Discussion
There are a couple of kit Spitfires knocking about at various scales (65%-100%). Some of them bear very little resemblence to the original but are marked up in RAF wartime markings anyway.
The Spitfire Mk 26 (http://www.supermarineaircraft.com/) in particular has removable wings and there about 10 of them on the UK register.
There are other light aircraft that take design cues from the Spitfire - e.g. the Silence Twister.
The Spitfire Mk 26 (http://www.supermarineaircraft.com/) in particular has removable wings and there about 10 of them on the UK register.
There are other light aircraft that take design cues from the Spitfire - e.g. the Silence Twister.
Just found this. I reckon it was one of these. What an abortion...
http://spitfiresite.com/2011/01/spitfires-for-the-...
http://spitfiresite.com/2011/01/spitfires-for-the-...
mybrainhurts said:
Just found this. I reckon it was one of these. What an abortion...
http://spitfiresite.com/2011/01/spitfires-for-the-...
http://spitfiresite.com/2011/01/spitfires-for-the-...
If you want to see a right old bunfight, have a look at what happened over on the Flyer Forum when Carolyn Grace had a pop at the Mk.26 fraternity being styled as 'Spitfire Pilots'.
LAA Magazine letter from Carolyn Grace
There are 90% replicas flying out of Enstone aerodrome - I believe they are powered by subaru boxer engines.
http://www.enstoneflyingclub.co.uk/pwpcontrol.php?...
http://www.enstoneflyingclub.co.uk/pwpcontrol.php?...
eharding said:
If you want to see a right old bunfight, have a look at what happened over on the Flyer Forum when Carolyn Grace had a pop at the Mk.26 fraternity being styled as 'Spitfire Pilots'.
LAA Magazine letter from Carolyn Grace
Simpo Two said:
Her letter makes perfect sense. Some of the 26ers seem to have rather a chip.
Maybe....I had the 'pleasure' of meeting her and her son at an airshow a few years ago. The letter comes across as arrogant to me, which sums up my impression of them in the flesh. Sure they're nice enough if you also own a 'real' Spitfire :-)Slyjoe said:
There are 90% replicas flying out of Enstone aerodrome - I believe they are powered by subaru boxer engines.
http://www.enstoneflyingclub.co.uk/pwpcontrol.php?...
Another option is the VAG 1.8 Turbo.http://www.enstoneflyingclub.co.uk/pwpcontrol.php?...
Fat Albert said:
Saw one display at Old Warden a few years ago, and if you ignore the sound, they look fairly realistic in their 'sit' in the air
I thought it sat more like an Me108 actually!Personally it doens't bother me whether Ms Grace is arrogant or not; she's South African I believe and they can sound arrogant even if they're not. But for people with pretend airplanes to be upset about her having a real one is rather petty IMHO. Spitfire - bragging rights. No Spitfire - no rights.
Unless you are building a full size replica, it isn't that easy to make a smaller replica excatly the same as the original. You start getting into aerodynamic, weight and balance problems which ususlly means that certain aspects of the design have to be compromised, such as size of wings or tailplane/tailfin.
For a full size Spitfire replica to fly and behave like a real Spitfire, it needs at least a 1,000 hp piston engine. There aren't that many around - other than refurbished Merlins. So, you might as well make a full scale honest to goodness reproduction rather than a replica.
Indeed, many of the recently restored airworthy Spitfires are really reproductions with up to 80% of the airframe being essentially new-build.
Someone did have a go with a Jaguar V12 engined replica of the prototype. It was mainly wooden and didn't fly that well. It crashed a couple of times and eventually became a static exhibit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWSvKT6h3ro
Indeed, many of the recently restored airworthy Spitfires are really reproductions with up to 80% of the airframe being essentially new-build.
Someone did have a go with a Jaguar V12 engined replica of the prototype. It was mainly wooden and didn't fly that well. It crashed a couple of times and eventually became a static exhibit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWSvKT6h3ro
Most engines in replica Spits are a LOT lighter than a Merlin (or Griffon) - so there are definitely going to be centre of gravity and weight differences compared to a real one.
Even that full size woooden replica would have been almost completely different in feel to the real prototype. The only thing it had in common with the original was that it had a Spitfire shape and a 12 cylinder engine.
It still looked good though.
Even that full size woooden replica would have been almost completely different in feel to the real prototype. The only thing it had in common with the original was that it had a Spitfire shape and a 12 cylinder engine.
It still looked good though.
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