HK Lancaster with Iconicair Dambusters conversion

[Martinnfb]

 

[BlrwestSiR]

A quick update on the engines and nacelles. I collected all the required engine parts. This is for all four engines  with two assembled in the background.

I then painted the nacelles and assembled those. 

I decided to do the basic engine block as it holds the rad securely and I don't have to worry about it shifting. So a bit of overkill but day enough. 

You can definitely leave them out if desired as I mentioned previously.

I also ordered the recent book by Richard Alexander on the Lancaster as it's been highly recommended.

Carl

[BlrwestSiR]

I'm not really building this kit in any sort of logical order. Sort of a "what do I feel like working on today" approach. 

Case in point I decided to work on the MLG legs. 

Here's one pair of legs stock. I had read that HK included the gear retraction locks and these need to be removed. They're the short bar between the two full length struts. 

I duly proceeded to remove them. At the same time I decided to redo the small struts on either side of the hinge. The one in front has had the retraction lock cut off and I've refined the hinge a bit. 

Here it is with replacement rods in place. 

Overall it's a straightforward fix. Except I have to repeat it three more times.

 

Carl

Edited February 26, 2022 by BlrwestSiR
Fix typo

[Peterpools]

Carl

Sometimes not following the instructions build order actually helps the construction flow a lot smoother and keeps our interest up. I do have one question: I've also read that the gear retraction locks need to be removed but why? Was it the practice of Bomber Command not to use the locks between missions?

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[BlrwestSiR]

Peter, 

Jumping around certainly had kept me moving forward on the build. It's also let me put off just how much work I want to do on the cockpit. 

As for the retraction locks, my understanding is that they're a postwar fit primarily used to keep the gear on static aircraft from collapsing. I checked some pics of the CWHM Lanc and couldn't see them in any of the images I have. 

Carl

 

[Peterpools]

Carl

Completely agree … best way to keep the juices flowing for sure.

Thanks for the info and research on the retraction locks … makes perfect sense. 
Keep ‘em comin

Peter

[Martinnfb]

Nice little touch. 

[BlrwestSiR]

Thanks guys! I may not be working on the kit as much as I thought but I'm still having fun which is the main thing. 

While I was working on the MlG gear leg, I noticed the void on one side from the moulding process. 

I decided to fill this in so I used Apoxie Sculpt for that. 

I did the other legs at the same time. 

Here's a quick mock up of the one leg. Nothing's glued yet. 

And a test fit into the nacelle. The instructions have you install it prior to mounting the nacelles to the wings. I wanted to make sure it can be done the other way round and it can. 

 

[Peterpools]

Carl

Nice work on the gear and I'm just amazed at how many 'goofs' HB has so thoughtfully added to the kit for the builder to find and correct. Good choice on testing the install the gear/nacelle install assembly and which will let you install later on - so much easier. Sometimes I wonder if manufactures spend extra time trying to figure out the hardest way to assemble their kits and add parts.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Kaireckstadt]

Great work so far Carl. All of your work reminds me of my build. 
I also installed the landing gear after attaching the nacelle to the wing. It worked without any problems.

[BlrwestSiR]

12 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Carl

Nice work on the gear and I'm just amazed at how many 'goofs' HB has so thoughtfully added to the kit for the builder to find and correct. Good choice on testing the install the gear/nacelle install assembly and which will let you install later on - so much easier. Sometimes I wonder if manufactures spend extra time trying to figure out the hardest way to assemble their kits and add parts.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

Thanks Peter! Definitely some of the errors should have been caught in QA. And sometimes the odd assembly sequences can be head scratchers. But thanks to some of the other members on here who've built this kit already it makes it easier. 

[BlrwestSiR]

12 hours ago, Kaireckstadt said:

Great work so far Carl. All of your work reminds me of my build. 
I also installed the landing gear after attaching the nacelle to the wing. It worked without any problems.

Thanks Kai! Glad to hear it worked out on your build. 

[BlrwestSiR]

In reading that HK moulded the landing lights into both wings and needing to fill one pair in, I wondered about the correct ones. They're just a pair of circles in the underside.

So I carefully drilled them out and found some lenses to drop in place. 

I blanked them off from the inside. A quick coat of silver, drop the lenses in place and done. 

 

[BlrwestSiR]

Next up I assembled the tail planes. I had to fix the mounting pins though as HK moulded them onto the same side along with the location pins. 

I simply cut them off one side and them glued the trimmed off pins onto the other side. 

They fit well enough together even without the locator pins. 

[BlrwestSiR]

Even though I'm trying to keep this build on the simpler side, I ended up cutting down the pilot's platform after all.

I filled in the resulting hole with sheet styrene.

I then made new sides for the platform for it to be at the correct height. 

 

[Peterpools]

Carl

Nice work on correcting more short comings on the HK kit. Of the three areas you needed to correct, the tail planes mounting pins raised their heads as zero QC and no one apparently did a careful test build at all. I still just keep wondering why so many small mistakes made their way into the kit, which add up to a lot of work and time. To make matters worse in my book, it's not an inexpensive kit at $329 Sprue Bros).

Keep 'em comin

Peter 

[BlrwestSiR]

Thanks Peter!

My guess as to why they missed it is that the tail planes halves fit together perfectly as initially moulded and it's only when you look at the surface detail that you notice they're wrong.  Supposedly HK has fixed this on more recent issues of the kit. I also suspect that when they heard WNW was coming out with a Lanc, they may have tried to speed things up a bit to get their kit out first and missed some of these details. 

HK is still a fairly new company. They really don't have that many releases under their belt: B-25, B-17, Mossie, Lanc, Do335 and Meteor in 1/32 and the B-17 and Lanc in 1/48. Their Do335 is supposedly on the same level as the ZM one and is their more recent release not based on a previous kit. It certainly took Tamiya a while to get to where their 1/32 kits are consider the masterclass.

I think between the price and the bar being so high, it's raised our expectations of new kits. Which isn't that bad a thing I guess. 

Carl

 

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Carl

I have to agree and should have thought of it that way as well. Still, it just seems to me that rushing things only wound up shooting themselves in the foot and when the Border Lanc arrives, we would be comparing apples to oranges, with one kit costing double the other. Maybe slowing down a bit and not settling for silly errors even at the beginning would have been the best course and saved money and criticism in the long run. For the money, HK kits are a good value, they just need to raise their bar just a bit.

Keep 'em comin

Peter 

[BlrwestSiR]

Time for a small update. I've been working on the Lanc a bit every day and it's been enjoyable. 

Mostly it's the been interior that I've been plugging away at.

I've also got the instrument panel together. 

This is using the Eduard PE set. 

Lastly, I had a new reference book arrive. 

 

[Peterpools]

Carl

Best part of the build as you're going at a pace that lets you thoroughly enjoy the journey. IP looks so nice and busy and nothing like good references.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[GazzaS]

Nice!

[DocRob]

Wow Carl, I have missed some steps on your build and have to say, you are motoring through the build and it's fun to watch, how you address the mishaps of the kit. It might not be up to Tamiya's, but with HK's price tags, there should be a bit more refinement. 
The extra detailing on the nacelles and LG payed really off, as it looks way better now. It's always good to see, how some relatively simple tweaks can enhance the appearance of a model significantly.
The IP looks wonderful, seems to be one of the better Eduard offerings.

Cheers Rob

[Wingco57]

Chaps, I really like this build.

But it annoys me reading repeated remarks by some posters about the inaccuracies of the kit. No kit is perfect.

Carl is enjoying this project and that is what counts.

My opinion only of course.

Cheers 

Cees

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BlrwestSiR]

Well I'm back from visiting family in Wisconsin for the last week and after a day to recover from the 14 hours in the car, in back at the bench and working on the Lanc. 

I got a coat of paint onto the Resin2Detail pilot's seat. The details really started to pop at this point. 

I was surprised by the holes in the rear uprights of the seatback. Definitely some exceptional detail there. 

I then got some more paint onto other cockpit parts. 

So maybe not a lot but I'm hoping for some more progress tonight after dinner. 

Carl

 

[GusMac]

The detail in that seat is amazing Carl. Looks so good under paint. 

14 hrs is a helluva drive. Toronto to Wisconsin doesn't look too far on a map from here but 14 hrs would get me to northern France including the ferry crossing!