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Sopwith Pup RNAS ... WNW's 1/32


Little Andi

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Well lads, I was really really patient with the Morane build - very grown-up, and waited till it was finished before starting my next project.
I had though been giving great thought to my next one - it would be so easy to get carried away and jump into a project that was going to provide too many opportunities for a disastrous stall [so nearly last time].
No, I kept a weather eye on the forums and it seemed that the little Pup was regularly praised as a kit and as a build. I was also taken with a couple of pic's I'd seen of a diorama setting: Upon a launch platform [page 21 of the instructions] and also of the RNAS pilot officer in jacket and boots. I hadn't coped that well with photo-etch in the Morane kit {Special Hobby} but have been tempted by a couple of upgrade sets ... I'll see how I manage this time, and whether I think they're worth the expense and effort???

P1010805_zps1fd86e8d.jpg

Here's a pic' of the necessary in question ... and if you know anything of me now? You'll know this is a declaration of intent and that I'm committed to this project till the bitter end - although I'm hoping for a much pleasanter time of it?

 

 

First update then...............

I've been having a bit of a play, started by religiously following the destructions ... and folk are right, you do have to pay particular attention, although every bit of information that you need is there.
I'm sure you've seen these processes pass across these pages so many times before by now? ... But never the less - here's my tentative version.

Everything in this pic' is of a standard nature, no innovative techniques or anything of a revolutionary nature.
A pretty simple coat of an acrylic base colour, this followed by an oil wash teased into looking something like a woodgrain (sort of)!

Pup-1_zps4047c50c.jpg

I felt I could of made a better job of the dashboard and the seat, I had a couple of disasters on both these so what you see is a pretty messy recovery. I chose to call a halt to trying to make it any better and decided to "never" make those mistakes again - (we'll see)? Having said that the mistakes that I made on the Morane Saulnier have stood me in good stead, and I think this build looks to be that touch better at this same stage?


Now then ........ that there photo' etch!! I'm not so sure I'll be rushing out to buy a fortunes worth of upgrade sets for a while. I sort of kind of don't get on with it to large degree, and I'm not so sure (in this instance) it makes so much of an amazing difference. I'm reserving judgement on the seat belts as yet but some of the other stuff seems a bit too fiddly and not all that necessary ... but then of course I barely know what I'm doing.

 Cheers all.........


As soon as I have pic's of a further worthwhile update - they'll appear somewhere hereabouts!!
 

 

 

(PS ... This thread is a cross-pollination production) - smiling!

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Guest Jessie_C

The beauty of doing a model which is wooden inside is that each and every aircraft was different. What you see as "messy recovery from disaster" looks to others as unique wear and tear on the wooden interior :)

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Very many thanks all - I appreciate the encouragement ... a lot!


So, an addendum rather than an update, but I have the little horror together now. And it's like it's made from spun sugar ... I'm terrified of it. I hold it so gently for fear of crushing it that nine times out of ten I drop it anyway causing all manner of injuries!
................It's not what I see on here? But I do believe I'm making headway building these yur' airyplanes ... although I think most of the applause should go to the kit - it makes me look good! ??

Pic's then ...........................

Pup-5_zps380ed19a.jpg

Pup-2_zpse70bcbdc.jpg

Pup-4_zps50a23f34.jpg

Pup-3_zpsca4a339a.jpg

For those that may be unfamiliar with my posts (we're talking an idiot abroad here) that little steel block is an old apprentices "test piece" and it measures 1"x1¼" ... if only for a size reference? ... (25x32mm in round metric figures) 10mm or 3/8's thick.


Now then ................... the question of the Photo etch?

One must understand that this is just how I found it, and that these opinions are simply mine own: and in no way should reflect on any product or manufacturer.

But, I'm not impressed. They're fussy, they're fiddly - I'm at a loss to see how they choose what bits to detail, and largely they seem to make little impact on the overall "look" of a component part. YES!! I know there are bits that work beautifully, and that some are going to look really impressive but these to my mind make up such a small part of the "fret" that I simply chose not to use most of it - and in some cases was actually "unable" to use it. I would suggest that if your sight is compromised, or your fingers have lost their dexterous quality ... then I'm afraid like me you might be welcoming a world of frustration onto your bench.
Again this might just be me? - But the WNW's kits although fantastic do represent quite an investment, the A/M-etch is not cheap by any means, and I might just be struggling to justify the additional expense - I could certainly spend those pennies elsewhere about my hobby and see more for my money.
These are pretty hard edged reasons {and perhaps making me sound a bit Scrooge like) but if you want a simple perhaps more emotive reason .................. I didn't enjoy the experience at all, just a bit frustrating and not a little disappointing.

Of course your mileage may vary - but I shall study any upgrade frets in the future and be quite hard in my decision making - I want a go at the thread bare lozenge decals, as I do the wood grain ones ... and one can't just chuck money at a kit for ever as I have this little philosophical devil that sits on my shoulder chanting into my ear that ever contentious dichotomy .................

"Are you a modeller? Or an assembler?" ..............

Laters everyone...............

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I think most people would agree with your analysis of PE. Much of it is too fiddly, too small or just doesn't replicate the 3D objects it is meant to represent. I for one do like and use PE and fabric seat belts and these are conveniently sold on their own.

 

As you say WNW kits are top notch so little is really needed.

 

Like your work so far.. About to dive into my first WNW soon...

 

Matt

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  • 2 weeks later...


This is something I've done on previous builds [non-aircraft] and wondered if it would make the transition? I know this is all old hat to you guys, but I'm kind of on the ragged edge here ... and absolutely nothing ever does as its told: or works out the way it should!!!!...............


First piccie then...................

Pup-7_zpsa2f063ba.jpg

Primed with Halfords best grey primer [an auto store acrylic for those not residing in blighty] ... mixed up some colour that looked vaguely woody and then masked off the inside timber work.


Pup-8_zps37ff805d.jpg

The tape and colour goes over the top just for reasons of "keeping things all lined up", I then blew over the majority of the fuselage with my CDL colour "Lifecolours pale stone", I chose this because I wanted a less "creamy" look to this aircraft and thought the colder blue tone would represent the extensive weathering and the maritime nature of the aircraft?

Pup-9_zps7263261e.jpg

I know - I know? I is pencilled all over it - I'm sure I saw something like this round these here parts, regardless - it stuck with me as a pretty nifty idea, although probably wasted on me as I was already getting a build up of paint and these lines are more embossed than drawn!


Pup-10_zpseab788d8.jpg

A bit rough and ready, and I'm a bit down cast as my paint has spat bits of clag all over the job. It's all sitting like a layer of cream cheese and I keep gouging lumps out of it with my nails ........ But having said that! .... I really like the effect. Rather than the lightness of the canvas as is usually depicted I really rather enjoy the colour of the timber frame showing through: same with the wires. I'm hoping [guessing], that as the build progresses this will just sink into the background of the build and and become a means of endorsing the kind of heavy wet weathering I'm hoping to achieve - I do have the RFC version which I will probably do a cleaner sweeter version of at some point.


Pup-11_zps8178d6da.jpg


Here's a better look at the job. I've removed all the tape - "that was a nightmare" even though I pre-stuck all the tape to the bench and my forehead it was still a bit too sticky to come off without causing some sort of chaos!! grrr!
Anyhoo, smoothed out the "snots" in my paintwork - "highly technical number one finger"! I painted the little hatch thingy, but YET AGAIN that Tamiya paint was just a pain to use, I've stripped it off and a coat of Mister Metalcote looks much better - so far!
I hate the colour of the Aluminium nose panels by the way - and have yet to decide what to do with them - used the Flat Aluminium XF16 you see, logic, and lack of experience said that was the way to go - NOT!! It just looked for the world like a supermarket shelf toy... ugh!
Tried dulling it down with "metallic grey XF56" it took the brightness down alright but the mica or flake is still way too coarse to my taste. ........................ Curses! ........................."I'll post a couple of pic's of this in my next update - btw: I've drybrushed a coat of Mr Metalcote over all those panels and feel much better about them now.

Anyhoo ................ that's where I is, and I'm sure I'll stagger forwards with the build, but I can't shake off the feeling that I'm always going to be crashing along the edge of disaster, at least for a little while yet?

Laters.....................

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