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Aerotech Supermarine S5


TorbenD

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Hi Torben, Interesting debate, looking through my stuff (got more than I remembered.....!) I found an original paper copy of the S5 3 view in a book of collected drawings called 'Aircraft Archive - famous racing and aerobatic planes', so took a slightly sharper picture of the sections you show above to try and help the debate

IMG_4894.jpg

 

About the holes in my previous photo (!), it appears that the outer holes are surrounded by fixings indicating they are inspection hatches, the inner one has a 'duct' appearing out of it, which indicates it is permanently open - what puzzles me is the direction if the slash cut on the duct - it faces forward, indicating its an intake not an exhaust? I don't understand this as it would be very vulnerable to ingesting sea water....?  Theories welcome!!

 

Malc.

 

Hgggnnn, photo link didn't work, let's try again - if you click the thumbnail it takes you to a full res pic.

Edited by malc
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Thanks Malc - that helps an awful lot on the clarity front :yahoo:  I think that confirms that Alain and Hubert are on the money - it also is clearer that the U shaped brace is angled slightly away from the perpendicular, I just have to try and model it now!

 

Interesting that that central hole is a duct - good spot -  I too bet it got exposed to a chunk of seawater, although the later versions of S5s had more and more air vents added as well as the larger cooling ducts on the side as the Napier got plenty hot.

 

Thanks again,

Torben

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just a small update tonight although there's been a bit of progress in sorting out the main u-brace there's not much to see so I'll post some images when it's more fully resolved.

 

A couple of things that did get (nearly) sorted were the seat bracing and the throttle quadrant:

 

Once trimmed to the correct 5 button width  :doh: the seat fitted fine and I've added a simple cross bar frame - everything's just dry fitted for now.

 

DSC02726-X2.jpg

 

DSC02727-X2.jpg

 

DSC02728-X2.jpg

 

I still haven't been able to find any images of the S5's (or S6s) throttle quadrant so after searching for something that would be period and very simple/stripped back, it's a handmade racing machine after all, I decided to use the image a 1920's biplane replica as a starting point and adjust from there (Shush! Don't tell Hubert, i think it may have been from a Spad?) Either way my first attempt was made out of too thin a gauge of brass sheet so when a bit wibbly-wobbly on me. 

 

DSC02725-X2.jpg

 

I compared with my reference I added a ball top to the throttle lever and extensions under to attach the connection rods. It all came out a bit crude (and backwards :innocent:!!!)  so I made a second starting from thicker gauge brass sheet, keeping the ball top but loosing the extensions.

 

First up I cut the inner shape using drills and jewellers files.

 

DSC02710-X2.jpg

 

I then carefully trimmed and filed back to get the outer frame cut out. I left just enough attached to the bottom to make it easier to handle as I added more detail later.

 

DSC02711-X2.jpg

 

Next came the levers (throttle and engine mix) trimmed out of brass sheet along with the base framework.

 

DSC02716-X2.jpg

 

Then, finally (well not quite) the very large securing screw heads, which scale-wise are actually 0.8mm aluminium discs punched from an old food container. The ball top is from the micro balls one finds when you open up a water filter. 

 

DSC02720-X2.jpg

 

DSC02722-X2.jpg

 

DSC02719-X2.jpg

 

I just need to add a rear frame, the connecting rods and a few other final details including the screw ends (probably from archer rivets) but much happier with my second attempt. Gut feel says it may have come out a bit larger than the real one may have been but as it's such a sparse cockpit I hope it will be ok when I place it in situ.

 

Thanks for looking and if anyone can find an image of the actual thing then your window for sharing it is rapidly closing!!!!  :frantic:

 

Torben

Edited by TorbenD
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Brilliant!  Just the thought of working on something so small would give me a ton of pause.

 

I can just imagine all of that brass wanting to bend on me.

 

Well done!

 

Gaz

 

Thanks Gaz - I felt the same to start with - in the end, a slug of Danish Schnapps followed by a quick leap of blind faith all that was needed. That and a couple or more attempts! After all it's only waste brass and my time if it hadn't work out to my satisfaction. With all the great modellers here at LSP I've been inspired to give more new things a go and am loving scratching that scratch building itch.

 

Torben

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Amazing work Torben! Especially considering how much larger we get to see the parts you made. I wonder if you would actually start over if a photo of the real thing turned up? I don't think I would...

 

Alain

 

Hmmm - thx ever-so for your kind comments Alain, hopefully I'll never have to find out!  :frantic:

 

 

Excellent!

Thanks for the detailed report.

:popcorn:

 

Juraj

 

Cheers Juraj

 

 

(Shhhh ... don't tell Torben but I like his throttle quadrant. All the more so as I defy anyone to see enough of it when the fuselage is closed to question its authenticity ;) )

 

Well done Torben !

 

Hubert

 

Thanks Hubert. Actually I plan to have the hood completely folded forward so the quadrant along with the rest of the cockpit will be horribly exposed!  :innocent:

 

Here it once attached to the fine control rods; just dry fitted in position

 

DSC02731-X2.jpg

 

DSC02734-X2.jpg

 

The rest of the cockpit is slowly emerging from the bits of brass and sheet plastic. Again, apart from the bulkhead and main spine and newly made U-shaped brace (I need to add the sidewall ends to the top section) this is all dry fitted for now so I can gain access and adjust as well make painting easier. The ugly looking support for the top of the bulkhead is hidden by the instrument panel. Talking of which... where the heck did I leave that? 

 

DSC02736-X2.jpg

 

DSC02737-X2.jpg

 

I've off-set the pedals slightly as I plan to have a bit of a turn on the rudder. I think the only major part yet to scratch is the knuckle joint and cross bar for the control column pivot point, set fairly low between the two angled support rods - I still haven't quite worked out how to approach that. :shrug:

 

It's taken a bit of time and even more carving out to make sure it all fits nicely once the top half is finally secured. I may have to trim and or lower the control bar a tad but otherwise starting to look pretty promising!

 

DSC02745-X2.jpg

 

DSC02743-X2.jpg

 

DSC02742-X2.jpg

 

I'm thinking of adding a simple block for what a believe is a large oil reservoir behind the seat. Aside for finishing the instrument panel (if I can find it) and adding a few control cables I'm just starting to see some light at the end of this particular tunnel. 

 

As ever, thanks for looking. Any observations, thoughts, critiques etc. always welcome as I'm hopefully not too far away from adding some paint to the pit.

 

Torben

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Thanks Gaz and Peter, always nice to get your feedback - puts a little spring in my step  :)

 

Between work and the fine weather there hasn't been nearly enough for time for modelling so just a quick step forward...

 

I finally got my head around how the control column all linked up around the knuckle join. Basically my first attempt at the control column assumed that the length below the knuckle point that connects to the elevator rod at its base was a continuous part of the column (Doh!) Using the clearer images of the plans that Malc sent me I realised that this lower section was connected to the main pivot rod so it only moved/rotated fore and aft. The upper section of the column hinges from side to side at the knuckle joint rotating side to side around a small pivot rod that is placed (at 90°) though the main pivotting cross-bar that runs through the support rods which..... clear as mud right!

 

Here's some pics:

 

Fortunately I could repurpose my original column by chopping off the base and then attaching to a knuckle joint made from plastic card. I used some MasterClub hexagonal bolts to make the ends of the pivot bar. 

 

DSC02747-X2.jpg

 

Below is the work done to the rest of the area. Extra bolts and detail have been added to a few areas including the cross bar. Just visible under this cross bar is the elevator connecting rod. The ugly looking plastic tubes at the front are just to hold the coolant pipes at the right angle. 

 

DSC02748-X2.jpg

 

DSC02749-X2.jpg

 

An here it is all together with the main column just pinch fitted so I can remove it for painting later.

 

DSC02752-X2.jpg

 

DSC02753-X2.jpg

 

The only thing still to do in this section is the aileron control attachment points about 1/3rd the way up on the control column - Even though angled down, I'm guessing the wires coming from these must have passed very close underneath the pilots knees - does that sound right anyone?

 

Thanks for looking

 

Torben

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