Christchurch and District Model Flying Club
 

Thereby hangs a tail wheel,

by Brian Wiseman

Having flown the Riot and then the Acrowot I asked for money for Christmas for a Spitfire. This means the Dynham Foam Spitfire.

(Looking at the SMC website, Brian’s pressie costs about £121. The model has a 1200mm wingspan (that’s 47” in Imperial) and includes everything except a 4S 2200 mAh battery. Flying weight is supposed to be 1150g (40 oz) and it has retracts, flaps etc. It looks like a Mk IX to me, but perhaps the grey camo colour is a it light for a NW Europe version but I see now that it reperesents a Middle east theatre aircraft, so probably correct. I have to say it’s quite tempting—I’m planning a float-equipped Mk IX for Longham. You can see an RC Groups thread of at least 100 pages on this plane at http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1451464—Ed) Images below from the Dynam website

 There are people who criticise these planes. If I am asked which I would rather fly, a six foot span Spitfire with a 90 O.S glowplug engine or the Foam Electric. Of course I would plump for the larger one who wouldn't, But planes like that are now beyond me to build or maintain. I have to cut my cloth according to my suit. I do not know what that means but it sounds profound.

Getting the Spit ready to fly was easy. I had to cut off the battery contacts because I use the gold bullet connectors. Dynham seem to put the other type on all their planes. I then got to the tail wheel. If you look at the plane there is what looks like a collet hanging down under the rear of the fuselage. This is connected to the rudder servo but it is all inside the glued together fuselage, so you cannot see what is happening inside. The idea is that you stick the wire from the tail wheel up into the collet, tighten it up and away you go. Unfortunately it wobbles all over the place. I could see that it would never steer the plane on the ground and would probably drop out when in the sky, so I put in a usual tail wheel which connects to the Rudder and this works well.

These planes are so well designed, that if you put them together as you should and get the battery in the right place they balance. They are extremely light so adding a small light tail wheel puts the centre of gravity way out. This meant that I have had to cut a hole in the nose and put in part of the Church Roof. I did not take very much lead off the roof so if there is a small hole no one has noticed it yet.

The other potential problem is that when the wheels are down they are only just in front of the centre of gravity. It is better if they are at least half an inch in front. So taking off is alright so long as nothing snags the wheels. I have not dared to try it in Fawcetts Field because it would be sure to tip on its nose both on take off and landing.

On takeoff you cannot afford to lift the tail and run on two wheels like a true Spitfire because of the problem of tipping over. Landing is the same you have to bring it down on three wheels and hope you hit nothing like a stone on the runway. At Beaulieu where I fly we have 100 yard square of concrete, unfortunately there is a cc. strip of grass down the middle about four feet wide. With the Spit you cannot afford to touch that or it tips over. It flies wonderfully and the retracting undercarriage is a dream but as with all these planes there are some bugs to iron out. I wish they would do it in the development stage. The wheels and C o G problem is hard to solve when the plane is built but easy in the moulding process. .It looks magical in the Sky .Spitfires are notoriously hard to fly but not this version it is easy and goes where you put it. So if you have a yen to fly one, you know you do

Really, get the right tail wheel take off quickly from three wheels and enjoy.

When will we get some decent flying weather? I am writing this in early April and we have had weeks of cold wind. I blame Terry, after all it's the Chairman's responsibility to make sure the flying sites are O.K. After reading his life history he seems to be able to most things so just get on with it please. I want to get the Spit out of cold storage again.

Brian

[Home] [Chairman's Chatter] [Editorial] [Texan] [Tailwheel] [Fly Diary] [Bring a Model] [Two funny] [Beaulieu] [Albatross] [Pink foam] [Glues for depron] [Covering foam]