Airfix 1/72 Sopwith Pup

AIRFIX 1:72 SOPWITH PUP

Reviewer: Tim Beales (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted: 29 September 2002

The Aircraft

The design of the Sopwith Pup had considerable input from Sopwith's chief test pilot, Harry Hawker. For its time, the Sopwith Pup was the best British-designed fighter. From late 1916 onwards, it flew with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service, where its high agility proved very popular. The Pup stayed in service until replaced by more capable types in 1917. It had a top speed of 180 miles per hour and was armed with a single Vickers machine gun.

The Airfix instruction sheet does not provide any details of the squadron or detail of the aircraft represented, except to say that it is a Sopwith Pup flown by Capt. James McCudden, who was a highly decorated ace of the RFC. After shooting down 57 aircraft in combat, McCudden died in a simple flying accident on take off in 1918, only a few months before the war ended.

Kit Parts

The kit is a recently reissued "Fighter Classics" of WW1 Airfix Series 0 model, and is housed in a tiny box that will provide you with one Airfix Flying Hour. This kit originally dates from 1974. There are 26 kit parts moulded in light grey plastic, with no flash. There some annoying ejector pin marks interfering with the ribbing on the two wing surfaces and on the tail unit. There had to be the inevitable filling and filing of these before construction could begin.

Kit instructions are in the form of a single sub-A4 size square sheet, the front sheet states basic modelling instructions and disclaimers in eight-point typeface in 12 European languages. The construction sequence is given on the other side of the sheet broken down into five sections.

Construction of the kit

The first stage is to paint the tiny pilot and his seat, and then glue the two parts together. I painted my pilot with H26 (khaki) clothes and H98 (chocolate) flying helmet and gloves, with H11 (silver) goggles and H61 (flesh) face. This assembly is then cemented into one of the two fuselage halves along with an instrument panel and propeller shaft before the fuselage is sealed into a single unit. The fuselage has some interior detail, and the fit of the parts is good. I painted the inside of mine to represent a dark clear doped linen-ish colour (H83). One cannot see very much into the cockpit once the fuselage is joined, but super detailers can get to work on additional items if they chose not to "crew" the aircraft. The engine unit is the next to be constructed. This comprises of two cowling halves that enclose a cylinder head unit. The propeller shaft protruding from the fuselage passes through the cylinder heads and mates with the propeller, which is also a single piece.

At this stage, you can also attach the Vickers machine gun if you want, but I always find that is best left off until the end, as I often break off such items during subsequent manipulation. The fuselage mates directly onto the lower wing.

I then drilled the rigging holes in the wings and fuselage, and painted the wings, fuselage, struts, undercarriage, and tyres. There are four sets of struts, and each front and back set is connected by a top bar. This bar locates into a slot in the upper wing. Airfix supply two alignment guides that slip over the top and bottom wing so that you can easily obtain the correct wing stagger. In terms of problems/difficulties encountered in assembling the wings of WW1 biplanes, this will be one of the easier models you will come across.

The next stage is to attach the undercarriage. This comprises of a connecting bar that joins the two wheels through a hole in two "vee" units. The last bit is to connect the tail. The tailplane comprises of a one-piece unit for the back wings, which is held in place by a one-piece tail fin that fastens the tailplane to the fuselage using two connector pins. I found no real difficulty at all with the general alignment. I did use a little filler along all the wing joints, but nothing to write home about. I chose to rig the kit using Aeroclub stretch thread, and Airfix have provided suitable attachment points. However, it is a tricky job, as there is a lot to do.

Decals

Only one version is supplied by Airfix: Sopwith Pup A7311 from "1917". The recommended colours are H98 topsides and H103 undersides with H56 engine cowling and H29 for the wooden parts. I had no problems with using H56 and H103, but used H110 for the wooden parts, and H170 for PC12, as to my eye, this is a better match.

For me, the red and the blue colour of the decals seem to be too light and dark, respectively. However, they seem in register, although they appear to be a little thin. I ended up using the Airfix code, but used Pegasus RFC roundels, and painted the blue, white, and red stripes on the tail, using H14, H22, and H20, respectively.

Accuracy

On their website, Airfix give the dimensions of the Pup as span = 8.08 m and length = 5.89 m. My model has a span = 112 mm and a length = 83 mm (8.06 m and 5.97 m, respectively).

Overall

Another fantastic kit from Airfix. If only they would bring out new kits like this at the rate they once did in the 1970s. Extraordinarily good value for money.

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