forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Completed models => Topic started by: lcarroll on December 13, 2017, 01:58:24 AM
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Major Donald R. MacLaren, the highest scoring Camel Ace, shot down 54 enemy aircraft in just 7 months on the Western Front with 46 Squadron. MacLaren was a temperate young man, neither drank nor smoked, and was an accomplished marksman. He is reputed to have never carried any more then half the bullet capacity of his aircraft to reduce weight and sought to get as close to his prey as possible and use only a few bullets to finish them. A broken leg suffered in "horseplay" with a squadron mate ended his war in October of 1918. He is rated as the third highest scoring Canadian Ace of the Great War behind Billy Bishop and Raymond Collishaw.
MacLaren left the budding Canadian Air Force in 1920 and was prominent in the development of civil aviation in Canada until advanced age forced him to retire. I met this man and conversed with him in 1982 at a Military function, a great honor I shall never forget. A very modest man, he commented to me that he and his fellow pilots in the Great War were "just doing their duty" as were we young fellows of today. It was a great moment!
This is the Wingnut Wings LeRhone Camel release done as the aircraft MacLaren scored his final 9 kills in, F2137 which, in all the available reference photos, had an extremely weathered and oil damaged finish which I've attempted to replicate. F2137 is scheme D in the Wingnut Wings Kit. I've started the following photos with a comparison of the Canadian War Museum's photo of MacLaren in the aircraft to a similar view of the model to illustrate the finish.
(https://i.imgur.com/0WVVFaO.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sCoOc4U.jpg)
....... and following in no particular order are a number of views of the completed Build:
(https://i.imgur.com/6Op6YOa.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/uTwMZWA.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hCB70dJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/n0Fgbl2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/boBmmdJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sbNODyP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yriU3Xo.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ReGpb45.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/y19C0i8.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6YEpCaJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/18h1TrQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qWlhHEZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Plw5nzW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cZFBlWZ.jpg)
And that's it complete with the exception of the red streamers he carried on the interplane struts at times. I may add those later if I can find some suitable material. I enjoyed this Build and, with a few exceptions, it's a great Kit. My next Camel will see those tiny molded on rigging anchor points on the struts replaced with the old reliable Bob's buckles metal eyelets and I'd like to locate some metal alternatives to the flight control horns as well.
You may have noted that the Rotherham Fuel Pump on the starboard rear Cabane does not match the museum photo however it is apparent in other views of the aircraft. The fabric "wrap" on the Cabane Struts also is not consistent between photos. I write both contradictions off to a difference in time when the photos were taken.
Thanks for checking her out and your comments are most welcome!
Cheers,
Lance
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Lance, stunning results and great build log. Simply a work of art.
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Lance, this is one of the finest examples of castor oil erosion I have ever seen. Congratulations on a perfect replication of the original. I plan on doing this plane in 1/48 scale and I would be thrilled beyond words if mine turned out half as well as yours. Masterful!
Cheers,
Bud
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Thanks both, compliments such as these are so appreciated and I'm glad you like her! 8)
Cheers,
Lance
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The wear and tear effect that you have achieved on this is truly masterful. Not only are you a good modeller, you are a very good artist too. Those effects are so difficult to get right and so easy to get wrong......
This must be one of your best models to date, well worth the time and effort that you have put in, and all of the frustrations on the way! You have also provided a super detailed build log which I would recommend to anyone who wants to build this kit, irrespective of the colour scheme. This is a splendid memorial to a modest man made by an equally modest man: I am sure that he is looking down and saying a big thank you to you.
Stephen.
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Another fine example of the Modelers Artistry off the "Carroll Bench." The end result is well worth the effort and a rewarding finish. The weathering is almost an overlay from the original, as mentioned the castor oil staining and fabric paint chipping all top notch modeling Lance. This one you can truly be proud of. A hearty Bravo Zulu and OORAAH!
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A superb tribute to a fine Warrior.
Thanks for sharing this build with us, Lance ;)
Cheers,
Bob
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Thank you all for your comments on the model and on Major Donald MacLaren.
Stephen, this degree of weathering and finish damage was a new challenge and I enjoyed the experience. There were several failed attempts here and there but a "back to the drawing board" approach worked out in the end.
Mark, I referenced your excellent recommendations and list of pitfalls in the Under Construction Build Log, and will be following them carefully in my next Camel attempt.
Bob, I agree, he was indeed a fine Warrior!
Cheers,
Lance
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A very finely executed model, Lance. Congratulations. I only regret you hade to wear it so much :)
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Great model; Lance! Very good build and top paintjob but best is the worn and weathered condition of the plane.
Bye,
Manni
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What a dirty bird! Excellent work here Lance and a great tribute to a brave flyer. I know this project involved more than a few trials and tribulations but you conquered them all to finish with a really unique looking model. We won't see many others take the chances you have executing a finish like this and you pulled it off magnificently. Including that reference photo was a very good idea so we can see just how 'rough' some of these aircraft looked during their service. This one will be hard to beat but I know that you'll do it somehow with your next projects.
Well done!!
Cheers,
Chris
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Prze,
Coming from a Modeller of your skills I'm humbled by the compliment!
Manni,
Thank you, your W.29 here is a pretty fine example of realism when it comes to severe weathering to say the very least! and.....
Chris,
Thanks for looking and commenting, old friend! Your service as a "sounding board" during the darker hours of this Build sequence were very much appreciated!
Cheers,
Lance
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Excellent job, Lance, the build was pure joy to follow and the result is really great. Well worth the effort invested!
My hat is off to your weathering skills, sir.
Cheers
Ondra
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Ad my kudos to all the above compliments !!
Ed
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Ondra, Ed,
Thanks for looking and for your comments. It's going to be interesting to do a "normal" Build of this Kit without all the finish damage. I'm still thinking about the next project but another Camel (I have the Clerget version) is not out of the running!
Cheers,
Lance
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I love it Lance! :)
Fabulous artistry!
The most beautiful "beat-up" model I've seen.
Congrats and a big thumbs up! :)
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A masterpiece, it' one of the best models I have seen in the forum!
Ciao
Giuseppe
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A superb replication of Major MacLarens mount, your skills at applying the required amount of weathering is quite obvious in the finished model, extremely well done Lance.
Des.
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Lance, this Camel seems to had a hard life, and your model shows that very exactly. Congratulation to this piece of art!
Cheers,
Frank
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Whoa! I'm flattered beyond words at compliments such as these from such great model builders! Thank you all, it's so gratifying to receive confirmation of one's work, especially when trying something new and different!
Cheers,
Lance
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Cool build Lance. Love the weathering, very convincing.
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Well weathered and looks the part Lance. Absolutely brilliant mate. Nice one. very impressed. Went to the dark side and built a Corsair F4u.
Awesome stuff Lance, hope all is well up there in Canada. Your weather should be getting better eh? Have a good one mate, all the best from
New Zealand.
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Good to hear from you again Kong, thought you'd decided to stay "off the grid" in the midst of all those modern prop driven subjects! I was surprised to see this one back on the "Recent Unread" menu this morning, one of the more enjoyable subjects Wingnut Wings has provided us over the past nearly ten years.
The weather here is much better then a month back however we are having a very late and cool Spring, the warm season is already too short and this doesn't help! All the "Very Best" back to you and hopefully we'll get to share that beer some day!
Cheers,
Lance
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We were in Canada 2 years ago, but after daughter in Toronto, we ended up in Vancouver, however we are heading back to the UK and a few other
un-chosen places as yet. Sort of a big OE before we settle down to close to home holidays, so . . . . you never know my friend. Take care o yourself
Lance and I really need to come her more often. You know yourself this modelling thing comes in fits and starts. I just had a we rest. Karen found
other interesting things to use my time . . . ;-) Not that ;-) . . . Have a good one Lance
Cheers
Dave
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I seemed to have missed tis one somehow Lance. Your work on the damage to the dope and metal areas is fantastic. Beautiful subtle shading on the wings. Finally the rigging is superb. Gorgeous overall Camel!
RAGIII
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Thanks Rick, it was a unique Build from the weathering perspective for sure!
Cheers,
Lance