I have a friend building an RC MK IX Spitfire and needs some way to cool the complete in cowl engine. Did this spitfire have anything on the cowl that could be used to get air in it? He is a scale builder and wants it to look as real as possible and I thought maybe the spitfire had something on its cowl that could serve a double purpose of scale and a way to cool the inside of the cowl. Thanks for any help!

Depends upon the size of orifice you need. This is about all you have got to use. There is another similar sized intake on the top cowling on the starboard side.

Well after a quick google search the only open area that could be used to let air in is the small air scoop at the front side. I can tell you from 15 years of flying R/C aircraft that wont be enough to cool an engine not even a .25

The 1/9 and 1/4 scale spit have had to have the cowlings chopped underneath to allow the engine to cool enough and get enough air running over it. The engines had to be mounted sidways for the exhaust to come out on the underside. These two have on board glo starts, if you were using a normal glo-start then you would need to cut holes in the side of the cowl to get to it anyway.

It might not be accurate but the cut cowl is the only thing to keep the engine cool enough. Its never lost anyone points in the R/C scale competitions either as the judges appreciate that the engines need to be kept cool.

The only option is a cut cowl for flying and a pristine one with no holes or cut outs as a static display one only

Thanks! His main problem is that he is wanting to use an in cowl muffler. So your saying that use the on board glo and cut the bottom of the cowl? If he uses the in cowl do you think he would be able to make a mod so the muffler faces the bottom and close to it so a hole can be cut but not expose the muffler itself? Thanks again!

I just have the muffler (exhaust) coming out of the bottom of the cowl really at the end of the day it is up to him and it also depends on the engine. If he wants any ideas about mounting the engine etc I think some of the R/C forums would be better. Even better would be talking to other R/C modellers either at the store or on the flying strip.

To be honest with R/C aircraft the cowlings will most of the time have to be hacked because the airflow needs to get round the engine and cooling fins on the engine

Thanks for the help guys. I think he's gunna have to give up some realism. Thanks again!