Author Topic: Roden 1/72 scale Sopwith F.1/3 Comic  (Read 2418 times)

Offline Dave W

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Roden 1/72 scale Sopwith F.1/3 Comic
« on: November 01, 2019, 06:28:38 PM »
  Sopwith F.1/3 Comic



REVIEWED BY David Wilson

Scale:       1/72nd
Item #:              Ro #051
Price:         $A12.99 in Australia.
Stockist:   Available through quality hobby retailers worldwide.
Contents:      Injection plastic parts on four sprues; four decal options.

Comment:
While 1/32 scale modellers put a Sopwith Comic high on their model company production wishlists, smaller scale fans have had Comic conversion kits around for some years.
The Comic was an adaptation of the basic F.1 Camel, adapted for night fighter home defence fighter use against Gemany’s airship and bomber raids over Britain late in WW1. The Camel’s Vickers guns were replaced by two Lewis guns on Foster mountings over the top wing.
To assist reloading of the guns, the cockpit was moved back and to compensate the fuel tank was moved forward. The combined effect was to radically alter the profile of the F.1 Camel and for many this odd arrangement makes for a very visually appealing model.
Blue Rider many years back did a nice 1/72 scale vacform Comic nightfighter conversion based around the ancient Airfix Camel. It made into a surprisingly robust little model that survived several children, two house shifts and a move from New Zealand to Australia!
The Comic survives to this day, one of the few remaining models from my earlier days. So it’s a subject I regard with some affection.


More recently Blue Max produced a useful resin conversion set for the 1/48th scale Eduard Camel, which has been warmly received by modellers and can still be found at swap meets.
However this review looks at a full kit, not a conversion, of Sopwith’s quirky Camel nightfighter variant, one of the rather pleasing and frankly under rated little Roden 1/72 scale kits from their WW1 catalogue.
The domination of the hobby by 1/32 scale in particular and 1/48th scale has sadly seen 1/72 scale WW1 modellers unfortunately neglected with many new releases.
A small number of specialist European model companies are still servicing the WW1 aircraft market and Roden, although it has unfortunately stepped back from its substantial programme of WW1 aircraft, has at least kept its back catalogue in full production for us.
Roden’s WW1 catalogue still is a significant force in the WW1 hobby, notably in its 1/72 and 1/48th ranges and also its 1/32 scale kits of which some are still the only game in town ( early Albatros and Siemens Schuckert D.III for example).
Roden’s petite Sopwith Comic kit first appeared around 2005 and represents a good example of this company’s 1/72 scale WW1 range. Nice detail for the scale, acceptable internal detail and four marking options.

Roden’s model




Roden kits are not Wingnuts or Tamiya level but having made several Roden models and just completed their 1/32 Fokker F.1 kit, while they can require a modeller’s full attention, they reward the careful builder. With care and modelling techniques, they can make into very nice models.
The Sopwith Comic sprues shows some nice detail for the small scale and the Le Rhone and Clerget engine options are well detailed for the scale. Parts are moulded in a soft grey plastic and the surface detail seems within scale.


Overall moulding detail and quality is quite acceptable but caution will be needed to remove some small parts from the rather thick sprue attachments.
Roden’s instructions seem fairly clear and colours are keyed to Model Master paints.


Markings:

The small decal sheet offers basic markings for four Comic options.
1.   Sopwith F.1/3 Comic B9287 of 78 (Home Defence) Squadron 1918
2.   Comic of 44 (Home Defence) Squadron 1918
3.   Comic B2402 44 (Home Defence) Squadron 1917-1918
4.   Comic 51 (Home Defence) Squadron 1918
Roden decals are unfortunately prone to various issues so proceed with caution- some work okay, others need a robust approach with strong decal setters.





Summary:

The Comic is a nicely rendered example of Roden’s 1/72nd kits. The internal detail is acceptably high and would make a very worthwhile addition to any WW1 collection.

Verdict:


Highly Recommended.

(Review sample kindly supplied by Roden. Please support the businesses that support this Forum.)

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