Sopwith Camel T.F.1 (Trench Fighter) Brickmania MOD

[greg3]

I've recently discovered the Brinckmania range of custom LEGO sets and with military history being my second favourite interest (after LEGO of course!) I couldn't resist!! The sets aren't cheap (especially if local customs notice the packages and slap on import taxes!!) but their range of instructions books are perfect (and exempt from tax!). I recently got their Great War instruction book and have been Bricklinking the bits needed to recreate WW1. The first completed model I put together is the Sopwith Camel which I've MODed into an obscure version known as the TF1 (or Trench Fighter). I did a similar thing with the official LEGO Creator Sopwith Camel (10226) a few years ago. Anyway, here's my minifig scale version...

Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr

In early 1918, Sopwith were looking into developing an aircraft for attacking ground targets. The normal Camel and other aircraft designed for air combat tended to suffer heavy casualties when used in this role so Sopwith began by modifying a standard Camel to improve its effectiveness and survivability.

First, it's armament was changed from 2 forward firing Vickers guns to 3 Lewis guns. 2 of which were mounted inside the cockpit pointing down through the floor at an angle (the idea being that the plane could fly low and fast over the target strafing it as it went). The 3rd gun was fitted on top of the wing using an Admiralty mount (which had been developed by the Navy for use on ship launched Camels). 

The aircraft was also given armour plating along its underside to cover the engine, cockpit and fuel tank.

The downward pointing guns. I'm not 100% happy with the way the guns are attached but it works and will do for now!! 

Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr

The top wing gun (a Brickarms Lewis gun) It should really be further forward as it was supposed to tip back through the wing cutout.

Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr

A few more pics. As well as changing the guns, I added an official propellor to replace the tiles used in the Brinckmania design.

Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr

At least 2 TF1s were made and sent to France for testing in Feb/March 1918 but it quickly became apparent that they had serious flaws. The armour severely reduced performance and the downward facing guns were impossible to aim with any accuracy (despite experiments with periscope and mirror arrangements) The TF-1 never went into operational use but the lessons learnt were used in the design of a dedicated ground attack aircraft - the Sopwith Salamander.

I'm looking forward to making and MODding some more military themed models so watch this space!!

Thanks for looking!!

Edited April 1, 2018 by greg3

[Johnny1360]

Well done indeed, enjoyed the history lesson as well. I have always been a fan of WWI era aircraft. 

It is eerily similar to the one on the same page. I guess they took inspiration from the same source as you did and here I thought it was entirely their own creation.