Jump to content

1/72 - Sopwith Swallow & Scooter by Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) - released


Homebee

Recommended Posts

Expected in late February 2020

 

- ref. KPM0165 - Sopwith Scooter "Monoplane N°1"

Source: https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/sopwith-scooter-monoplane-no-1/

 

KPM0165-box.jpg

 

KPM0165-kamo.jpg

 

- ref. KPM0166 - Sopwith Swallow "Monoplane N°2"

Source: https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/sopwith-swallow-monoplane-no-2/

 

 

KPM0166-box.jpg

 

KPM0166-kamo.jpg

 

V.P.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I have the Swallow and that looks nice too. Tempeted by it if I can work out the best way of rigging it. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, Moa said:

Got my Scooter!

It looks nice!

Well done, KP!

 

Hi Moa,

fellow modeller pointed out here https://www.ipmsnymburk.com/forum/viewtema.php?ID_tema=40809 that while the kit is just fine for the Swallow, you would need to modify the wing for the Scooter - shorten the wingspan and modify the wingtips. I do not have my own references to confirm it, nevertheless I thought you would like to know. Although you may know it already and I am just teaching an eagle to soar.😉

Patrik

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Patrik said:

Hi Moa,

fellow modeller pointed out here https://www.ipmsnymburk.com/forum/viewtema.php?ID_tema=40809 that while the kit is just fine for the Swallow, you would need to modify the wing for the Scooter - shorten the wingspan and modify the wingtips. I do not have my own references to confirm it, nevertheless I thought you would like to know. Although you may know it already and I am just teaching an eagle to soar.😉

Patrik

Oh, my!

Thanks, Patrik! I did not know, and being this a new kit, I was about to happily start it without checking! Will I ever learn!

Much appreciated, a day-long backpacking excursion to the references it is!

Phew!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Mr T said:

I have the Swallow and that looks nice too. Tempeted by it if I can work out the best way of rigging it. 

Hi Mr T

Are you looking for options on rigging materials? or are you pointing at some complexity in it?

After the Lee-Richards annular wing rigging, this is a walk in the park (with a mask).

Or am I missing something?

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An online translation of the relevant text on that site, for other modelers to be aware. Just copying this, not sure how accurate it may be (it seems to be ), I did not check anything against references or the model:

 

 

On Monday, I took the opportunity to visit our model shop, where, in addition to some chemistry, I also bought a novelty from KP - Sopwith Scooter. A virtually unknown but beautifully colored derivative of the legendary Camel, used as a chief pilot's passenger plane. Simultaneously with this model, a version of Swallow was released, which was a fighter. Both models have the same frame with parts, differing only in the box, instructions and decals. The difference between the two types is solved by alternative engine parts with a propeller, the front part of the fuselage ridge, ailerons and wing struts of different lengths. I teased Google's uncle a bit and looked at the few photos of both pieces. On that occasion, I found out that the model quite corresponds to the Swallow type - only the oval hole on the lower right part of the engine cover is missing (probably omitted for technological reasons) and then two rectangular holes in the wing above the machine gun breeches. loading of ammunition belts). At the end of the lower part of the fuselage is still missing a triangular hole allowing the spur to rotate.

For the Scooter type, the hole in the engine cover and the spur is again missing, but in addition the shape of the wing needs to be adjusted - this had a smaller span and a different shape of the end arches for the Scooter. The period photos show that the wing had 15 ribs of the same depth on each half and then one shorter rib. The total span was 8.33 m, which on a scale of 1:72 corresponds to about 116 mm, while the widest part of the wing is on the rear auxiliary beam just in front of the ailerons. On the model, it is necessary to grind part of the end of the wing behind the last pressed rib (it comes to remove it completely) and bevel the end of the wing with a long arc up to the 15th rib from the center. Proportionally, the aileron span must be reduced, while the shape of the end arches seems to be correct. According to the photos, it also seems that the upper surface of the wing did not have reinforcements on the inner ribs, used only for the Swallow type. For greater modeling, it would be appropriate to adjust the axle of the chassis - when standing on the ground, the outer parts of the axle were tilted and the wheels were slanted as with all Sopwith. Unfortunately, the instructions for the strings are missing in the instructions and their placement is unfortunately not well drawn either in the title picture or in the color schemes, so when knitting, it is necessary to follow the photos. At the same time, in the Scooter type, double wires were used only on the lower outer reinforcements of the wing, the other reinforcements were formed by single wires. The Swallow type had double wires at all lower wing reinforcements.

As for the color, I found only one form for the Swallow type, and the first variant of coloring from the box corresponds quite well. I did not find the shape in the color of the material anywhere. With the Scooter type, the situation is much more varied. Probably the oldest variant of coloring is a machine in the color of the material with a sheet metal bow and black painted plywood parts of the fuselage, sovereign characters are only white lined cockades on the fuselage and tricolor on the rudder, at the back on the fuselage is a white rectangle for army number (which was never assigned) . Later, cockades were added to the wing, while on the lower surface there were unlined cockades for the entire depth of the wing, while on the upper surface of the wing there were smaller unlined cockades extending from the leading edge of the wing only in front of the aileron joint. The last variation of this color was the addition of black civil matriculation K-135 on the sides of the fuselage, in this form the aircraft wore a slender silver propeller cone. All three variants of this coloration were characterized by a mirror gloss of the canvas surface and theoretically it would be possible to combine them from coloring No. 3 in the kit, unfortunately the dimensions of the wing cockades are bad. Another color variant in the historical sequence is a civilian machine G-EACZ with a red painted rear part of the fuselage and tail surfaces. Here the coloring corresponds quite well, only the back of the fuselage in front of the pilot was not white, but the front part remained in the color of lapped aluminum sheet and the wooden part just in front of the cockpit remained black as with the previous color. The last variant is all-yellow coloring (again with a propeller cone). According to the available photographs, the wheel covers were painted a darker color, and if the matriculation on the fuselage and tail surfaces was supported by white rectangles at all, then the color must have been very faded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Patrik was right, this will require some work as the Scooter differed from the KP kit in some regards.

Comparing the kit with references (by the way, freely and easily accessible on the Net) the differences are frankly quite obvious, even at a first glance.

I really like this little kit, and will build it without hesitation, but I am a bit ticked that a new kit would miss the obvious differences when photos are just a click away.

The reinforcements of the central ribs have to go, and the rib tape detail is a a bit out of scale. The instrument panel should not have the cut-outs for the guns, needless to say.

The cowl needs the vent hollowed, and there are other issues, but I (and surely others) will come back to it at the time of actually building the model.

I strongly support KP in their efforts to provided very attractive civil alternatives of such interesting planes. Fortunately for them this time the corrections needed are easy, but it would be great if more research was carried out before committing to the production of masters.

I am buying another because I deem this an uncomplicated build (my subjective impression, please note), and I can't decide between the two colorful schemes!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mia, I was thinking about the best way of rigging the wings. The last rigged monoplane I built was a Morane N in about 1979wher I used stretched sprue and PVA. Since it has all the biplanes I have built have been  rigged with invisible mending thread and superglue and lots of  very small holes. Not really caught up with the use of more modern rigging materials, although I suppose I ought to. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/2/2020 at 11:59 PM, Mr T said:

Hi Mia, I was thinking about the best way of rigging the wings. The last rigged monoplane I built was a Morane N in about 1979wher I used stretched sprue and PVA. Since it has all the biplanes I have built have been  rigged with invisible mending thread and superglue and lots of  very small holes. Not really caught up with the use of more modern rigging materials, although I suppose I ought to. 

I think we have talked about ceramic fiber  before, that's what I'll be using in the WiP. I have worked before with nylon monofilament, then went to very thin wire, and then to ceramic.

When it comes to it you can judge if it may work for you:

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, I appear to have mistyped your forum name, not taking enough notice of the wretched and very intrusive autocorrect on my phone. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...