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Sopwith Pup - Airfix - 1/72


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Alright I'm in with a second build for this one, could be a risky proposition as quite often I don't finish one build in the time let alone two!

I'm doing the old Airfix Sopwith Pup in 1/72. Picked it up for $5 on Ebay, only slightly more than the 99c price tag still on it. Lovely little kit, will be adding details, either scratch build or spares box. I would love Airfix to update this but not sure that would happen in the near future, HR do a very nice looking tool of the Pup in 1/72, it's little pricey and not very common on this side of the pond. 

Anyway, I have the warpaint book, Pheon decals set and the Wingnut Wings instruction sheet, one of the best references out there I think! 

Cheers

 

pup2.jpg

 

pup1.jpg

 

 

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I would like to pull up a seat for this one if that's ok?

Its seldom that I get in the front row!

 

This is such a nostalgia trip, especially the blister pack with the almost 'unbleached linen' shade of plastic.

 

The Pup is such a beautiful little aircraft. You have some great decal choices there; lots of them :thumbsup:!

 

Good luck for a pleasurable build

:popcorn: 

Best regards

TonyT

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On 7/23/2017 at 10:05 AM, TonyTiger66 said:

I would like to pull up a seat for this one if that's ok?

Its seldom that I get in the front row!

 

This is such a nostalgia trip, especially the blister pack with the almost 'unbleached linen' shade of plastic.

 

The Pup is such a beautiful little aircraft. You have some great decal choices there; lots of them :thumbsup:!

 

Good luck for a pleasurable build

:popcorn: 

Best regards

TonyT

 

Welcome to the front row Tony, I'll try and keep it entertaining as long as no one throws peanuts at me! 

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Haven't had too much time this week to work on this. Started cleaning up the parts, there are a few ejector pin marks on the wings, pretty shallow and easy to fill. Removing the control horns as they are a bit heavy, I have some PE replacements. All the canvas surfaces are covered with a texture which I think is a little heavy for this scale so I'm priming and giving it a rub down and hoping I don't remove the rest of the detial which is rather nice. I think if you scaled the texture up to full size the wings would look like they were covered in gummy worms!

 

pup4.jpg

 

 

In my spares box there are a few almost complete WWI kits that I think will be coming in handy;

Nieuport 11 Toko, met with a cat-astrophic, strut snapping, encounter with Monster (my cat, well technically my wife's cat, especially when she destroys any of my stuff.)

SE5a Roden (see Nieuport 11 for fate)

Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter met with my fat fingers of fate and ended up being unbuildable, completely my fault and rather a nice kit that I may buy again! 

 

Here is the plane trashing culprit in all her one eyed glory! Oh like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. 

 

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But it does mean I have a pretty tasty stash of spares that can be used for this and from the Nieuport I've salvaged a rather lovely Rhone engine, the airfix one isn't bad but this is a little smarter. Just hope it fits!

 

pup5.jpg

 

 

 

 

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I have always liked this model so with your serendipitous spares collection should turn out to be a cracker, provided it stays moggie free! I am looking forward to seeing this progress.

 

Ray

 

PS I hope it is not the usual story between cats and dogs!

Edited by Ray S
put in a PS
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I hope moggy stays away from this one..looks like she thinks model aircraft are little birds :o!

 

I think the Airfix Rhône engine is quite small to take into account the over scale thickness of the cowl walls. You might have to grind a bit out of the cowl. The wing ribs are looking better :) :thumbsup2: 

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 7/29/2017 at 3:13 AM, Ray S said:

I have always liked this model so with your serendipitous spares collection should turn out to be a cracker, provided it stays moggie free! I am looking forward to seeing this progress.

 

Ray

 

PS I hope it is not the usual story between cats and dogs!

Thanks Ray, in our has the cat always beats up the dog!

 

On 8/5/2017 at 9:06 AM, TonyTiger66 said:

I hope moggy stays away from this one..looks like she thinks model aircraft are little birds :o!

 

I think the Airfix Rhône engine is quite small to take into account the over scale thickness of the cowl walls. You might have to grind a bit out of the cowl. The wing ribs are looking better :) :thumbsup2: 

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

 

Thanks for the tip tony, just about to start dry fitting it so I'll let you know. 

Been a bit busy last few weeks but got back to the bench this weekend. Finished the interior, picture's not great as I only have the iPhone as my DSLR has given up the ghost, maybe Santa will bring me a new one for Chrimbo!

The instrument panel, belts and side framework are from the Strutter, seat is from an old PART pe set, the rest is scratched. 

 

pup7.jpg

 

Got the fuselage glued together and spent a little while drilling holes and fixing points for the rigging, the holes are tiny and will need poking through after a coat of paint but it's good to get them drilled now. Also nice to think through the process as it affects the order I build in. Going to pin the tailplane rather than use the giant tab as it should have a little gap between it and the fuselage.   

 

 pup8.jpg

Edited by Misterfriend
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The interior looks superb; well done that man :thumbsup2: !

Really coming along now with the ribs, detail, planned rigging holes.

 

I wish I'd been wrong about the engine but you solved it :).

 

Over the last 15 years or so I've had a few kits with lovely scale resin engines, but the manufacturers often forget how overscale the thickness of the cowl usually is. This looks great now.

 

Best regards

TonyT

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Looking very nice. I like how you used primer and a light sand to tame the rib detail on the wings. The engine looks very nice tucked into the thinner cowl. 

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Thanks everyone!

Basic construction is done and let's get some paint on this Pup(py)! I've decided to attach the struts to the top wings, then I can clean up the joint. The struts come in pairs with a portion of wing attached between them, good for aligning but I'd rather just have individual struts but it should work ok.

pup10.jpg

Edited by Misterfriend
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Ah well I don't think I'm going to get more than this done this weekend. Attached the top wing, always a slightly nerve-wracking part of biplane building but this went pretty well. Remained patient, test fitted and then glued one pair of struts at a time and allowed them to set before moving on. About 3/4 of the way through the rigging, using Uschi elastic thread and super glue. I love British planes from WWI (the Pup is one of my all time favourite planes) but I do find the amount of rigging a little off putting. I quite like rigging, when it's going well, but double wires and heavily rigged tails make them a bit of a pain oh for the relatively simple joy of rigging a  Nieuport or Albatros. Not to say other nations didn't make some heavily rigged beasties but for us it seemed to be the go to!

 

pup14.jpg

 

pup15.jpg

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