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Hi all, All of the parts have now been primed with white, polished then gloss clear coated. White because the 'Aviattic' lozenge decals are 'clear' backed, meaning the base colour will show through to give the linen effect. Mike

Hi all, Apart from the cockpit surround padding, windscreen, Fokker type panel fasteners and weathering, the forward fuselage is done. Both machine guns with feed and ejection chutes. Photo-etch ammunition belts. Photo-etch blast plates. Expended rounds counter decal. Panel between gun breech blocks (omitted from kit), Mike

Hi all, It's been a few weeks since my last post. Real life sometimes takes up time. Anyway, here's a list of the basic work. ''Gaspatch' replacement weapons. Kit gun support bar replaced with brass tubing. 'DR.1 'PART' photo-etch, some cockpit detail added. ''Aviattic' replacement resin seat. ''Aviattic' faded four colour lozenge. 'Airscale' instrument decals. Mono-filament and tubing fitted for rudder, elevator and aileron control cables. Tubing added from throttle quadrant. Gun synchronization cables added. Engine bulkhead rear edge filled to allow for the 'Aviattic' engine cowl retaining band. Still a way to go before the fuselage build is done, including fitting the weapons, Mike

Hi all, Sopwith ‘Comic’ night fighter, Serial No.B2402 of No.44 Squadron (HD), operating from Hainault Farm, Essex in 1918. Flown by Captain George Henry Hackwill. On the night of 28th-29th of January 1918, Capt. Hackwill, flying ‘Comic’ B2402 and with Lt. Charles Chaplin Banks flying B3827, shot down Gotha GV, Serial No.938/16 at Wickford in Essex. The full build log can be found here: https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/topic/14217-132nd-scale-sopwith-comic-conversion/ As usual I've uploaded to my web site a fully detailed build log (in Adobe PDF format) that can be viewed or download. Just click the PDF icon in Gallery 3. Thanks for everyone's support and comments - much appreciated, Mike

Hi all, The completed model shots are now up in the 'WNW Ready for Inspection' page, Mike

Hi all, The engine has been finished with just 'EZ' line ignition leads added. I've test fitted the engine to the kit bulkhead and the replacement 'Aviattic' resin engine cowl has been test fitted. I'll be using the kit propeller as, due to the problems in Europe, sadly I can't get a 'Heine' wood propeller from 'Proper Plane', Mike

Hi all, As the Camel conversion to the 'Comic' night fighter is near completion, It's time for the next model. I have plenty of 'Wingnut Wings', 'Copper State Models', 'Lukgraph' and others in my stash. However, I thought this time I make the 'Roden' 1:32nd scale Fokker D.VI. The kit supplied decals, apart from being Roden, are of schemes I'm not keen on, especially the 'Fratz' scheme. Instead I'll have a go at the following, even though there's very little information on its colour scheme. I've found only one photograph, one old colour profile and the box art. I know from the 'Windsock' data file the types of lozenge used so it's just a case of picking what colour to paint the engine cowl. Mike Fokker D.VI of Kest 1a (Home Defence) Staffeln, operating from Mannheim in South-West Germany during the Summer of 1918.

Hi all, Just one last shot - the pilot figure, Mike

Hi all, The aircraft itself is finished, apart from the rudder streamer (to do) and the pilot figure. Once it's all in its display case I will, as usual post photographs and upload the build log to my web site (if anyone fancies taking it on). Once again, many thanks for your comments and support - much appreciated, Mike

Hi all, The tail unit is now rigged. This includes the rudder, elevator and tail skid control cables. Also the bracing wires for the fin, rudder and elevator. I still have the ailerons, 'Holt' flares, wing navigation light, 'Rotherham' pump, windshield, propeller and figure to do, Mike

Hi all, Painted with cross bracing cable fitted across the decking panel between the rear cabane struts and gun trigger cables added. Now onto the tail unit, Mike

Hi all, The basic fuselage gun frame has been made from flattened 0.8 mm diameter tube then soft soldered. Holes were drilled through the modified fuselage decking panel to locate the frame. 'EZ' line was used to represent the trigger cables from the Lewis machine guns to the cockpit (to be routed through the fuselage). A retention cable has yet to be added across the decking panel just forward from the windscreen, when fitted, Mike

Hi all, The wings and landing gear are now rigged. Before the tail unit and ailerons are fitted and rigged, the fuselage Lewis guns mounting needs to be done, Mike

Hi all, I've fitted the fuselage ring and bead gun sights and prepared the under wing 'Holt' flare struts and port wing navigation light. The pre-rigging lines are all fitted to the upper wing, fuselage and control horns for the rudder, elevator and ailerons. Finally the upper wing has been fitted. Now it's onto the final rigging, Mike

Hi all, The propeller is a wood laminated 'Lang' type from 'ProperPlane'. It's made of darker wood (looks lighter in the photograph) and has the 'Wingnut Wings' kit decals. Airbrushed with 'Alclad' Light Sheen (ALC311) lacquer, Mike

Hi all, The basic twin Lewis machine guns have been made. The weapons are the Lewis Mk.II from 'GasPatch'. The rear handles have been removed as they were not fitted and the left weapon has a flattened brass extension hand grip, as for the actual aircraft had. The mounting rails are 0.85 mm diameter plastic rod, bent and cut to shape. Holes of 0.4 mm diameter were drilled through the rear slide rails with 0.2 mm diameter lead wire added for the rail lips. Rods of 0.4 mm diameter were used for the front and rear supports with the rear being used to locate into the centre section of the upper wing. I still have to make the fuselage mounted rear support frame and accessories, but that will be done once the upper wing has been fitted. Now onto pre-rigging, Mike

Hi all, The aircraft markings were airbrushed using masks I created on my PC then cut on my 'Cricut' craft cutter. I sponged 'Tamiya' Weathering Master Set E (Green) over the engine cowl and forward panels to represent the smeared green dope that was applied. Weathered using 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt clay wash. The serial number was made from 'XtraDecal' white letter/numerals. Now it's onto creating the twin Lewis machine gun mountings, Mike

Hi all, It's always interesting to find facts when researching for a model. For instance, the roundels and fuselage stripes on this particular 'Comic'. The photograph of the actual aircraft was presumably used to create the following colour profile. Prior to the introduction of the Type B night roundel in 1918, aircraft used on night operations had the white of the roundels over painted with the prevailing camouflage colour. This was done to reduce the visibility during night flying. The most common film used during the period was Orthochromatic film, which produced a very pale colour for blue and very dark colour for red. It seems during the the 1950s and 1960s, it was thought that the the roundel of home defence aircraft was a white ring roundel with an enlarged red centre disc. The photograph of this particular aircraft appears to show white roundel rings and fuselage stripes, which I assume was the basis for the previous colour profile. However, given the colour variation from the film I think it was more likely that what appears to be white was in fact blue and the dark centre disc was actually painted red. If that is correct, then it would seem sensible to paint the wing roundels similarly, rather than the standard red/white/blue roundels shown in colour profiles. My guess is the following colour profile is more accurate, apart from the wing roundels. Mike

Hi all, I've added the fuselage navigation light and painted the two filler caps and pilots head rest. Also added the padding around the cockpit opening. This was ANYZ 0.5 mm diameter black braided line, secured in position with CA adhesive then painted. Also the engine and cowl have been fitted. So now it's onto applying the 'Aviattic' linen weave effect decals, Mike

Hi Hubert, Another problem is that as far as I'm aware they're are few retailers of flat rigging. 'RB Productions' (if they're still operating) 'AIMS' for 1:32nd scale and 'Steel Works' for 1/72nd scale. So obtaining the stuff could prove problematic, Mike

Hi all, The basic underside CDL has been applied with rib tapes. The primed surfaces were airbrushed with 'Tamiya' Buff (XF57). The rib tapes were then masked and the surfaces then airbrushed with 'Tamiya' Dark Yellow (XF60). The masking strips were then removed and the surfaces given a light dusting coat of Dark Yellow, to blend them slightly. Mike

Hi all, The basic painted and wood finish for the the top surfaces is done. I played around with the 'RB Productions' photo-etch flat streamlined rigging, but I chosen not to use it. Although possibly easier to fit than mono-filament, it does not, as I thought, provide any structural strength to a finished model. As this model is based on the Sopwith 'Camel', it has pretty flimsy and to scale struts and landing gear and so needs the support that rigging can give. Anyway, on to the CDL underside surfaces, Mike

Hi all, A quick update. I've primed the main assembly and other parts ready for painting and decals. I'm now working on all of the pre-rigging before I carry on, Mike

Hi all, Just a few updates. The spent rounds ejector chutes for the 'Camel' Vickers machine guns were removed and covered with blanking plates, as for the 'Comic'. The ring and bead gun sights for the twin Lewis machine guns were made from photo-etch and Brass tube//Nickel-Silver rod. The extra ventilation holes in the lower, left of the engine cowl has been created. The navigation light for the starboard side of the pilots head rest had been made from spru and rod. Finally 'GasPatch' late style resin turnbuckles and 'RB Productions' 2BA and 1/4 BSF aerodynamic (flat) wires have been tested for use on the model. So now it's onto painting, Mike