Sopwith Triplane

**Thumb Dog** · #1 10-14-2021, 09:31 PM

Hi All,

I've been taking photographs for another project, and one of the models I set before the camera was my 1/32 scale Sopwith Triplane. I thought the pictures looked pretty good so I decided to post them here.

The Triplane is a scratchbuilt model I built around 1984. I drew out the parts with my newely acquired technical pens, then my drawings were printed out onto (probably) 65 lb cover stock. The paint is watercolor applied directly onto the white model and the interplane struts and landing gear struts are basswood. The wings were made from four layers of laminated card that were formed into their airfoil shape while the glue was still wet.

Aside from a rogue silverfish having a nibble or two on the tailpalne, the model is still holding up quite well considering its age, and I thought you might like to have a look.

Score and fold,

Thumb Dog

**YOAVHOZMI** · #2 10-14-2021, 11:24 PM

good work, nice and clean.

YOAV

**MacSongLi** · #3 10-15-2021, 03:15 AM

Great job on the design and the build. The paint turned out nice too.

Well done!
Gary

**Mike1158** · #4 10-15-2021, 03:46 AM

A sight for sore eye's, no mistake. Thanks for showing that. Made my day.

**rockpaperscissor** · #5 10-15-2021, 04:51 AM

Wonderful!

**Michael Mash** · #6 10-15-2021, 05:44 AM

Very nice.
I enjoyed reading about your methods, back in 1984.
Mike

**Don Boose** · #7 10-15-2021, 08:08 AM

Thanks for sharing these images. It's a beautiful model. The Pup and Triplane fuselage were perfectly proportioned (to my eye), and your model brings out the natural beauty of the airplane.

Don

**Thumb Dog** · #8 10-15-2021, 11:03 AM

Hi All,

And thank you for your thoughtful comments. The attached Fokker D-VIII was designed and built about the same time as the Sopwith Triplane, using the same methods of construction. I had some early development drawings of a Hanriot HD-1 and a Nieuport 17 on the ramp, but then the boy came along and other interests dominated.

I hadn’t noticed until I saw these photographs, but it appears that my purple lozenges have faded over the years. Those in the shadow of the tailplane give a hint of the original color.

Score and fold,

Thumb Dog

**Michael Mash** · #9 10-15-2021, 11:17 AM

Its always interesting to get a good look at something made 37 years ago.
Do you know . . . were photo-etch parts available at that time?

I don’t think laser cut parts would have been available until computers using Windows operating systems became widely used.
So that would have been a while after you built these models.
Mike

**Rata** · #10 10-15-2021, 07:18 PM

Your building skills obviously contributed to their longevity. Nice pics!