Sopwith Triplane

[pb_guy]

  I recently finished cleaning up a plan for a Sopwith Tripe designed by C.A. Kukuvich and published in the July 1945 issue of Model Airplane News. The plan is actually 0.3 inch larger than the standard 13" W/S because it was drawn to 1/2" to the foot in scale. If the plan is printed out at 97%, then it falls just under 13" W/S. The side view is of his model, as published.

  I decided to go with laminated wing tips and rudder outline - 1/32 x 1/16". Forms are thin cardboard with the outer edges sealed with candle wax. Half done now, half yet to go. I cut out the LE and TE parts. Now for all of those ribs!

ian

[dputt7]

Watching with interest.

[pb_guy]

Wow! That was a lot of ribs!. The inner rib ends were upgraded to 1/16 from 1/32", as were the ribs on the upper wing at the dihedral breaks. They will be glued in place after the dihedral is set. Fortunately, I have some detailed pictures of a Sopwith Tripe that I took years ago at a museum in Calgary. I will install the wingtips next after they are sanded in X-section.
  My nephew was just at an airshow, and he gave me a picture of a P-51 that he painted. (Yes, I know - no stab. Think of it as a tailless version.)