SPA Modeler

July 1918, Photographer Unknown, Ingenium Collection

Part I

Historical Notes

Sopwith Camel B6313

Major WG Barker
 OC
No.139 Sqn RAF

July 1918
Villaverla, Italy

Barker received command of his own squadron on July 14, however No.139 Sqn flew the Bristol F2b Fighter, not the Sopwith Camel. Barker therefore had B6313 transferred to Z Aircraft Park and then assigned to No.139 Sqn. While at No.139 Sqn Barker brought his total victories in Italy to 46.

No.139 Sqn used as its marking a white/black/white band around the rear fuselage. Barker had this placed on his aircraft and then further expanded it to four white and three black bands, the nose and fin were painted black, a red heart pierced by an arrow was painted on the fin.

References

Bowyer, Chaz: Sopwith Camel - King of Combat, Aston Publications, 1988

Sturtivant, Ray & Page, Gordon: The Camel File, Air-Britain, 1993



Here is a puzzle! The RAF Museum catalogs this as a Sopwith Snipe and not a Camel! Great Scot. I thought I was safe from internet shenanigans!




Part II

Aircraft Details

Visible modifications to make the craft more agile and increase pilot visibility.


Modern version of a Sopwith Camel propellor

A) Lang propeller with blade sheathing.

Blade sheathing was originally used as a protection of the leading edges. Fabric sheathing was most common. The fabric was glued on the blade using a sticky varnish and painted with black paint. Note in photos this looks gray, must investigate a bit more. The colored fabric was varnished with the whole propeller.

B) An enlarged carburetor air intake, for flying over Alps which was covered in wire mesh to protect the intake from stones typical at Italian airfields at this time.

C) The upper wing center-section had the fabric removed to improve upwards visibility. Note in these photos I don’t see evidence of this modification yet!

Nice project Bruce!



You can see the cut out section of the upper wing in this photo that you posted. And you are quite correct, this is no Snipe.

Here is a Snipe from close to the same angle for comparison. The fuselage is much taller/deeper in the cockpit area. Look at the spacing between the cockpit and upper wing

Thank you! I have no idea why the RAF captioned this as a Snipe and will proceed with a black/olive/black Camel as I initially planned.

When I visited Ottawa two years ago, we stopped at the Ottawa Air Museum they did have. Sopwith Snipe (Barker’s stead) and the Camel on display along with Barkers plaque. Definitely a size difference between the two. I’ll post them up when I get a chance.

Part III

Color Profile
Unknown Artist
Source: Pinterest



I wish I could credit the artist who made this, however I am unable to do so. This is a rough, way rough idea. The black cowling and area around the cockpit were to my eyes at least much more glossy and perfectly black not blended into the olive green. Also the area where the "heart and arrow" were painted on the tail was painted aginst the same black which again is not really visible in the artist's rendering. Too much blending going on here. I understand that this is all subjective but clearly the black and white print reveals a sheen to the finish which has been flattened severely in the profile.

Part IV

Kitset Notes

This is the reboxing from 1965 without figures and without rigging spool, so I'll have to nudge around for ideas here and online if there is anyone here or anyone online for that matter. WnW recommends EZ Line. Should I get white or black and a silver Sharpie and call it a day or should I get some other brand of line? Fishing line? I have already trimmed some flash and fitted fuselage halves to lower wing and I can see some issues. Hopefully this weekend I will pull my light box out of storage and take some snaps. I have already ordered some replacement decal duplicates in 1/28, a Tom's Model Works 1/28 British WWI Cockpit, new cutters because the old God Hands flew away or more than likely fell into a box and will be found at a totally inconvenient time, various paints including my favorite Tamiya XF55 equivalent from MR COLOR and various shades of white and ivory which might make the olive drab plastic a bit less drab. I think I will need Milliput, too. Something will need to be done about the injection pin marks.

Ok... here are the pics of the Sopwith Snipe at the Ottawa Air Museum...










Sopwith Camel....

That may be restored with a newer covering material. Linen coated in clear dope has a more amber color when new and darkens with age.

Heh… I have Pollyscale Doped Linen. Kinda a yellowish tint.