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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

Sopwith 'Swallow 1:32 scale


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Hi all,
Working now on modifying the forward fuselage details, which again are different to the 'Camel'.
The changes involve:

Removing the ammunition ejector ports on the fuselage forward panel.
Removing and filling the carburettor intake aperture on the fuselage forward panel.
Removing the fuselage panel detail - oval access panel, forward to rear panel joint, rear panel vertical ‘nail’ rows.
Removing existing elevator control line access points at the rear of the fuselage.
Removing the angled area at the bottom of the forward panel.
Re-scribe the angled panel line at the lower front of the forward panel.
Re-scribe the vertical joint between the rear and forward panels (further rearwards). 
Drilling out the new elevator control line access points at the correct positions.
Creating new carburretor intakes at the correct position.

The lower wing centre section can't be filled and profiled until the fuselage is closed up.


Mike  


rightfusmods.jpg

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Hi all,
The cockpit is more or less ready for painting.
I've also made a brass tube/rod over wing cable support pylon, as the resin conversion struts are way too weak, especially as they don't have internal wire support,

Mike

cockpitprimed1.jpg

cockpitprimed2.jpg

resinpylon.jpg

brasspylon.jpg

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Hi all,
The four stubby cabane struts are done.
I first drilled into the fuselage and cockpit side frames, at the appropriate angles, and fitted 0.8 mm diameter brass rod.
Then I created the outer coverings from 1.6 mm diameter brass tube (formed into aerofoil profile) and secured them onto the support rods using CA adhesive.
Much stronger than the conversion set resin struts.
Both the cabane struts and over wing pylon assembly are located in the four holes drilled through the wing.

Mike

struts7.jpg

struts8.jpg

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Hi all,
A few more changes required in the cockpit area.

1. Photographs show that the front decking panel had a cut-out on each side alongside the breech blocks of the Vicker's guns. These were filed out.
Also the decking panel was filed for clearance around the base of the four cabane struts.
2. The 'Camel' had the main fuel tank behind the pilot's seat and an auxiliary fuel tank above it, which also acted as a wind break, preventing too much airflow entering the rear fuselage as causing pressurisation damage. The 'Swallow' has only one fuel filler cap access aperture in the rear decking panel, indicating there was no auxiliary fuel tank fitted there. As such there would have been a large opening for airflow to enter. As with Fokker aircraft, I assume there may have been a linen wind break fitted above and behind the pilot's head, so that's been added to the inside of the rear decking panel.
3. The pilot's foot boards in the 'Swallow' extended farther forward than those fitted in the 'Camels' and ended just to the rear and below the rudder bar. These were added using 0.5 mm thick plastic card.
4. The 'Camel' aileron control cables were attached to a control lever on the forward end of the control column torque tube. These cables were routed outboard into the lower wing. However the 'Swallow' control cables appear to have been attached to the control column then routed outboard and into box section covers on the pilot's foot boards. From there the cables were routed around pulleys then vertically up and out of the cockpit into the underside of the wing centre section. These box sections were made from scrape photo-etch sheet.

Hopefully I be able to actually start painting soon,

Mike

modfloor8.jpg

modfloor9.jpg

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Hi all,
The engine supplied with the ‘Wingnut Wings’ kit is for the ‘Clerget’ 9B or 9Bf engines.
However the last engine type to be fitted to the Sopwith ’Swallow’ was the ‘Le Rhöne’ 9J (110 hp), which is of a different design and copied by Germany as the ‘Oberursel’ Ur.II.
Therefore I chose to use as a replacement engine the ‘CMK Master Models’ Le Rhöne 9J (110 hp) - (kit No.129-5105). 

The most obvious difference in external appearance between the ‘Le Rhöne’ and ‘Clerget’ rotary engines is that the valve push rods were fitted to the rear of the ‘Le Rhöne’ engine cylinders, whereas the ‘Clerget’ engine had these fitted at the front of the cylinders.
Also the fuel/air induction pipes on both engine types were located at the rear of the cylinders, but whereas the ‘Clerget’ engine had these pipes connected to the rear of each cylinder head, those on the ‘Le Rhöne’ engine were connected at the side of each cylinder head. 
The push rods were replaced by 0.4 mm diameter Nickel-Silver tube and the ignition leads were twisted 0.125 mm diameter copper wire.
The spark plugs were replaced using 0.5 mm and 0.3 mm diameter brass tube.
The propeller boss and back plate were discarded as the I'll be using a wood 'Lang' propeller from 'Proper Plane'.

Mike

engine1.jpg

engine2.jpg

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Hi all,
I'm currently working on the internal rigging.
Here's the flight controls consisting 'Gaspatch' 1:48th scale turnbuckles (Type A and C), 0.4 mm diameter Nickel-Silver tube and 'Stroft' 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament.
The rudder bar was drill with 0.2 mm diameter holes to secure the four rudder lines using 0.125 mm diameter copper wire.
The elevator pulleys were also drilled through to accept the elevator line.
A short piece of tube was secured to the control column to act as the attachment for the elevator forward cables.
The floor under the pilots foot boards has cross-bracing added.
Only the ailerons control run is still to fit, but can't be until the fuselage is closed up, due to the way the cable is routed.

Next up is the cross-bracing to the cockpit side frames.

Mike

modfloor17.jpg

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On 8/16/2019 at 11:29 AM, sandbagger said:

Hi all,
The engine supplied with the ‘Wingnut Wings’ kit is for the ‘Clerget’ 9B or 9Bf engines.
However the last engine type to be fitted to the Sopwith ’Swallow’ was the ‘Le Rhöne’ 9J (110 hp), which is of a different design and copied by Germany as the ‘Oberursel’ Ur.II.
Therefore I chose to use as a replacement engine the ‘CMK Master Models’ Le Rhöne 9J (110 hp) - (kit No.129-5105). 

The most obvious difference in external appearance between the ‘Le Rhöne’ and ‘Clerget’ rotary engines is that the valve push rods were fitted to the rear of the ‘Le Rhöne’ engine cylinders, whereas the ‘Clerget’ engine had these fitted at the front of the cylinders.
Also the fuel/air induction pipes on both engine types were located at the rear of the cylinders, but whereas the ‘Clerget’ engine had these pipes connected to the rear of each cylinder head, those on the ‘Le Rhöne’ engine were connected at the side of each cylinder head. 
The push rods were replaced by 0.4 mm diameter Nickel-Silver tube and the ignition leads were twisted 0.125 mm diameter copper wire.
The spark plugs were replaced using 0.5 mm and 0.3 mm diameter brass tube.
The propeller boss and back plate were discarded as the I'll be using a wood 'Lang' propeller from 'Proper Plane'.

Mike

engine1.jpg

engine2.jpg

 :omg:.....harv :popcorn:

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Hi all,
I've been working away at the cockpit area, which is just about ready for closing up the fuselage.
All of the flight controls, except ailerons, have been added along with the visible cross bracing on the cockpit side frames.
I still have to seal the area and gloss the instruments.
Also fit the pilot's seat straps, gun trigger cables and fuel tank pressurisation pipe, but they will be done after the fuselage has been closed up,  

Mike

intfus.jpg

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Hi all,
The fuselage is closed up now.
I've added twin trigger cables and the 'blip' switch cable to the control column.
Also the seat belts, cockpit cross beam and the fuel pressure pipe from the pilot's hand pump to the fuel tank..
As usual not much can be seen, although the cockpit on the 'Swallow' is more open than most, but the low wing cover a lot.

Now it's onto filling and profiling the external fuselage.

Mike

pitdone1.jpg

pitdone2.jpg

pitdone3.jpg

pitdone4.jpg

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Hi all,
The 'Lang' propeller is wood laminated from 'ProperPlane' and was airbrushed with a 'Tamiya' clear orange and Hull Red mix, to create a darker and varnished appearance.
The machine guns are from 'Gaspatch' and were modified to add a 'ring' gun sight and alter the angle of the cocking handles,  ,  

Mike

propdone.jpg

gunsdone.jpg

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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'
compare1.jpg

Sopwith 'Swallow'
compare2.jpg

fusfill.jpg

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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

fus1.jpg

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