Bf109E replica being built in Cornwall UK

[lmritger]

As I've said elsewhere Martin, of all the 109 model projects I've been involved with over the years, this is far and away my absolute favorite of them all. I am humbled and honored to have played a part in this, and cannot praise you and your team highly enough for what you've accomplished here.

It just looks *RIGHT*. Truly, truly well done.

Lynn

[Zac Yates]

Absolutely stunning. It looks like one could climb in and start her up!

[Michel Lemieux]

Freaking amazing........

Simply just outstanding work....

Congradulations to all the team!!!!!

[T6flyer]

Thanks to everyone for their kind comments and support throughout the build. As always we love reading your comments and appreciate all your posts. It's been a rollercoaster of a project, some parts frustrating and some fun and although now finished there are still a few alterations and amendments to be made before she is 100% complete. Will try and post some more photos when that happens.

Today, with a somewhat bare hangar, with only one Spitfire in there, we carry on with a P-51D build and a Spitfire VR cockpit for the States. Never a dull moment here, always something new appearing. Something new to research, something to build. Who knows what the future holds, but with the wonderful feedback received with the 109 on forums and social media, this one hopefully won't be the last that we ever make.

Best wishes to all and thanks again,

Martin

[T6flyer]

And now 3 weeks later, work is still going on with a number of active projects. New wings for a BoB film Hurricane, new moulds being made for a Spitfire II (with wonderful assistance from people at Duxford), a new P-51D for New Zealand and four Spitfires finding new homes in the UK, one being hung vertically 20ft above the ground, as if it was flying down the road!

This last weekend we travelled up to the BAE factory at Salmesbury, where we placed an F-35B on the gate, alongside another of our creations a replica English Electric Lightning. Wonderful stuff indeed.



We have had wonderful feedback as to the 109. Through social media and this website. Can't thank everyone enough for their kind messages and approvals. Just got to try and make some more now! Sent mailshots out, but as of yet, only one Museum has a strong interest in one. But people are very keen on parts. Perhaps we will do more when confirmation of the new BoB film comes through?



Who knows, every day is different, and almost every day someone, somewhere asks for the suitability of a project. Kaman Huskie, Avro Vulcan, Sea King, Mosquito, P-47 and Stuka are just a few that come to mind that are either under consideration or have fallen by the way side. Tomorrow it might be another Spitfire. Personally I would love to build a T-6. Get one in from the cold, restore it, exchange it, fly it and then place an accurate model back in it's place, which will last a lot longer than the real thing. Just a thought of course.

So, again thanks for everyone's kind comments.

Best wishes,

Martin

[Courier Sportster]

i'd love to watch this all unfold in real time. set up a workshop-cam. or do a years-long time-lapse deal. do both! that's not too demanding is it? who knew there was such a healthy cottage industry for this? not I.

[T6flyer]

i'd love to watch this all unfold in real time. set up a workshop-cam. or do a years-long time-lapse deal. do both! that's not too demanding is it? who knew there was such a healthy cottage industry for this? not I.

Think if we did that, sometimes the camera would start to run backwards!

Everything goes smoothly and then something happens. A little bit more research, an ill fitting contracted part, staffing issues, wrong paint etc etc. I worry too much, but I know each and every time what goes out is an accurate replica. 'Do it right, or don't it at all'. As simple as that. It's just getting to that point that takes time, and I love every minute of it.

Martin

[Zac Yates]

a new P-51D for New Zealand

Awesome! Looking forward to seeing and hearing more about that when the time's right!

[Dave Lindauer]

Great work, Martin!

I'm curious -- Do you assign any kind of serial or construction numbers to the replicas that you build?

Dave

[T6flyer]

Great work, Martin!

I'm curious -- Do you assign any kind of serial or construction numbers to the replicas that you build?

Dave

Thank you. I have only been with the company for 8 months, but believe that the only airframes which have serial numbers as such were the 4 F-35 Ground Training Aids which were built for the Royal Navy, to aid deck crews on positioning and crew evacuation training.

BUT, we are now working closely with the British Aviation Preservation Council, who having had their own respected register since the sixties, wish like myself to now record all that we have built. Then everything will be in order and available for all.

Martin

[Richard W.]

Would love to see a "How It's Made" style documentary on your shop.

Not a puff-piece History Channel thing with "the Gunny", either. A soup to nuts demonstration following one project would rock.

This is right up the BBC's alley, I would think.

[Zac Yates]

Perhaps an episode of Plane Resurrection?

[T6flyer]

Would love to see a "How It's Made" style documentary on your shop.

Not a puff-piece History Channel thing with "the Gunny", either. A soup to nuts demonstration following one project would rock.

This is right up the BBC's alley, I would think.

Think would have to be on quite late as some of us are a little bit on the scary side! We don't get out much, spend so much time in dark hangars, building away!!

But a good idea. Perhaps one day I will be recognised in the Street!

Best wishes to all,

Martin

[airnutz]

Think would have to be on quite late as some of us are a little bit on the scary side! We don't get out much, spend so much time in dark hangars, building away!!

But a good idea. Perhaps one day I will be recognised in the Street!

Best wishes to all,

Martin

Oooooo...tekkie zombies trying to occasionally escape to a normal life, but being kept at bay in the hangars by gun-toting paranoiaics thinking it's the end of the world. How titallating! Quite a fantasy show to give "Walking Dead" some competition! And if the gun-toters are your employers then it's a reality show! Win, win!

[T6flyer]

Back on Spitfires now and for the last three weeks we have been building a VR Spitfire cockpit with Occulus Rift for a customer in America. Instead of buying commercially available controls we are building our own with the wonderful help and assistance from a very clever electronics gentleman, John Stevens. With his know how and our wonderful craftsmen we have produced so far a lovely Spitfire control column, throttle box and undercarriage lever. All connects up through a junction box and then with USB cables connects to a standard PC. Cockpit is built to the same standards as our other replicas, the budding pilot climbs in, and then complete with Mae West places on the VR helmet and sees again the cockpit, but this time with wings.

All beyond me, but should prove to be popular and perhaps the start of something new for us. We have found the flight simulator market a very viable source of possible customers and we hope to be able to refine the build and therefore produce more if this takes off (sorry!).

Martin