1:48 MERIT SOPWITH CAMEL (4730)
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CANARY-COLOURED CAMEL!
Many vintage kit boxes, instructions and decals yellow with age over time but in the case of Merit's Sopwith Camel it was yellow from the very outset! Inexplicably, this copy of Aurora kit 102 was moulded in the same bright hue as Merit's own Tiger Moth and, for some production runs, their Avro 504K too. With all its 30 parts accounted for, the Camel offered here is well preserved with original transfers for B7270 sans red/white striping and fuselage markings for No.209 Squadron RAF. The scale is closer to 1:45 than it is to 1:48 and mirrors the Aurora kit's original mainplane with enlarged centre-section cut-out that requires some structure added, and the asymmetric cockpit opening. Neither is inaccurate but these features were not universal and certainly inappropriate for the subject aircraft. Other than lacking the usual glue capsule, aside from a recreated box label, the kit remains as purchased in the 1960's down to the trademark paper-backed cellophane wrapping of the content.
ACCORDING to a contemporary Merit sales leaflet, their 1957 Sopwith Camel was allocated catalogue number 4730, among the six blatant copies of Aurora's Series 'B' kits. On opening the box for the first time, it appeared to have been mistakenly filled with Tiger Moth parts, the plastic being a really bright yellow! Jim Cox's vivid art piece for Aurora's original issue could have unwittingly provided the inspiration with his custard-coloured Camels in dramatic action... Colour notwithstanding, Merit's moulds are virtually identical to Aurora's with a few subtle variations. Etched wing roundel positions are far less obtrusive and thus easier to deal with; less so wheel inner surfaces with their embossed 'J &L.R. Ltd. Made in England' proclamations that require grinding away and replaced with thin plastic card discs. Collectors will also note the different parts' content: 30 for Merit, five less than Aurora. The deficit lies in exclusion of ground section; mechanic figure and name plate with the separated interplane struts now paired with an upper tie bar. These to fit within deep slots cut into the mainplane undersurface in lieu of Aurora's unobtrusive locator holes, whilst re-distribution of black parts has resulted in humungous 'sprue stalks' bearing the smaller items. With the four 112 lb Coopers now moulded in yellow, they are actually a lot closer to the original bomb colour than Aurora's black pressings!
Transfers closely match the originals with their incomplete markings of Captain Roy Brown's B7270 from No.209 Squadron RAF. Our kit bears all of the above content in virtually pristine condition and protected by typical Merit cellophane/paper wrapper with various smaller parts inside small polybags for additional security. Instruction sheet is a distinct improvement over Aurora's with its concise, more measured, history; some painting notes and three helpful rigging sketches. Being a virtual clone, the British kit is equally overscale being nearer to 1:45 than the quoted 1:48. No glue capsule with this one although its contents would probably have proved unusable anyway...
CAMEL CITATIONS: Too many to call, Camel references are plentiful to the point of glut. Our own contributions to a vast bibliography include WINDSOCK DATAFILE No.26 on the F.1 Camel by J M Bruce and two Great Warpaints by Arvo Vercamer in WINDSOCK World War Centenary Summer and Winter 2016 issues with dozens of excellent colour profiles.
