converting the HK Models prototype Lancaster into a Manchester.

[crazypoet]

This is just mind-blaring attention to detail and craftsmanship both

i’ve loved this since you started...

[ThomasProbert]

This is looking sooooooooooooo good!

Tom

[Wingco57]

Fuselage almost finished but still to do are some bombardiers details and the sighting bubble. Wings are waiting.....

[Anthony in NZ]

LOVE it Cees!

[Wingco57]

Me too Anthony.

After another coat of Parket Plus( Dutch brand similar to Future) I coudn’t wait anymore and demasked  the fuselage. At first I wanted to apply a matt coat but that would be unrealastic in my view. The slight sheen you get from one light coat gives a nice effect. Especially with all those windows. To say I am happy is an understatement. Have still to clean up the mask residue.

[FME erk]

Superb . . . .

 

[Wingco57]

Thanks, did some more work this evening on the antenna which is specific for the Manchester, and the tailwheel for which I used one of the mainwheels of a Tamiya  Beaufighter.

[GusMac]

The masking looks great, especially on the fuselage windows.

[ThomasProbert]

That really does look fantastic, Cees. 

Agreed about the sheen - I think you've got it about right.

No stopping you now - looking forward to seeing the wings come to life next.

Tom

[woody37]

Absolutely fantastic Cees, I'm excited and it's not even mine 

[harv]

Youzzers youzzers youzzers,  man this is great !.....harv 

[GazzaS]

Too awesome for words!

[Wingco57]

Now that the fuselage is almost finished, attention has shifted to the undercart. The printed prototype had mocked up undercarriage legs with crude mounting points. The kit parts are much more refined and I am in the lucky position to have some spares as well as wheelbay parts . The pics show the difference. I am also morphing Lanc spinners into the longer Manchester ones by glueing plasticard on the base. The radius is also slightly wider but will come later. The square holes will be plugged and sanded to contour.

[Wingco57]

Some construction and destruction.

The new and wider spinner backplates have been roughly shaped and the square hole need to be plugged with thick plasticard .

The starboard wheelbay needed to have some room to enable the undercarriage to be fitted, so some more cutting was needed. Suddenly the join between the centre section and outer wing cracked. So some repairs were needed. And a long suffering join ,where the Lanc wing was sliced spanwise and glued back, needed attention too. Superglue to the rescue. One step forward en two steps back. Oh well.

[IainMackayDall]

Any 3d prints of those engine nacelles yet?

[shark64]

some sharp modeling going on here. Impressive.

[Wingco57]

Thanks, both wheelbay interiors glued in place. The nacelles will have to be build around them.

[ThomasProbert]

Nicely done, Cees.

I too have problems with cracks appearing - that's why I think it's been useful to let the model 'settle' for a while (in my Shackleton's case over a year!) as it allows for repairs to be made now that everything is stable - at least that's the hope!

Tom

[Wingco57]

You are absolutely right Tom, but handling such a large beast causes stress too. As you know from experience of course.

Having a spare Lanc kit I transplanted the kit sidepanels including most of the nacelles into the wing. Compared to the prototype parts......there
is no comparison.I also checked the position of the Vulture cowling part, which still need to be made. But not just yet.

[woody37]

Stop dragging your heels and get some paint on those wings 

[Wingco57]

Not yet impatient one

I have to determine the location of the firewall first so I can finish the middle and rear parts of the nacelle. Fitting the cowling section is the

easy part Once I figured out how to make it, but that's something for the future.

[Wingco57]

Well, I made a good start at finding the location of the firewall and the length of thr wheelbay. Had to do some heavy sawing on the leading edge with my trusty saw. Although I have done this in 1/48 it is a scary moment when you start cutting up a perfectly good leading edge. The bulkhead seems to fit. Both have been made. This is going well, for now.

[ThomasProbert]

Fortune favours the brave... as the old saying goes. 
 

Just an observation, but the photo of the real aircraft shows the firewall more rounded at the lower part - yours seems quite straight. A compromise to help the HK parts fit..?

Tom

[Wingco57]

Hi Tom, of course you are correct, although the bulkhead I am working on is a false one and it serves to mount the Vulture cowling section onto. I do not have good references of the underside of the nacelle and have to find out the hard way.

i hit a snag as the undercarriage legs protrude too far forward. But I noticed the front mounting points can be move a bit back. Just a few slots are needed to give room to the mountings and to locate the cowling later on too.

[Wingco57]

And then there were two. The second always goes quicker as you now know the pitfalls. The later to be made cowlingsections butt against the false firewalls so the whole wings can be finished before that. 
Next is to fill the many gaps and fit the flaps/nacelle fairings,  the ailerons, landing lights in the leading edge, fairing in the carburetor intakes etc. Mind you everything needs to made to fit etc.