Sopwith Triplane Instruction Booklet
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SOPWITH TRIPLANE VMC Instruction Booklet - Sopwith Triplane JAN19.indd 1 19/01/2019 12:21 2 vintagemodelcompany.com VMC Instruction Booklet - Sopwith Triplane JAN19.indd 2 19/01/2019 12:21 THE SOPWITH TRIPLANE – A MULTI-WINGED MARVEL Sopwith’s Chief Engineer, Herbert Smith, Most Triplanes served with the Royal Naval Air developed the Triplane on the orders of owner Service (RNAS) where they proved to be excellent Thomas Sopwith as a private enterprise for a new fighting machines, although their service was short scout (fighter) aircraft, with superior rates of climb, lived. They were difficult to maintain in the field, roll, and better all-round visibility than current and the pace of development at the time saw designs. Smith believed that three staggered, them overtaken quickly by better designs such as narrow chord wings, set wide apart, each with its Sopwith’s own Camel and the SE5A. Such was the own set of ailerons would fit the bill. The prototype German admiration for the performance of the flew in May 1916 piloted by Sopwith test pilot basic design, that Anthony Fokker studied a crashed Harry Hawker (later to form the Hawker Aircraft example and went on to use it as inspiration for what Company of Hurricane fame). Astonishingly for a became the Fokker DR1 – the triplane flown by the maiden test flight, Hawker successfully looped the infamous ‘Red Baron’, Manfred Von Richthofen. aircraft three times. Subsequent flights proved that Overall nearly 150 aircraft were built. Few original Smith was right and that the ‘Tripehound’ as many aircraft survive, none in airworthy condition, pilots came to know the aircraft, had far better although a number of reproduction aircraft can rates of climb, manoeuvrability and visibility than be seen, the most famous being ‘Dixie II’ at the any other domestic or enemy aircraft of the day Shuttleworth Collection based at the Old Warden (although this was tempered by slower dives than Aerodrome, Bedfordshire, England. German aircraft of the same period). Sopwith Triplane 3 VMC Instruction Booklet - Sopwith Triplane JAN19.indd 3 19/01/2019 12:21 YOUR KIT This kit is designed for you to build a traditionally Power is provided by rubber strip motor that is constructed, rubber-powered, free-flight model of wound up before flight. Free flight means just that – a 1917 Triplane of No.1 Squadron RNAS. This is a once the model is launched, it is on its own. It must simple but striking scheme, but you can decide to follow a predetermined flight path established when do your own favourite or more complicated scheme the model is initially adjusted for flight or ‘trimmed’. if you wish as there are many triplane schemes to This type of traditional building technique and choose from. The No.1 Squadron RNAS (latterly flying requires a degree of patience and skill, but is 201 Squadron RAF) flew Triplanes between extremely rewarding. December 1916 and December 1917 over the The Sopwith Triplane is just one of a series of kits Western Front before being belatedly re-equipped designed and manufactured by the Vintage Model with Sopwith Camels. Company. Aeromodelling was very popular from Construction of the model from this kit uses the the 1950s until the 1980s and following a decline traditional method of ‘stick and tissue’, that consists of and the loss of UK manufacturers such as FROG, a built up balsa wood skeleton (framework), covered KeilKraft and Veron, a revival is now underway. The with a tissue skin. The balsa frameworks are built over advent of modern technology such as laser cutting a plan that is printed at the exact scale of the model, of parts and the growth of the internet giving which is in essence a real engineering drawing. access to information on the skills and techniques required to successfully build and fly these models, means new enthusiasts are discovering the joys of aeromodelling every day. 4 vintagemodelcompany.com VMC Instruction Booklet - Sopwith Triplane JAN19.indd 4 19/01/2019 12:21 Typically for a small model and in the spirit of the have been done with care and sensitivity so that the traditional kits, profiles are simplified and adjusted shape and spirit of the original aircraft is preserved as from the original and a relatively large propeller is much as possible. Also in the spirit of the traditional used. This is done so that the model is light and stable kits, additional items required to build the model are enough to fly on its own, is simple in construction and things that can be found in the kitchen drawer or are can work with the rubber motor. These adjustments easily available on the high street. KIT CONTENTS • Four balsa sheets with precise laser cut parts • Piano wire for the main undercarriage legs. and strip wood. • A matchstick for the tail skid. • PVA glue for building the wooden frames. • Three cocktail sticks or toothpicks, one for the • One 150mm diameter plastic propeller. motor peg and the others for use in various details • One pre-bent motor hook and shaft. • Rubber motor strip. • A 150mm long piece of 6.4mm diameter balsa • Tissue to cover the model. dowel for the engine cylinders and gun details. • Parts reference sheets (W), full size summary plan • Three low friction plastic ‘nose’ bushings sheets (X), scheme diagram sheet (Y) and scheme – one for the propeller and two for the markings (Z) printed on lightweight paper. undercarriage wheels. Sopwith Triplane 5 VMC Instruction Booklet - Sopwith Triplane JAN19.indd 5 19/01/2019 12:21 OTHER THINGS THAT YOU WILL NEED CONSUMABLES • Glue. ‘cyano’ (sometimes called ‘superglue’), quick • Tissue sealant – if you want to fly your model setting epoxy and a ‘glue stick’. outdoors (see ‘Covering’ for details). • Cling film or waxed paper to cover your plan or a • Paints (Humbrol-style enamels) if you want to wax candle to rub over it. give your model an authentic scheme. • One sheet of standard printer paper (80gsm). TOOLS • A ‘building board’ – A flat piece of wood or cork • A small engineers square or a plastic set square that is large enough for the largest part of the from a school geometry set. model and soft enough for pins to be pushed into. • 30cm rule (preferably steel). • Some modelling pins. If these aren’t available, • ‘Blu-Tack’ or plasticine. dress making pins or drawing pins with tall heads will suffice. • A fine marker pen. • A sharp craft knife or scalpel. • Brushes – one thin and fine, one flat and soft 10-12mm wide. • Pliers and wire cutters. • An old perfume bottle or similar that can deliver • 180 and 600 grit sandpaper and a small sanding a fine mist of tap water. block, or a disposable nail file with rough and smooth sides. • Some sprung wooden clothes pegs to use as clamps. 6 vintagemodelcompany.com VMC Instruction Booklet - Sopwith Triplane JAN19.indd 6 19/01/2019 12:21 THE PLAN, GENERAL BUILDING TECHNIQUES, TERMS, HINTS AND TIPS The plan provides most instructions for the • Cut through section: This is simply a way of construction of the major components. Major showing parts on the plan in more detail – as if components are all built over the outlines on the you had cut through the parts on the line shown. plan provided. Cover your plan with cling film or The parts that are ‘cut’ are shown ‘cross hatched’. waxed paper or rub it all over with a wax candle to • Bevel: This means to angle the edges of a part, stop the parts sticking to it. usually by sanding. There are some terms used on the plan that you may not be familiar with: • Laminate: This means to make a glued sandwich SAFETY of various parts, often with the grain of the parts This kit is not a toy and as such is not suitable for crossed to make a single thicker and stronger children below the age of 14. Read and follow part. When laminating, ensure that the parts are any instructions and warnings given on the held together or weighted down and are aligned various glues, adhesives and paints, etc. When according to the plan instructions. Make sure that flying your model, follow the guidelines in the you remove excess glue that squishes out, as not section ‘Trimming and flying your model’. doing so can make the parts harder to sand and in internal corners, may leave an undesirable glue ‘fillet’. Sopwith Triplane 7 VMC Instruction Booklet - Sopwith Triplane JAN19.indd 7 19/01/2019 12:21 TIPS TO MAKE A GOOD JOB OF YOUR MODEL Read and follow the instructions and the plan carefully. non-porous disposable surface such as clean foil • A light model will fly much better than a heavy one, from a yoghurt pot lid. Alternatively, save pistachio so use glues and adhesives sparingly. Work neatly nut shells – one held upright and firm on a piece of and remove excess adhesive that squishes out from Blu-Tack or plasticine makes an ideal disposable joints – glue weighs far more than the balsa wood! glue container. You can then pick up precise A piece of stiff 1.6mm square scrap wood with the amounts of glue on the end of a pin or piece of end cut at an angle makes an ideal scraper to wire to apply to the parts. This saves overuse of the remove excess glue from corners or slots. glue and the potential embarrassment of sticking yourself or other items to your model! • To avoid losing the parts, remove them from the laser cut sheets only when you need them. Use the • All of the contact surfaces of the parts to be joined parts reference sheet to identify the required should be covered in glue.