Authentic Models 1/22 Sopwith Camel Review & Pictures
Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 10:58 pm
Greetings:
This model was found of all places for sale at our annual church charity sale. People donate things for sale and then other members can buy them with all the money being donated to charity. This model was on sale for $50 and was new in the box, coming with a stand even! I brought it home with me from the sale to give it a good home and donate some money to charity in the process.
The Sopwith Camel is one of the most well known fighter aircraft of the First World War. The Camel was named for the metal humped shaped fairing which covered the twin machine guns used as the armament on the aircraft. The aircraft had superb handling and excellent turning characteristics. Although a superb machine, the Camel was a touchy aircraft to fly. Although highly successful with experienced pilots, the Camel was a handful to beginners and many young pilots lost their lives trying to master this excellent fighter aircraft. The Camel was used by the British, Belgians and several other Allied nations during the First World War. Today, very few Camels survive, almost all in museums. An excellent replica of the machine is flown in weekend airshows at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York.
Authentic Models has brought the Camel to life in several different sizes. The large size is a giant 1/4 scale version of the plane, the medium size is a 1/9 scale version of the aircraft and the desktop version is a nice 1/22 scale version of the airplane that sports a length of 10 inches and wingspan of 15 inches. For this review, the 1/22 scale version is photographed and discussed.
The Camel is well built with the typical Authentic Models construction for their World War I era planes of fabric stretched over a wood frame with metal and wood accents. It is important to note the fabric is not the paper that is found in rubber powered models, it is a sturdy fabric that is very durable. The metal accented engine, cowling and exhaust pipes are wonderfully done on this model. The wooden prop is also a very nice touch. There is even a small windshield made of clear plastic. The wing struts are made of metal which is really a benefit, no chance of them not being sturdy or breaking.
Closer view of the Camel. The spoke wheels even though not accurate just make the model look excellent in my opinion. A purist could probably devise some simple covers for them. The color scheme is a dark yellow with a creme color. I don't know if this is a real scheme or not but the striking colors make this a fun little model. The British markings are accurate in color and well done. The handpainted finish is all quality. The white spots on the plane are not paint loss but pieces of foam from the box. The model was in perfect conditon and looks to have been stored away in its original box
View of the model from the rear. The rigging is nice and tight with quality string used. The cockpit does have a control stick in it and basic instruments. The instruments are done to really look the time period. The leather around the cockpit is a great touch to this model. One drawback of this model is the odd scale. At 1/22 scale, I am having trouble finding a pilot to fly this airplane, and the plane does not come with one. The control surfaces do not move like on the bigger Authentic Models planes. I consider this actually a positive as the larger pieces with working control surfaces suffer from loose control surfaces. Despite not having a pilot or working control surfaces, this is a superb piece of workmanship and a whole lot of model packed into a realtively small package.
The Camel on its stand. Authentic Models makes a small black stand you can get for this aircraft but it is very hard to find. Most dealers do not sell them. The lady who sold this to me at the church sale said her late husband had gotten the stand with the plane, which I was glad the stand was included. The stand is simple wood with a metal rod, there is a hole in the bottom of the plane to hold the rod then. There is felt on the bottom of the stand so it does not slip. The stand raises the plane pretty high off the ground so it may not work for everyone.
At 1/22 scale, the Sopwith Camel looks terrific next to the Curtiss Jenny the company made several years ago, which is 1/24 scale. The great news is that the Camel is still available and still produced by the company. Though I got it for $50 at a charity sale, the model is worth every bit of the $120 price tag found at most retailers. The Jenny can be found at a few select retailers but is no longer in production.
This little Authentic Models Sopwith Camel gets a positive review from me. It is a well done piece with sturdy construction, wonderful detail and a decent size for a bookshelf or desk. The stand is a nice option to give the plane some air or to maximize the display space you have. The construction is old fashioned and handmade in nature and gives the piece the feel of the real airplanes that were used in World War I. The size is also a bit of a negative as it could be too big for some and the scale is odd compared to what else is out there. This piece would look great in any aviation collection, a World War I collection or in a room you want to give an antique transportation feel to. I highly recommend this great little model.
Regards,
Corey
This model was found of all places for sale at our annual church charity sale. People donate things for sale and then other members can buy them with all the money being donated to charity. This model was on sale for $50 and was new in the box, coming with a stand even! I brought it home with me from the sale to give it a good home and donate some money to charity in the process.
The Sopwith Camel is one of the most well known fighter aircraft of the First World War. The Camel was named for the metal humped shaped fairing which covered the twin machine guns used as the armament on the aircraft. The aircraft had superb handling and excellent turning characteristics. Although a superb machine, the Camel was a touchy aircraft to fly. Although highly successful with experienced pilots, the Camel was a handful to beginners and many young pilots lost their lives trying to master this excellent fighter aircraft. The Camel was used by the British, Belgians and several other Allied nations during the First World War. Today, very few Camels survive, almost all in museums. An excellent replica of the machine is flown in weekend airshows at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York.
Authentic Models has brought the Camel to life in several different sizes. The large size is a giant 1/4 scale version of the plane, the medium size is a 1/9 scale version of the aircraft and the desktop version is a nice 1/22 scale version of the airplane that sports a length of 10 inches and wingspan of 15 inches. For this review, the 1/22 scale version is photographed and discussed.
The Camel is well built with the typical Authentic Models construction for their World War I era planes of fabric stretched over a wood frame with metal and wood accents. It is important to note the fabric is not the paper that is found in rubber powered models, it is a sturdy fabric that is very durable. The metal accented engine, cowling and exhaust pipes are wonderfully done on this model. The wooden prop is also a very nice touch. There is even a small windshield made of clear plastic. The wing struts are made of metal which is really a benefit, no chance of them not being sturdy or breaking.
Closer view of the Camel. The spoke wheels even though not accurate just make the model look excellent in my opinion. A purist could probably devise some simple covers for them. The color scheme is a dark yellow with a creme color. I don't know if this is a real scheme or not but the striking colors make this a fun little model. The British markings are accurate in color and well done. The handpainted finish is all quality. The white spots on the plane are not paint loss but pieces of foam from the box. The model was in perfect conditon and looks to have been stored away in its original box
View of the model from the rear. The rigging is nice and tight with quality string used. The cockpit does have a control stick in it and basic instruments. The instruments are done to really look the time period. The leather around the cockpit is a great touch to this model. One drawback of this model is the odd scale. At 1/22 scale, I am having trouble finding a pilot to fly this airplane, and the plane does not come with one. The control surfaces do not move like on the bigger Authentic Models planes. I consider this actually a positive as the larger pieces with working control surfaces suffer from loose control surfaces. Despite not having a pilot or working control surfaces, this is a superb piece of workmanship and a whole lot of model packed into a realtively small package.
The Camel on its stand. Authentic Models makes a small black stand you can get for this aircraft but it is very hard to find. Most dealers do not sell them. The lady who sold this to me at the church sale said her late husband had gotten the stand with the plane, which I was glad the stand was included. The stand is simple wood with a metal rod, there is a hole in the bottom of the plane to hold the rod then. There is felt on the bottom of the stand so it does not slip. The stand raises the plane pretty high off the ground so it may not work for everyone.
At 1/22 scale, the Sopwith Camel looks terrific next to the Curtiss Jenny the company made several years ago, which is 1/24 scale. The great news is that the Camel is still available and still produced by the company. Though I got it for $50 at a charity sale, the model is worth every bit of the $120 price tag found at most retailers. The Jenny can be found at a few select retailers but is no longer in production.
This little Authentic Models Sopwith Camel gets a positive review from me. It is a well done piece with sturdy construction, wonderful detail and a decent size for a bookshelf or desk. The stand is a nice option to give the plane some air or to maximize the display space you have. The construction is old fashioned and handmade in nature and gives the piece the feel of the real airplanes that were used in World War I. The size is also a bit of a negative as it could be too big for some and the scale is odd compared to what else is out there. This piece would look great in any aviation collection, a World War I collection or in a room you want to give an antique transportation feel to. I highly recommend this great little model.
Regards,
Corey
I sure enjoyed them.
