sandbagger

Hi all, The basic engine build is done. This involved assembling the engine block, cylinders' cam shaft, overhead valve gear housing, magnetos and drive shaft, ignition rail and the carburettor housing and intake manifolds., The paints used were primarily 'Alclad' lacquers (Duraluminium, Aluminium, Steel, Copper and Brass). The only weathering applied so far is the 'Tamiya' Weathering Master (Set D - Oil Stain), which was sponged onto the copper cylinder heads and intake manifolds, in order to give an old, heated look. There will be more weathering applied once the engine is complete. Now onto the fiddly bits - support frame, pipe and water pump, timing handle assembly, valve gear, spark plugs, ignition leads etc, Mike

Hi all, I thought it was about time I took on another resin kit, as the last resin model I built was the DFW T28 'Floh' from 'Planet Models'. I've had the 'HPH Models' 1:32 scale Aviatik 'Berg' D.I in my stash for quite awhile, so thought it was about time I gave it a go. Already I've encountered a couple of things that may cause problems. 1. The instruction manual, normal I think for 'HPH Models', consists of a small booklet with photographs and arrows showing where parts fit. However these illustrations leave a lot to be desired, especially those for assembling the engine, which has many parts and the smallest in the entire kit. Some of the call out illustrations for parts are not the same as the actually resin parts supplied in the kit, which is a bit confusing. 2. More of a concern is that the kit is supplied with mask sheets for painting the lozenge - not the easiest route to take. So I ordered the optional decal sheets. These arrived in polythene bags and without the normal tissue paper protection sheets. Consequently the bags stuck to the exposed decals and despite being careful extracting the decal sheets, some were chipped where they's stuck to the bag. Also the bags had left an imprint across every decal, which I'm not sure will show after the decals are applied. Thinking this might have been a 'one off' I ordered another set of decals, but these packaged the same way and in the same condition. I emailed 'HPH' and suggested they revise how the package these decals - I haven't had a reply!! Anyway we are modellers, not assemblers, so on I go. I decided to work on the engine first, contrary to the instruction manual. Unless I'm very carefully, some of the tiny engine parts may end up feeding the 'carpet monster' - we'll, but at least the kit is supplied with some spare parts. I'm using 'Alclad' lacquers on the engine and have dulled down the copper water jackets on the cylinders and the intake manifolds by applying 'Tamiya' Weathering Master (Set D - Oil Stain), which gives the copper an older, heated look. Long way to go on this one I think, Mike

Thanks all for your kind comments - much appreciated, Mike

Hi all, The Sopwith 'Swallow' is now complete and posted in the 'WNW Ready for Inspection' thread. Many thanks for following this build and your kind comments. A full build log, in PDF format, will be available from my site (link below), Mike

Hi all, The Sopwith 'Swallow' is now complete. Many thanks for following this build and your kind comments, Th full PDF build log is available to download from gallery 2 at my site (link in signature). Mike

Hi all, The final rigging is now complete. This includes: Aileron control lines from the cockpit to the underside of the wing. Cabane strut side and front cross bracing. Over wing landing wires. Under wing landing and double flying wires. I'll post the completed model shots once I've finished the figure and display base, Mike

Hi all, The wing is now fitted onto the fuselage cabane struts. Also fitted are the ailerons and the over wing cable support pylon. Now to complete all of the wing rigging, Mike

Hi all, The tail unit has been finally rigged. Included are the elevator, rudder and tail skid control lines. Also the tail plane bracing lines. The line end fittings are 0.4 mm Nickel-Silver tube, finished with an enamel wash. The lines themselves are 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament. Time to move onto fitting the wing and all of the rigging, Mike

Hi all, Last of the pre-rigging done on the underside of the wing and on the ailerons. Now the final assembly can be completed then final rigging, Mike

For control lines it's 'Stroft' 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament. For general rigging 'Steelon' 0.12 mm diameter mono-filament. The general rigging should be aerodynamic 'streamlined', but even in this scale, I think mono looks OK, Mike

Hi all, I've been slowly working my way through the pre-riggng stage. So far the the control lines for the Rudder, Elevator, Tail Skid and the cross bracing at the fuselage under shield panel and the undercarriage. Next are the control lines for the ailerons and cross bracing between the cabane struts. Then it'll be wing and tail unit on to complete aileron controls, flying and landing wires and tail bracing, Mike

Hi all, Weathering wash ('Flory Models' grime clay wash) applied and once dry, wiped off to leave subtle weathering, which was the sealed with 'Alclad' light sheen (ALC-311) lacquer. The weathering is subtle as this aircraft was only flown as a prototype and saw very limited operational testing. As such it wouldn't have looked 'war weary'. Next is pre-rigging followed by assembly then lastly, the final rigging. After that it's just the display base, Mike

Hi all, A couple more details. The inspection window in the upper surface of the wing, for the aileron pulley and cable. Also seen is the wing centre joint and head padding on the trailing edge of the wing centre section. Finally the wheels (not weathered yet), Mike

Hi all, I've spent the last day or so applying the decals to the 'Swallow'. The PC12 upper surfaces and the CDL undersides were 'Aviattic' linen effect decals. The decals are supplied as A4 sheets and are not 'cookie cut', so each has to be templated and then cut. The white fin marking (AMA.E) and the name 'SWALLOW' of the fuselage sides were created, letter by letter, from 'Xtradecal' sheets. The specific serial number of B9276 was also created from number/leterrs and white strip from 'Xtradecal'. The biggest problem was the wing roundels, as the wing of the 'Swallow' had a wider wing chord than that of the 'Camel, therefore the 'Camel' decals were way too small. In the end I resorted to Cutting up and re-assembling decals from both the 'Wingnut Wings' Sopwith Pup (RNAS) and the SE5a, both of which I had as spares. For example the wing upper roundels were created from four separate cut decals. The colouring of the blue (lighter shade) on these roundels reflects that used towards the end of the conflict. Mike

Hi all, The undercarriage assembly has been fitted. Also added are the panel fasteners to the rear of the undercarriage, a drain pipe and the cross bracing anchors in the fuselage under shield, Mike

Hi all, The forward fuselage and cockpit area is nearly done. It included a fair bit of modification, no surprise there. It includes adding the two machine guns, wind screen and 'Aldis' gun sight with cockpit support frame, adding access holes in the front decking panel and side plates in the decking panel cut-outs. Also nail lines up the fuselage side panels and changing the retaining straps at the top of the engine cowl to those for the 'Swallow', which were metal retainer strips. Next is to add the twin pitot-static pipes onto the forward right cabane strut and the cross bracing rigging between the cabane struts and across the forward two struts, Mike

Hi all, Both 'Vickers' guns are fitted along with their ammunition feed belts. The 'Swallow' did not have ammunition ejector chutes, as fitted to the 'Camel'. My assumption is that the ammunition was fed to each weapon from inboard of the breech blocks and spent rounds were ejected outboard over the fuselage sides. Next is to sort out the wind screen and 'Aldis' gun sight. None of the available data show an 'Aldis' sight fitted, other than the information supplied with the resin conversion set. As the 'Swallow' was a 1918-19 design, it's quite possible that this sight was fitted, Mike

Hi all, The engine cowl and after market ‘CMK Master Models’ Le Rhöne 9J (110 hp) has been fitted, which is the correct engine for the 'Swallow'. The next step is to create cowl plates that were fitted to replace the 'Camel' strap type fasteners at the top of the cowl. The bottom strap fasteners were retained. Then final fit the two 'Vickers' guns and feed chutes. Mike

Hi all, I've used 'Milliput' two part putty to fill the gap between the resin front and rear cockpit decking panels. Painted with 'Humbrol' leather (62) and highlighted using 'Tamiya' hull red (XF9). Mike

Hi all, The decal pre-shading has now been applied - 'Tamiya' Smoke X19. Before the decals are applied I need to finish a few bits around the cockpit - padding, missing front to rear decking panel sections, machine guns and ammunition feeds and windshield. Mike

Hi all, I painted wood effect on the fuselage rear panels and rear decking, but that was not correct as they should be grey. Luckily the oil paint used is water based so I've removed the wood effect and airbrushed with 'Tamiya' ocean grey (XF82). Mike

Hi all, I've started the painting in preparation for the application of the 'Aviattic' linen effect decals (CDL and PC12). The external fuselage, wing, tail plane, elevator, rudder and fin were primed using 'AK Interactive' white (AK-759). The fuselage forward side panels and front decking panel were airbrushed with 'Tamiya' ocean grey (XF82). The rear decking panel and fuselage side panels were airbrushed with 'Tamiya' deck tan (XF55) the brushed with 'DecoArt' Burnt Umber acrylic oil paint, to create a wood effect. The undercarriage struts, fuselage cabane struts and over wing cable support pylon were treated the same. I still have to create the 'in-fill' between the rear and front decking panels and paint the cockpit surround padding. Then it's onto fitting the two weapons and ammunition feed and ejector detail, Mike

Hubert: Thanks - got that covered already though, Mike

Hi all, I've re-profiled the forward fuselage area from what was the Sopwith 'Camel' to that of the Sopwith 'Swallow' It required the removal of panel 'nail' lines, spent ammunition chutes, re-positioning of panel joins, extending the lower 'cut-out' and filling/blending in the 'Camel' lower wing area. Mike Sopwith 'Camel' Sopwith 'Swallow'

Hi all, Thanks for the encouraging comments - things should move a little faster now. The cockpit area always take the most time on models I modify. Mike