Sopwith Camel by gsdpic - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - 1/16th scale

[Canute]

Handsome hound you have there.

 

We can wait for additional work.😁

[popeye the sailor]

i see good times ahead   

[gsdpic]

So, I am still out here, and I have resumed working a bit on the Sopwith Camel.  The "handsome hound" in Ken/Canute's words found another (permanent, I hope) home a few months back.  I then did a couple other smaller modelling projects before getting back to the Camel after the first of the year.

 

The picture below shows the current state.  I am now through step 16 in the instructions, out of 47.  The primary thing done since the last update are all the control cables for the elevator and rudder.  The next step involves the tensioning cables that go diagonally across each of the rectangular spaces in the fuselage, 40 of them in all.   Before proceeding with that, I need to decide if I am going to use the photo-etched turnbuckles or try to create something that is a little more three dimensional.  I did a few experiments already though want to do more before I decide.   There are probably about 100 of the things on the whole model.

 

The stuff I did was not without trials and tribulations.  There was one picture in the instructions that was clearly wrong....two parts were glued together, then a couple steps later when they were used, one of those two parts was oriented 180 degrees differently from the picture shown where you glue them together.  I am also getting more and more suspicious of the order of the steps.  For example, there was no reason to glue in the seat before running those control cables, and all of the cables went under the seat.  It would have been much easier to glue in the seat after doing the control cables.  Oh well, nothing too serious or too different from most other models.

 

[gsdpic]

I've decided to proceed with the kit-supplied photo-etched turnbuckles and the fishing line for the tension cables.  I figured at normal viewing distance the flat turnbuckles would give a good enough impression.   Besides, one of the reasons I opted for this kit over the Model Airways one was the additional photo etch parts of this kit.

 

So I have now glued on (using CA) all the little photo-etched bits including the turnbuckles that act as end points for the tension cables.  I then did the first four of those cables, starting on the bottom.  It has gone ok so far but my hope is that when I get to the sides and top I will have gotten better at keeping the line taut.  I have four done, 36 to go.

[gsdpic]

Thanks to those who have looked in and especially to those who've hit the like button.  Funny, I think I've been getting more likes for this than I ever did for the America build log.  I'll just chalk that up to overall increased traffic on this site over the years.

 

I am now half done with the fuselage tension cables, having completed those on the bottom and on the right side.  Top and left side ones yet to do.

[gsdpic]

Thanks again for all the likes.

 

I realize these recent pictures pretty much look the same.  But, I am now done with the 40 diagonal bracing wires on the fuselage.  Who would've thought that a Sopwith Camel model would have more "rigging" than the yacht America? 

 

Another example of the dubious order of steps in the instructions....do you see the four lengthwise wood strips across the top/back of the fuselage?  The instructions had you glue those in place before doing the diagonal braces directly below them.   That's just nuts, and fortunately I noticed and left those off until after the braces were in place.

 

So with that I am through step 17.  Next up is some braces between the horizontal stabilizer and the rudder.  For some reason, the kit shifts to recommending black cotton thread for these and the braces on the main wings, instead of the black fishing line that has been used so far.  The cotton thread is a bit thicker, making it more difficult to feed through the holes in the photo etch bits that serve as end points.  So, I am not sure if I will follow the instructions or just continue to use the fishing line for everything.  I don't see the fishing line or the cotton thread as particularly representative of the real thing.

[hof00]

On 2/5/2023 at 3:22 PM, gsdpic said:

Thanks again for all the likes.

 

I realize these recent pictures pretty much look the same.  But, I am now done with the 40 diagonal bracing wires on the fuselage.  Who would've thought that a Sopwith Camel model would have more "rigging" than the yacht America? 

 

Another example of the dubious order of steps in the instructions....do you see the four lengthwise wood strips across the top/back of the fuselage?  The instructions had you glue those in place before doing the diagonal braces directly below them.   That's just nuts, and fortunately I noticed and left those off until after the braces were in place.

 

So with that I am through step 17.  Next up is some braces between the horizontal stabilizer and the rudder.  For some reason, the kit shifts to recommending black cotton thread for these and the braces on the main wings, instead of the black fishing line that has been used so far.  The cotton thread is a bit thicker, making it more difficult to feed through the holes in the photo etch bits that serve as end points.  So, I am not sure if I will follow the instructions or just continue to use the fishing line for everything.  I don't see the fishing line or the cotton thread as particularly representative of the real thing.

Hi There,

You may have already considered this but thought I'd mention anyway....

Regarding cotton Thread, Have you tried making a "Bodkin" using the thread?

I use this quite a bit with Rigging and it makes things much easier to run lines through tiny holes.

 

Take you thread and coat 20mm or so in CA, run your fingers over the Thread with ca.

This should stiffen that end.

Finish the "Bodkin" by cutting the very end of the CA coated thread at a shallow angle and you have your "Bodkin."

 

If the "Bodkin" gets bent, more CA and cut the end again.

 

(I don't know if you are a fan of running the thread through a Beeswax block, but that may help also if the thread is to move within small holes.)

 

Hope this makes things easier for you.

 

Cheers....HOF.

 

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by hof00

[gsdpic]

Thanks @hof00 for the tip.  I've used that technique in the past but right now the only CA I have on hand is the gel variety and it does not work as well for this trick, as it does not soak into the thread.  But I also noted that the holes in the photo etch pieces for the main wing are larger and easier to deal with.  It is just the ones on the parts on the tail that are problematic.

 

Regardless, I ordered a small spool of stainless steel wire off of amazon.  Once that gets here, I plan to experiment with it to see if that would be a better option for the wing bracing.

[Canute]

Some fishing line may work. 10 pound test line is small, but I think there are finer line. And they may come in black. Try the fly-fishing products.

[Jack12477]

Look in the jewelry making section of Michael's craft stores. They carry very fine braided wire and crimps etc. I used them to make the cables for my ice yacht model.

[gsdpic]

10 hours ago, Canute said:

Some fishing line may work. 10 pound test line is small, but I think there are finer line. And they may come in black. Try the fly-fishing products.

Thanks.  The other diagonal braces on the fuselage are black fishing line of unknown strength.   It was supplied by the kit in an unlabelled reel.  So using that is one alternative.  Though I think I'd prefer something more silver or metallic looking.

 

6 hours ago, Jack12477 said:

Look in the jewelry making section of Michael's craft stores. They carry very fine braided wire and crimps etc. I used them to make the cables for my ice yacht model.

Right, the stuff I bought off of amazon was under their jewelry making/beading category.  I did not think to look for any sort of crimps, that could be very useful.  And I wonder if a braided wire would be more flexible and easier to work with.  Thanks.

[mtaylor]

I've seen sewing thread also in metallic colors.  And it comes in assorted sizes.

[gsdpic]

Thanks for the likes and all the suggestions regarding the braces for the stabilizer and wing.  I continue to defer that work.  I received the wire that I ordered and it might be workable.  But, the model also presents some problems with the attachment points for the braces on the stabilizer.  So, I am considering that as well. 

 

Meanwhile, I skipped that step and continued on with the next steps which added the ribs to the lower wing stubs and also did some additional work on the cockpit including the instrument panel.  I got through all of those steps.  Next I'll put the fuselage aside and start working on building the two outer sections of the lower wing.  It was really good to get back into things where I felt like I was making a lot of progress.

 

Here are the pictures of the current state.

[Landlubber Mike]

This is really beautiful work Gary.  What a fantastic job - this is going to be a stunner when completed.

[gsdpic]

Thanks all for the likes and thanks Mike for the comment.

 

I've been working on the lower wings but have more to do.  The picture below shows the current state.   You can see that I still need to add the extra strip on the top and bottom of the last 5 ribs on each wing.  There are then a few more details to add and of course some more diagonal tension cables and then the ailerons as well.  I've made a few minor negative comments about this kit so to balance it out I'll praise the laser cut ribs.  I cannot imagine how time consuming and tedious it would be to try to cut those by hand if doing this from scratch.  And the laser cutting seems to be really well done, with no char marks on the front or back surfaces of the wood and just a couple very small tabs to hold the parts in.   And also the parts fit together well....each rib has two notches that go over the lengthwise wood pieces.  Many of them fit nicely without any adjustment and a few needed just a little bit of filing to get a nice fit.  At least in some cases they also supplied an extra rib in case you break one.  So, it has been a pleasure work on this part of the model.

 

[gsdpic]

Just a quick note to say that this Sopwith Camel still resides, in the same state, on the "shelf of doom".   Some day I will get back to it, as they always say.....

 

Edit: Wow I am surprised by the number of likes this post received, thanks for the encouragement.  I just finished a project (the Lotus 49) and have not decided on or started the next project.  Perhaps I should drag this back out and give it a go.  Though that Porsche 917K is also calling my name.

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by gsdpic

[gsdpic]

By popular demand, I have resumed a bit of work on the Sopwith Camel.  No guarantees on how long that will last.

 

I've also remembered a few of my frustrations with this kit.  Ironically, I opted for this kit in part because of the additional photo etch details when compared to the Model Airways kit.  But when it comes down to it, I don't particularly like working with photo etch parts.  And, I've had a few fit issues with the photo etch parts as well, and they are much less forgiving than wood.  Nothing major...just things like photo etch parts with a gap of 1/8th of an inch that are supposed to fit around pieces of wood that are closer to 3/16ths of an inch wide.  Oh well.

 

I've also deviated a bit from the order of the instructions.   Had I been following precisely, I would have attached the lower wings to the fuselage by now.  But once I do that, the half built model is both larger and more fragile.  So, I am postponing that type of work...if the kit ends up back on the shelf of doom I can safely store it all in a shoe box.

 

I've now completed the lower wings and the ailerons for those wings, as shown below.  Next up I will do the upper wing, then work on the engine.  Once all those bits are done, I will double back to assemble things.  And in fact I also need to double back to address the rigging on the horizontal tail stabilizer that caused me issues before going on hiatus.  Regardless, I believe I am about half done or maybe slightly more with this model.

[gsdpic]

Well, so much for being able to fit the completed subassemblies in a shoe box.  I've been working on the upper wing and it has a span of about 21 or 22 inches.   I've got about another 50 pieces of photo etch to add to the wing, plus the top and bottom of every rib will be covered with a strip of thin wood, as seen in the pictures of the lower wings.  Then on to the upper wing ailerons which are pretty much identical to the lower wing ailerons.  The upper wing also has some rigging to do, similar to the lower wing.

 

Oh, I think I'll need to get more CA as well, as my bottle is just about empty.  I use wood glue when gluing two wood pieces but CA to attach the photo etch to the wood.

 

[Old Collingwood]

Excellent work  on  this   -  incredibly   delicate looking.

 

OC.

[gsdpic]

1 hour ago, Old Collingwood said:

Excellent work  on  this   -  incredibly   delicate looking.

 

OC.

Thanks.  Fortunately it is not quite as delicate as it looks.  And, I think I have said this before, I am very grateful for and happy with the laser cut ribs.   They fit fairly snug over the spars so that helps make the whole wing more robust.

[gsdpic]

Thanks all for the likes and for looking in.

 

I've made a bit more progress.  The upper wing is now complete except for the rigging of the tension wires.  There are about 20 of them in X patterns along with wing, similar to but more extensive than the lower wing.   And I still need to do the upper wing ailerons.

 

In parallel, I've also started assembling the engine.  I need to add the 18 valve lifter shafts and then I'll spray the whole thing with some sort of aluminum paint followed by some black wash to accent details.  Then I'll add the exhaust and spark plug wires and it'll be done as well.  With this model, due to the cowling, not much of the engine detail is visible.

 

Below are a few pictures.

 

Whole wing:

Pulley for the line that moves the ailerons, with the small view port to allow checking on the pulley:

Nine cylinder rotary engine:

[gsdpic]

Just another quick update.  I had hoped to get the upper wing finished before doing an update but I am not quite there.  I have 4 of the 16 tension wires rigged.  Once I complete the other 12, I can put on the ailerons and then rig the control wire for them.   I am not entirely happy with which hole in the ribs I threaded the tension lines through, causing them to deflect.  I think they would have deflected some no matter which hole I chose, but I don't think I made optimal choices here.  I'll watch that more closely on the other side of the wing and if it looks a lot better, I'll redo this side.  Here's a picture:

 

I've also been working on the engine in parallel.  It is done except for the spark plug wires.  I found it interesting...for the copper exhaust pipes (not sure if that is accurate but it is the color the instructions recommended) I used some floquil paint that I have that must be 20 or 25 years old.  It is still good and I thought it looked great once applied.  I don't think modern alclad would look any better.

 

For most of the engine, I used some alclad aluminum and then black panel line accent.

The only remaining step on the engine is the somewhat ridiculous attachment of the spark plug wires.  They provide some shiny silver wire and say to attach it from the little pointy bits on the back of the engine to the tiny nubs on the cylinders that represent the spark plugs and to paint it black as well.   That seems unrealistic to me.  In the photos in the instructions, it appears that they soldered the wires.  I might try that or maybe I will leave them off as they will be virtually invisible once the engine and cowl are installed.

 

After that, there are only three more subassemblies to build, the struts that go between the wings, the landing gear, and carving the propeller.  Once I do those I'll have to take the more drastic step of starting to assemble the bigger pieces, eg. wings to fuselage.

 

 

[gsdpic]

Thanks everyone for the likes.

 

The left side of the wing looks much better, so I guess I'll be redoing some of the lines on the right side, plus I have 2 more to do on the left side.

 

[gsdpic]

Again, thanks for all the likes and for following along.  Sorry for spamming with three posts in 24 hours.  I swear it will be a few days, at least, before the next post.  I think I will next work on the struts between the wings.  Those are a combination of cast metal and photo etch and require some painting to make the metal look like wood, similar to the center section of the wing below.  I guess that was a sort of view port so the pilot could see at least a little bit above.

 

The upper wing is done!  I've attached the ailerons and threaded the control line that links the two ailerons.  It is interesting that the upper wing ailerons are linked to each other, and then later linked to the lower wing ailerons and only the lower wing ailerons are linked to the flight controls.   Below are several pictures of the completed wing.   Apologies for leaving the edge of my "photo booth" in the first picture.  It is not quite large enough for this wing.

 

[gsdpic]

Thanks again for all the likes and for those who have looked in.

 

After a day or two off, I resumed working on the Sopwith Camel, painting the "wooden" struts between the wings.   That is in quotes because the pieces are in cast metal.   I painted them a medium brown then dry brushed some darker and lighter brown to try to achieve a wood look, though I kept it very subtle.  I then painted the black metal connectors at the ends of the struts, applied some "Sopwith" decals, then coated with a semi gloss acrylic.  The latter sort of reactived the brown acrylic paint, discoloring the decals just a bit.  Oh well.   These pieces are not quite done, as they have some photo etch bits that serve as the attachment points for the wing rigging and one of them has a cast metal propeller driven fuel pump to be attached.

 

I admit, though, that the siren song of the Porsche 917 model is getting louder in my ears.  Unlike some of the other cars I've built recently, I promise to do a build log if I make that diversion.

Edited December 2, 2023 by gsdpic

[BobG]

15 hours ago, gsdpic said:

I painted them a medium brown then dry brushed some darker and lighter brown to try to achieve a wood look, though I kept it very subtle.  I then painted the black metal connectors at the ends of the struts, applied some "Sopwith" decals, then coated with a semi gloss acrylic.

I think the struts look great, Gary.

 

I'm not all that familiar with the dry brushing technique. Do you always need to put a sealant like the semi-gloss acrylic over the top of the dry brushed paint in order to keep it from coming off? Thanks.

[gsdpic]

1 hour ago, BobG said:

I think the struts look great, Gary.

 

I'm not all that familiar with the dry brushing technique. Do you always need to put a sealant like the semi-gloss acrylic over the top of the dry brushed paint in order to keep it from coming off? Thanks.

Thanks, and no.  The sealant was mainly to protect the little decals and to unify the glossiness as I had used a variety of gloss and flat paint on the parts.

 

Dry brushing is more useful when trying to highlight some texture on the part.  But in this case, I used a large, stiff-bristled brush and tried to just lightly touch the part to result in thin streaks of color.  i.e. instead of trying to avoid visible brushstrokes while painting, I was trying to leave brushstrokes.  To load the brush, I just lightly dipped it into the paint in the cap of the opened jar, then rubbed the brush on a small piece of paper to remove much of the paint before painting the strut.

 

[gsdpic]

Ugh, no pictures but I have to say this kit is "this close" to going back on the shelf.

 

Most of the kit is really good....the photo etch parts are well done, the laser cut wood parts are very good, I never thought of that as a high-precision operation but these parts fit together so well.  Even the cast metal parts are very nice with minimal flash.

 

But the few parts of the kit that are poor are really bad and really frustrating.    I guess I'll leave it at that, just wanted to vent.  If you don't see an update for a while, you'll know why.

 

[gsdpic]

Another quick update.   I have not done much model building in the last few weeks but will likely restart...with something else.

 

As for the frustrations, it is mostly still about the rigging materials but also another thing that I should have known better.  To recap, the kit provides both black fishing line for some of the rigging and thicker black cotton thread for others.  The fishing line is ok, but not great.  The black cotton thread just seems completely wrong, and it is too thick to fit through the holes in some of the photo etched parts.  It just rankles me a bit that the kit cheaped out so much in this regard.  I've tried a couple substitutes, including multi strand beading wire.  That looks good, but it is very difficult to get it taut, which is key to the appearance.

 

As for the "should have known better", the instructions have you paint the metal parts for the wing struts, and then glue on photo etch parts that have the "turnbuckles" to attach the wing rigging to.  Of course the paint does not adhere to the metal real strongly and the photo etch parts are effectively only glued (using CA) to the paint, so just a bit of pressure and they pop off. 

 

I did side track and work on a few other things, painting the landing gear parts and starting to work on the propeller. 

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by gsdpic

[gsdpic]

Ok, after a break for several plastic cars, I have just resumed a bit of work on the sopwith camel.  No pictures of it yet, all I have done is glue on the lower wing sections.

 

But I might have found a solution I like for all my quandaries about the rigging.  I found some "stainless steel thread".  I think it is similar to the beading wire but without the clear plastic coating, so a bit more thread like (i.e. more flexible).  You can see below that I was even able to tie a knot in it, though the knot wanted to loosen so they will need to be secured with some CA.  I have also wondered about using a tiny drop of solder to secure the thread.

 

When cut, it does unravel a bit.  But if you first put a drop of CA where you plan to cut, it does not unravel and is just thin enough to fit through the smaller holes in the photoetch parts.  I've not actually attempted to use it on the model yet, just done some experiments with it.

 

So, what is the source of this stuff?  I got it off of amazon but it originally comes from "adafruit".  They sell a variety of accessories intended for use with Arduino controllers.  This thread is intended to be used if you want to add Arduino controlled LEDs to your clothing. 🤷‍♂️  I got the "medium" size, though they also have a smaller size as well.  Here's a link to the stuff on the adafruit web site:  https://www.adafruit.com/product/641