Post WW.I Sopwith Snipe Colours

[Wez]

I'm in the process of making my Toko 1/72nd Sopwith Snipe in the 32 Sqn markings circa 1924 from the Model Alliance Silver Wings sheetMA-72157.

Whilst I'm happy with the exterior colours I must confess I don't know much about the interior colours of interwar RAF aircraft in general and the Snipe in particular - could anybody help me out?

Am I right in thinking the Snipe's airframe was of wooden construction and therefore any framework would be varnished wood? As for the linen portions of the interior would they have been red doped first followed by silver dope (thus giving a reddish silver appearance)?

I was hoping to do this as a quick Christmas project alongside my Hobby Boss 1/48th MiG-17F so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Wez

[wyverns4]

Hi Wez,

Did some reaserch into this ealier in the year. What I found was;

1. Main structural parts are varnished wood.

2. Fabric covered areas should be a dull red / red-brown. Dont bother with silver as the red dope was applied in 2-4 layers.

3. Metal areas (forwad fuslage) are metal and either NMF or painted in either light or dark grey.

4. Small metal fittings (e.g. angles holding the fuselage formers together and some instruments were a glossy black.

5. The seat had leather padding.

I found it a nice relatively simple build, but had big steps between the trailing edge of the lower wing fuselage plug and rear fuselage and forward fuselage sides and cowling.

Have fun!

Christian the Married

[Wez]

Hi Wez,

Did some reaserch into this ealier in the year. What I found was;

1. Main structural parts are varnished wood.

2. Fabric covered areas should be a dull red / red-brown. Dont bother with silver as the red dope was applied in 2-4 layers.

3. Metal areas (forwad fuslage) are metal and either NMF or painted in either light or dark grey.

4. Small metal fittings (e.g. angles holding the fuselage formers together and some instruments were a glossy black.

5. The seat had leather padding.

I found it a nice relatively simple build, but had big steps between the trailing edge of the lower wing fuselage plug and rear fuselage and forward fuselage sides and cowling.

Have fun!

Christian the Married

Thanks for the gen' Christian - just what I was after.

Regards

Wez

Edited December 27, 2008 by Wez

[Edgar]

I think you should be wary of the red dope; Titanine didn't introduce it until 1924, so clear would have been the order in 1918, and just after. This was applied to the exterior, and the inside just became a dirtier version of the natural fabric colour (cream, in the case of Irish linen.) Also, if you ever do a model, with red doped fabric, it's also only applied to the exterior, and doesn't soak through, completely; there is a streaky pink hue on the creamy-coloured fabric, that's all.

Edgar

[Dave Fleming]

I think you should be wary of the red dope; Titanine didn't introduce it until 1924, so clear would have been the order in 1918, and just after. This was applied to the exterior, and the inside just became a dirtier version of the natural fabric colour (cream, in the case of Irish linen.) Also, if you ever do a model, with red doped fabric, it's also only applied to the exterior, and doesn't soak through, completely; there is a streaky pink hue on the creamy-coloured fabric, that's all.

Edgar

The exterior would have been given a coat of red-oxide dope (The AM one introduced in mid/late 1918 as a replacement for PC10/12, but whose full designation I can't remember at present!) followed by the coats of Aluminum. Need to look up (can't recall!) if this was applied direct to the fabric or over a clear (shrinking) coat

[Graeme]

I'm not sure if this photo is of much use, but it shows the interior colour of the doped linen of the RAF Museum's Brstol Fighter. Although the exterior is PC10 the interior is not especially darker than standard clear doped linen

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Regards

Graeme