Attaching Sopwith Camel Wing Struts

[jrepok]

I’ve started working on a Guillow’s Sopwith Camel biplane (Kit 801), the first plane I’ve built since the 60s and the only biplane. After refreshing myself with the various building and covering techniques, I still have questions. Specifically, can anyone provide info and/or photos about how to attach the wing struts and cabane struts to the wings after the wings have been covered? Do you have to cut through the wing/fuselage covering to attach the struts and then patch the covering around those areas of attachment? Do the struts and the attachment points usually line up precisely or do you have to “fudge” it?

Any answers and/or photos of the process would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[David Lewis]

Normally you have a gusset at every strut attachment point. After you cover the wings, cut a rectangular opening in the tissue with a razor blade.

[Chris A.]

The struts themselves should be finished and painted/varnished prior to mounting the top wing. Set them aside. It is correct practice to completely cover the wings, then as indicated above, cut out the covering over the locating gussets on the lower wing upper surface, the fuselage and the lower surface of the upper wing. For reinforcement at the slot area, I put a small patch of covering to create a double layer ovr the slot area, then cut through both layers before finish painting. A #11 X-Acto blade works well. You will want to have the wings and fuselage completely finished before mounting the wing. Note that the struts have a notch that is designed to just fit into the gusset slot and partially rest on the gusset surface. Be careful with the fit as a too long strut mount tab will push against and possibly through the bottm and/or top surface. The struts only mount correctly in one direction and you should trial fit each one in it's correct slot before actually trying to mount the wing.

[jrepok]

David & Chris:

Thanks so much for the explanation & diagram. You've taken the mystery out of the process. When I attach my wings I'll follow your good advice.

Thanks again!

[davidchoate]

Look at My Pt=17 THREAD

[Bill Gaylord]

A bit late, but the sockets can be seen in these photos. This was a tricky model to build straight, but the result was worth it. Flies well too, with the CG set very far forward at 10mm from the bottom wing LE.

[Chris A.]

That is one lovely Camel. The Camel successor was the Sopwith Snipe, also modeled by Guillows. Fewer plastic parts, but make into a tough looking model. Your rigging wires look very scale, what did you use?

[Bill Gaylord]

That is one lovely Camel. The Camel successor was the Sopwith Snipe, also modeled by Guillows. Fewer plastic parts, but make into a tough looking model. Your rigging wires look very scale, what did you use?

Thanks. I've had the Snipe on my Ebay list for a long time.
I believe the rigging is the Guillows CL string. I pre-stretch it to take the springiness/slack out of it, and then install it. I generally use it functionally also with tie points, where it can be used to both hold the wing settings and also correct slight mis-alignments. The idea is to knot off the desired tension and then if it doesn't work out, simply cut it off and try again. A double knot or a dab of glue will keep the string from untying itself. I also use thin gauge nylon coated silver beading wire for rigging.

Do the struts and the attachment points usually line up precisely or do you have to “fudge” it?

The Guillows kits have always been pretty good with this. Other's not necessarily so. I had to relocate the struts on a Comet Albatros DV. Per plan, they weren't even close. Of course the entire wing design was changed also, since the x-former construction looks terrible. Irregardless, the wings never fall into place with any bipes. That's where all the effort goes, and either makes it or breaks it, as a flying model. I remember the Camel being quite a job, fiting the struts/wing panels.

[jrepok]

Thanks, Bill. The photo of the wing is very helpful.

[davidchoate]

My first attemts were on small Cheaper Dumas kits. I ended up getting My Stearman Wing perfect, but I ruined the covering in the process. I Think it will get easier each time like all things. Bill, You are My Hero. I can make an aileron now with ease, but am still trying to discover a way to use center servo location and non visible linkage (400/800 series) espescially as I Plan to omit Landing Gear until I learn to install retracts. Any suggestions?

[Roy]

Hi. After a gap of about 65 years and having built numerous Keil Kraft models in my younger days I’m back on the hobby again.
I’ve just completed the fuselage of the Sopwith Camel and am about to start on the wings.
I have one question (at the moment). Which way does the wing leading edge 3/16 x 1/4 lay on the plan. Does the 3/16 lay on the plan or does the 1/4 lay on the plan ?
Many thanks

[DenisCullinan]

Reply to Roy:
Only 65 years? Welcome back to the hobby, young man! I’m 76 myself and have gotten away from building for three years while I attended to family business. A few weeks at my Guillow’s building board will reinvigorate me!
Happy building, bro!

—Denis Cullinan
Queens, New York

[GGB14]

I'm having a devil of a time with the instructions, which appear to have been written around the time of Moses and the Ten Commandments. Anyway, the directions call for each portion of the body to be covered with tissue before assembling. But looking at the assembly instructions and the parts provided, along with photos of the finished model, it's pretty obvious to me that the top leg of the U-shaped wing strut is intended to be buried within the structure of the wing, therefore it needs to be glued in place before the tissue cladding.

[kittyfritters]

I'm having a devil of a time with the instructions, which appear to have been written around the time of Moses and the Ten Commandments. Anyway, the directions call for each portion of the body to be covered with tissue before assembling. But looking at the assembly instructions and the parts provided, along with photos of the finished model, it's pretty obvious to me that the top leg of the U-shaped wing strut is intended to be buried within the structure of the wing, therefore it needs to be glued in place before the tissue cladding.

Aside from the difficulties in translating ancient Hebrew, there are many editing errors in the instructions of kit plans of all manufacturers. Although the Guillow's offerings are usually some of the least offensive, as far as errors are concerned, there is a similar issue with the landing gear installation on the SE5. Having done some similar technical writing myself I have been embarrassed, more than once, to have someone trying to use the instructions point out similar illogic. It's been a few years since the plans for the Camel were printed, and I don't know if they will do anything about it now, but it still is beneficial if you contact a manufacturer to inform them whenever you find something like this.

KF

[heywooood]

You just need to slice the covering over the slots where the struts are attached.
Cover the wings prior to assembly and either cover around the slots or paper over them and slice away the covering after it has dried. Use a sharp new blade for this