Author Topic: Camel crash scene 1:72  (Read 1999 times)

Offline Bluesfan

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Camel crash scene 1:72
« on: May 02, 2022, 12:30:50 AM »
Hi I was given an Academy Camel kit a while ago. It dates from the '80s I think, it's very simple, only 20 parts. I wondered if I could make something interesting out of it; and also get some experience in double rigging in this scale  ::) . This is the result. I'm afraid there's some very crude work here but I'm pleased with the general effect.

I looked at a lot of pictures of Camel crash scenes, and noticed that a surprising number of them showed little damage except to the undercarriage and propeller. Maybe the tip of the fin/rudder; and the rigging would be slack in places. I suppose these were some of the very many instances of Camels turning over on landing. One or two pictures showed Camels in a very similar state to that seen here.

I'll add a few more pictures of the Camel afterwards.

Mark

Offline Bluesfan

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2022, 12:47:41 AM »
So, the aircraft would be upside down: perfect, I thought, because I didn't fancy building a proper cockpit to replace the utterly unreal Academy 'space'. Very naive of me, I didn't consider two areas which become very visible on the underside, behind the engine, and at the tail around the tailskid.

As regards the tailskid, I picked a spare one from a Roden Camel kit (I also purloined two spare Vickers guns - honestly, these are noticeably better than the originals), and dug out the under tail area to more closely resemble the actual plane. And noticed something that I hadn't before, that the Camel had a couple of control lines to steer the tail skid, so I did those as well.

But one feature I think is really characteristic of the Camel is the scoop or cut out behind the engine, entirely absent in the Academy kit. So, at the risk of derision, I took the same area from that Roden kit and inserted it here, and added the cross bracing etc. I know, I know, this sounds ridiculous, maybe making a better kit unbuildable in order to improve a worse one? The thing is, it was the TF.1 Trench Fighter Camel kit. This aircraft did happen to have armour plate covering up that 'scoop', so hopefully if I did ever decide to build it, it wouldn't matter.

Mark

Offline Bluesfan

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2022, 01:00:06 AM »
Glad to have practised some double rigging, and completed as much of the whole rigging set as I could. The fact that it's a crashed plane is a great excuse for some of it being less than taut.

And frankly, I'm awarding myself a medal for including in 1:72 another feature very characteristic of a Camel, the 'acorn' or bullet fairing above the guns. It's a little overscale, but I'm ridiculously chuffed to have even got it in place, with the rigging at roughly the right angles. That was a long afternoon's modelling... I know someone will demonstrate, if they haven't already, a bullet fairing in 1:144 scale: all I could say to that is, what a legend!

When I look at it now, my biggest regret is having marked out the gaps between wings and control surfaces. It doesn't look great. Too late, when I considered it, but another time I will cut them away and reattach. Never mind.

Mark

Offline Bluesfan

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2022, 01:13:38 AM »
View of the whole scene from the back. The Roden ambulance is a very nice little kit, it even includes a set of stretchers in the back. I was struck by the fact that the Academy Camel kit consists of 20 parts, but this little ambulance required 71!

As for the figures, there's some great examples of scale madness. The nurses, medic and casualty come from a set made by Bachman for model railways, ie. OO scale, which supposedly = 1:76. The other figures (forget the German Shepherd; it's meant to be 1:72 but I'm not sure they ever get quite that big) are officially 1:72 but to my eyes they're smaller and slighter. Anyway, I put them towards the rear, and the bigger figures towards the front, for the visual effect. The pilot and officer are from Gunthwaite Miniatures, and I wish I could have done them better justice, they're beautifully sculpted.

I fondly imagine the nurse is checking whether the pilot is okay, while the pilot despite his bruises and being shaken up, is maintaining some bravado, and also trying to put off the moment when he has to explain to his C.O. standing behind him how he's managed to bend another of the squadron's planes.

Mark

Offline KiwiZac

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2022, 07:01:57 AM »
Excellent work Mark, with some extra touches and detailing work that really set it apart - when I saw "Academy Camel" I thought it was the 1/32 version!

Offline RAGIII

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2022, 11:12:47 PM »
Lovely setting and clever use of a kit that is a bit less than perfect. Well done!
RAGIII
"A man has to know his limitations": Harry Callahan

"Don't slop it on" Lynda Geisler

Offline Bluesfan

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2022, 05:08:23 PM »
Thanks, Zac and Rick
I felt it was good practice which will hopefully benefit some future 1:72 projects.
I know the serious work is done in 1:32 and 1:48 these days, but there's still fun to be had in this scale (while ones eyes hold out)
along with some great exponents like Lone Modeller
Cheers
Mark

Online Rick_H

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2022, 08:28:52 PM »
Well done!

In my opinion, the Academy Camel is the second-worst plastic 1/72 WWI kit in existence, only better than the Academy SPAD.  It fascinates me how a copy of a copy of the Revell kit can be so much worse thanthe original.  I hope you only had that single one in your stash.  Mine is catching dust in the sky over my son's bedroom, where it has been in a dogfight with another poor kit - the Airfix Albatros.  I think they have been up there for fifteen years.  Still no victor.

Thanks for the tip about the Roden ambulance - I have been overlooking it.

Rick

Offline WD

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2022, 11:48:28 AM »
Great work at making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

WD

Offline lone modeller

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2022, 06:42:43 AM »
That is a super diorama and never mind the innaccuracies - ti is the overall effect that matters. You have really captured the scene well and made a realistic scene from a very poor kit.

Stephen.

Offline macsporran

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2022, 04:59:28 PM »
Nice composition, execution and presentation.
Great stuff
Sandy

Offline Bluesfan

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2022, 12:24:19 AM »
Many thanks for the kind words gentlemen, they're much appreciated!  :)

Mark

Offline Dirigible-Al

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2022, 08:02:18 AM »
Great job Mark
I agree many crash schenes on WW1 subjects show little damage, certainly compared to other eras. A two bladed prop is often seen exactly as you have done it. The pilot is probably going to say to the nurses "any landing you walk away from is a good one". If I made a diorama I would find any excuse I could to put a dog in it. This is a delight to see.
Alan.
I heard that it all started when a bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich 'cause he was hungry!

Offline Bluesfan

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2022, 12:46:11 AM »
Thanks Alan, right with you there re dogs, I've gradually picked up a good number of dogs in various scales, ready to populate model scenes. And going by the pictorial evidence, most squadrons had canine friends playing a vital role as mascots. About the only thing both sides were in agreement on!

Mark

Offline Monty

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Re: Camel crash scene 1:72
« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2022, 09:37:37 PM »
I love this scene! It is very very typical of the era and shows lovely additional touches! Some really good modelling there! Regards, Marc