We are pleased to announce that the Heritage Flight Simulation shop is now open for business.

As an introductory, once off special celebrating this event we are offering the complete plan set for the Spitfire Mk.IX Presentation Engine Hand Control at a sale price of USD55.00

This is $15.00 below the regular price of $70.00 which will come into effect on 14 May 2018.

The plan set comprises a 31MB download of the Build Guide and all relevant drawings and cutting patterns. Please note Conditions of Purchase.

This display model covers the full ambit of information to be provided for the complete build, amongst others:

• Cutting patterns for plywood and aluminium (Waterjet or Lasercut) (7 off GA’s and 8 .DXF files)
• Assembly drawings (2 Off)
• Bend Diagrams (14 Off)
• Engraving Templates (3 Off)
• Machine drawings (1 Off)
• General Arrangement Drawings (5 Off)
• Powder coating guideline (1 Off)
• Parts list with various summaries
• Step by step instructions including explanatory assembly graphics in a 74 page Builders Guide.

All of these are included in your purchase pack.

All the necessary 3D printed components can also be ordered using the shop links to our Shapeways site.

Great progress is being made and we have assembled the prototype parts for fit. I am really impressed with the overall outcome. We have made some mods since to further refine the design and make manufacture and assembly faster and easier.

The plans and 3D printed components will be available from the end of the month. In addition we will be preparing 40 presentation throttles to sell as complete units. These will be powder coated and engraved.

In keeping with our mantra of “Making Historic Flight Accessable”, we look forward to offering an extremely high quality replica to enthusiasts at reasonable cost.

Some of you might have noticed the glitch in the matrix when our site went offline yesterday. Nothing to be concerned about! We have successfully migrated to a new hosting site in order to establish our shopping capability.

As promised, we will be making available the Presentation Throttle Quadrant at the end of this month, and this essential step was just one part of the process. Roll on end April!

We have started on the Instrument Panel and things are coming along nicely 🙂

The panel consists of a main panel and the “Blind Flying Panel” or six-pack. We have placed the magneto switches and had a very interesting time researching the clocks that were installed in the Spitfire.

The earlier marks of Spitfire did not generally have a cutout for a clock and it is apparent that many different types of clocks were employed from various manufacturers. It would seem most of the clocks utilised called for an 8 Day life after a full wind.

The DCS World Spitfire Mk.IX’s manual notes that the clock employed in their model is a Mk.IV (106A/322) Aviation Watch. “The watch is designed to display the current time in hours, minutes and seconds. It has a crown at the bottom of the device. The pendulum is used as the operating principle. The construction is of a common spring pendulum clock with a round-balancer. Power reserve is good for 8 days.”

We have thus based our clock on this design, using the internal face of a Longines WITTNAUER US TYPE A-11. This model is the 7 jeweled A-11 with 2 barrels for 8 days reserve power.

Remembering that this is to be used in VR, there is no need to model the actual internals and a decal has been placed on the faceplate. That is covered by a disc of 1mm clear acrylic.

The knurled crown can be rotated to either side to send a signal to the simulator to increase or decrease the time setting. This is achieved by means of a lever at the rear depressing one of two micro pushbuttons.

We have also taken the opportunity to refine the design of the starter and booster coil button covers. A clip has been incorporated to ensure the cover remains in place when closed. The intricate detail that can be incorporated in 3D Printed designs at no extra cost never ceases to amaze.