John Masters Posted December 3, 2020 Share Posted December 3, 2020 Ah yes, the beginning of it all. The Sopwith Pup WW1 pursuit ship, the first of the interceptors; ballon busters; Albatros killers... A single Vickers, a lightweight aircraft...man, those guys could really fly. This is probably one of the first kits I ever built as a kid, covered with glue and Testors glossy enamel paint and wobbly on its struts. When I returned to the fold 25 years ago it was the first aircraft I ever rigged. The kit itself is one of Airfix' jewels-imho of course. And I have become so enamoured with jets and Spitfires, 109s and Migs...I had neglected my roots. Time to get back to them. Here's the profile... Pheon decals will supply the colours. RNAS, 1917, France, Flt Cdr J.S.T. Fall, DSC, 2 bars. This'll be fun. 😁 --John 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 3, 2020 Share Posted December 3, 2020 After seeing your Starfighter finished I assumed you'd be getting into the Spitfire stash for your next subject but this is a lovely and most worthy alternative choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 3, 2020 Author Share Posted December 3, 2020 1 minute ago, Col. said: I assumed you'd be getting into the Spitfire stash I was...and I have one set aside for later. This GB runs until March I think, so there is plenty of time. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted December 3, 2020 Share Posted December 3, 2020 I do hope your not going to cut us short on the rigging of this likkle un john 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted December 3, 2020 Share Posted December 3, 2020 Nice choice! AW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 4, 2020 Author Share Posted December 4, 2020 9 hours ago, Hewy said: I do hope your not going to cut us short on the rigging of this likkle un john 👍 No chance. The rigging here is a piece of cake. 8 hours ago, Andwil said: Nice choice! Thanks AW. I thought so too, with all the jets and so forth going on... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 (edited) Hi John, I have always though this one of the best 1/72 biplanes Airfix ever made, though I have yet to get round to building their BE2c which must have been in my stash for getting on 10 years now and could be better? In fact the old Pup is better than the old Revell biplanes and as good as many of the more recent Roden IMHO. The Roden ones may be more accurate but the scale struts seem terribly fragile. Pete Edited December 4, 2020 by PeterB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 5, 2020 Author Share Posted December 5, 2020 19 hours ago, PeterB said: I have always though this one of the best 1/72 biplanes Airfix ever made I agree Pete. I have started in on the kit. I have given what will be natural varnished wood a spray of tan. I have also given the inside of the fuselage a spray. I'll lighten that up for a more CDL look, even though no one will see it. I have searched and searched for my small box of alternative paints because therein lies my scared bottles of MisterKit WW1 colours...and a really nice Pigmented Cellulose Special No.10. I'll have to make my own. For those who don't know, you can call it 'Olive Drab' if you want, but really it is a bit of yellow ochre, lamp black and touch of red. Ok, I guess that sounds like Olive Drab, but mightier forums have have been brought low by this argument so I will leave it there! 😁 I always follow what the late, great Dan San-Abbot espoused anyway. Now, PC12, (not to be confused with AMAPDT aka AMA Protective Dope Tropical), was vermillion and lamp black. But I digress! --John 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 (edited) Hi John, Yes, best not to stir up the PC-10 debate or you will end up with a couple of extra pages! Just for the record I believe Windsock do suggest many RNAS machines were in PC-12 but I have never used it myself as it looks a bit odd to me. -Go with whatever you think looks right.😁 Pete Edited December 5, 2020 by PeterB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 5, 2020 Author Share Posted December 5, 2020 40 minutes ago, PeterB said: many RNAS machines were in PC-12 They did indeed, especially the tripes. I'll look through the Pup Datafile for a solution. I might be able to be specific for this aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planebuilder62 Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Good morning John Look out for the fit of the bottom wing to the fuselage, it is a bit out of square in plan view I think. regards Toby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 6, 2020 Author Share Posted December 6, 2020 16 minutes ago, Planebuilder62 said: Look out for the fit of the bottom wing to the fuselage Thanks Toby. I am not one to look at the Datafile plans for this one. It's a fun kit, well, designed, and any shortcomings are easily rectified. I have forgotten how many times I have built this kit. Probably my favourite kit of the early Airfix boxings if not of the WW1 kits in the proper scale. I grew up watching Dick King fly his Pup over at The Olde Rhinecliff Aerodrome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Never built the Airfix pup, but I did build my own (1/48 scratch as I couldn’t find a reasonable kit) The Airfix Be2c is a lovely kit I finished mine as a single seat night fighter. looking forward to seeing your pup take shape. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 6, 2020 Author Share Posted December 6, 2020 9 minutes ago, Marklo said: I couldn’t find a reasonable kit I am not sure if there is a decent 1/48th scale Pup. 1/32nd, 1/72nd, etc...Your scratch build is very nice. Nice night fighter too! Hooray! I found the paint stash! --John 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 6, 2020 Author Share Posted December 6, 2020 Some construction... I'll close up the fuselage tonight. --John 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Quick work again on this one John. There's a nice level of detail on the kit and the pilot in particular looks impressive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 It's nice to see another biplane in the mix John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 3 minutes ago, CliffB said: It's nice to see another biplane in the mix John Thanks Cliff. I love this kit. I will have to set it aside for the next few days as I want to focus on meeting the Hawk GB deadline of the 13th... But this is where I am right now. As you see, one of the struts broke, but it broke at the point where I attach it to the underside of the top wing. No big deal. --John 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 At least the parts runner gate is positioned in a sensible location on this kit - something a lot of kit manufacturers could pay attention to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 1 hour ago, Col. said: something a lot of kit manufacturers could pay attention to. True! I think these older Airfix kits were actually designed and injected by people who built models. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 14 hours ago, Col. said: At least the parts runner gate is positioned in a sensible location on this kit - something a lot of kit manufacturers could pay attention to. I don’t understand why so many kit makers insist on attaching very thin parts half way along an edge leaving a nub that is very difficult to trim and sand. Or use more than one attachment which results in stress fractures with even the gentlest of pressure (I’m looking at you Airfix 1/72 P-51 control column). Loving the Pup, makes me want to dig mine out and build it. Sadly the Pheon sheet is sold out, hopefully they will do a reprint one day. AW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 12, 2020 Author Share Posted December 12, 2020 On 12/8/2020 at 12:36 AM, Andwil said: Loving the Pup, makes me want to dig mine out and build it. Ah yes... After a bit of a hiatus. The pieces are assembled and primed. I will attach the motor and the cowling pieces tonight and fill the thin gap. I will probably also begin the painting of the rudder tri-colour. --John 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 Rudder painted. Wooden section of the turtleneck toned with a sand undercoat, then a 'wood' colour... Then the Clear Yellow varnish and leather cushion... Rigging holes drilled... Cowling section masked and painted red... --John 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 Tidy progress John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 3 hours ago, Col. said: Tidy progress John Thanks Col. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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