Yes both Camels Datafiles have some good information but if you want to try building your own Bentley try this;

April 30, 2009. Note this site quoted for WWImodeler.com website has been hacked and rerouted to an adult online dating site.

The crate landed on my doorstep today. pieces to the Albatros built Fokker D.VII and the pieces to a complete Sopwith Camel from the Dual Combo kit. Early eval looks good and clean up is started. Strap it down tight folks its gonna be a humpy ride...Ok bad play on words, but I couldn't resist.

JackFlash in the hangar burning the midnight oil. Somebody bring me lots of coffee and a pepperoni and black olive pizza.

Greetings all;

I have been making good progress on the Eduard Camel at my disposal. I have to remind myself not to put iron crosses on the Camel while I am working on the Fokker D.VII. Ok its not that bad. I am working on a side by side comparison of the stock Camel engine and a couple of resin variations.

If you have never heard of Vector try Neomega

Just a thought...Eduard has repackaged a good kit using minimal investments in additional artwork. The up-side for them is stock reduction with more profit. The average modeler gets two Camels for a very reasonable price. Everybody’s a winner. That is what we can expect from them in the next few years. Yet if Eduard is listening maybe we could get some colourful flight instructor markings in a future issue? Also co-operation between a model manufacturer and a decal manufacturer would just be the next step in bringing the average modeler everything they need in one box.

Noting the information on the profiles of the Profipack kit #8056 were a little skinny I checked out the online info to compare the Dual Combo kit. Some one at Eduard has been dipping into the "The Camel Files" one of the references I have listed previously. But they seemed to have missed a couple of items that I'll include here.

A. Sopwith Camel F.1 B3834 was flown by Flt. Lt. A. F. Brandon of the Manston War Flight at RNAS Manston War School in August 1917. “Wonga - Bonga” was the phrase used to describe the sounds made by the engines on a Gotha Bomber. Manston started its aviation days as a Royal Naval Station in 1916, with a base at Westgate Bay for seaplanes. The early airfield was on the area now occupied by the passenger terminal. By 1917 Manston airfield had grown to include four underground hangars, its own railway line to Birchington, a power station to generate electricity, barracks for 3,000 men and even an indoor swimming pool. Using this machine Flt. Lt. Brandon helped destroy a Gotha in flames on 22 August 1917. “Wonga - Bonga” was damaged with a bullet in #6 cylinder, but landed safely.

B. Sopwith Camel F.1 B7296 was crashed by 2/Lt. G. S. Hodson of B flight of 73 Sqdn RFC in France 2 February 1918 (Not 1917.) Rebuilt and fitted with a Clerget 9Bf 140hp rotary. Sent to 208 RAF and crashed on 16 April 1918. Repaired and sent to 51 TDS by 4 November 1918.

C. Sopwith Camel F.1 was flown by Lt. Hollington of 37 Home Defense Sdqn RAF in August 1918.

D. Sopwith Camel F.1 F6022 was the rebuilt airframe from D1813. flown by Captain R. Sykes of 201 Sqdn RAF in France during October 1918. It was sent to 203 RAF by 23 January 1919.

E. Sopwith Camel F.1 B6212 with a Bentley BR. 1 150hp rotary was flown by Flt. Sub-Lt. W.A. Moyle of Sea plane Defense Squadron at St. Pol France in December 1917. This unit became 13N Sqdn RNAS by 15 January 1918. It was damaged on 19 February 1918 when flown by Flt. Sub-Lt. W. J. Mackenzie. Then repaired and sent to 203 RAF by 10 April 1918 where it was flown by an American, 1/Lt. W. W. Goodlow. Last recorded as being at Farnborough 30 June 1918.

F. Sopwith Camel F.1 D3332 was flown by Flt. Cmdr O.C. “Boots” Le Boutillier of 9N up-til 24 March 1918 when it was crashed. Repaired it was sent to 204 RAF until 2 August 1918 where it was sent to 210 RAF where after several pilots it was assigned to Captain A. W. Carter. The white dumbbell seen on the profile was not adopted by 210 RAF as a unit marking until November 1918.

Of additional note "Boots" was an American with 209 RAFand in the air the day Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen was KIA (on 21 April 1918.) "Boots" was a grand fellow and recounted his brief observations that day on more than one occassion. He returned to the States after the war and finally settled and retired in Las Vegas Nevada.

G. Sopwith Camel F.1 B6313 was flown by Major W.G. Barker while he was assigned to 28 Sqdn and it had been with this unit since 24 Sept. 1917. His first victory on this machine came on 20 October 1917. He continued to us this aircraft after 28 RFC arrived in Italy. Then as CO of 139 Sqdn RAF in Italy during June 1918. This bird had a lengthy war service and was repainted several times.

H. Sopwith Camel F.1 B6313 was flown by Major W.G. Barker as CO of 139 Sqdn RAF in Italy during September 1918. It was dismantled on 2 October 1918. This bird had a lengthy war service and was repainted several times.

By the way B6313 came from the factory with the standard coaming (C2) but by July 1918 it was photographed with others of 28 RAF Sqn with a cutdown coaming (C7).

Hi Stephen!

Something like that?



Jean-Luc

Uh er why...YES!!!!!!! Are they in 1/48 scale ,....where can I get them.... how much are they???? uh , uh, (suddenly my warm fuzzy has exploded into a blistering mushroom!)

Hi Stephen!

Well, sorry, calm down... these are only profiles I found in a magazine...
A decal sheet of this would be very cool and very expensive for sure! But I'm afraid, right now, the only way to reproduce this paintsheme is an intensive use of masking tape! :-) I thought of doing it on the Academy 1/32 kit I have in my stash... should be easier than in 1/48 scale...

Jean-Luc

Greetings all;

Still juggling which shemes to do but the general clean up has begun. As mentioned earlier this build will be aimed specifically at the Eduard Combo kit #8060.

I'll provide a bit of history on the mold here. This kit was awaited with high expectations since it was first mentioned by Eduard representatives at the 2000 IPMS Nationals in Dallas Texas. After the first attempt at creating viable drawings Eduard wisely decided to ‘Go back and try it again.’ Their second set of drawings became the basis for this kit. The detail is all that we have come to expect of Eduard’s current production standards. Suffice it to say out of a possible ‘10 ‘ I would give it a ‘9.5.’ This is a great kit! As Merlin has already mentioned Sopwith model kits always require a little more effort than most other WWI single seat fighters. Notably you will have a top wing that should look like it comes in 3 sections. Doubled RAF wire rigging at half of the locations between the wings and extensively more rigging on the Empennage (tail unit.) Comparatively the Nieuport 17 is much easier to rig than the ‘Camel.’ Begin with basic clean up and pre-drill all strut locator and rigging holes. Note as you remove parts from the trees for painting or use, try using a flex file to rid your self of any unsightly mold seams. I will also use a flex file to scuff up any potential union joints as this gives the glue surfaces a little stronger bite. PP= plastic part, PE =photoetch, RP = resin.

Hi Stephen

Sorry - I've got totally bogged down on other stuff, but I have found time to clean up some of the parts and I hope to get some of the basics done for the interior this weekend. I'll post some in-progess pics as soon as I can.

All the best

Rowan

Hi
Lovly paintscheme.


Is your masking tape to wide? Jean-Luc :-)

I would love to have one Camel painted like that in my gallery.
What will we need
1.Profipac of an Camel F1?
2.Paints;Red, Blue, two diffrent shades, Black, Pc12, Green, CDL Clear Doped Linnen
3.Decals Would it be possible to use Pegasus R.F.C standard serial sheet?
4. The letter "F" would be possible to mask up,perhaps the sparebox for decals can help

I will give it a try later this summer..
Lars

Hi Lars!

No... I think my fingers are too big! :-)

Good luck if you try that paintscheme! But aren't you supposed to hang around the pool in the summertime?

Jean-Luc

I don´t work with acrylics :-)

But i´ve like barbeques and the beers by the pool.
Lars

Here is a bit of fun for those of you wanting to build a full sized Sop. F.1 "Camel". Very interesing images to help us with our bit of fun here as well.
Replica Sop.F.1

Hi Stephen

I visited the RAF Museum yesterday and couldn't resist grabbing the opportunity of snapping some pics of the Camel. Not so much a Walkaround as a Stare Up At :-) - but here's a taster:



I'll be away over the Bank Holiday weekend, so I'll add the rest of the pics to the refence section next week.

All the best

Rowan

(insert admiration whistle here)She is a honey!

Greetings all;

I don't know about anyone else but I always seem to need to trim down the inner lip of the fuselage edges that receive the firewall. At least on the pilot's left side. Otherwise I get a raised edge on that same side. I have taken some images of my progress and hope to add them this weekend.

In the mean time I clipped a newspaper article from the Picadilly Times 1 Nov. 1917.

It reads, " a right pair of aces and a jack. Col. Mal "Biggles" Camelhill-Mayford (sitting) and the Mad Major Stephen "Ginger" Lawson (standing at left) pose infront of a shared trophy from their last contact with the Baron's staffel. Before tea they share their experince with a newly arrived pilot (at far right) ..."

Here is the rudimentary Eduard Camel cockpit.

Here is my first step in the clear doped linen undersurfaces of the Sopwith kit.

Hi Stephen

Addional wolf-whistles! I'm afraid I'm WWAAAYYYYY behind on this one! Events have caught up with best intentions, so I'll be eating your dust all the way home.

Let's turn it 'round - my late effort will give added longevity to this post! :-) :-)

All the best

Rowan

Greetings Rowan...no worries, but its my exhaust fumes you'll be dealing with and that castor oil exhaust fumes. I am afraid if you stay behind it will be a case of the Sussex quick step to the WC.

What ho! Ginger!

Here's some proof that I finally have made a start on this confounded whirligig. Of course, I blame Algy! Always runnin' around shouting that there are Huns over the aerodrome!!

Anyway - it's a lovely day here in Blighty, so I got down to a spot of carpentry in the old cockpit. I used poster paints over a base coat of sand-coloured enamel and gently removed the poster paint with a damp brush. I've included a "before and after" shot, but there's still a way to go - I think the effect is a bit too dark at the moment, but at least it's a start.



Righty-ho! Time for a cup or Rosie Lee and back to the grindstone - or the paintbrush. More pics as and when...

All the best

Biggles

Hi again

A rather uninspiring shot:



But the Alclad's on, so I can hopefully start to make some proper progress over the next few days.

All the best

Rowan

Great stuff Rowan I intend to build a camel next so I might join you, after the D.VII is finished of course
Mal

Just an additional angle. The leather retaing straps have been evened out since this was taken. Can anyone see anything unusual? Hint: don't come up short.