1/48 Sopwith Camel F.1*** FINISHED Pg.4

Just goes to show you can make something wonderful from a vintage kit. Absolutely nothing wrong going old school! In the coming weeks I'm going to tackle their old 1/48 EA-6B Prowler. I've really become dependent on perfectly scribed and fitted kits. 

Well I finally have some progress work worth showing. To keep in the spirit of this old kit, I’ve been painting with a brush and enamel paints, mostly Humbrol, and some Xtracolor as well. And this is where is at now.

Everything is pretty much just test fitted for this photo. I still want to work on the cockpit opening padded collar a bit, and that’s much easier to do with nothing yet attached.

I also drilled out the front of the guns

I still need to do some more clean up work there. More to follow in a few days...

Mike, Aggie, Gil, thank you all for looking in and commenting. 

The gap on the fuselage was purely self inflicted. I should have trimmed that tank down more.

Anyways, I've started painting up some of the major components before I start gluing them on. I'll have more progress photos up in a day or two.

Snoopy's steed is looking nice

A clinic on perseverance!

Your Camel is looking good so far despite the fit issues you're encountering.

I remember building this one in about '79, but I was a kid and I just slapped it together and promptly started "flying" it around the house.

Lol! Tell me about it. I just CAN'T build anything without fixing something unless it a new Tamiya kit. Since I'm on a Monogram kick right now lol.

Thank Mike. It's getting there, slow but sure. Not like the afternoon builds that I used to do of these kits as a kid.

That's not looking too bad, Carlos. Those gaps... uhg. I feel your pain lol. My Corsair ate sanding sticks like candy.

I am very much looking forward to seeing how well you get this one smoothed out 

Today, it was back to work on the Camel. 

First priority, clean up the seam gap on top of the fuselage

Add some strip styrene shims

sand smooth and paint...

I also test fitted the cowling and guns... more in a couple of days

Oh man, you do have your work cut out for you filling those seams! This is gonna look great though.

Oh to be 13 again when I just didn’t care... lol

Well so far I can see the biggest challenge after those seams is going to be that top wing and making sure it's straight and not drooping like the box art lol.

This always seems to be an issue with older string bag kits. Those dang struts are always a pain to line up because dry fitting is a PitA!

Thanks Mike. Once I have the seams fixed, I can start gettin this a bit more looking like a proper Camel and seeing some aircraft form take shape.

This is a neat project. The Camel was always one of my favorites from that conflict.

Can't wait to see how this turns out.

I was out of town and away from my bench on Tuesday and Wednesday so no progress then. But yesterday I finally got the fuselage assembled.

and unfortunately despite all the test fitting and sanding, I still have a bit of a gap behind the cockpit from the added fuel tank. But that should not be too difficult to fill.

And what can be seen of all the added detail inside up front...

Also I did a bit of grinding with my Dremel to thin outbthe cowling edges

Next up... seam filling and clean up...

stikpusher

Thanks Knox. Although in all honesty, old Tamiya kits of this vintage are not that hot either. 

 

That's a fact

Thanks Knox. Although in all honesty, old Tamiya kits of this vintage are not that hot either. 

Coming along nicely.  It’s amazing what talent and some tlc can do to old kits. It’s why I build Tamiya kits. ☺️

modelcrazy

Ooo, how fun, a Camel. 

 

Right? You know me Steve, I’m a sucker for kits from the old days of Monogram.

Today’s progress report: So today I completed my intended goals for yesterday. I added instrument decals to the IP, RAF WWII type, rather than the WWI type that I had planned to use but were invisible because they needed to be applied over a white background.

Then I drybrushed and touched up the seat

And lastly, I touched up the inside colors. 

Next session I can install all the interior parts and close it all up.

Ooo, how fun, a Camel. 

One small update from yesterday’s work:

I forgot to get a better shot to show the sidewall wood grain effort

and now that the oil wash on the engine has dried and I do not need to worry about it staining my photo booth, here’s a photo of the engine

Today’s update: I took a shot at using oils for a wood grain appearance.

First step, I mixed up a brown shade and then applied it over the interior wood surface areas

Next step I used a thinner moistened brush to remove much of the oil paint and leave a streaking that resembles wood grain

The final look... any resemblance to actual wood grain is more luck than anything else. 

This technique is actually going to take lots of practice to get a handle on it.

Today’s update. Lots of painting and drilling and sanding and measuring & cutting... and not much gluing. So here we go.

First up, I was not happy with the filler points on the top deck behind the cockpit, so I drilled those out.

Before and after

Then I repainted the cockpit floor based off some photos of preserved Camels. Different custom shade of wood that I mixed up compared to the sidewalls

Then I modified the salvaged fuel tank into the piece affair that the real one had. Not to mention lots of sanding to get it to fit into the fuselage behind the pilot seat. I also painted the seat cushion and edging, again based off of photos of Museum Camels

And lastly, base colors finished on the IP and control yoke, plus I scratch built up a rudder bar with control linkage rods, again based off of Museum Camels

A bit more stuff to do like instrument decals, washes and perhaps an attempt at wood grain before I can put it all together.

Until the next update...

Thanks for tagging along Jim. I know what you mean about the Monogram SBD. I have one of those as a sidelined build. I added a bunch of stuff mine salvaged off of a trashed TBD build. Those parts helped a lot!!!!

Hey Stik, I'll be riding along on this build too. 

Know what you mean about the empty pit. Started a WIP the end of Oct. on a Monogram SBD Dauntless that had a rectangular box for a pit. Pilots seat, pilot (ugly), rear gunner (also ugly) and machine gun. That was all, not even an IP. I absolutely couldn't leave it that way. Haven't worked on it much over the holidays but I'll bring it up to date soon.

Jim 

Stay Safe.

Thanks Greg. That is too funny that you have built two other subjects from the decal set, but not yet the one that you bought the set intending to use. Funny how those things happen.

Always great to see another Camel on the production floor!

[BTW, I have that same decal set, which I got for the USN markings; I've done 2 others off the sheet...but have yet to do the one I actually purchased the decals for! Ain't that always the way? ]

Great work so far.

Knox and Chad thanks for looking in on this project. 

Knox, it’s a nice simple old school technique to dress up an otherwise bland part.

Chad, you are quite right on that point. Giving these old kits some extra attention and TLC can really be enjoyable.

Another vintage classic gets new life!  There's something satisfying about putting effort into an old kit. 

That was a cool idea on the seat.  I’m going to enjoy following along.