Daz's Isaacs Spitfire - **FINISHED**

[DazDaMan]

OK, so this is going to be one hell of a whiffer.

I intend to turn this:



into this:



Backstory:
I finally managed to get enough money for me to retire at age 40. With that money, I decided to do the two things I always wanted to do: learn to fly, and build a replica Spitfire. I bought a set of plans from the Light Aircraft Association, built myself a workshop, and started building. It took me a wee while, and a couple of severed digits, but I built it in the end!

Yeah. Beginning to question my sanity on this one, right enough, but there it is...!

[DazDaMan]

So, the aim of the game is to make a 1/72nd model of a full-scale Spitfire into a 1/48th model of a 60% scale Spitfire.

The size of the model is, more or less, spot on for the scale. The pilot figure will have a tight fit, but the fuselage on the real replica is slightly wider anyway, so widening the kit won't be a problem.

The first thing to do is get rid of the rivets and panel detail - the replica is made from wood, so has no seams to speak of, and very few panels.

[iggie]

Only you could come up with this Daren; what a great idea!

[DazDaMan]

First thing I did was glue the wings together:


The next was to remove the big underwing radiators, since these aren't needed.


Next thing I need to do is to fill in the holes where the radiators were, and also the undercarriage wells, as the Isaacs has fixed gear...!



I think the fixed gear is possibly why there's only ever been a couple of Isaacs Spitfires built - to the best of my knowledge, only three or four have flown so far, which is a shame, as it's a nice little plane.

You might also notice that the aircraft has a flat-four, air-cooled engine. I think I could do this using filler, or adapt something from the spares box.

[DazDaMan]

Radiator bays and undercarriage wells filled in:


I've gone on to the fuselage next, and the first thing to do was to open up the cockpit aperture. The rear part of this will be filled in slightly, as the Isaacs Spitfire's cockpit is slightly further forward from the real thing.


Fuselage halves going together:


Perhaps the simplest thing to modify was the propeller. Put it together, then chop two of the blades off!


Just to give you an idea as to how this should pan out:

The figure is a 1/48th chap from the Arii Spitfire Mk.VIII kit. He's roughly about the right kind of height to stand against the 1/72 Spitfire XVI that I did a while back.

[gnomemeansgnome]

Very cool idea, Daren. Did these baby Spits fly on a car engine like say a Jaguar six? Seems a Merlin would be a tight fight.

[DazDaMan]

No, the Isaacs was designed for a Continental O-200 (flat-four engine) producing 100hp.

However, there was one flying on a Jabiru engine in the USA recently, and another (as-yet un-flown) fitted with a Walther Minor inline.

[general rocket]

A nice bit of blind side play.
Eagerly watching.

[TimJ]

An interesting subject, I'll be watching this one.

[fredk]

Perhaps the halves of a drop tank or bomb for the engine bulges?

[DazDaMan]

Perhaps the halves of a drop tank or bomb for the engine bulges?

Good shout on that, Fred. I'll see what's in the spares box.

[DazDaMan]

I didn't have to look far for some drop tanks, Fred. There was a set sitting on my desk alongside the model! I should be able to chop them down and use them as the blisters for the cowlings.

I started sanding down the filler on the undersides of the wings. I've also attached the new wingtips that the replica should also have. Once everything has set, I'll sand the lot down again.

[celt]

What a great idea,watching with interest.

[Martin R]

Yep, cracking idea, Daz.

[DazDaMan]

Not much else done so far. I've been trying to get the pilot to slim down a bit so I can fit him into the cockpit. He's getting there. Just a few more milligrams to go!

Then I'll need to paint him and install him before I can carry on with the build - I don't think he'll get into the cockpit once the wings are attached to the fuselage.

Then it's more sanding...!