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A mix match of Parts, to build 

a 1/4th Scale  "Frankenstein" Spit Mk1a (ish)

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Parts Breakdown

Fuse.....Laid up from an old discarded mold.

Wing.....Reeves 1/4 scale wood kit (Semi parts)

Tail Group.....Reeves 1/4 scale wood kit (Semi Parts)

Retracts.....Reeves 

Main Wheels and Tires.....Reeves

Instrument Panel.....Reeves

Canopy.....Clark Industries

Under wing Mk1 Oil Coolers.....Clark Industries

Engine.....Nigel Tarvin via Clark Industries

Radio.....Airtronics Stylus

Servos.....Assorted Hitec

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To Be Acquired

Paint.....Nelson Hobbies or PPG Automotive

Tail Wheel.....Shindin

Nomenclature Markings.....Aeroloft

1/4 Scale Pilot.....??

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Fuselage

A very roughly laid up fuse, lots and lots of pin holes to tackle. I always end up with challenging jobs like this. 

Mental note, next time I get in a rush to lay up a 1/4 scale fuse...........DONT!

Much better, this is 80% from being done with taking care of all the pin holes, voids and surface what nots.

This the eventual scheme I will aiming for when all said and done.

Engine Cowl

raced out the lines for the cowl and made the cuts.  Taped the cowl cowl back on the fuse, after  prepping the cowl itself with clear tape and wax. This will give me a mounting lip for the cowl.

And once it had cured after most of the day, I popped it off.

Very strong lip, will help secure the cowl in place.

Dry fitting back on the lip.

 Razor saws are a models best friend.  Just need to make sure I keep a new on on hand for this work, this was some tough cutting Jack.

Engine area

A Clark Merlin Via Nigel In Canada will look very nice in this airplane.

Hope I do not need nose weight after this guy is installed.

West Systems epoxy and chopped carbon toe will aid in keeping the firewall secured.  More adhesives will be add to the back side as well.

Keeping things "neat" during the front side lay up, is this blue tape on the back side.

Initial shape and test sizing of the engine box.

The main firewall is now cut and installed.  The engine box is being built. Ulimately the engine box will be able to bolt onto the fire wall for removal as or if needed.

With the engine now fitted and measured to the engine box, I can reinforce it as needed, epoxy, wood screws and angle braces.

Thank you Nigel, for the motor and for the shipping crate, I have cannibalized about 30% of this well made piece of furniture to get the engine mount set up all done.  

Final shape and configuration of the engine box, all angles internally are braced, West Systems and 1/2" by 1/2" corner ply braces. 

I confess, this is a neat engine to sit down and look and just look at.

One has to really appreciate the enormity of this task. The engine and exhaust is 13 1/2" long, the engine box is 7" long...

and I was able to get it lined up on the first go. :) I have had worse times with short "plug and play" engines, this engine fitting took all of 2 hours, once all the parts were built. 

Tail Group

Some guys have a carbon fetish, count me in that group.  This will handle any high G positive loads. 

There is not much in the way of negative Gs on a Warbird, so no carbon was added to the top of the horizontal.

A piece of 1/8th inch thick carbon plate was cut to size and laminated to the center of the elevator.

Along with the carbon plate on the outside of the elevator, a second one was added to the inside.

Ready to Cover.

Never had a project where I started working from the aft forward. Kinda novel. And actually out of my hands, as I have enlisted the ultra expert help of Henry Nguyen of HvnCustomModels.com to help me out on the wing as I concentrate on the rest of the plane.

Wing 

And here we go, the first Warbird wing I will personally build completely out of wood.  And of all planes, it's the Spitfire.  Wish me luck, I'm going in.

No major problems, yet. Next step is a lot of sheer webbing, and start some sheeting.

Now half way through the sheer webbing process, these vertical cuts took a bit of time, the horizontal cross grain sections that will over lay the first will go a lot faster and easier. Just need another vat of glue.

Main Gear