1:32 Scratchbuilt wicker seat for Hobbycraft Sopwith Camel (new tool)

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

The revised Hobbycraft Camel is described by WNW as a very nice rendition of Sopwith’s aggressive little fighter. Where it lacks depth is the pilot’s station, so I’ve been junking all the kit bits, with the exception of the control column, for some home spun lovin’.

This build stalled in 2007, Happily however, things are finally back on the road again, so we’ll see if the Soppy gets skinned this time around…

A recap - The original (Academy?) Camel kit was let down by shape discrepancies and the classic ‘starving cow’ method of wing rib reproduction.

Hobbycraft re-tooled it some years ago, corrected the shapes, eliminated the rib issue and re-released what is a very good basis for the Camel. Puzzlingly though, all that effort went unsupported by any apparent effort to actually tell the modeling world what they’d done… Shame really. I discovered it quite by accident and immediately bought two. Glad I did as I haven’t seen any more since.

As I mentioned, the one area where the new kit really needs a boost is the cockpit. It really is very basic but provides a few bits for a bit of amateur tlc. Being blessed with some great references (via Ken Foran’s delightful 1:16 build) I decided scratching up a new interior was a real possibility. I got some distance into this and then stalled over the bracing wires. In the interim, those lovely people at Part knocked up a fab etched set, so that’s been added to the mix and effectively left me with no excuse for not resuming this one.

The story so far.

This is the Clerget engined version - here’s the basic engine (to be augmented later).

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Rib tape detail needs knocking back (started in the lower wing).

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The fuel tank immediately behind the pilot is absent from the kit. I made mine from two bits of plastic tube glued ‘over and under’ shotgun style - the gap was filled with card and the ends boxed (tubed?) off with more card, sanded and sprayed Alclad II.

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The rear of the finished fuel and aux tank - I don’t waste time on what can’t / won’t be seen.

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The finished fuel (with leather support straps) and aux tanks - the latter is part of the top half of a Bf109G drop tank with card and rod filler cap. The main tank is yet to grow a filler neck and cap…

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The basic structure knocked up from stock plastic and card and added to the bare interior. Basic wood oils added on the right and clear orange’d on the left.

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Some tube mocked up to accept the carb intake from the kit. Short sections will be cut and used from this either side to rectify the short width of the kit item…

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The detailing fun begins - fixing plates on both sides (collared from a 1:35 scale Brumbar armour etched set) plus fuel pulsometer on the right with connecting pipe running aft to the tank location. The lower pipe is yet to be fitted.

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Port interior, part complete. Bracing wires etc to follow.

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Starboard interior, as above.

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The CDL aft is roughly finished - a test fit of the tank in the closed up fuselage revealed a basic finish was plenty adequate - however, my CDL OCD since demands that I tidy it up before it gets a matting down…

It’s been a recurring wish to carry off at least one scratch built WWI seat in my life and happily I’ve discovered a method that’s within my reach. My scratch build efforts are concocted off the back of a gorgeous 1:16 Camel created from raw materials by the very talented Ken Foran in 2004. I saved all the build pics he published to PC and these have been gold as far as knocking up my half sized 1:32 efforts in Hobbycraft’s really nice kit.

No, I’m not building a four seat Camel…

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Going left to right, starting on the left, is the kit seat - undersized, solid, shallow depth and intended by Hobbycraft to be covered with ‘wicker’ decal that’s nonetheless really quite unrealistic.

Next seat along is a generic resin jobbie created by Mike West who, reading of my plight when I was in the opening stage of this build some years ago, very kindly sent me the item gratis.

Third seat along is the back of the Part etched jobbie, w-a-y to thin and unrealistic but it has yielded a reasonable representation of the wicker weave that could be used to cover the mock pan, if I don’t make a cushion.

Finally, my finished basic frame. This is the MkVI version after I discovered I was going no-where with wire and CA. I therefore resorted to building it to this point from plastic, really because nothing else had worked and it had become more obvious that I could succeed if I stopped trying to shape the top double curvature rail in one hit and instead broke it down into more manageable pieces.

So, here’s the thing on its tod…

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…and here’s how it finally got to this point…

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Stage two was to fit evenly spaced risers that ‘dog-leg’ to form the criss-cross pattern so characteristic of the seat. The basic seat frame grew brass wire ‘risers’ a couple of weeks back and progress continued with the bindings on the front rails either side of the front of the seat being added.

The bindings on the top rail were about a third of the way round and going according to plan when a micro-joule of excess tension was applied to snug the un-annealed wire. A miniscule but sharp crack signaled the sudden and catastrophic exit of a quarter of the top rail, together with various risers. It was a mess…

It was one of those moments when it all hangs there in the balance, mocking you with that ‘so you thought you had it cracked’ thought circulating round your head in a closed loop. It could’ve gone in the bin but a tiny voice at the back of my mind (my wife calls it ‘reason’) chirped up and steered me back on to the job of repair.

A change of binding technique, some annealed wire and it was ready again for the horizontal weave top and bottom.

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Several long sessions in the bunker saw the horizontal weave finished (a very relaxing exercise) - courtesy of Reflo fishing line at 3lb 6oz breaking strain.

The line is very soft and supple and perfect in this application. Just some binding along the seat pan’s leading edge and a representation of the leather cover on the seat’s top rail were then left before was ready for the paint shop (a Milliput seat pad is still to come).

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A unifying coat of Gunze ‘Sail Colour’ was used as a primer to subsequent treatments, thinned with Tamiya acrylic thinner, to avoid damage to the fishing line.

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The holes drilled across the front of the seat pan simply facilitated binding the forward edge and will be covered and hidden by the inevitable seat cushion to come.

This really is the bit I thoroughly enjoy - painting and finishing. I sat and pondered the primer (Gunze Sail Colour) that ended up that muddy, cold tone you see in the previous pics and figured that was a good start as it’d ‘pull’ the warmth of the Tamiya Clear Yellow and Tamiya Clear Orange to come.

The yellow was applied until quite a saturation was achieved. Orange in significantly less quantity biased the yellow in that direction. Once dry, homespun Tamiya flat clear coat (Tamiya Clear with as much Gunze flatting agent in it as I could get without frosting) was applied in half a dozen coats.

Flattening the finish lightened the tones - a deliberate objective. I decided I wanted a warm ‘cane’ colour (thanks Paddy)) so when the flat was dry I took some Yellow Oche oil paint and mixed it 50-50 with Liquin (Japan Dryer in the States). This was lightly applied taking care to avoid clogging the weave. The Yellow Oche was lightened with 50% white and applied - several times to lighten it back.

When I started to feel I had it where I wanted it I put it aside for a day to see if I had the same opinion 24 hours later. Happily I did. This is a worthwhile test in modelling and stops me going too far with a correction in colour - most of the time

Humbrol enamel flat black was run over what will become the leather coaming. This is no more than a base coat - the wire needs to be filled so I’ll later use Lamp Black oil paint, again mixed with Liquin to achieve that. I intend the wire to be covered just enough to leave impressions in the ‘leather’ that there are bindings underneath. We’ll see how that pans out…

Test fitting it in the Camel’s 'pit indicated a nice contrast between the cockpit walls and seat - another objective ticked off.

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Further updates to come as things progress.

Happy days.

Steve

2

Ill tell you what my friend, that seat is a work of art! Ill tell ya something else…where I come from, “knocked up” means something else altogether…[:D] The wood graining you did inside the fuse is impressive. I do not model WWI A/C but I am interested to see your build to its end…may inspire me to give one a shot.

Keep us posted!

Len

3

I think that seat qualifies you as a “basket -case” :stuck_out_tongue: just kidding. That is truly amazing. I can’t wait to see more!

4

Hi Len:

Thanks for that.

If you do take the WWI plunge you’ll find yourself in a tar pit from which there will be no escape - not that you’ll want to…

1:32 is the WWI scale and acquiring a Wing Nut Wings kit will provide you with the vehicle for racking up your first build - they really are the finest kits you’ll ever lay hands on.

Thanks again.

Steve

5

Hi BF:

Lol.

I can see how 25+ modelling hours poured into an object that’s able to sit within the area of your thumb nail may seem a little obsessive.

That also accounts for why scratch built wicker seats are relatively few and far between. What you see is the Mk VI version but I have a workable, repeatable MO sorted out now and the next one I do will carry forward improvements in the design and construction that have occurred to me along way.

The seat is the main focus of attention, particularly in a larger scale Camel - hence the effort put into…plus I’m certifiable crazy as well… :wink: Lol.

Best regards

Steve

6

How much detail will you lose with the addition of the seat harness?

At any rate, it’s really an outstanding piece…

7

Impressive! In-friggin-sane (I can’t weave with giant strips of paper, much less microscopic fishing line!), but impressive!

Can’t wait to see the rest of the build!

8

Hi HvH:

The lap belts run between the front rails and support posts so won’t obscure anything. The shoulder belts will be on a brass rod just in front of the half bulkhead, tethered together and draped over the seat’s leather coaming to the outside (leaving the inner seat clear) so no, there’ll be no covering up of the weave.

Thanks for the thumbs up - it’s much appreciated.

Best regards

Steve

9

Cheers Doogs…rest of build in progress - hopefully an update next week…

Best regards

Steve

10

OK, so here’s the thing…

Sound familiar? Yup, that’s how I started the reply on HS about the long post. Well I just read the whole thing again. Masterful work. I am the mod of the WWI GB here and was going to put the link to your seat in there as inspiration but now I don’t have to.[;)]

I have my 1st WNW kits in the wings, no pun intended, and I can already see your point. It is seriously affecting my concentration on other builds I need to get done before tackle the Albatros. But I find myself constantly thinking of how I am going to tackle different details. Spark plugs, plug connectors, turnbuckles, cable ends etc. When I am supposed to be applying armor to my Stug III I find myself wrapping wire or crimping .MM brass tube. Speaking of turnbuckles… after seeing the seat, I can’t wait to see how you make yours. Seriously, I can’t wait[whstl]

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Hi Marc:

Thanks again - I’ll drop by the WWI GB and have a look around.

Glad you’ve got the Wing Nut habit - I remember dreaming of a top flight manufacturer producing definitive WWI kits in 1:32 and just couldn’t believe just how miraculous it was to have that fulfilled…and then some.

Figuring out how to represent the small stuff is a pleasant brain teaser isn’t it? I have to say that my modelling was transformed quite some years ago by the acquisition of two pieces of kit - one from England; the other from the US.

The first (from England is the Actulite task lamp. It provides polarised day light balance light, which increases visual acuity by about 120%. Believe me - it works. http://www.actulite.com/task/index.html - many folks will baulk at £120.00 and question its worth but I guarantee no one will regret it after they’ve bought one.

The second (from the US) is the Optivisor. I have the 3.5 mag lens. Teamed to the Actulite it’s an absolutely killer combo. Painting fine detail, applying parts, seam checking - it’s all clear and highly visible. Together they swallow £170.00 odd quid but given ours is a visual hobby it pays huge dividends to max out your ability to see before you do anything else.

Wish you well with the GB mate.

Best regards

Steve

12

wow very nice work.

Ron

13

Glad you won’t lose anything wth the seat harness… The “scope of effort” for that piece is a definate “10”…

Now that you’ve gone this far, all I have to do is make sure I add the pilot to any future Camel builds… “Can’t beat it, HIDE it”…[;)]

14

Cheers Ron!

Best regards

Steve

15

Hi HvH:

Thanks again. Tell you what; I’d love to do a Camel with a really well sculpted pilot in situ…

Best regards

Steve

16

Steve, that is insanely good work! Not just the seat (which is a work of art) but your attention to detail everywhere is very impressive and the paintwork on the interior is some of the most convincing ‘wood’ work I’ve seen in a long long time. That’s just plain awesome! [Y]

17

Hi R:

Thanks for that - it’s very much appreciated. I have to say it’s opening out into a blindingly fun project now the wicker’s nearly sorted.

Best regards

Steve

18

Having brought the seat to a point where it can be put temporarily to one side it was time to fashion a cushion of some description. Thoughts of shaping White Milliput were shelved in favour of a bit of 20 thou plastic card cut to shape and sanded to eliminate the abruptly sharp corners and Tenax’d to a piece of plastic tubing for ease of handling.

The appearance is ultimately intended to approximate black leather - an item helpfully put together at the Front by the pilot’s mechanic, who was obliged to resort to horse hair for the stuffing by the way…therefore please interpret any dust on the finished item as scale horsehair… Cheesy

A globe shaped dental cutter in my Minicraft drill routed out the button areas and other grinding bits made short work of the smoothing. Mr Surfacer 1000 was blobbed on via a paint brush to gently round out the curves and edges before my Punch 'n Judy set had a day out in creating five ‘buttons’ from 10 thou card. These were tacked in place with gel type CA and Microweld was dabbed on each to gently de-bur the edges. It’s since been given a base coat of Tamiya XF1 black, thinned with cellulose.

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The IP’s underway with the acetate instruments backed with Humbrol white. Finding suitable masks for the bezel mounts is proving problematic at the minute but will hopefully be skinned soon.

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The Part set also yielded footboards and a combined bracket for the stick. The brass footboards are mighty thin so were CA’d to 10 thou plastic card. The mount was a flat bar and very visibly unrealistic so it was sliced off and the bracket liberated. A piece of plastic rod was cemented in place and the bracket placed on top of it. It’s better than the Part set up but not strictly accurate for a Camel - I made the adjustment first and checked my reference second…doh!

Gunze Dark Yellow was run in and oils used to add subtle grain, although this is hampered by the deep etched ‘grain’ already put there by Part. Clear yellow and orange topped it off, with the finish left noticeably worn compared to the rest of the 'pit.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a5/sdkfz124wespe/Hobbycraft%20Sopwith%20Camel/Footboards1.jpg![](http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a5/sdkfz124wespe/Hobbycraft Sopwith Camel/Footboards1.jpg)

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The fuselage was taped up to start test fitting the foot boards and figuring out how the control cables would be run in and tensioned after the fuselage is closed up. I have a cunning plan…

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.5 and .4 brass tube is en route to Castle Von Budd for the bracing wires on the fuselage sides and big thanks go to Bob Von Buckles-Rsi for showing me where to buy the good stuff…and how to cut it.

Happy days.

Steve [:)]

19

According to Ed Rickenbacher, who I knew, Most aircraft used rope for seatbelts, because the production belts wore out and supply was pretty thin. The rope was tied across the pilot’s lap.