<> **** DONE: 1/32 Sopwith Camel F.1 - WW1 / WW2 over Water.

[parsifal]

Username : Parsifal
First name : Michael
Category : Intermediate
Scale : 1/32
Manufacturer / Model : Academy Sopwith Camel F.1 – Australian Forces Version decals included
Extras : (amended after build started after market IP bezels, decals (these never arrived) and Eduard V gun with ammunition belts added later. I used a Barracuda resin wicker seat because the kit supplied one was ruined by the injector pin marks. The rigging tensioener was a piece of rigging tackle. I scratch built the fuel tanks, oil and fuel filler caps, fule tanks, internal framing, IP and fuel management system.

The Subject chosen for this GB, a Sopwith Camel F.1 from the Australian flying Corps, no 4 sqn, western front, around March 1918.


The Camel was produced in a number of versions. The most common one, the Camel F.1, is the version that most people are thinking of when they think "Camel". This was the land-based aircraft, carrying two Vickers machine guns in the fuselage "hump". It was in this aircraft that Capt Roy Brown engaged the Red Baron on the Baron's final flight. (I'm not getting in to that "who killed the Red Baron- Brown or ground fire?" debate.)


My selection is for number 4 sqn, AFC, the last Australian sqn deployed to the western front. It played vital roles initially in the defensive battles in March, and was present and significant at the climactic battles in august and September. The particular a/c was flown by Captain Herbert Watson and is meant to be as it would hae appeared around March 1918 as Ludendorfs final offensive began.

 

[parsifal]

4 Squadron, the last Australian Flying Corp (AFC) Squadron to be formed during the First World War, was established at Point Cook, Victoria, in late October 1916. Fully mobilised by 10 January 1917, the unit embarked for England on 17 January, arriving at Plymouth on 27 March, and was sent for training to Castle Bromwich, near Birmingham. After familiarisation with a variety of aircraft, the squadron was equipped with Sopwith Camel fighters. In the United Kingdom the squadron was designated 71 (Australian) Squadron, Royal Flying Corps (RFC), and would retain this designation until it reverted to its original title on 19 January 1918.

The squadron arrived in France on 18 December 1917 and established itself at Bruay. It was assigned to the 10th Wing of the Royal Flying Corps, and operated in support of the British 1st Army, undertaking offensive patrols and escorting reconnaissance machines. The unit's first patrol over German lines took place on 9 January 1918, and its first air combat action occurred on 13 January 1918.

Towards the end of February 1918 the squadron was increased from 18 to 24 machines, considerably enhancing its capacity for offensive operations. March 1918 saw an increase in the squadron's ground attacks and offensive patrols, including a notable engagement with elements of Manfred von Richthofen's "Flying Circus" on 21 March, during which five enemy machines were downed in an attack led by Captain Arthur Henry Cobby.

During the German spring offensive, the squadron was heavily involved in strafing and bombing operations in support of the retreating Allied ground forces. Threatened by the German advance the Squadron moved from Bruay to Clairmarais North on 28 April 1918 and joined 11th Wing, part of the British 2nd Army.

Due to repeated enemy bombing attacks on the Clairmarais North airfield, the Squadron moved to Reclinghem on 30 June, where it shared the aerodrome with 2 Squadron AFC. Both squadrons formed part of 80th Wing under the British 5th Army. In July, the squadron was heavily involved in offensive patrols and also provided escorts for bombing and reconnaissance missions. 4 Squadron maintained a high operational tempo throughout the great Allied offensive launched in early August 1918.

At the end September 1918, 4 Squadron moved to Serny and in early October was re-equipped with Sopwith Snipe fighters; it was only the second unit in France to be equipped with these advanced machines. The squadron was relocated several times during the last month of the war, and following the Armistice was assigned to the British Army of Occupation. It moved to Bickendorf, near Cologne on 17 December 1918. In March 1919 the unit returned to the United Kingdom and on 6 May embarked on RMS Kaisar-i-Hind for the return voyage to Australia. 4 Squadron arrived in Melbourne 16 June 1919 and was subsequently disbanded.
A short summary for Number 4 sqn in WWI

 

[parsifal]

Images

 

[parsifal]

Images Part II

 

[rochie]

Nice one

 

[Wildcat]

Great choice!

 

[parsifal]

The first challenge I face with this build isn't about gluing stuff. I need to consider adapt and master a technique for applying woodgrain effects. There are three elements where this is going to be significant. firstly the IP has solid timber backing with a definite woodgraining effect visible. secondly there is the interior, in which the supports are solid timber, somewhat darker than the sheeting behind. the skin, both outside and in, appear to be all weather plywood construction with an almost yellow colouration, certainly very pale and only faint graining.

Does anyone have tipes on how this might be tackled?

 

[fubar57]

Good stuff Michael, welcome back. I think Wayne did some wood grain on his Fokker innards

 

[parsifal]

Thanks Geo, will have look at the master's approach. I also note that jkim did a Mustang build with some woodgraining as well. he applied a tan base coat and then applied with brush an oil based finish with a brush for a very good effect

Tamiya 1/48 P-51B Mustang

The difference for me is that I still want to use, as base coat at least, acrylics. I wonder if I applied an acrylic base coat and then brushed over that some oil based timber decking stain or similar if that might work, or am I simply going to dissolve the plastic? Need to do some test strips I think....

 

[fubar57]

Or this...Woodgrain "Aircraft Interiour"

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[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Check this out, post 62: "Volksjäger" (people fighter) Heinkel He 162 in 1:32 scale

 

[fubar57]

Any thoughts on Rigging? When I do my Stearman I'm going to order as set...

Turnbuckles 1/32

 

[parsifal]

We will see how that pans out. I have the experience of exactly one rigged model, my supermarine walrus 1/72 scale, I also have built a number of radio arrays for most aircraft using the same material and basically the same technique. I used invisible thread in all these cases . biggest challenge I find is to get the rigging tensioned . The supermarine build was hard because of that..... the support spars were a nightmare to size and fit, and it was difficult to anchor the cable and then get it taut without affecting the integrity of the wing structure and support spars. Academy in this model seem to have given that problem a bit of thought, so hopefully it will go together without too much fuss.....famous last words perhaps.

Rigging is an all or nothing issue. if it fails, its probably going to put this model in the bin....if it works as it should, the other issues should be manageable.


The kit comes with a supply of thread, which is much thicker than the invisible fine thread ive used previously. Its much thicker than the thread Ive used previously and I have concerns that it will in fact be in scale. The model is admittedly 1/32, and the wing rigging seems quite thick whilst other elements of the rigging seem thinner and less visible. Inside the cockpit there is also some rigging between the framing which the kit emulates with mouldings in the plastic. Does not look great, so I'm thinking of removing/sanding off the kit moulding and scratch building an internal frame using a mix of poly verticals and fine copper or fuse wire for the diagonal support rigging. I experimented with this in the RE 2000, not that successfully but I'm thinking at the bigger scale it might work,....

 

[parsifal]

amazing tutorial on woodgraining. if I can do half as well I would be happy

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Just take your time. Believe that you can and it will turn out just fine. Will follow along as best I can and offer what I know about aircraft builds of this era.

 

[Crimea_River]

Here's some inspiration - some hand painted wooden props that I saw at a local model shows over the past few years:

No pressure!

 

[Wayne Little]

Good to see in in Michael.

Hey i'm no wood grain expert by any stretch, i kept mine real simple as you can only see a portion of the floor anyway.

 

[parsifal]

i spent the evening experimenting with various woodgrain effects. Not yet there obviously but some of the variations show at least some hope. I will need to work on the technique further before I would accept any of these

 

[Wurger]

I like the last one the most Michael.