504 Spitfire Build

[scigs30]

Andrew nice collection, are you collecting or building? The Spitfire is a nice build but yes it can be tough to trim. The secret to the Spit and ME109 is the move the CG forward and then they should fly. Yes the stab is too small and that is the reason for moving the CG, to stabilize the plane. Mine took a lot of weight, but when trimmed she did just fine. There is a lot you can do to lighten these planes and they will fly better, but then why build a Guillows kit? There are many designs and kits out there that fly great and are built light. My Spit has taken a beaten and I wan to make another, but I am waiting for Guillows to laser cut the 500 series, then I will build it. Modifying the nose block will make your life easier but not always needed. If I can stuff a rolled snake of clay into the nose, then I don't make a nose block any longer and I really have not had an issue just a little more challenging.

[BassettsAllSorts]

Hi Scigs

Thank you for the information - moving the CG would be a step to far for me at the moment (Mr novice) but it is something I will look into. Is this a problem for all of the 500 series?

I am looking to build other kits and see how they compare. Andrew very kindly gave me some Keil Kraft plans and I am going to look into others.

I can't wait to get stuck into another build.

Tom

[Phugoid]

Hi Scigs,

I collect the kits but build them from copies of the plans and printwood. I only buy the kits through nostalgia more than anything else. I built a lot of the keil Kraft and Veron Kits as a kid. I suppose it's why I sort of like the Guillows kits despite their shortcomings, they remind me of the old KK kits so much when I get one they always make me feel happy!

Some of the designs are excellent and fly really nicely without any modification or lightening to be done, and although the wood is less than ideal it is far better than most Guillows kits, and being printwood there are no crushed parts either. You could actually build with the wood, but the kit prop and rubber is useless (and always was) so I stick with keeping the kit (and the lovely smell it has!) complete.

If anyone wants any of the KK or Veron plans then let me know, the Veron warbirds are the better of the two in terms of flying abibility (not so much scale fidelity though), but the KK lightplanes are better as the plans nearly all have properly designed noseblocks.

Andrew