Academy 1:32 Sopwith Camel

[ETG]

Dear group,

This is the model I am building right now, in a group build on another forum.


Since this forum is the best place to get the info I need, I decided to post pictures of the building process along with the one
on the Dutch forum.

I bought this kit (and the other cheap one from Academy, the Nieuport 17) a few years ago and wanted to build it out of the
box. Two weeks ago I decided to participate in a group build and since I found this website and forum, I chose this model and
decided to add many more details and build a far better model than what is possible OOtB !

I really can use lots of advice and help, so please do not be shy and share your constructive comments with me.

These are some of the materials I am going to use, safe the EZ-Line. Why I put it up there, I don't know.


Some Photo Etch parts from Part :


Content of the box :


Wingnut Wings, eat your heart out :

......yeah, right.....



DIY jig to cut the micro tubes :


Some sanding and filling (Tipp-Ex...what a great invention !) :

In the meantime I found out, that this model will need a LOT of filling and sanding, to get a decent model.

___________
Erik.

[ETG]

I'm new to this technique, adding wood structure is not easy to me, but I'm still practicing ! ;-)
But wait 'till you see the second set of practice boards....I'm getting better day by day.



Too thick, too much paint, but my latest efforts are much better, you'll see.

________________
Erik.

[Des]

Hi Erik,

This kit is a great foundation for and excellent model, but it does require quite a bit of work. I built this same kit not long ago with a full build log here -   http://www.ww1aircraftmodels.com/page32.html 

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I will try to help where possible, or ask questions on the forum, I'm sure there are plenty of the members who have built this kit in the past.

Des.

[ETG]

Des,
I am sorry for misplacing my build log, at the start of the new year |-(
I would be more than pleased to remove every post and start all over again. Maybe you can remove the "Moved" message as well, to keep the page clean.


In the meantime, here is some more wood :




Close. I'm getting there. A bit more practice is needed, although in real life these test pieces look better than in the pictures.

________
Erik

[rhallinger]

Hi Erik!  I love your build log, and I think it's in the right place (I believe Des was simply offering you the link to his build log on the main webpage just as a helpful guide to your efforts, but I am sure he will let us know  ).  I really appreciate the way you are explaining your process so thoroughly.  It helps all of us to learn, and it's something I need to get better at when I do a build log.  

Your approach is well thought out, methodical and will result in a beautiful model, I'm sure.  I am impressed with your dedication to practicing techniques to master them before the build.  I wish I had that much patience!   Your wood grain oil technique is yielding excellent results. 

Please forgive my ignorance, but can you tell me what is Tipp-Ex is, and how it is used?  Thanks.

Keep up the good work!  I'll be watching with great interest, as I have a couple of these kits in the stash, and I want to get to one later this year with some very neat Belgian markings from a Spada decal sheet for the Camel.  I plan to take advantage of the experiences of both Des and you with this kit.

Regards,

Bob

[ETG]

Thanks Bob,

I accidentally placed my build log under "Group Builds". It was late at night for me. Didn't notice the error..... I was too anxious to add my own build log.

Tipp-Ex is a correction fluid. Its characteristics makes it ideal for modeling: dries VERY fast, doesn't chip, peel or crack :

http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/office-supplies/rapid-tipp-ex-rapid-correction-fluid-[pack-10].asp

It sometimes shows a nasty side-effect: when sanding, sometimes small air bubbles appear. Another layer or filling with paint may be needed. A good characteristic is
that it is very easy to sand or file, holds paint very well and the cap has an application brush attached to it. And a cheap brand works as well as an expensive brand, so for
just pocketmoney you can have one, two or three bottles. Check your local supermarket or office supply store.



I often use it to fill up sink marks and extruder pin marks. The liquid is white. After sanding it can be painted with any type of paint. I always paint the white dot in the same color as the
plastic before I continue airbrushing. That way, if done well, there is no way telling where the Tipp-Ex has been applied. And thanks to the brush, application is super easy !

Don't worry....with this fantastic kit (...cough....) you will see me use Tipp-Ex regularly.  |-(
I call it Tipp-Ex, but it is sold under MANY names.

______________
Erik.

[rhallinger]

Thanks for that great Tipp, Erik!   (Please forgive bad intentional pun).   I will have to try the stuff.

Regards,

Bob

[lcarroll]

Erik,
Great little "tip" and one I will try.
I have this kit in the stash and will be following your Build Log closely.
Cheers and Welcome aboard,
Lance

[Dekenba]

I've got the PART of Poland PE set, so I'm following this one with interest.

[Des]

No problems at all Erik, it was a simple matter to move this build from the GB board to here.

The correction fluid is great stuff, I use it quite a lot, the one I use is made by Bic and is called Wite-Out (poor spelling on their part) but as you say, it dries very quick and sand beautifully, I have sprayed both enamels and acrylics over it with no ill reactions.

Thanks for your comprehensive build of this kit, it will help a lot of other modelers who have this same kit in their stash.

Des.

[ETG]

I am still in the process of sanding all the large parts, pictures will follow soon.
For the last two days I have been making turnbuckles. Lots of hours fiddling with these massive metal objects. It's hard work, but I'll manage...
And after many hours, this is all I have to show for :


As you can see, I also have my 0.4 and 0.5 mm drills, now. No, that's not a space ship, that's a tube of Super Glue.
What you don't see in this picture are the failures. And the cut and drilled tubes that go PING... and disappear into the Great Nothing......right after
picking them up with my tweezers. Happened more than a few times. Never bothered to go look for them. I'd better spend my time making a new one.
I am very happy with my new glue. The other tube was a really cheap brand and did not stick half as well as a top quality brand. Gluing these
turnbuckles without making a mess is not easy. My eyes aren't improving with age (46) either. I still have to make a lot more of them, then use the
best looking ones.

Back to my sandpaper. Painting is still a long way away.

_________
Erik.

[GAJouette]

  Erik,
Excellent project choice my friend. Looking forward to seeing the next update.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

[Des]

Great to see you have mastered the turnbuckles Erik, they are a bit time consuming but well worth the effort. I used to do a search for burnbuckles which shot out of my tweezers but gave up a long time ago, I now just forget about them and make new ones, it's a lot quicker. That's a neat looking super glue tube you are using 

Des.

[ETG]

Des wrote that it will take two to three hours of sanding to give the wings a more accurate appearance. Boy....was he right. Then there were the tail wings, too.
Academy made a lot of errors, on this model. Many holes in the wrong place, and they were way too big, too. And what about all those ejector pin marks ?
Bring in the Tipp-Ex and thin plastic sheet....!


Spending many hours making turnbuckles. What you don't see are the rejects. You drill out a tube and it buckles...You glue an eyelet in place, it bends and the glue dries....great.
Another one in the bin.
I still have to make many more, the best ones will be used for the kit.




What you see here is just the first step. More cleaning, sanding and polishing will be done.
I'm getting closer to assembling the cockpit. Looking at those tiny, fragile parts it just scares the &^%$ out of me.........

___________
Erik.

[GAJouette]

  Erik,
She's coming along nicely my friend. Keep up the excellent work.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette