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Sopwith Scooter, Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) 1/72nd kit with some tweaks


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This cute little plane was an adaptation of the Camel used as a personal transport that later got civilized and eventually sired the Swallow.

KP must be congratulated on the release of yet another civil beauty of interesting lines and good detail.
But this will require some work as the Scooter differed from the KP kit (common sprues with the Swallow) in some regards.

 

This conversation was actually started at the Rumormonger section because many of us loved this kit.

My thanks to @Patrik who brought the attention to the fact that the kit needs some tweaks to properly represent a Scooter.

I was about to immerse myself in the build blindly, so happy and grateful I was warned beforehand.

Other websites and modelers already mentioned some changes that are needed.

I went to my folder on the Scooter and what do you know, they were right.

But do not follow me on this mods to the letter, I am comparing with photos and literature and making the changes I think are needed, but that is just my personal take.


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. It is unlikely that the instrument had the cut-outs for the guns.The wing needs a shorter span (the area for the wing is given as smaller than the Swallow for the Scooter) and a new trailing edge cut-out, plus a slight change in the angle (seen in planform) of the wing tips.
The cowl needs the vent hollowed. More as the build develops.

 

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!
 

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 The parts that belong to the Swallow are marked in the instructions for dismissal:

IMG_9709+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

The discarded parts go the spares bin:

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The cockpit deck that belongs to the Scooter, the location of the aft struts is marked as pips:

IMG_9711+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

The cowl vent is hollowed. To me it looks smaller in the later (civil registered) version of the Scooter than on the earlier:

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The wing cut-out is lined, since it was rounder in the Scooter than in the Swallow:

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This much needs to be removed, but that's my take, so do not follow and then blame me!

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The shortened and re-contoured wing and ailerons. Prominent ejector pin marks were removed from one fuselage side (that has some structure depicted), and will have to filled in the other, but ultimately nothing will really be seen:

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Not much left on the sprue, this is a simple kit and I think it will build well:

IMG_9722+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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A little Milliput to fill the gaps on the cut-out. Once set it will be more precisely contoured and the whole wing will be given a sand to eliminate the reinforcements and tone down a bit that rib tape.

The inst. pan. gun troughs are filled with some styrene bits. Most likely it differed a bit from the Swallow's, but it'll do for this simple build:

IMG_9726+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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7 hours ago, StephenCJ said:

Did I see some guns for the spares bin?

A very nice looking aeroplane.

The guns of today will be part of something more peaceful tomorrow, incorporated in some scratch endeavor or other.

Many a bomb has already become a spinner, headrest, tailcone and such.

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The kit's engine is ok, but if you are looking for something really impressive there is the Small Stuff Clerget resin one, which is an incredible product.

I have a number of their engines, but have only used them occasionally, due to my eyesight issues. They are mini-kits of outstanding precision and detail:
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The use of aftermarket engines will however mandate that the cowl walls be thinned, or a vac replacement molded, or the sanding of the cylinders that remain hidden -leaving untouched the ones exposed-, since kits' engines of this particular type and placement are invariable smaller than they should be to account for the thickness of the cowl.

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The cabane has a teardrop-shaped rigging fairing at its apex -visible in photos-.
To make one drill a thin rod:

IMG_9737+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Shape one end:
IMG_9738+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Cut and round the other other end. The rigging should pass trough or rest on the hole, if you use rigid rigging material:

IMG_9739+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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Getting along nicely and fast, even with the necessary modifications.

With no intention to start flame. I learned the hard way that AZ/KP tended to this kind of "one mould fits all" solutions too often to my liking. Went so far that I was actually genuinely (and pleasantly) surprised when I found the extra flat sided fuselage, in addition to the standard Tiger Moth one, in their Queen Bee packing😀.

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If not exactly in the areas that I would have liked it, all these years of modelling provided a great expertise on certain disciplines, like missing parts.

I have refined this technique to a degree that I know has filled even beings from other planets with uncontrollable envy (you can tell because their digestive gasses take all the colors of the rainbow).

Without going even farther, in this very build I managed to carefully alter the instrument panel -that wasn't suitable for this version-, refine it, put it on a clothespin for airbrushing, and then presto! I could never find it again, no matter what.

Now, I call that talent.

In any case, some little progress was made:

IMG_9769+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

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Even knowing that because of the loss of central vision in my right eye I can't really do this anymore, I just wanted to do as much as I could with the Small Stuff engine. The completely diminutive spark plugs (two per cylinder) completely defeated me, in spite of a "tool" that comes with the engine to grab and position them. I got tired of losing them. But I managed to start to glue the intakes and rockers (not that I think that I can complete this, each part is a phenomenal guessing game, since I can't judge depth adequately):

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IMG_9759+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

IMG_9760+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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Another instrument panel to replace the one I lost:

IMG_9771+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

As noted by fellow modelers in the Rumormonger section, the Scooter wheel axles go a bit upwards as it stand on the ground. The kit's part also is lacking just a bit in width, so the part is replaced:

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That little "dihedral" will give the wheels the inclination you may see in photos:

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 Ready now to go:

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All rigging and control cable locations are drilled at this time. Many are not described in the kit. The box presents a notion of it, if not completely reliable. Look at photos and draw your own conclusions. The aileron control horns positions are sawed as well to later insert metal horns. :

IMG_9776+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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The fuselage halves are glued together. Being this a small kit, the fit is fair, but not brilliant. There are no locating devices.
If you do not sand the sides of the seat, they will interfere with the structure molded on the fuselage sides, confirming the dictum that states "99.9999999% percent of kit interiors are bigger than the space that has been allotted to them":

IMG_9779+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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For a bloke with a buggered up eye you must have the best vision on the planet.

You are certainly one of the best modelers on the planet.

I would like half your skills and half the time you have for modeling.  

 

Stephen, the envious 

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On 5/7/2020 at 6:44 AM, Moa said:

A bit of primer, touch-ups, and to the painting booth (that is: kitchen)

You must be the boss of the kitchen.  If I tried to setup a spray booth in our kitchen I would be no more.

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44 minutes ago, Moa said:

I am the boss, period!

(last time I posted something similar I ended up washing the dishes):

Yes and if all else fails a total persistence in denying reality will get us through.

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