Model Airways Sopwith Camel WWI Fighter 1:16 Scale Aircraft Kit

One of History's Most Famous Fighters

Most aircraft kits ask you to assemble a finished airplane.

The Model Airways Sopwith Camel asks you to build the airplane itself.

Every rib. Every strut. Every former. Every wire.

Even the engine.

The result is a remarkable 1:16 scale replica that reveals exactly how one of history's most famous fighters was constructed.

True to the Original

This kit captures virtually every detail of the original aircraft using materials similar to those found on the real machine.

It includes over 150 laser-cut aircraft-quality birch and basswood parts that reproduce the wing and fuselage structure. Unlike softer balsa wood often used in model aircraft, birch and basswood provide exceptional strength, crisp detail, and precise fit.

More than 350 Britannia metal, brass, steel, rubber, and copper components recreate the fittings, controls, and structural details of the original fighter.

A Clerget Engine Worth Displaying On Its Own 

At the heart of the model is a highly detailed Clerget 9-B rotary engine.

Built from more than 70 precision-cast Britannia metal parts, the engine includes individual cylinders, distributor, crankcase, and other authentic details.

In fact, the Clerget 9-B engine is so detailed that Model Airways offers it as a standalone kit for builders who want to display the engine by itself.

Why The Structure Is Left Exposed

Unlike the original aircraft, which was covered in linen fabric, this model intentionally leaves the structure visible.

Every rib, spar, longeron, fitting, and wire remains on display after completion, allowing you to appreciate the engineering hidden beneath the skin of the original aircraft.

The finished model becomes more than a replica.

It becomes a study of how early aviation pioneers actually built airplanes.

A Rewarding Project For Serious Builders

The Sopwith Camel is one of the most satisfying aircraft projects in the Model Airways line.

The detailed plans and illustrated instruction manual guide you through the construction process step by step, making the project accessible to patient builders while still providing enough complexity to challenge experienced modelers.

Whether displayed in a home, office, workshop, or museum collection, the completed Camel is guaranteed to attract attention and invite closer inspection.

A Brief History

Introduced in 1917 as the successor to the Sopwith Pup, the Camel quickly became one of the most successful Allied fighters of World War I.

Its compact design, twin synchronized Vickers machine guns, and powerful Clerget rotary engine made it a formidable opponent in aerial combat. Though notoriously difficult to fly, skilled pilots used the Camel to score 1,294 victories—more than any other Allied aircraft type during the war.

The aircraft achieved lasting fame on April 21, 1918, when a Sopwith Camel participated in the action that resulted in the death of Germany's legendary ace, Manfred von Richthofen—the Red Baron.

Kit Features

• True-to-life structural model with exposed framework construction

• Over 150 laser-cut birch and basswood parts

• Over 70 Britannia metal parts for the Clerget rotary engine

• More than 350 brass, steel, rubber, copper, and Britannia metal components

• Authentic scale details throughout

• Five highly detailed full-size plan sheets

• Fully illustrated step-by-step instruction manual

Specifications

Model Airways Kit No. MA1030

Scale: 1:16 (3/4" = 1')

Wingspan: 21" (534 mm)

Length: 14-1/16" (357 mm)

Skill Level: Intermediate

Our Australian friend Brian Colton registred his build of the Sopwith Camel in an amazing story.

Dean Bennet created a very comprehensive build log in Ships of Scale

Instructions - English
Instrucciones - Español
Instructions - Français
Istruzioni - Italiano
Anweisungen - Deutsch
Parts List