No, Yes, Yes – for the next 2 years at least.
I wonder is that the one my friend Gerry had stop on him coasting in over the English channel…. Can’t be too many of them. I wouldn’t want a jabiru powered anything. Much less a spitfire.
A Spitfire that does 140 kts WOT? It may look cool fun, but sounds of very limited interest. Kind of plane you will get bored of quickly. After 80 hrs of flight for example.
80% size would, if nothing else changes, result into 2/3rd of the weight, so 200 HP is clearly not enough… although with a lower speed, the structure could be weaker and weight lower.
Cobalt wrote:
80% size would, if nothing else changes, result into 2/3rd of the weight, so 200 HP is clearly not enough… although with a lower speed, the structure could be weaker and weight lower.
Half the weight. But still..
Right.
The Australian company that makes the kits now offers a 90% scale version
Paul Fowler at Enstone has been trying to put together a full squadron of them , but things are moving slowly with one finished and another under way.
The 430HP Mk26B (they don’t actually use the word Spitfire) performs about the same as a 200HP RV-8 but with less cockpit room, payload and range.
It does look impressive though.
Now, if you really want a replica Spitfire, I think this is the gold standard!
The full scale version looks great. Even if the 80% size one is underpowered I still think it looks lovely – maybe just good photos :-)
Remember also that the original had to carry armour and weaponry so a replica can be much lighter. The mk26b does 230 knots at low level. Wartime spitfires were faster… But they were not hugely faster at sea level and I suspect their vne would be less conservative.
