What if

GROUP BUILDS => 2006 and Older Group Builds => The Knackers Yard => Group Build: Tophe Twin Tail Tribute => Topic started by: The Rat on August 19, 2005, 09:13:41 PM

Title: Okay, I'm in
Post by: The Rat on August 19, 2005, 09:13:41 PM
Had this idea a long time ago, and have been searching for the Academy Sopwith Camel. Why? Because it's inexpensive, and I needed two. Stopped into a hobby shop in Cambridge today and there they were, sitting together on a shelf. About $13 later and they were mine!

This is the original sketch I drew, but it may not be final. The centre fuselage may get attached to the upper wing, like the Heyford.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Sopwith Bactrian

(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv474%2FDaveBailey%2FSopwithBactrian.jpg&hash=eae1ca48151f0a12f18d432fcc0524fa8247d299)

I won't have a lot of time to get this done so it will probably come out a bit rough, but I couldn't resist trying. As befits Tophe's wish for peaceful aircraft this will probably be simply a 'one-off' experimental type which was not pursued, or whatever other peaceful purpose some of you might suggest.
Title: Okay, I'm in
Post by: Tophe on August 19, 2005, 10:19:02 PM
QuoteLadies and Gentlemen, the Sopwith Bactrian

As befits Tophe's wish for peaceful aircraft this will probably be simply a 'one-off' experimental type which was not pursued, or whatever other peaceful purpose some of you might suggest.
Wonderful project :wub: though it will be hard to build as model: connecting 2 parts of wing is difficult, doubling that for a biplane is twice a challenge... I could not :( , as far as I am concerned, I wish you will succeed :) ...

Questions:
- where the central pod will come from?
- will there be cockpits/cabins only in the pod or also in lateral fuselages? (depending on the answer, the reason to build/sell such a plane may find different ways: with lateral passengers, separated, I imagine a prison-plane, to bring dangerous prisoners to a jail-island without danger for the crew, or some tourist great-view organization, with 2 price classes...)

Thanks for joining my peaceful way, but remember I am not a JMN, hating difference: I respect the what-if modellers loving weapons, as they accept my discomfort about killing tools. I know Hitler had to be killed, I just don't like much to celebrate killing... There are different ways to find personal balance, and as I don't have much balance :( , psychiatrists say :angry: , wiseness is probably elsewhere :) .

So: thanks for the Bactrian drawing, thanks hopefully for the Bactrian model... :)
Title: Okay, I'm in
Post by: The Rat on August 19, 2005, 11:31:25 PM
I don't think joining up the wings will be too difficult, especially with the amount of glue that I usually smear on things.  :lol:

I have a choice for making the centre section. I could do it the easy way and carve some balsa, or maybe use some of the droptanks that are laying around from other models. Maybe I could build it out of those bread bag ties that I like. It probably should be rather slab-sided instead of rounded, that's usually the way things were built back then.

Your idea of keeping the original cockpits is interesting. I was going to fill them in, but I'll think about it. If it gets presented as a prototype then they will be filled, but as a passenger plane they would remain open.
Title: Okay, I'm in
Post by: NARSES2 on August 20, 2005, 01:01:57 AM
Looks a bit like one of the anti-Zeppelin aircraft that were planned/built using the 3pdr COW gun as main armament.

Chris
Title: Okay, I'm in
Post by: Tophe on August 20, 2005, 01:15:33 AM
QuoteLooks a bit like one of the anti-Zeppelin aircraft that were planned/built using the 3pdr COW gun as main armament.
Chris
Yes, see the  :D Blackburn TB = double Blackburn L at http://www.newzeal.com/aviation/BL/blackburn.htm (http://www.newzeal.com/aviation/BL/blackburn.htm)
QuoteI have a choice for making the centre section. I could do it the easy way and carve some balsa
You are lucky to have such skills: scratch-builing in balsa is "easy" for you? I am jealous...
Title: Okay, I'm in
Post by: Leigh on August 20, 2005, 08:09:18 AM
Yeah there's a fine line between genius and insanity isn't there?