Leicester/Canada Tribute Sopwith 1a Snipe - Airframe E 8213

[Chris Johnson]

Thanks ever so much for all of your comments and support fellows. I think good luck was smiling down on me when I built the cockpit. I'm hoping that it'll be with me for the rest of the project too.

In answer to your question about the copper colour, I usually use
the Gunze Mr. metal copper with pretty good results.

Thanks for the tip Ernie. I don't know if I can get it locally but I'll look into it. Lance also suggested Mr. Color Copper and I happen to have a bottle of it. I didn't even think of it at the time. 

Cheers,

Chris

[Chris Johnson]

Moving right along in the slipstream of Lance, I tackled the Bentley engine next. I was surprised to find that Part E6 'Push Rods' had a short shot defect on one of the rods. The other broken one was self-inflicted by using a set of sprue cutters instead of a razor saw. I generally learn the hard way. Luckily, I found the broken part and repaired it. All I could do was glue the short-shotted rod together and hope for the best.



I decided to use monofilament for the spark plug leads so I drilled out the locating holes on both sides of Part E8 'Intake Pipes' to rout the wires as illustrated in the instruction booklet. It was hard for me to see, so I enlarged and scanned it.



Then it was just a matter of inserting and gluing the monofilament in place.



By the time I had all 18 pieces of monofilament in place, things were getting pretty hairy.



Then I loosely fitted E8 'Intake Pipes' and carefully routed the monofilament leads around and under the pipes to their correct spark plugs.



With that accomplished, I glued the Intake Pipes in place and super-glued the monofilament leads to their respective plugs, trimming the tail ends off with cuticle nippers.



I base painted the engine with Tamiya XF-56 'Metallic Grey' and followed that up with a wash made up with 502 Abteilung Abt160 'Engine Grease' oil paint and thinners. Then I applied a filter of very thin Winsor & Newton Prussian Blue on the Intake Pipes and followed that up with another thin filter of 502 Abteilung ABT210 'Copper' oil paint. I also applied that to the push rods for some colour contrast.







It sure seems like a lot of effort for an engine that'll be mostly hidden behind the cowling. Oh well, at least I had the enjoyment of (hopefully) improving a bit on what WnW has given us.

Next in line are the MGs.

Thanks for dropping in for a look!

Cheers,

Chris

[Des]

Very nice work on the Bentley Chris, the colours look great and you did a superb job with the ignition leads, pity so much of it will be hidden once the cowl is fitted but this is the case with most of the WW1 rotary powered aircraft.

Des.

[Dave W]

Fantastic work on the Bentley rotary Chris! Just world class modelling!

cheers

Dave W

[Pgtaylorart]

Great looking Bentley, Chris! Now get that thing covered up!

George

[lcarroll]

Great work on the Bentley Chris! I'm almost embarrassed to put up photos of mine, hopefully tomorrow. Your use of washes and filters really brings out the highlights, just superb work. I think you must now be ahead of me progress wise on this project!
Cheers,
Lance

[LindsayT]

Lovely work, Chris. You've almost got me convinced to give your armour building "assemble everything then paint" workflow a try.

A question if I may: you've used both filters and washes on the Bentley. Presumably there were some clear coats in between? A gloss before the wash and a matte or satin before the filter?

Looking forward to the next update (and great photo lo, by the way),

LT

[Chris Johnson]

Thanks fellows for dropping by and posting your comments.

Great work on the Bentley Chris! I'm almost embarrassed to put up photos of mine, hopefully tomorrow. Your use of washes and filters really brings out the highlights, just superb work. I think you must now be ahead of me progress wise on this project!
Cheers,
Lance

Hey, I'm just trying to emulate guys like you Lance, when it comes to my aircraft models! I think we're running neck and neck right now but I anticipate you pulling ahead as I've got to put some time in with that AFV review kit that I'm building concurrently with this.

Lovely work, Chris. You've almost got me convinced to give your armour building "assemble everything then paint" workflow a try.

A question if I may: you've used both filters and washes on the Bentley. Presumably there were some clear coats in between? A gloss before the wash and a matte or satin before the filter?

Looking forward to the next update (and great photo lo, by the way),

LT

Nope. No clear coats between anything on this engine Lindsay. In my experience, as long as your filters and washes don't attack the underlying paint, you're good to go. The only time I've ever had a problem was when I applied a spirits based filter over enamel paint and while working the filter in with a brush, it lifted the paint. My base coats are all done with acrylics and my washes and filters are composed of spirit thinners and oils or enamels, so the filters don't attack the acrylics. This is why I'm a dyed in the wool acrylic enthusiast for my painting.

When I apply washes and filters on specific panels or over an entire model, then there are gloss and matte coats between them and the paint as a result of the decaling process. I use acrylic clear coats to again ensure that the filters and washes won't attack them. I'm no fan of acrylic filters and washes (except in figure painting) as I don't find they perform as well as oils and enamels. That's just me though. Your mileage may vary. 

Cheers,

Chris

[radio]

Chris, very fine and beautiful work.
Cheers
Martin

[RAGIII]

Chris, Your added details and painting/weathering on the engine are simply superb!
RAGIII

[Chris Johnson]

The MGs are completed for my Snipe now. Even though this was a presentation/tribute aircraft, it was taken on by the fledgling CAF so I think including the armament is within the realm of possibility. I used the MGs supplied in the kit and as with the engine, base coated them with Tamiya XF-56 'Metallic Grey' and followed that up with a wash made up with 502 Abteilung Abt160 'Engine Grease' oil paint. That was followed by another wash of Winsor & Newton 'Lamp Black'. I added dabs of CA to the charging handles and painted those with Burnt Umber oils. The pads on the back of the MGs were painted with Vallejo 'Leather Belt' followed by a wash of 'Lamp Black'. I even remembered to drill out the muzzles and paint the vent pipe and fitting on the oil and fuel tank. You fellows may make an aircraft modeller out of me yet! 











Thanks for taking the time to look in.

Cheers,

Chris

[Ernie]

Excellent job of the Vickers, Chris!  Looking back a bit, I have to
say your engine is just superb.  Thanks for the tip about attaching
the ignition leads first.  Great idea and much easier than doing it
after the thing is all together.   Terrific progress, my friend!

Cheers,
Ernie

[lcarroll]

Great update Chris! The guns look absolutely real and the entire component is clean and "crisp", I really think you've mastered the art of cockpit modules with this one, the degree of realism is stunning to say the least. Going to be hard to keep up to your high standards now!
Cheers,
Lance

[RAGIII]

Great update Chris! The guns look absolutely real and the entire component is clean and "crisp", I really think you've mastered the art of cockpit modules with this one, the degree of realism is stunning to say the least. Going to be hard to keep up to your high standards now!
Cheers,
Lance

I agree 100% with Lance reference your cockpit and the MGs. The only variance is that I am not currently working on one though the Snipe Late is moving up the pile!
RAGIII

[radio]

Exellent cockpit Chris.
Cheers
Martin