1/32 Hobbycraft Sopwith Camel F.1, Belgian ace Jan Olislagers

[rhallinger]

Next up, I'm having a go at an old Hobbycraft Sopwith Camel I bought on eBay for $10 some years ago.  Same molds as the Academy kit, with those overblown wing ribs.    Here's the kit:



I'm using the Spada decal sheet for this Belgian aircraft.   The MIL takes over my modeling room in three days, so work will be slow over the next month.  I am following the build log Des created on the main site for the Academy Camel.  So far I have sanded down the wing ribs and flying surfaces, corrected the lower wing dihedral per Des's instructions, and painted the rudder tricolor stripes and the white and green tulip cowling.  Those decals just would not have worked well.

Photos when I can get around to it.

Cheers,

Bob   

[Des]

Great to see another of these kits getting built, they have received a pretty bad rap over the years but I found it to be a pretty good kit and with some scratch building work and tender loving care it does build up to be a really nice model. I'm looking forward to seeing you tackle this kit Bob.

Des.

[coyotemagic]

Can't wait to see how you work this one, Bob.  I like the scheme you've chosen.  I know you'll do a brilliant job.
Cheers,
Bud

[RAGIII]

Bob,
I am also looking forward to your progress on this one. Who knows, your build may be the one that inspires me to tackle mine!
RAGIII

[Whiteknuckles]

Looks like a lovely scheme Bob, looking forward to seeing it come together

Andrew

[rhallinger]

Thanks gentlemen!  Here's a better shot of the decals:





I will use all but the rudder bars and the green cowling triangles.  I just couldn't see how those were going to fit well over the cowling curves and still line up.  I have opted to mask paint the cowling, and it came out pretty well.  I'll post photos tonight.

Progress and updates will be sporadic, with houseguests and holidays upon us. 

Chees,

Bob 

[rhallinger]

Here is the work done so far:







I will do what I can away from the bench.  My painting station is in the basement, so maybe I can get the wings painted next.  The scratched cockpit will have to wait a bit.  We'll see how this wandering build goes.

Cheers,

Bob

[Nigel Jackson]

Lovely work on the cowling and with the rudder, Bob.

Best wishes
Nigel

[Ernie]

I totally agree with Nigel, Bob.  Your great masking work shows.  Beautiful!
I have to say I'm tempted to try one of these Hobbycraft/Academy Camels,
which should bring out the WingNut version as soon as I do.
  I am really looking forward to following the balance of your build.

Cheers,
Ernie

[lcarroll]

I totally agree with Nigel, Bob.  Your great masking work shows.  Beautiful!
I have to say I'm tempted to try one of these Hobbycraft/Academy Camels,
which should bring out the WingNut version as soon as I do.
  I am really looking forward to following the balance of your build.

Cheers,
Ernie

Very nice masking and paint work Bob. As for Ernie's theory on precipitating a Camel release by WNW I agree totally; I wonder how many out there are holding off on these Kits (I have 2) on the suspicion that WNW will release a Camel as soon as several labor intensive builds of the Hobbycraft/Academy version are confirmed!?
Cheers,
Lance

[rhallinger]

Thanks for the kind words gentlemen.  Happy to do my part to prompt release of the WNW Camel!    I had considered holding off on this project to see if WNW was doing the Camel this year, but I also wanted to use this old kit.  Des made a beautiful Camel from this kit, and his build log provides a great guide and tutorial.  I'm looking forward to this one, as it will be my first crack at PC10.  I think I'm going to try (for the first time) Vallejo Model Air acrylics for the PC10 shades, as Tamiya acrylics have been giving me a hard time lately, and my preferred Pollyscale acrylics are no longer available.  I plan to try Dirk's method used on his RE.8, a CDL coating with layers of darker and lighter PC10 shades built up in successive mottled applications.  I will likely do the rib shading with chalks like Lance's current Tripe build.  This should be fun! 

Cheers,

Bob

[rhinocrat]

Excellent work so far on an under-rated kit. Could I suggest Lifecolor acrylics? They have worked really well for me; much easier to use than Tamiya.

[Des]

Excellent masking and painting of the engine cowl and rudder Bob. As rhinocrat wrote, this is a very under-rated kit and has received some bum reviews, it honestly does build up to be a really nice model and I would like to see all the kits hidden in a stash somewhere to be dusted off and built, it will be years before Wingnuts release a Camel.

Des.

[GAJouette]

  Bob,
I'm looking forward to watching this latest project of yours unfold my old friend. Not a bad kit either.Just requires a little TCL , maybe a lot but certainly no big difficulty for you.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

[IFF1418]

Hello Bob,

You did a very fine job on the engine cowling. Nice to see  the Belgian colours for once. It's not often done. This will be an outsanding build.

Kind regards
Patrick