Top Flite TOPA0140 - Manual (Page 5)

instrument panel, seat and armor back rest! You
don’t install the cockpit kit until you are near the
end of construction and no modifications to the
fuselage are required to install it. Instructions for
painting, detailing and installing your Scale Cockpit
Kit are included with the cockpit kit.
SCALE PROPELLER AND SPINNER
Although Top Flite does not offer a scale static
display propeller for your Spitfire, you can modify
the Top Flite scale P-51 propeller (TOPQ7906) to
look like the Spitfire propeller. This requires a little
bit of
elbow grease and is only recommended for
modelers who have a belt sander or who are
prepared to do lots of sanding by hand to whittle the
blades down. An alternate method would be to join
two 19" [480mm] wood propellers and carve them to
shape. In either case a template is provided on the
plan so you can arrive at the correct propeller blade
shape for your Spitfire. See page 53 of the manual
for more information on the static display propeller.
For the spinner, we used a Top Flite 3.5" [89mm]
white spinner (TOPQ5406). We primed and then
painted it. It’s nearly the same shape as the Spitfire
Mk IX spinner. This is the same spinner we
recommend for flying so you might want to buy two
spinners—one for your static display prop and one
for flying.
COMPETITION-MINDED
MODELERS
We designed our Spitfire from scale drawings
supplied by Scale Model Research (address
follows) and drawings and sketches in Squadron’s
Spitfire in Action book. The scale of your Gold
Edition Spitfire Mk IX is 1:7, or one-seventh scale.
If you plan to enter your Spit in scale competition (it’s
lots of fun and the runways are almost always
paved!), this kit qualifies for Fun Scale and the
Sportsman and Expert classes in Sport Scale. Fun
Scale and Sport Scale have the same flight
requirements where you must perform ten
maneuvers of which five are mandatory. The other
five are up to you—easy stuff like a loop or a roll, a
slow, low pass with flaps extended, or maybe a
touch-and-go. If you have never competed in a scale
contest, you could start out in Fun Scale. In Fun
Scale, the only documentation you need for static
judging is any proof that a full size aircraft of this type,
in the paint/markings scheme on your model, did
exist. A single photo, a kit box cover, even a painting
is sufficient proof! If you’re interested, contact the
AMA for a rule book which will tell you everything you
need to know. Look in the back of the AMA magazine
(
Model Aviation) for a schedule of events.
The main landing gear has been moved outward.
They pivot in a scale manner as the full sized
Spitfires did, but the wells are moved slightly out
and forward, just behind the main spar. The stance
on the ground is scale. This modification greatly
improves the ground handling of the model.
Although the fin and stab retain their accurate hinge
line, the entire tail (fin/rudder and stab/elevator)
have been enlarged by 19.5%. This gives the model
a very solid feel in the air and will allow the model to
remain controllable through the stall.
The trim scheme of the Spitfire on the kit box
cover is the same as the one on the cover of the
Squadron book (there are many more trim schemes
inside too). Our prototype was covered in grey Top
Flite MonoKote
® film, then painted olive drab and
flat-coated with Top Flite LustreKote ™ . Decals for
the trim scheme on the box are provided in the kit
but you could make your own from MonoKote film if
you decide to try another trim scheme. You should
also look into the
flat MonoKote film colors. They
are ideal for military trim schemes such as the ones
found on many Spitfires.
If you are not too concerned with an exact scale
trim scheme you can make a variation of the one
on the box, or design your own. If you are going to
compete in scale competition, use the photos in
your documentation package as a guide for your
trim scheme.
OTHER ITEMS REQUIRED
These are additional items you will need to complete
your Spitfire that are
not included with your kit. Order
numbers are in parentheses (GPMQ4161). Our
exclusive brand is listed where possible: TOP is the
Top Flite brand, GPM is the Great Planes brand and
HCA is the Hobbico
® brand.
❏
4 to 6 channel radio with 5 to 7 servos
❏
(1) Y-connector for aileron servos
❏
(1) 6" [150mm] servo extension cord for ailerons
❏
3-1/2" [89mm] Main Wheels (ROBQ1516)
❏
(2) 3/16" [4.8mm] Wheel Collars (GPMQ4309)
(4 pcs. for fixed gear)
❏
1-1/4" [32mm] Tail wheel (GPMQ4282)
DOCUMENTATION
Three view drawings and photo packs of full size
Spitfires are available from:
Scale Model Research
3114 Yukon Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 979-8058
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