CRG returns with a detailed walkthrough of a Spitfire 500 build, a budget-friendly Amiga 500 accelerator project that shows how collaboration and resourcefulness can upgrade a classic machine without breaking the bank. The video follows the group’s effort to assemble five of these accelerators from scratch using open-source Gerbers by Jay Bander on GitHub.
The Spitfire 500 build centers on a 14 MHz 68000 processor, 8 MB of fast RAM, and an onboard IDE port. It’s not sold as a pre-assembled board, so the process involves ordering components, programming CPLDs, and careful soldering—sometimes under a microscope. CRG and his Discord team take on each stage, from fitting the CPLDs and RAM chips to programming the ROMs and installing passives. Along the way, there are plenty of real-world hiccups: reversed chips, faulty AliExpress parts, and even a dramatic IC explosion caused by a wrong header type.
The group pushes through every setback, reflowing solder joints, patching traces, and troubleshooting ROM compatibility issues. Their persistence pays off when the finished Spitfire 500 boots successfully with 8 MB of fast RAM and stable 14 MHz performance—nearly three times faster than a stock Amiga 500. The accelerator also delivers smooth gameplay improvements in titles like Formula 1 Grand Prix, showing its practical performance benefits.
In the end, CRG celebrates the teamwork behind the Spitfire 500 build, thanking contributors such as Yawning Angel and Liv2, whose IDE driver solved the final boot issue. The episode wraps up with a look at how these open-source Amiga projects thrive on community experimentation, problem-solving, and shared passion for retro hardware.
