Revell’s Big Camel

[bradleygolding]

Hi Dennis,

 

Yes you are right, I am a member here, and just found your build, which is looking great, and much in advance of mine which stalled when someone offered me a half price WnW Felixstowe! That build is still going on LSP, and I hope to get back to the Camel at some point. I wouldn't put too much faith in the Wylam drawings, they really are not that good.

 

Steve

[DMC]

Ah! @bradleygolding, thanks for posting and thanks for the compliment.  Sorry to see your thread stall, helpful in a couple of ways.  Yes, I know about the Wylam drawings.  I still find them useful when linked up with the many photos, etc.  available on the Web . Good luck with the WNW kit.

 

Dennis

 

 

[DMC]

About those bolt heads... not very good, especially under a glass.  Had to try again.  Shaved them off with a chisel but an excess of cement messed up the finish on the cover so it had to come off.  Luckily, I Could get a blade tip in and was able to slice it off.  Smoothed the surface of the crankcase off in a drill and  plunged another piece.  This time I used darker spru  and was able to space the bolts more evenly.

 

Make things easier when you can see what you’re attempting to do.

 

Thanks for dropping in

 

Dennis

 

[pheonix]

Given the small size of the parts and your very large fingers, coupled with your less than 20:20 eyesight, I think that you are doing a marvellous job Dennis. I know that you want to get it right but sometimes I think that near enough is good enough.... I certainly apply that rule to my models and nobody else seems to notice if something is not 100% perfect. I for one would be very happy with that, particularly as it is scratch built.

 

P

[DMC]

2 hours ago, pheonix said:

near enough

Hi @pheonix

 

Agreed, “near enough” are my watchwords these last couple of years  Too much time spent on do-overs and too many abandoned projects.  But, still, when “I’ll try one more time” kicks in it’s difficult to resis.

 

And, along the same lines.  I’sure you are familiar with the “Small Stuff” line of resin engines.  They are not much bigger than a 20p coin and incredibly detailed.  I can’t imagine they were done by hand.  Must be some sort of tool or process used.  Any ideas?

 

Dennis

 

 

[rob Lyttle]

20 hours ago, DMC said:

This time I used darker spru  and was able to space the bolts more evenly.

GOOD CALL 🤓

Looks superb to me! 

These engines have always fascinated me. They say it was easier to turn 270° to the right (?) than 90° port. 

And no throttle control? Just on and off. 

All in a cloud of caster oil. 

(is any of this right 🙄⁉️

[pheonix]

Dennis,

 

I have used some of the Small Stuff engines in 1/72 scale so I do know what they are like. I do not know what process is used to make them but I suspect some form of 3D printing to make a master - I am certain that the moulds are not made by hand alone.

Whatever the process(es) involved they are certainly of the very highest quality and I have no hesitation in recommending them to others.

 

P

[DMC]

3 hours ago, rob Lyttle said:

GOOD CALL 🤓

Thanks, Rob, sometime the obvious isn’t so obvious.

 

i believe you are right on most points.  With this build, I’ve only just begun to look into them a little deeper than just what they look like.  This link provides more in depth information than I could ever provide.  Worth a read if you are interested in the rotary.

 

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11306

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Marklo]

These days they’re much more likely to use a CNC milling centre to make the master mold or a die sinker (aka a spark  or wire eroder) if you want to go fancy you can use something like a reactive ion etch tool to go down to micron levels of precision. 

 

The wire eroder would give detail in the sub mm range.

Edited May 15, 2020 by Marklo

[DMC]

Le plastique Le Rhône looks a little better with a dab of Vallejo paint on it.  A bit slick without the cooling fins but as most of it hidden by the cowl I think it’ll do.  Couldn’t help but think how nice a, say, Bentley BR.1 in 1/28 would look if made by the makers of the Small Stuff line.  Only three pushrods required as the rest wouldn’t have been visible.l.  I saw that the prop boss is a little off center so I’ll need to do a little more carving.  Not sure about bolt heads. Awfully small for me to try.

 

 

The real deal: Le Rhône 9J

 

 

Thanks for dropping in

 

Dennis 

[pheonix]

Very good engine Dennis. The lack of cooling fins will not be very evident behind the cowling.

 

P

[DMC]

14 hours ago, pheonix said:

Very good engine Dennis. The lack of cooling fins will not be very evident behind the cowling.

 

P

Thanks, p   Stacking the punched out discs didn’t work out so I thought I’ Best leave them be. One more thing to try, however.

 

Dennis

[DMC]

Finally put the distractions aside and had a good look at the fuselage halves before cementing them together.  Decided that it would be best if I could fix the skid in place after the halves were cemented together I could avoid snapping it off later on, which I was sure to do.  So carved another, longer, one that I could fix in place near the end.  Just followed the curve of a Magnum ice cream stick an fixed a tab with a hole in it for the skid .  

 

The fuselage framework slides in place after cementing the halves together.  As it is a snug fit, I’ll only need to cement it to the firewall/motor/cowl assembly.  

 

Thanks for dropping in

 

Dennis

 

 

 

[RichieW]

I love that tail skid Dennis, what a clever idea! I shall be copying that one if you don't mind. 

I broke the tail skid on a WNW Camel after joining the fuselage halves but you're clearly a step ahead of the modelling gremlins.

[DMC]

2 hours ago, RichieW said:

I shall be copying that one if you don't mind

Thanks, Richie, and copy away if you like.   The actual setup is a lot more complicated than my simple solution. This photo is from Ken Foran’s Web page on his simply amazing brass Camel build.  Whenever I wish to indulge in a little mental torture I log on to this site.  A good reference source also as I reckon Mr Foran got it right.

 

http://www.wwi-models.org/Images/Foran/Camel/index.html

 

Thanks for dropping in

 

Dennis

 

 

[RichieW]

That's a great reference, thanks Dennis. I will bookmark it.

[DMC]

The rib tapes on the Camels main planes and empennage look a little different from most others I have see photos of.  The usual flat tape with a bead running down the Center.  There are better phots than this one of Cully’s Camel in the IWM but this one illustrates the appearance very well.  

 

 

I attempted to replicate the look with thin styrene strips and Halfords filler primer.  Not bad I think.  A bit fiddly getting the width of each tape “tape” uniform and I ended up pencilling in the widths rather than just eyeballing them.  I can only guess just what the bead is.  The top of the rib(?) with the linen laced to it seems the logical answer but that’s just a guess.  Someone on here will no doubt enlighten me.   

 

Thanks for dropping in

 

Dennis

 

 

[DMC]

Well, here it is:  covering and painting a Camel start to finish.  Learned a thing or two.

 

http://www.johnsshawaviation.co.uk/wordpress/sopwith-camel-f1-2/sopwith-camel-reconstruction/covering/

 

Dennis

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Hi Dennis, the engine looks great fella and that tail skid too, fantastic.  Thanks for putting up the links they are very interesting and to see one being covered too.  I have added your thread to favourites so I can use for reference in the future.

Hope you are keeping well.

All the best

Chris

[RichieW]

That's another great reference bookmarked Dennis. Your rib tapes look very authentic. I'm enjoying this build and learning a lot!

[DMC]

Hi Chris @bigbadbadge,

 Thanks for your kind comments. Pleased you are enjoy the build. Yes we are all (3) well and playing it safe.  Trust you are also.  I also am enjoying this build but admit to being tempted by other projects.  But, can’t stop now or it’s the kiss of death for the old Camel.  

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[bigbadbadge]

1 hour ago, DMC said:

Hi Chris @bigbadbadge,

 Thanks for your kind comments. Pleased you are enjoy the build. Yes we are all (3) well and playing it safe.  Trust you are also.  I also am enjoying this build but admit to being tempted by other projects.  But, can’t stop now or it’s the kiss of death for the old Camel.  

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

Hi Dennis, we are all fine here, still working but have been able to get the mancave useable if not quite finished.  So will be trying it out tonight finally and may get some more modelling time over the weekend too, wahoo.  Yes definitely don't stop, you will have a lot of disappointed modellers if you were to be distracted.   

Keep up the great work on your fantastic Camel.

Stay safe and all the best

Chris

[rob Lyttle]

Yeah carry on here, Dennis, while I knock the PV1 around a bit more towards completion. 

THEN we can set about the cunning plan! 

1 hour ago, bigbadbadge said:

but have been able to get the mancave useable if not quite finished.  So will be trying it out tonight

Yayy... This is good news, Chris 👍

[bigbadbadge]

3 minutes ago, rob Lyttle said:

Yeah carry on here, Dennis, while I knock the PV1 around a bit more towards completion. 

THEN we can set about the cunning plan! 

Yayy... This is good news, Chris 👍

Thanks Rob getting excited now my first night of modelling in there. Got a few on the go  but thought I would celebrate buy starting something big.  FRADU Hunter possibly, not sure yet.

You stay safe too.

All the best

Chris

[DMC]

Lost some of the turtledeck stringer detail cleaning it up a bit after cementing the halves together.  After mulling over whether or not to try skinning one over it I went ahead and took the plunge.  Made a pattern out of heavy paper, transferred it to .010 styrene sheet and scored it for 5 stringers and also for side to side formers which stand out in some photos.  Rather than add cement to the whole deck and risk ruining the replacement I ran a strip of double-sided tap down the spine and cemented just around the edge.  I’m very pleased with the result and glad I went ahead with it.  The stringers stand out in sharp relief and the horizontal stab is a better fit also.

 

Thaks for dropping in.

 

Dennis

 

 

Edited June 6, 2020 by DMC