Britain's First Line of Defence: the Sopwith Baby. ++Finished++

[CliffB]

On the 19th January 1915, Germany carried out its first Zeppelin raids on Britain.  Their chosen targets were Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn.  Over the next two years there were a total of 52 'Zepp' raids, which together claimed over 500 lives.

 

Initially, Britain seemed unable to defend herself, but with time an effective defence was established via a combination of AA guns and interceptor aircraft.

 

The responsibility for interception was shared between the RNAS (who were to take on the Zeppelins over the English Channel and North Sea), and the RFC (who took over responsibility once the Zeppelins were over land).

 

The RNAS made much use of Sopwith aircraft, principally the Schneider and the Baby.  These float planes were based at RNAS Coastal Stations and also on picket ships at sea.

 

For this GB I'll be building this 1/200 scale white metal Sopwith Baby, produced by Langton Miniatures.  It's a delightful little kit that's presented in the type of box that you'd normally find at a jewellers.

 

 

Whoever built the model featured on the box lid deserves a medal.  Each square of the chequered engine cowling must be less than 1mm square 

 

I'll be finishing mine in a much simpler scheme, as carried by the Baby which is on display at the FAA Museum, Yeovilton. 

 

Cheers

 

[Col.]

Well Cliff, you've hit a new peak with this one, a tiny model of a tiny aeroplane. Could this be your smallest yet?

[CliffB]

18 hours ago, Col. said:

Well Cliff, you've hit a new peak with this one, a tiny model of a tiny aeroplane. Could this be your smallest yet?

 

Thanks Col.  I'm sure this will be my smallest aircraft, but I did once build a 1/144 scale Pz.38(t), which was pretty small too.  I'll have to do the maths!

[PeterB]

Hi Cliff.

 

The 38(t) is small enough in 1/76 - in 1/144 I would think about 3.2cm long and 1.49cm wide, about the same as a 1/76 Kubelwagen!

 

Pete

[trickyrich]

Now I’m just waiting to see you do the rigging on her!  

 

gosh  in 1/72nd she’s tiny, but 1/200th..... I hope you’ve fed the carpet monster.....though the metal bits may give it heartburn.

 

will be a fascinating build to follow, good luck with her

 

[CliffB]

8 hours ago, PeterB said:

Hi Cliff.

 

The 38(t) is small enough in 1/76 - in 1/144 I would think about 3.2cm long and 1.49cm wide, about the same as a 1/76 Kubelwagen!

 

Pete

 

Thanks Pete.  The Baby is roughly 4 x 3 cm, so the honours go to the panzer!

 

 

39 minutes ago, trickyrich said:

Now I’m just waiting to see you do the rigging on her!  

 

 

Time for Doris, my pet spider, to earn her keep 

 

Cheers

[Anatol Pigwa]

On 06/11/2020 at 16:57, CliffB said:

 

As I understand it, only the RFC actually succeeded in shooting down any Zeppelins, but the RNAS did destroy several airships by raiding their bases in Belgium.

Apart from the small matter of downing the L23 by the RNAS:

 

https://www.historynet.com/the-tondern-raid.htm

[CliffB]

3 hours ago, Anatol Pigwa said:

Apart from the small matter of downing the L23 by the RNAS:

 

https://www.historynet.com/the-tondern-raid.htm

Thanks Anatol.

I was specifically talking about the interception of the bombing raids on Britain and I still think it's true that only the RFC shot down any of these Zeppelin raiders. 

As the article in your link says, the RNAS had its successes by attacking Zeppelins "in their roosts" (which again is what I was tried to say).

I'll edit my original text though, to make things a bit clearer.  It's good to set the record straight 

 

Cheers

[Col.]

I always enjoy learning a bit of the history behind each subject so thank you for posting gents 

[CliffB]

10 minutes ago, Col. said:

I always enjoy learning a bit of the history behind each subject so thank you for posting gents 

 

A major challenge when trying to intercept the night raiders, was actually finding the Zeppelins.  The main clues to their whereabouts were usually where the searchlights were pointing and/or where the AA shells were bursting (both primarily land based things). I guessing that this may have made things a little easier for the RFC.

[nimrod54]

Blimey Cliff! I thought that the Valom 1/144 Sopwith Pup was tiny, but this one is really small. Well done for tackling this one and I look forward to watching your progress.

[Anatol Pigwa]

10 hours ago, CliffB said:

Thanks Anatol.

I was specifically talking about the interception of the bombing raids on Britain and I still think it's true that only the RFC shot down any of these Zeppelin raiders. 

As the article in your link says, the RNAS had its successes by attacking Zeppelins "in their roosts" (which again is what I was tried to say).

I'll edit my original text though, to things a bit clearer.  It's good to set the record straight 

 

I suppose it was me getting overzelaous again. 

[Torbjorn]

12 hours ago, CliffB said:

Thanks Anatol.

I was specifically talking about the interception of the bombing raids on Britain and I still think it's true that only the RFC shot down any of these Zeppelin raiders. 

As the article in your link says, the RNAS had its successes by attacking Zeppelins "in their roosts" (which again is what I was tried to say).

I'll edit my original text though, to make things a bit clearer.  It's good to set the record straight 

 

Cheers

The RNAS too had their successes:

 

-Reginald Warneford in a Morane parasol fighter of 1 NAS, intercepting and downing LZ37 (the interception was made while over the continent, though, not sure if they were heading towards/from Britain, but the unit was set up in Dunkirk forbthe very purpose of shooting down zeppelins while returning from Britain). By bombing the airship, I might add.

-Cadbury et al, of Great Yarmouth, flying Be2c:s, intercepting and downing L21. Cadbury would later down another zeppelin while flying for the RAF

 

Two more were shot down by H-12 flying boats, but you’d be stretching definitions if you called those things ’interceptors’.

Edited November 8, 2020 by Torbjorn

[CliffB]

9 hours ago, Torbjorn said:

The RNAS too had their successes:

 

 

 

Thanks Torbjorn.

 

My knowledge, such as it is, comes from this book which I picked up from a second-hand shop a couple of weeks ago.

 

 

I'm about half way through at the moment, but the foreword contains the following statement,

"...although they made many successful attacks on German airships at or near their bases on the Continent, the RNAS pilots did not, for reasons beyond their control, either prevent German Naval airships from bombing London and the provincial towns or shoot any of them down.  It was the Royal Flying Corps which did this, and so this is principally their story, with due emphasis on the assistance which they received from the anti-aircraft gunners and searchlight crews.  Accounts of the four most important attacks by RNAS pilots upon Zeppelins have been included in Appendices to the book."

 

One of the four RNAS Appendices relates to Reginald Warneford and LZ37.  It suggests that LZ37 was not involved in a raid at that time.

 

According to the Index, the exploits of Flight Lt. Edgar Cadbury RNAS are also included in the book - both in relation to L21 and L70.  This time however, discussion takes place within the main text (rather than the Appendices), which is maybe surprising given the comments in the Foreword.  Unfortunately, I haven't read that far yet, so I don't know the full story.

 

Either way, it seems to be coming down to semantics.  Both you and @Anatol Pigwa are correct in asserting that the RNAS did destroy Zeppelins in flight and that's the important thing (regardless of precisely where they were or what they were doing at the time).  I shall delete the offending sentence from my initial post!

 

Cheers

 

 

 

[CliffB]

13 hours ago, nimrod54 said:

Blimey Cliff! I thought that the Valom 1/144 Sopwith Pup was tiny, but this one is really small. Well done for tackling this one and I look forward to watching your progress.

 

Thanks John.

I've got three other Langton Miniatures kits, the largest of which is a Felixstowe (which I think will work much better in 1/200).  It could be a candidate for a GB next year .

[wimbledon99]

Blimey!!!! The exhaust tails on mine are bigger than this!

[CliffB]

On 11/13/2020 at 1:20 PM, wimbledon99 said:

Blimey!!!! The exhaust tails on mine are bigger than this!

Thanks for your interest and I'm sorry that I missed your comment when you made it back in November 

 

I'm just about to make a start on this little baby and have been having a closer look at the parts.  Overall they're pretty good, but most have surface imperfections that will need some attention. 

 

 

The macro makes it look worse than it is and I'm hoping that a good coat of Mr Surfacer will suffice.

 

I've also been checking out photos of full size Babys and in the process realised that the FAA Museum example is equipped with Le Prieur rockets - the ultimate interceptor!  I guess I'm going to have to add some to mine too .

 

Cheers

[Mottlemaster]

I have just read through the postings as I had never heard of the Sopwith Baby so clicked on your build to find out more. Fascinating kit and history of zeppelin warfare.

[Col.]

What's the wingspan of your baby Baby there Cliff? I'm thinking you've got some impressive zoom on your camera to get such a detailed photos 

 

4 hours ago, CliffB said:

I've also been checking out photos of full size Babys and in the process realised that the FAA Museum example is equipped with Le Prieur rockets - the ultimate interceptor!  I guess I'm going to have to add some to mine too .

Yes! Please do

[CliffB]

18 hours ago, Col. said:

What's the wingspan of your baby Baby there Cliff? I'm thinking you've got some impressive zoom on your camera to get such a detailed photos 

 

 

Hi Col, the wingspan is 4cm so it's small but not microscopic.  My camera's nothing special, but does have a 'macro' function which provides a shorter focal length for getting in close.

I'm glad you approve of the Le Prieur rockets proposal .  They look like something you would let off on fireworks night - even down to the sticks!  I need to research more into how they were fired and whether they were effective....

 

Cheers

[CliffB]

Happy New Year everyone!

 

I've celebrated by trying to sort out my Baby's undercarriage.  If I'm building a subject that goes on water, then I generally like to do it as a waterline model.

This usually means that I have to sand the bottom off the floats and that's precisely what's required here 

 

To help me, I downloaded a side elevation drawing of a Baby and then drew a waterline on to it (based on the few photographs of floating Babys that I could find online).  As you can see, I need to remove about 50% of the main floats.

 

Given the small size of the floats (and the fact that they're solid white metal), I struggled to sand them down as loose items.  I therefore decided to assemble them onto the fuselage, thereby giving me something that was easier to hold.

 

 

It's worked quite well, although I'm having to sand very gently in order to stop the struts bending or breaking.  It's going to take some time.....

 

Cheers

[Col.]

Good luck with such a delicate operation Cliff.

[CliffB]

4 hours ago, Col. said:

Good luck with such a delicate operation Cliff.

 

Thanks Col 

 

I'm pleased to say that the operation is over and the patient has survived 

 

 

I've also tacked the top wing and its struts together - here it is balanced in place.  It's looking better than I thought it might!

 

 

Cheers

 

[nimrod54]

You have made a neat job of sanding the floats down Cliff, it sounds as though it was a tricky thing to do.

[CliffB]

On 1/2/2021 at 7:33 PM, nimrod54 said:

You have made a neat job of sanding the floats down Cliff, it sounds as though it was a tricky thing to do.

 

Thanks John.  It turned out OK in the end, partly because the metal was not as brittle as some.

 

I've started painting now - the first model that I will have totally brush painted for years.  The engine cowling is masked, because I've buffed up the metal for an authentic metal finish