Surprised no-one else has mentioned this to date, but a project is underway in Oxford to build a dozen Spitfires – albeit the Australian designed “Mark 26B” 90% scale replica.
According to the report, volunteers are still needed to assist with completion of the project, quote
“Twenty volunteers are constructing the first Spitfire, but more helpers are needed to build the other 11. It’s hoped the new City of Oxford squadron, as it will be known, will be completed by December. As well as pilots, it will include ground crews, engineers, and aeroplane and military vehicle enthusiasts”.
If the pictures and video are correct, this is not a mere pipe dream – one aircraft is already under construction. Any forum members is the Enstone/Oxford area know more about this?
By: DazDaMan - 22nd March 2012 at 23:09
I dunno, that one’s kinda grown on me a bit since I first saw it.
By: taylorman - 22nd March 2012 at 22:14
Well, I like the idea of the ‘modern’ spitfire, but it just doesn’t look right… I’d prefer the mk26b.
By: DazDaMan - 22nd March 2012 at 00:05
Oh, and before I forget, there IS a full-scale Spitfire that might appear as a kit, given enough interest. Two have been built, by two guys in Australia, using plans for the Spitfire V. Engine power is, I believe, a Lycoming of some sort, but the design ethic was to build a replica Spitfire using modern construction methods.
There’s a website/blog kicking around for it somewhere, and it’s a two-seater to boot.
http://www.saaafnq.com/files/Members_Projects/English.html
And it has flown, I’m sure.
I was curious as to whether or not this one had fixed gear, but it appears this is not the case (judging by the recess visible in the picture of the fuselage on the trailer.)
Better picture of it here:
By: TonyT - 20th February 2012 at 12:14
Good news, the planning permission for the windfarm has been thrown out, see
http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/local/big_victory_in_the_battle_of_enstone_1_3505816
By: DazDaMan - 19th February 2012 at 08:44
If I remember rightly, Bob DeFord’s had cost him (c.2004) around $250k.
If you didn’t know it had an Allison under the cowl, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was the real McCoy.
By: Moggy C - 19th February 2012 at 08:24
To be fair it looks achievable for about £200,000, which is only double the cost of the Jabiru one
Moggy
By: DazDaMan - 19th February 2012 at 08:14
Even the Jurca MJ100 will set you back a fair few quid.
By: Moggy C - 15th February 2012 at 15:35
90%! why not go the whole hog and add the other 10% and lets have them full sized.:confused:
So you are saying you are prepared to fork out the £1.5 million + for the full size one?
Can I have a go please?
Moggy
By: merlinai159 - 15th February 2012 at 12:29
1) Scale replicas are cheaper by a factor of about 20 times – say £150,000 as against £3 million
2) Scale replicas can be built a lot quicker
3) Scale replicas are easier for civilian trained pilots (PPL) to fly
4) Scale replicas are cheaper to insure, run, maintain (Avgas is now £2.00 litre)
Need I go on?
Moggy
All that you say is quite true but it still doesn’t change my feeling about it.;)
By: DazDaMan - 15th February 2012 at 11:21
Took me a while to understand what a Mk26 was; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_Mk_26
Listening the video above…I get a feeling they indeed have done something to enhance the flight caracteristic for it.
First it sounds like they stretched it to 90% from 80%..that would make it sorta longer if wing is still the same ???
The wing is slightly smaller to allow better penetration through the air (same principle as employed on one of the recent Mustang kits – can’t recall which one). That way you can get away with using a smaller engine, therefore reducing costs etc etc, but still having appreciable performance.
The Mk.26A model was an 80% scale fuselage but with a 75% wing.
By: topspeed - 15th February 2012 at 11:14
Carolyn Grace has not flown a Spitfire Mk 26, so how can she comment?
Took me a while to understand what a Mk26 was; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_Mk_26
Listening the video above…I get a feeling they indeed have done something to enhance the flight caracteristic for it.
First it sounds like they stretched it to 90% from 80%..that would make it sorta longer if wing is still the same ???
By: Bushell - 15th February 2012 at 10:32
Carolyn Grace has not flown a Spitfire Mk 26, so how can she comment?
By: Robert Whitton - 15th February 2012 at 10:11
Flying a Spitfire is not a superhuman feat. Any average tailwheel pilot could fly one with a little training.
Catherine Grace wasn’t suggesting that you have to be superhuman to fly a “real” Spitfire. She just says that the level of skill required to fly the Mk26 is different. I havn’t flown either a “real” one or a reduced scale one so can’t comment.
Anyone here flown a “real” Spitfire?
By: DazDaMan - 18th January 2012 at 14:38
It’s a well-known fact that the smaller WAR aircraft replicas have larger than scale elevators/stabilisers to counteract any sensitivity in pitch that they might have.
By: topspeed - 18th January 2012 at 11:21
Okay gentlemen !
I printed the Spitfire MK XIV 3-views and roughly calculated the tail arm and cord of the wing and tail area…and I got TVC into 0.32 and fighter according to Daniel Raymer should have 0.4…but Sabre F-86 has 0.21…so it is kinda smallish and 20% too small so if we go by the book…the washout and planform may contribute. Generally a too small elevator is felt as sensitive for the pilot.
We know a Spit flies well so it must be still ok. :rolleyes:
It could make the allovable CG range kinda narrow.
By: topspeed - 18th January 2012 at 09:31
The latter states that Spitfire was pitch sensitive…as was the original. The tail volume coefficient in a homebuilt should be 0.5. What exactly is it in a Spitfire ?
By: Moggy C - 17th January 2012 at 19:25
Possibly the most boring bit of film we’ve seen here for a long time. I gave up after about two minutes.
Moggy
By: DazDaMan - 17th January 2012 at 19:23
And, from the test pilot’s point of view…
By: J Boyle - 17th January 2012 at 18:52
Mr J.B. You have just ruined my day by calling the Cobra, surley John you meant to say SHELBY Cobra.Not just “Cobra”
Go and sit on the naughty step for 5mins in penance 😉
Jim.
Lincoln .7
Us “cool car” guys can call it just “Cobra”.
We know what we mean…why just the other day I was talking to good old Carroll….:D
I did meet Mr Shelby once and had a brief conversation about his WWII flying in Texas. Very nice guy.
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January 4, 2012 at 9:03 am