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

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Looking good Michael. I hope you can sort the decals without any problems.
so far okay. the decals are pretty thick and strong, but they are also very large. using buckets of setting fluid and just going slow. Some minor disappointments, but no outright disasters either. Fingers and toes crossed I can get to the finish in one piece
 
well pretty much completed now. Have taken some preliminary final shots under bright natural light and a plain black background. any suggestions on how best to manage the photography? Also might wait until the afternoon or even during the evening when the lighting conditions are a little less harsh.

Anyway these are the shots as they currently exist.
Final front.jpg


Light playing tricks with the cowl colour.....

Final port forequater.jpg


Final port side.jpg


Final port rear quarter.jpg


Final rear.jpg


Final starboard rear quarter.jpg


Final starboard side.jpg



Final starboard forequater.jpg



I have one optional photo that I'm considering.....the cockpit detail:

final cockpit detail 3 & best.jpg
 
the natural light makes the image crisper, but at the same time plays havoc with the colouration. I shot the cockpit close up inside, which looks the best I think.
 
I should also add a note that I did not use the white background flashings for the roundels. Compared to the period photos that ive seen for number 4 sqn a/c this background flashing was well within the borders of the sides and tops and only slightly larger than the blue of the roundel. The kit supplied white background discs did not fit properly and were out of scale with the historical photos
 
This is an alternative photo suite that ive taken under different light conditions.

Decisions decisions.....

Final front white.jpg


final overhead white background.jpg



Final starboard forequarter white .jpg



Final starboard side white.jpg



Final starboard rear quarter white.jpg



This next one is an alternative to the above rear starboard shot

Final starboard rear quarter white alt.jpg



Final rear white.jpg


Final port rear qtr white.jpg



Final port side white.jpg



Final port forequarter white.jpg


I will re-use the cockpit detail I think. Any advice welcome....will make a final decision later this evenng
 
The aftermarket additions ended up being, the guns, the pilots seat, some bezels and some resin ammunition belts. I will have to alter my initial post to reflect that.

I scratch built the interior, particularly the framing and IP. I also scratch built fairly realistic looking fuel tanks (after several goes at it). I had to learn the techniques for simulating woodgraining. I still have some work to do in that area but the technique works and was worth learning.

These were all challenging, but the hardest part was the rigging. academy have done a fantastic job in trying to make this process as easy as possible, but for a novice like me it was hard to get the rigging taut, the wings square and still having enough strength not to sag or warp. Some of the other guys have done absolutely marvellous jobs with other materials like wire, PE rigging and the like, and I'm greatly inspired by that. I want to have a slash at those more advanced rigging techniques, but I know that for now this was as much as I could manage with the skill set that I have at the moment.

Biplanes are a challenge, no doubt about it, but I'm glad I did this one. I would highly recommend this kit for beginner to intermediate levels as an OOB project and there is potential for great improvement, particularly for the innards if you are that way inclined. I'm told its a relatively old kit, I suppose that's evident in the numerous and at times annoying injector pin marks in the mouldings. having the fuel filler caps on the wrong side was another disappointment totally avoidable
 
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Good stuff Michael, and I agree with Geo. I've been modeling now for well over 55 years, and even with all the experience gained and techniques mastered in that time, I still shy away from biplanes, unless I have to do one for a commission or specific Squadron collection.
It's not just the rigging, but also those two bl**dy wings, which have to fit onto scale struts which don't have the integrity of the real thing !

Second set of pics are better. Personally, I prefer to shoot model photography under balanced artificial light, as there's at least some control on angle and intensity, whereas we have no control over the sun !
For future use, try a similar set-up as used in your second set of pics, but use some neutral-coloured paper or card as a base and backdrop - very pale blue, very light grey or, in certain circumstances very dark grey or black. This not only helps the camera sensors to balance the light correctly, it also reduces reflection and 'flare' from surfaces such as the shiny backdrop in some of the pics above.
The paper / card can be found in most stationers / art/ office supply shops. I've ben using a roll of decorator's lining paper for the last umpteen years, but it tends to yellow after time, which can cause some colour-balance issues.

You've certainly done a good job on a basic kit, more so it being a 'first attempt' - well done.
 
Well done Michael, biplanes are a challenge! I've got one sitting there taunting me from the stash...

One small suggestion if I may, you might wish to use a softening agent (as opposed to setting) on your decals as some of them don't quite seem to be sitting down snugly and there is some pronounced silvering. A softening agent (eg MicroSol) will help with both of these things. Then give them a quick shot of flat clear to blend them in so they don't appear shiny.

With regards to photography, I prefer to shoot in natural light if I can, but choose a location in the shade rather than direct light.

Nice job.
 
I've been looking at First World War model kits, mainly the Camel and SE5 - I also saw the old Revell 1/28th scale Camel at a reasonable price recently, which I remember building and detailing back in around 1964, which, then, was a 'big' model, and very detailed for the time - and I'd like to add one to my 1/32nd scale collection, but as I have enough kits to last me to beyond the grave, I know it would just sit in the stash and not get built, unless it takes the place of a kit that should get built for one of my 'theme' collections.
I do have a part done 1/48th scale SE5a though, intended for my 56 Sqn History Collection which I should finish, and also a Bulldog and Gladiator, for the same collection, so I suppose I'll have to go 'biplane' eventually. It must be 35 years since I last completed a biplane model, and that was a Stampe, built for a friend who owned the example I used to get to fly now and then.
Having watched this build, and Wayne's Fokker D.VII and Andy's 'Stringbag', it's sparked some enthusiasm for the 'stick and string' kites, so I might just break out the Bulldog for my next build, after all the commission and 'catch-up' work has been completed.
This place is a bad influence, bad I tell you ............
 

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