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HK Models 1/32 Avro Lancaster Mk.1 (Part 1)


JeroenPeters

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This is a great review Jeroen, thoroughly enjoying it. I'm sure you've seen my video review on You Tube where I have a good old moan about EPM's in the Bomb bay and on the doors.. however, I've just noticed something else.. looking at your pictures, The bomb bay doors don't have the inner surface shape depicted as the original at all. Even the 1/72 kits out there are closer AFAIK?? Was the Bomb bay on this kit "rushed through production" do you think??

A further omission is the map holders in the cockpit. They should be on the side wall "under" the pilots seat. 

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Thanks Nige,

This review is a combined effort by Jeroen and myself. We do not know if the bomb doors were "rushed". Regarding the map holders, the aim was to have a good basic cockpit with enough room for the aftermarket to improve upon. The map holders are really suited to be represented in photo etch. No doubt Eduard will oblige here.
Cheers
Cees

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3 hours ago, Wingco57 said:

Thanks Nige,

This review is a combined effort by Jeroen and myself. We do not know if the bomb doors were "rushed". Regarding the map holders, the aim was to have a good basic cockpit with enough room for the aftermarket to improve upon. The map holders are really suited to be represented in photo etch. No doubt Eduard will oblige here.
Cheers
Cees

Thanks Cees. 

Hopefully Eduard will do the bomb bay too? If not I think I'll be going Dambusters on this one.

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As spotted by someone on Britmodeller, the main gear has the safety supports fitted during major maintemance moulded in. I'm sure these can simply be removed along with any associated bracketry. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LancAssemblyLine/permalink/1792148920894059/

I also read that the Tamiya kit has an issue with bomb bay depth, making the cookie too small. I measured mine tonight and can report the length and O/D of the cookie are just over 1mm each too small.. nothing at all to worry about.

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Great review guys:  I have tried to locate the Master Barrels for this kit.  What is the Master Barrel part number?  I see a lot of "kits" out there but so far haven't come across the dedicated Lancaster set.  

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3 hours ago, NigelR32 said:

As spotted by someone on Britmodeller, the main gear has the safety supports fitted during major maintemance moulded in. I'm sure these can simply be removed along with any associated bracketry. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LancAssemblyLine/permalink/1792148920894059/

I also read that the Tamiya kit has an issue with bomb bay depth, making the cookie too small. I measured mine tonight and can report the length and O/D of the cookie are just over 1mm each too small.. nothing at all to worry about.

That's been known about for quite a while TBH, and reported numerous times on FB groups.

HKM seemed to use the BBMF machine reference frequently, and they have the struts in situ whilst on the ground, designed apparently, to stop the gear being retracted whilst not in the air. It's unsure that wartime machines had these, but it is possible they did when parked up.

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There have been several cases of undercarriages folding while standing on the ground (Stirlings for instance) with casualties among groundcrew. It would have been logical to introduce those stays during wartime as well. Whether they were used only during overhaul is a good question. Maintenance was done out in the open regardless of the weather. Those groundcrew were unsung heroes having to work long hours into the night in rain, storm,snow, freezing temperatures etc. They got the job done. The aircrew were only just borrowing the aircraft from the groundcrew:)
Cees

Edited by Wingco57
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5 hours ago, MGunns said:

Great review guys:  I have tried to locate the Master Barrels for this kit.  What is the Master Barrel part number?  I see a lot of "kits" out there but so far haven't come across the dedicated Lancaster set.  

I ordered mine here. Plastmodel are a great supplier. Their prices are great, their delivery is quick and their packaging is awesome.

https://plastmodel.pl/p/648/37951/master-am-32-113-avro-lancaster-zestaw-karabinow-maszynowych-browning-303cal-8szt-do-hk-models-1-32-.html

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4 hours ago, James H said:

That's been known about for quite a while TBH, and reported numerous times on FB groups.

HKM seemed to use the BBMF machine reference frequently, and they have the struts in situ whilst on the ground, designed apparently, to stop the gear being retracted whilst not in the air. It's unsure that wartime machines had these, but it is possible they did when parked up.

Oh, sorry James. It was posted on LSP last night so I thouight it was a recent discovery? 

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2 hours ago, NigelR32 said:

I ordered mine here. Plastmodel are a great supplier. Their prices are great, their delivery is quick and their packaging is awesome.

https://plastmodel.pl/p/648/37951/master-am-32-113-avro-lancaster-zestaw-karabinow-maszynowych-browning-303cal-8szt-do-hk-models-1-32-.html

Thanks Nige:  It must be the only place on the planet that actually has them in stock.  Ordered them this morning.

 

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4 hours ago, MGunns said:

Thanks Nige:  It must be the only place on the planet that actually has them in stock.  Ordered them this morning.

 

I'll let you know when mine arrive. According to Royal Mail tracking they have been despatched so the company are telling the truth regarding stock levels.

I've bought a few things off these guys, they are superb!!

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On 1/1/2019 at 11:06 PM, NigelR32 said:

As spotted by someone on Britmodeller, the main gear has the safety supports fitted during major maintemance moulded in. I'm sure these can simply be removed along with any associated bracketry. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LancAssemblyLine/permalink/1792148920894059/

I also read that the Tamiya kit has an issue with bomb bay depth, making the cookie too small. I measured mine tonight and can report the length and O/D of the cookie are just over 1mm each too small.. nothing at all to worry about.

Hey Nigel 

 Could you post a picture of what you are talking about with landing gear. I don't do facebook.  I have only looked at my kit when I opened it Christmas morning, so haven't had a chance to thourally go through it.

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11 minutes ago, CrankyCrafstman said:

Hey Nigel 

 Could you post a picture of what you are talking about with landing gear. I don't do facebook.  I have only looked at my kit when I opened it Christmas morning, so haven't had a chance to thourally go through it.

 

Capture.JPG

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Now that l’ve had the chance to go over the contents of my copy and viewed both of Nigel’s very through reviews, I have a few observations. 

The first thing Is that I purchased mine online and it was delivered in an HK corrugated box. 

22ABE026-8723-4972-AA81-C5D5A94336DD.thumb.jpeg.ffc669b63666b54c43ef50ba6d670e54.jpeg

The box and it’s contents were in perfect condition including the clear parts.

The next thing is that I paid $292 (£229.41). That’s expensive by any standard but not exorbitant. The price brakes down to $329 for the kit $33 Christmas discount and $4 customer rewards. Since it was shipped from another state there was no tax and shipping was free.  

I’ve been making and selling am parts online and know about the issues of shipping to the UK. So my heart goes to my compatriots in Britain. It seem to me that you are getting screwed in multiple ways.

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I was concerned about the thickness of the wing molding as pointed out by Nigel but mine has no such issue. Is it possible that his wings are defective?

*********************************

The kit is really very good. Is it great? Maybe. We’ve been spoiled by companies like Tamiya and Wing Nuts Wings and come to expect extremely high standards that are at times unreasonable. Most of us see a kit as a starting point to add as much detail as we want or just build it out of the box. We just need the dimensions and basic details of the kit to be correct. By that standard this kit is excellent, that is, as long as you aren’t over charged for it.

All that said, the areas that could use more detail are the engines and the cockpit. The Merlins are very spartan and engine bearers look a bit thick but the shape of both basically correct. The instrument panel really should have been more detailed but Airscale has already addressed this. 

If the clear parts are used the structure under the pilot’s platform need to be added and the exposed back side of the various boxes need internal detail which sounds like fun to me.

The most challenging details to add are the adjustments knobs on the trimmer gearbox and  the bomb sight extensions.

**************************

The one addition that I would really like to take on is a full set of crew figures. It appears that there was a lot of flight gear variation depending on position, personal preference, and date.

Cheers

Robert Mrozowski 

 

 

 

 

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