. They do look a bit weak. Apart from that it's coming along nicely. H Quote
hysot Posted January 20, 2014 Posted January 20, 2014 It might be better to put the wheels on the inside of the beam. They do look a bit weak. Apart from that it's coming along nicely. H They are on the outside of the beam on the spitfire Quote
AndyCW Posted January 20, 2014 Posted January 20, 2014 Being on the outside of the beam also means that the retract mechanism doesn't need as much travel to get the wheels up into the buckets. v/r Andy Quote
dhc6twinotter Posted January 20, 2014 Posted January 20, 2014 Looking great! Sptifire is a great plane to replicate! Quote
apemax Posted January 21, 2014 Author Posted January 21, 2014 Hey! I really like your job here! Kind of old school, it's cool. I found the wheel a bit too small. I might be wrong Thanks. Yeah just checked to see what size they should be at this scale and your right, they are a bit small. I don't have any that are the right size however I will try and get some that are the right size at some point. It might be better to put the wheels on the inside of the beam. They do look a bit weak. Apart from that it's coming along nicely. H Thanks. The landing gear seems to be coping ok with the weight so far however I haven't got the battery box in yet. I think they should be ok. Looking great! Sptifire is a great plane to replicate! Thanks. Been wanting to make one for ages just haven't had enough pieces until now. Quote
unimog123 Posted January 21, 2014 Posted January 21, 2014 I love all the mechanisms that you are incorporating. Also what color is it going to be? Quote
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