Dances With Wolves Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 (edited) Hi folks: This build stalled in 2007, resulting in the kit being mothballed as other projects nosed in front. Happily however, things are finally back on the road again, so we'll see if the Soppy gets skinned this time around... A recap - The original (Academy?) Camel kit was let down by shape discrepancies and the classic 'starving cow' method of wing rib reproduction. Hobbycraft re-tooled it some years ago, corrected the shapes, eliminated the rib issue and re-released what is a very good basis for this lethal little fighter. Puzzlingly though, all that effort went unsupported by any apparent effort to actually tell the modelling world what they'd done... Shame really. I discovered it quite by accident and immediately bought two. Glad I did as I haven't seen any more since. The one area where the new kit really needs a boost is the cockpit. It really is very basic but provides a few bits for a bit of amateur tlc. Being blessed with some great references (via Ken Foran's delightful 1:16 build) I decided scratching up a new interior was a real possibility. As I mentioned, I got some distance into this and then stalled over the bracing wires. In the interim, those lovely people at Part knocked up a fab etched set, so that's been added to the mix and effectively left me with no excuse for not resuming this one. The story so far. This is the Clerget engined version - here's the basic engine (to be augmented later). Rib tape detail needs knocking back (started in the lower wing). The fuel tank immediately behind the pilot is absent from the kit. I made mine from two bits of plastic tube glued 'over and under' shotgun style - the gap was filled with card and the ends boxed (tubed?) off with more card, sanded and sprayed Alclad II. The rear of the finished fuel and aux tank - I don't waste time on what can't / won't be seen. The finished fuel (with leather support straps) and aux tanks - the latter is part of the top half of a Bf109G drop tank with card and rod filler cap. The main tank is yet to grow a filler neck and cap... Steve Edited February 22, 2011 by Ogri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dances With Wolves Posted February 22, 2011 Author Share Posted February 22, 2011 The basic structure knocked up from stock plastic and card and added to the bare interior. Basic wood oils added on the right and clear orange'd on the left. Some tube mocked up to accept the carb intake from the kit. Short sections will be cut and used from this either side to rectify the short width of the kit item... The detailing fun begins - fixing plates on both sides (collared from a 1:35 scale Brumbar armour etched set) plus fuel pulsometer on the right with connecting pipe running aft to the tank location. The lower pipe is yet to be fitted. Port interior, part complete. Bracing wires etc to follow. Starboard interior, as above. The CDL aft is roughly finished - a test fit of the tank in the closed up fuselage revealed a basic finish was plenty adequate - however, my CDL OCD since demands that I tidy it up before it gets a matting down... Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dances With Wolves Posted February 22, 2011 Author Share Posted February 22, 2011 (edited) It's been a recurring wish to carry off at least one scratch built WWI seat in my life and happily I've discovered a method that's within my reach. There's no complete seat as yet but I have overcome the principal hurdle of creating the top frame and seat pan (I know there was no actual pan - my inclusion of one is just a modeling expedient that'll be covered by a cushion or etched piece later). My scratch build efforts are concocted off the back of a gorgeous 1:16 Camel created from raw materials by the very talented Ken Foran in 2004. I saved all the build pics he published to PC and these have been gold as far as knocking up my half sized 1:32 efforts in Hobbycraft's really nice kit. These are Ken's pics of his brass micro soldered 1:16 seat - No, I'm not building a four seat Camel... Going left to right, starting on the left, is the kit seat - undersized, solid, shallow depth and intended by Hobbycraft to be covered with 'wicker' decal that's nonetheless really quite unrealistic. Next seat along is a generic resin jobbie created by Mike West who, reading of my plight when I was in the opening stage of this build some years ago, very kindly sent me the item gratis. Third seat along is the back of the Part etched jobbie, w-a-y to thin and unrealistic but it has yielded a reasonable representation of the wicker weave that could be used to cover the mock pan, if I don't make a cushion. Finally, my finished basic frame. This is the MkVI version after I discovered I was going no-where with wire and CA. I therefore resorted to building it to this point from plastic, really because nothing else had worked and it had become more obvious that I could succeed if I stopped trying to shape the top double curvature rail in one hit and instead broke it down into more manageable pieces. So, here's the thing on its tod... ...and here's how it finally got to this point... Stage two is to fit evenly spaced risers that 'dog-leg' to form the criss-cross pattern so characteristic of the seat. Once that's done the binding and weaving should be all downhill. That's the theory... Will the weave be fishing line or annealed brass wire? Probably the latter I'm guessing at this stage... I understand some folks have done this in 1:48... The basic seat frame grew brass wire 'risers' towards the end of last week and progress continued Saturday with the bindings on the front rails either side of the front of the seat. The bindings on the top rail were about a third of the way round and going according to plan when a micro-joule of excess tension was applied to snug the un-annealed wire. A miniscule but sharp crack signaled the sudden and catastrophic exit of a quarter of the top rail, together with various risers. It was a mess... It was one of those moments when it all hangs there in the balance, mocking you with that 'so you thought you had it cracked' thought circulating round your head in a closed loop. It could've gone in the bin but a tiny voice at the back of my mind (my wife calls it 'reason') chirped up and steered me back on to the job of repair. A change of binding technique, some annealed wire and it's ready for the horizontal weave top and bottom. The reward has been test fitting the seat into its final position in the cockpit. The difference in the final effect between the kit seat and the scratch item could not be more stark and it's a pleasure to see it into the home straight. Happy days. Steve Edited February 23, 2011 by Ogri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p-26luvr Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 This is looking super. I will be following your posts with interest. Carl T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Lovely work as usual Steve! Really like your 'woodwork', & the work on the seat is tremendous! Did you ever finish that little Camel with the same name as your daughter?? Keef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Jellyfingers Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Amazing work, definately keeping an eye on this Si. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul RH Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 The work on the seat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcn Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Lovely work on the seat and a nice how to. I'll be watching this one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FZ6 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Really nice detailing work I reall like the wook effect. How did you apply the paint and what colours did you use? That seat is looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Tango Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Lovely work so far Steve, I know what you mean about the basic kit, having built one myself, will be watching the rest of the build with interest. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey58 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Wow,that is amazing work so far,looking really good! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Steve, that is brilliant. Although WWI stuff is not my 'thing' I will watch your build with interest. I wish I had a tenth of that ability and dedication, mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geedubelyer Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Nice work Steve. This brings back some fond memories. I used Ken Forans 1/16th scale build for reference extensively when I built my "Le Rhone" Camel a few years ago. The wood in the cockpit looks super. I think I'll tag along and enjoy this build with you. Chocks away........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 AWESOME... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmcclure Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Brilliant stuff. I've a 1/28 Spad that's been staring accusingly at me for a couple of years and this might be the jolt I need. Floowing this with interest and great admiration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dances With Wolves Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 This is looking super. I will be following your posts with interest. Carl T Hi Carl - thanks for that. I'll try to keep updates going at a reasonable rate. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dances With Wolves Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 (edited) Lovely work as usual Steve! Really like your 'woodwork', & the work on the seat is tremendous!Did you ever finish that little Camel with the same name as your daughter?? Keef Hi Keef: Thanks for that. The wee small 'Laura' Camel is parked where I last left it but will re-launch later this year. Steve Amazing work, definately keeping an eye on this Si. Hi Si: Thanks for that - as I mentioned before, hopefully bench time will be regular enough to keep updates at a reasonable rate. Steve The work on the seat Hi Paul: Thanks for that...much appreciated. Steve Lovely work on the seat and a nice how to.I'll be watching this one Cheers GCN! Steve Edited February 23, 2011 by Ogri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dances With Wolves Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 Really nice detailing work I really like the wood effect. How did you apply the paint and what colours did you use?That seat is looking good. Thanks for that - The cockpit was last worked on in 2007; the colour escapes me now I regret but I think it was perhaps an Umber...I'll have a trawl through the oils collection and get back on that one... Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dances With Wolves Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 Lovely work so far Steve, I know what you mean about the basic kit, having built one myself, will be watching the rest of the build with interest.Pete Hi Pete: Thanks for that - so you've built one? I'll look it up (assuming you posted it) as there seem to be few builds of the kit knocking about on the web. Steve Wow,that is amazing work so far,looking really good!Mike Much appreciated Mike! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dances With Wolves Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 Steve, that is brilliant. Although WWI stuff is not my 'thing' I will watch your build with interest. I wish I had a tenth of that ability and dedication, mate. Hey Andy - thanks for that. We'll see if we can turn that 'interest' into a flame eventually and get you kit bashing a cloth and stick kite yet... Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dances With Wolves Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 Nice work Steve.This brings back some fond memories. I used Ken Forans 1/16th scale build for reference extensively when I built my "Le Rhone" Camel a few years ago. The wood in the cockpit looks super. I think I'll tag along and enjoy this build with you. Chocks away........ Hi-ya GB - Thanks for that. I recall the build you ran on The Aerodrome (lovely stuff btw). Chocks away indeed! Take it easy. Steve AWESOME... Hi Houston - Thanks for that - much appreciated. Steve Brilliant stuff. I've a 1/28 Spad that's been staring accusingly at me for a couple of years and this might be the jolt I need. Floowing this with interest and great admiration. Hi RM: Thanks for that. Hopefully the Spad's call will soon prove too much... Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl J. Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 IIRC, the highly esteemed Wingnuts Wings group described the new tool Hobbycraft Sopwith Camel with the descriptor ''excellent''. And it looks as though you're doing a bang up job with it too. Daryl J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 OMG, fantastic work, this is amazing stuff, very inspirational. Thanks for sharing All the best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dances With Wolves Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 IIRC, the highly esteemed Wingnuts Wings group described the new tool Hobbycraft Sopwith Camel with the descriptor ''excellent''. And it looks as though you're doing a bang up job with it too. Daryl J. Thanks Daryl - the seat's the hardest part. Assuming that finishes up ok I should be 'over the hump' in terms of out and out difficulty (do I like tempting fate or what ) but we'll see. It's good to resurrect this one and get it moving again. Thanks for the encouragement - it's much appreciated. Steve OMG, fantastic work, this is amazing stuff, very inspirational.Thanks for sharing All the best Chris Hey Chris - Thanks for that. Hope you and yours have a great weekend. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Kent Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Great work on the seat, I'm looking for a camel to build, could you tell me the kit number on the box so I can look one up ? Thanks and regards gk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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