✈️ Sopwith Camel (United Kingdom): step-by-step build

The famous British First World War biplane, with two wings stacked one above the other.

The Sopwith Camel was a British biplane fighter from the First World War, more than a hundred years ago. It had two wings, one above the other, held apart by struts, and an open cockpit for the pilot. This is a Technic-parts model inspired by it, not a real flying plane: open frames make the struts, tan and green beams make the wings and body, and the propeller turns freely on its axle.

• Level 3 of 5 (medium)
• About 40 minutes
• 25 steps, 76 parts
• Powered by: Push
• Series: Aircraft from 21 Countries

What you will learn

• Pins: Grippy or Smooth: Pins join beams together — some hold tight, some let things swing.
• Triangles Are Strong: A triangle cannot be squished — a square can.
• Axles: An axle is a cross-shaped rod — anything on it turns together.
• Axles & Wheels: A wheel on an axle turns dragging into rolling.

Parts you need

• 4 × L-beam 3×5
• 12 × Blue long pin
• 2 × Beam 11
• 1 × Beam 9
• 29 × Black pin (grippy)
• 1 × Long pin-axle block
• 2 × Axle 3
• 7 × Beam 7
• 2 × Bush
• 4 × Open frame 5×7
• 2 × Beam 3
• 1 × Boomerang beam 3×7
• 5 × Beam 5
• 1 × Axle 6
• 3 × Train wheel

Steps

1. Lay the floor of the fuselage: take a green 3×5 L-beam (short leg down: the tail-skid leg), then push 2 blue long pins in and press a green 11-hole beam onto them.
2. Lay the floor of the fuselage: push 2 blue long pins in and press a green 9-hole beam onto them.
3. Lay the floor of the fuselage: push 2 black pins in and press a light grey 3×5 L-beam (short leg up at the nose) onto them.
4. Fit the propeller (before the landing gear gets in the way): push 2 black pins into the upright leg and press the long pin-axle block onto them.
5. Fit the propeller (before the landing gear gets in the way): push an axle into the block, slide on the tan propeller beam and lock it on with a bush (the propeller spins freely on the axle).
6. Stand up the wing frames and add the landing-gear legs: push 1 blue long pin in and press a light grey 5×7 open frame (the struts that hold the top wing) onto them, then slide a light grey 5×7 open frame (the struts that hold the top wing) onto the blue pins that stick out.
7. Stand up the wing frames and add the landing-gear legs: push 2 black pins in and press a green 3×5 L-beam (short leg down: a landing-gear leg) onto them.
8. Stand up the wing frames and add the landing-gear legs: push 2 black pins in and press a green 3×5 L-beam (short leg down: a landing-gear leg) onto them.
9. Stand up the wing frames and add the landing-gear legs: push 1 black pin in and press a green 3-hole beam (the tailplane) onto them.
10. Stand up the wing frames and add the landing-gear legs: push 2 black pins in and press a green 3-hole beam (the tailplane) onto them.
11. Build the top of the fuselage and the tail fin: push 2 black pins in and press a green 11-hole beam onto them.
12. Build the top of the fuselage and the tail fin: push 2 black pins in and press a white boomerang beam (its bent end leans back: the tail fin) onto them.
13. Build the top of the fuselage and the tail fin: push 2 black pins in and press a black 5-hole beam (the open cockpit) onto them.
14. Lay the middle of the top wing: push 2 black pins in and press a tan 7-hole beam onto them.
15. Lay the middle of the top wing: push 2 black pins in and press a tan 7-hole beam onto them.
16. Build the right wings: push 1 blue long pin in and press a tan 7-hole beam onto them.
17. Build the right wings: push 2 blue long pins in and press a tan 7-hole beam onto them, then slide a light grey 5×7 open frame (the struts between the wings) onto the blue pins that stick out.
18. Build the right wings: push 2 black pins in and press a green 5-hole beam onto them.
19. Build the right wings: push 2 black pins in and press a green 5-hole beam onto them.
20. Build the left wings: push 2 blue long pins in and press a tan 7-hole beam onto them.
21. Build the left wings: push 2 blue long pins in and press a tan 7-hole beam onto them, then slide a light grey 5×7 open frame (the struts between the wings) onto the blue pins that stick out.
22. Build the left wings: push 2 black pins in and press a green 5-hole beam onto them.
23. Build the left wings: push 2 black pins in and press a green 5-hole beam onto them.
24. Put on the wheels: push a 6-long axle through both legs and put a wheel on each end.
25. Put on the wheels: push a 3-long axle through the leg, with a wheel on one side and a bush on the other.

Play time

Blow on the propeller to spin it, then do loop-the-loops around the room with the model in your hand!

Real-world inspiration

Sopwith Camel, the British single-seat biplane fighter of the First World War.

Credited demonstrations and component sources

• Sopwith Camel — Wikipedia: Public reference for the real aircraft's shape and colours; this is a Technic-parts model inspired by it, not a flying or tested replica.