Wingnut Wings Sopwith F.1 Camel “Clerget”

[shortCummins]

 

Wingnut Wings Sopwith F.1 Camel “Clerget” 

 

So having finished the Mk.VIII Spitfire it was time to decide what to build next. I don’t have too big a stash, unless you talk to my wife, so my choice is reasonably limited. 
I have mainly 1:48 kits, 1:72 is far too small for my tired old eyes, in the stash, in no particular order, I have a Tamiya Swordfish and a Lancaster, an Eduard Starfighter, a Revell/Monogram PBY-5A Catalina and B-26 Marauder, ICM Beechcraft C-45, Hobby Boss Sukhoi Su-17M4 Fitter-K, Hasegawa P-38J Lightning (with no instructions!?) and the beautiful 1:32 Sopwith Camel ‘Clerget’.

The Lancaster, Catalina and B-26 are going to be “big beasts” and at the moment I’ve nowhere to display them, also the B-26 has been started, by my Father-in-law who’s since passed away so I want to “do something special” with the kit once I finish it, I just have to make up my mind what that will be. I was tempted by the P-38 but I can’t make up my mind if I should go for a NMF or a well-worn green and grey version? Also I was very tempted by the Starfighter but having a look at the Wingnut Wings plastic swayed it, the quality of the moulds is remarkable, so I can only butcher it!

 

The kit has 5 markings:
B3834 “Wonga Bonga” Manston Flight RNAS
B3889 “B1” 70 Sqn RFC
B3893 Sqn 9(N) RNAS
B6289 Sqn RNAS
B6313 139 10(N) Sqn RAF
B7406 4 Sqn AFC

 

I can’t resist “Wonga Bonga”

apparently Wonga = Gotha, because of their distinctive engine sound and Bonga = smasher
Another reason I chose this scheme is because it has the Sopwith factory detail on the tail and as I grew up near Kingston Upon Thames it has some personal (although tenuous) meaning to me.

 

Last year I went to the show at Telford where I was lucky enough to meet Robert Lane who sculpted this figure 

I’ve never painted any figures, only one of the aircraft I've built has had a pilot?, so I thought I’d have a crack at this one, what can go wrong?

 

I’m planning on taking my time building this, it'll be the most expensive kit I built, also the most detailed? I’ve never built a 1:32 kit before and everything I’ve heard about Wingnut Wings is positive so I want to enjoy the process as much as I can.

As usual I’ll be starting with the cockpit

 

until next time
as always, any suggestions or comments will be gratefully received.
rgds
John(shortCummins)

[Ted]

Following, looking forward to your build.

 

I built their SE5a, it was a very enjoyable kit.

[clive_t]

Looking forward to this

 

 

[Torbjorn]

Same. Every time I see one of these being built, my fingers catch a horrible itch.

[CedB]

Ah John, I too have this kit for my first 1/32 build so I’ll be very interested to see how you get on. 

After you Sir  

[shortCummins]

 

As with 99.9% of all aircraft I start with the cockpit, however whilst preparing to start I decided that I’d try and prepare some other areas that made sense, to me anyway, that would be requiring the same sort of finished, i.e. wood, such as the propellor and cockpit decking.

 

So to that end I separated the parts I needed and gave them a coat of UMP/Stylenrez black primer

side walls

floor, seat and fuel tank

instrument panel and gun mount

oil tank

propellor

cockpit decking

wing struts and machine guns

tail skid

 

 

There are several parts that need to be ‘wood’, instrument panel, wicker seat, foot rests, spars etc. so I started by giving them a ‘base’ wood colour of either Tamiya XF-55 deck tan and/or XF-59 desert yellow.

 

These now need a ‘woodgrain pattern’ so I used vallejo model air 71.036 mahogany or model color 70.828 woodgrain.

For the larger items I used a RB production PE stencil to create the woodgrain, for smaller items I used a small brush to create the pattern

the PE stencils

 

Once I was satisfied with the wood effect they were given a diluted coat of either Hobby Color H92 clear orange, Tamiya X-24 clear yellow or Tamiya X-27 clear red mixed with the clear orange to give either lighter or darker shades

 

 

With the wood, more or less, completed it’s time to add the other painted detail…

 

until next time

as always, any suggestions or comments will be gratefully received.

rgds

John(shortCummins)

[Martin Ford]

Hello John, I like what I'm seeing so far. The wood effect fascinates me as I have seen so many different methods and they always look great. I'm interested in the PE stencil you mentioned, so might have a look for one.

I've just finished my first Wingnut kit, an Eindecker, but this Camel is the first one I bought and am saving it for a rainy day. 

 

Look forward to seeing yours built, Martin 

[clive_t]

Always fascinating to see techniques like this for the wood effect. Looks great too 

[SA80A2AR]

i would love one of there kits but there out my price range

[shortCummins]

1 hour ago, Martin Ford said:

Hello John, I like what I'm seeing so far. The wood effect fascinates me as I have seen so many different methods and they always look great. I'm interested in the PE stencil you mentioned, so might have a look for one.

I've just finished my first Wingnut kit, an Eindecker, but this Camel is the first one I bought and am saving it for a rainy day. 

 

Look forward to seeing yours built, Martin 

thanks for the encouragement Martin

 

here's a link to the PE stencil(s)

http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=77_117

 

This kit is really, really nice, it might just spoil me for any other kits!?

 

The bigger scale, I normally build 1:48, is a little disconcerting however I've enjoyed it so far 

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

[shortCummins]

1 hour ago, clive_t said:

Always fascinating to see techniques like this for the wood effect. Looks great too 

Thanks Clive

 

I've used these templates on a couple of previous builds, a "wooden" mossie (see my avatar) and an Eduard 1:48 Albatros 

I think the wood grain was probably "over-scale" for those two, I was happy with the results but I'm really looking forward to how the wood looks once the kit comes together and the weathering has been applied

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

[clive_t]

Thanks for the above link, I'll be taking a good look round tomorrow 

[Martin Ford]

7 minutes ago, shortCummins said:

thanks for the encouragement Martin

 

here's a link to the PE stencil(s)

http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=77_117

 

This kit is really, really nice, it might just spoil me for any other kits!?

 

The bigger scale, I normally build 1:48, is a little disconcerting however I've enjoyed it so far 

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

Many thanks for the link.

The Wingnut kits are pretty special aren't they. I seem to spend hours looking at the boxes and instructions, I've bought 8 now but so far only made the one.

Best of luck with yours, Martin 

[shortCummins]

1 hour ago, SA80A2AR said:

i would love one of there kits but there out my price range

this kit cost around £60, not cheap I agree however I don't need to buy any aftermarket to bring it "up to scratch", its of one of my favourite aircraft and it will probably take me a month or two to complete.

 

I see you're a Chelsea fan (I'm a Fulham fan so take the rest of the sentence with a pinch of salt), don't go to a game, you'll easily save the money and be able to afford a Wingnut Wings kit :-)

 

you know it makes sense 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

 

P.S. this site has the kit for £55.50 (a bargain?)

https://www.wetanz.com/shop/model-kits/sopwith-f1-camel-clerget?ref=brand

Edited April 15, 2018 by shortCummins

[shortCummins]

1 minute ago, Martin Ford said:

Many thanks for the link.

The Wingnut kits are pretty special aren't they. I seem to spend hours looking at the boxes and instructions, I've bought 8 now but so far only made the one.

Best of luck with yours, Martin 

ha ha,

I've just showed my wife that you've got 8, she just said "don't get any ideas"

 

what kits do you have?

[Martin Ford]

16 minutes ago, shortCummins said:

ha ha,

I've just showed my wife that you've got 8, she just said "don't get any ideas"

 

what kits do you have?

😀 I reckon you're hooked already. I went a bit mad last year, I work a lot of overtime and just thought, why not. 

 

I have the 1. Camel Clerget, like you, 2. an Eindecker E111 late, which I have built and enjoyed immensely.

Also in the stash are, 

3. FE 2B late, the rigging makes my head hurt looking at it.

4. Roland DV1B

5. SE 5E Hisso 

6. Hansa Brandenburg

7. F2B

8. The amazing looking Jeannin Stahltaube.

 

Keep me going for a while I guess,

 

All the best, Martin 

 

 

[CedB]

Very nice John, tempted by those stencils!

[shortCummins]

22 hours ago, Martin Ford said:

😀 I reckon you're hooked already. I went a bit mad last year, I work a lot of overtime and just thought, why not. 

 

I have the 1. Camel Clerget, like you, 2. an Eindecker E111 late, which I have built and enjoyed immensely.

Also in the stash are, 

3. FE 2B late, the rigging makes my head hurt looking at it.

4. Roland DV1B

5. SE 5E Hisso 

6. Hansa Brandenburg

7. F2B

8. The amazing looking Jeannin Stahltaube.

 

Keep me going for a while I guess,

 

All the best, Martin 

 

 

wow, there's some fine kits there, I'm not jealous 

 

With the wood effects complete its time to add some painted details to the instrument panel

Tamiya XF-2 white for the dials

 

Tamiya X-18 semi gloss black for the dial bezels and as a ‘base’ for the brass

 

Mr Metal Color 219 brass

 

Tamiya XF-23 light blue for the glass vial

 

Instrument decals and placards

 

 

More to come with the cockpit.

 

until next time

as always, any suggestions or comments will be gratefully received.

rgds

John(shortCummins)

[DMC]

Such an iconic airplane and you are doing a great job with the WNW kit.  Incidentally, stumbled onto your FW build on ISM.  Great job on that one also.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[shortCummins]

On 4/16/2018 at 18:43, DMC said:

Such an iconic airplane and you are doing a great job with the WNW kit.  Incidentally, stumbled onto your FW build on ISM.  Great job on that one also.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

Thanks Dennis

 

 

[shortCummins]

 

More detail painting…

First colour is dull aluminium, vallejo acrylic metal color 77.717

masking

 

the fuel tank

tank straps painted black

these photos show that I need to re-paint the straps to get better coverage

 

magazines and back engine plate

 

fuselage side-frames

black detail painted

 

Mr Metal Color 215 cooper

 

dull aluminium, vallejo acrylic metal color 77.717

 

Mr Metal Color 219 brass

 

floor boards/foot rest

 

seat cushion vallejo model color 70.828 woodgrain

 

wicker-seat binding model color 70.814 burnt red

 

tail-skid

 

 

Next I’ll be assembling the cockpit and adding the internal rigging.

 

until next time

as always, any suggestions or comments will be gratefully received.

rgds

John(shortCummins)

[CedB]

Nice progress John - that detail looks great, good job

[Johnny1000]

Looks good!

 

I've never been interested in WWI subjects before, but I'm really starting to covet a WNW kit... 

[shortCummins]

16 hours ago, CedB said:

Nice progress John - that detail looks great, good job

thanks CedB,

I normally build 1:48 so have the "larger" format is a bit strange, you'd think it would be easier but I'm not finding it so at the moment. I am really enjoying it though

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

[shortCummins]

13 hours ago, Johnny1000 said:

Looks good!

 

I've never been interested in WWI subjects before, but I'm really starting to covet a WNW kit... 

Thanks Johnny

I'd been so tempted by WNW kits over the past 2 or 3 years, they all look really good kits, then they released one of my favourite aircraft the Camel, I couldn't resist

 

now when(?) they release a Fokker Dr.1 triplane (the Red Baron and all that) I defiantly won't be able to resist that!

 

I've never built a 1:32 kit before so I can't really compare however I will say that I'll be buying more WNW kits, I just need to save my pennies

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)