A Tale of Two Triplanes... No, Three, Three Triplanes!

[Squiffy]

Evening all,

It is around 18 months since I built my first WWI aeroplane, and just over a year since I joined this forum. Since learning how to do rigging I've not looked back and I can't now imagine building them without. Recently I've been going back through some of my early efforts and adding rigging but some, however, need more than rigging to put them right...

The kit that started it all off was a Revell Sopwith Triplane, built after a visit, with a friend, to the RAF museum, at Cosford. Back at his house, a few too many beers, some old paintbrushes and whatever colours of Games Workshop paints he had lying about and it was pitted in battle against his equally poorly-finished Albatros.



It is truly awful!




So, Gentlemen, for my next trick I shall attempt to polish a turd!  (and I will also be starting a new build alongside, hence the Tale of Two Triplanes)

[Ian from Doncaster]

There's no such thing as a bad model, just a "practice" one...

And, if you watch the right episode of Mythbusters, you can actually polish a turd, of sorts...

[Squiffy]

Polishing in progress...


The rear end is being changed for the wider version, as provided in the new kit. This kite will become N500.

Some of the exchange parts.

Yes, the wheels are from something German but they look a lot better than the kit parts that I have hacked off. The Vickers gun is a spare from some kit or other and, likewise, looks much better (although the kit part was rather squashed in removal). The engine will go in the new build.

[IanB]

Interesting renovation, Squiffy! I have similar plans for at least 5 of my early builds, but I'll start from scratch with a replacement kit!

Ian

[RAGIII]

Squiffy,
This is going to be fun to watch! I might add that you have come a long way in a short time frame. I am looking forward to watching this re-build!
RAGIII

[Des]

This will be an interesting rebuild, I will be following along.

Des.

[Alexis]

Not bad actually after having a few pint's




Terri

[Squiffy]

This ebay purchase had arrived by the time I got home from work today.

Looks like I'm starting a production line...

Rather than do it as N5492 I have a pair of spare Vickers guns so will do it as Raymond Collishaw's other "Black Maria"; N533.

[coyotemagic]

Cool!  Really looking forward to this one, Squiff!  I've got a JMGT resin Hanriot that I built over 25 years ago in dire need of a reboot, so I'll be following very closely.
Cheers,
Bud

[Squiffy]

The old kite.

Sanding down the ribs behind the cockpit opening, as per N500.

Comparison of new and old kits.

The kit from the current boxing is the buff colour and the pink coloured parts are from the original 1966 kit. It really shows how much wear the moulds have had over the past 50 years.

[Squiffy]

N500 with the beginnings of rigging.


"Blymp" with some filling needed.

[radio]

It will come very good together.
Martin

[RAGIII]

Your re-builds and builds are looking great squiffy!
RAGIII

[Squiffy]

Thanks, chaps.

Comparison of engines:

The one on the left is a spare from another kit, a Roden Camel, I think. The one on the right is the kit engine. To fit the Roden engine I had glue a length of plastic rod to the back of the engine and open out the hole in the mounting plate in the fuselage. Obviously, the kit propeller will no longer fit, so I'll sarch my spares box for something suitable.

The production line.

Does anyone know where I can find clear pictures of the set up for a two-gun Tripe? I just need to know how they were spaced - close together, or as far apart as the overhang of the centre pair of wings would allow?

[radio]

They look are very nice.
Martin