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Spitfire mk1a electrified version 5


DocJonno

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Have given up on version 4 as wired internals incorrectly so started v5.

 

I'm using airfix spitfire 1/72 mk1a as the base. 

 

First job is the wings and cutting wiring channels for the lights. Using 0.1mm flat LEDs. The ultra thin wires only need a small groove. 

 

Wings

 

 

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Started assembling without showing so here's it reopened. 

 

The lights (after dipping in tamiya clear colours) are routed through channel and superglued. I try and glue as perpendicular as possible. 

 

I then use so putty to fill the gap and sand smooth. I try and make the lights look like they come out like on a spitfire wing albeit they are proportionally to big. 

 

Wings2

 

 

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11 minutes ago, DocJonno said:

Started assembling without showing so here's it reopened. 

 

The lights (after dipping in tamiya clear colours) are routed through channel and superglued. I try and glue as perpendicular as possible. 

 

I then use so putty to fill the gap and sand smooth. I try and make the lights look like they come out like on a spitfire wing albeit they are proportionally to big. 

 

Wings2

 

 

Have you twisted bare copper wires there or are they insulated?

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And the USB port. Using a mini USB b female and soldered some wiring. This is where I messed up last model as put the positive negative the wrong way round. These wires go to the battery an a switch.

 

The USB female sits in the radiator at an angle so that a charger can plug in. You have to cut a hole in the wing above radiator to fit this in and have wires through. I used araldite to hold USB in place and ensure wires are firm as well and not slip around. 

 

20210212_150001

 

You can see the angle and position of USB in version 4

 

Spitv4b

 

 

 

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I use a small switch to fit into the precut hole.  I've had to cut the bar and make the hole wider by about 1mm to accommodate the switch

 

20210212_190235

 

And then use araldite to hold it in place being careful not to put any on the moving part of switch. I've also wired up a 70mah LiPo battery and the charging cable. The charger is on one circuit and the lights are on another circuit. The switch turns lights off and opens the charging circuit (and thus isolates the led and subsequent motor for the 5v input). The resistor tones down the lights a little as they are very bright!

 

20210212_190356

 

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Some more progress.

 

I don’t do fancy painting for the internal pilot bits as can hardly see when canopy closed. Part b26 is not used as need clearance at that area for wires. A10 and a9 are also cut short.

 

The 4x8mm motor has a very short shaft so have to cut into plastic a bit to move 1mm forward. The propeller part at has to be cut and a hole made to accommodate motor. I use a hot needle to make this hole.

 

I tried prepainting the propeller but it hasn't worked so I'll have to fit properly later.

 

20210213_084211

 

20210213_084229

 

20210213_084240

 

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20210213_122322 20210213_122340

Put together and put undercoat on. I did wire up a tail light which was really fiddly and didn't take pics.  Same process as the wing tip lights.  I did add a 3mm flashing led in series to allow this tail light to blink and that 3mm led is hidden inside. 

 

20210213_122359

 

Ready for painting now and putting propeller on

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46 minutes ago, Sparkie said:

Looks great, how is the switch operated? does the whole intake move?

Thanks.  The switch is glued to the intake so you can't see the black part of the switch (and the switch is now the whole intake which slides back and forth).  You have to cut a very small square approx 1mm deep into the intake part to accommodate the black part of switch and a tiny blob of araldite so that only top of switch glues and doesn't overflow.  Very easy to glue intake to underside of plane and cause switch to stick. 

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