1/48 Revell Sopwith Camel

by Tim Groombridge

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Anyone that's ever watched Discovery Wings, may well have seen a program they tend to show once in a while; I forget the title, but it's a kind of Top 20 of Fighters. It was good, and I thought it just that the Camel should feature in this program, alongside the F4U Corsair and the F-16, among others.

Let's face it, this agile little mutt bore it's teeth to it's adversaries in what was the very dawn of aerial combat, facing such fearsome aircraft as the Fokker DR1. Alongside the SE5a, the camel was feared by all that knew it (Even the pilots! Apparently it was a b*tch to land!)

This kit appears to have been put together some time ago, as the hallmarks of currently available Revell kits are NOT evident (the kit is full of flash and poor joins) but it was enjoyable nonetheless. You can't really see it in the pics, but I spent a good amount of time on the pilot and he looks great - he's got a full-on handlebar moustache, silk scarf and everything! There's a Camel at a nearby museum (Fleet Air Arm Yeovilton) that served as an excellent point of reference for this build and I tried hard to recreate the tarnished bright aluminium cowling and the varnished wood of the cockpit area and prop. One regret I have is not 'stringing' the plane with its rigging cord, as I feel that this would have added to the authenticity of the detail.

Happy modelling all!

Tim

Photos and text © by Tim Groombridge