FME erk Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 I have been wanting to start this for some time but having read and watched only one build through to completion, it seems that its quite an undertaking to complete. Because of the issues I thought that I would build the support vehicles first as I probably wouldn't want to build such vehicles if the Lancaster was going to become a bind. However, having virtually completed the AEC 6 x 6 refuelling bowser it time to start the beast. Other vehicles and equipment built for the diorama . . . I suppose I have had the advantage of hindsight of other builds so I am able to start with the knowledge of what is required. I have attached a list of corrections required of the HK model, a number are personal choice and I dare say to some modeller(s) the kit is acceptable in representing the finest allied heavy bomber. HK Lancaster fault/correction list (in no particular order) Jan. 2021 Cockpit floor removal as to high Pilots seat height and seat base in-correct Pilots armour needs replacing/re-shaping Pilots Control column to short Flt. Eng. Panel, remove, shape and thin down kick panel New flight Eng. seat required Cockpit rail cut back for IP to fit Replacement IP with AM Instrument panel Bomb-aimer bulkhead 7 sink marks Replace navigators seat with a bench -- personal choice Rear bomb bay bulkhead has 3 viewing windows, Should be 2 ASI position Starboard side fuselage to be eliminated Dinghy stowage in port wing, upper wing removal Landing lights in starboard wing beneath removal Wing tip lights Rearmost Wing tip fitment (5 thou- top) Flap detail missing ‘OOO’ top & bottom sections Flaps additional struts needed Propeller blades need turning Cabin heater openings in front wing section of inner wing sections Exhaust covers (shrouds) to large & need re-sizing Engine cowlings need panel lines removing Engine rad bottom cowlings wants opening - personal choice Engine radiator is post-war, needs a wartime type Reshape inner rad vent, square top Undercarriage to high, needs shortening Undercarriage main legs have 'holes' -need filling Ailerons and brackets, ribbed and bracket re-shaping Ejector stubs in one-piece main wing Ejector marks in undercarriage doors Ejector marks in bomb doors Ejector marks in bomb-bay rack To many bomb positions front section of bomb-bay Remove U/C ‘Non-retraction bars’ Rear entry doorstep wrong Front turret fairing top section broken (at point of delivery) Front turret Sink marks x 5 Front/Mid-upper/Rear turret casings (drill outs) Mid-upper turret fairing requires ‘blending’ Rear turret doors absent - fir turret doors Rear turret front Perspex removal – my choice of aircraft Rear turret centre (gunners feet), personal choice Cockpit framing required? Canopy Escape Hatch framing (additional frame removal ?) Main wheel hubs need drilling (Resin type obtained) Tail wheel needs strengthening, personal choice Tail-plane – 2 tops – 2 bottoms split ------------------------------------------ . . . . indicates item resolved 60” fuselage roundel . ‘ 47.5mm’ 102” wing roundel . . . .‘80.75 mm’ My choice of aircraft is the last one lost flying out of RAF Station Grimsby in Lincolnshire . . . more details of this aircraft as I progress Looking forward to getting some plastic together rgds Ian 11 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FME erk Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 There have been numerous photos and reviews of the sprues so unless somebody wants to see specific parts i shall just dive in and start the build, not necessarily in the order of the instructions . . . For me personally, this will be the ultimate Lancaster kit and as such I shall endeavour to produce the best I can. It will be time consuming and no doubt there will be little progress at times but please bear with me . . . I am looking forward to putting the plastic together Ian 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackster Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 Cannot wait to see this go together, your vehicles are superb! Cheers Kev 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 I'm looking forward to another Lanc build on here. Can't wait to see you make the mods and changes. Theres a thread on BritModeler where they're working on a 1/1 cockpit. The poster had out up lots of photos and measurements so that may be helpful with you corrections. Carl 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FME erk Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 Thanks Carl for that. I am watching that and I have already had some info from Pete . . . Ian 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harv Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 Oh boy front row seat for me !.....harv 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 I'm in too , Ian.......... Cathy's uncle was a Navigator on RCAF Lanc's.... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FME erk Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 Jeff It was a Canadian that was the navigator on this aircraft and only one of the two survivors after being shot down by a night-fighter. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 oh cool, had no idea....... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FME erk Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 Where to start . . . the box comes compact with sprues The comprehensive instruction book containing 44 pages, I will photo each page as I build to point out amendments etc Some of the after-market bits, my choice again to improve the overall appearance. Sadly the aircrafts instrument panel is just a molded representation of the dials, there is no decal to place upon it Just to give you an idea of the size of the fuselage, this is it on my shelf measuring a full 25 inches and excluding the bomb-aimers nose blister Research over many years has resulted in the superb book and the aircraft profile . . . The aircraft was one of two lost from 100 Squadron based at RAF Station Grimsby in Lincolnshire during a sortie to Nuremburg 16/17th March 1945 making it the last aircraft lost flying from the airfield. The crew comprised: Pilot: F/O George Dauphinee RCAF F/Eng: F/Sgt.Mervyn Jefery RAF Nav: F/O Bruce Douglas RCAF - POW B/A: F/O William Vale RCAF W/Op: P/O Roy Bailey RAF - POW Mid-gun: William Harvey RCAF Rear gun: Lyle Bedell RCAF I knew both Bruce and Roy, I have their stories of the night the aircraft fell to the guns of a night-fighter. The aircraft ND644 Its going to be a journey . . . Ian 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harv Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Very cool !......harv 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 That is very cool, first hand info, is an outstanding thing to have access to..... the history of the modeled subject always makes it much more interesting, I have found , that sometimes, I start a model, then do a little research, and get lost in the searching, then the model takes a back seat as they say..... easy to get lost in research, so much fun............... I will sit beside Harv and watch this come together..... Harv... next round of popcorn is on me.... 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinM Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 This one will quite interesting as it takes shape 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomber_County Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Ian, great intro to the project, I never realised the 100 Squadron was 1 Group.......sitting back and waiting for the next instalment...... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Thanks for adding the background to the choice of subject. Certainly nice to heat about personal connections to a model one is building. Carl 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnB Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 This will make a really nice Lancaster. Too bad there are so many things to correct, etc. For the price it shouldn't be that way. At any rate, I look forward to following your build! (At least the wireless ops windows are in the right place!) 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FME erk Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share Posted January 3, 2021 You are so right John and you echo the thoughts of many, for the price of the thing there shouldn't be so many errors within the kit . . . Its my goal to put them right as I see fit . . . Ian 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FME erk Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share Posted January 3, 2021 So, I have had look at the external parts of the kit and TWO obvious errors. There is a second dinghy stowage hatch in the PORT wing and also on the starboard wing, underneath so not so obvious, there is a Second set of landing lights. To eliminate these I have masked and applied some 'Mr. Surfacer'. These will be left for a couple days to cure . . . One other item to be eliminated is the trailing aerial outlet on the starboard side just near to the bomb-bay. I have known about this for some time and none of my previous Lancaster builds carry this . . . Looked also into the bomb bay racks, they are covered with ejector pins marks. I intend to have the bomb doors open so its inevitable that they will need to be removed, SOME have been highlighted . . . I'm back to work tomorrow so more progress reports as I get these things done . . . Ian 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FME erk Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share Posted January 3, 2021 Another item on the 'To Do ' list . . . the removal of 22 ejector pin marks within the bomb bay doors . . . They are a good 12 inches long . . . plenty of space in there Probably get away with using a sanding stick Ian 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harv Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 No pic 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FME erk Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share Posted January 3, 2021 Sorry Harv wrong format . . . .# Should be able to see it now 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harv Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Yep, its there 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Ian, any chance the pin marks in the bay doors will be covered by an inner door or bits from the PE set? Thankfully I'll only have to deal with it on one of my Lancs as the second will be a Dam Buster Carl 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaireckstadt Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 7 hours ago, FME erk said: So, I have had look at the external parts of the kit and TWO obvious errors. There is a second dinghy stowage hatch in the PORT wing and also on the starboard wing, underneath so not so obvious, there is a Second set of landing lights. To eliminate these I have masked and applied some 'Mr. Surfacer'. These will be left for a couple days to cure . . . One other item to be eliminated is the trailing aerial outlet on the starboard side just near to the bomb-bay. I have known about this for some time and none of my previous Lancaster builds carry this . . . Looked also into the bomb bay racks, they are covered with ejector pins marks. I intend to have the bomb doors open so its inevitable that they will need to be removed, SOME have been highlighted . . . I'm back to work tomorrow so more progress reports as I get these things done . . . Ian I‘ve seen some fotos even of early build Lancasters with that feature. An example is Metropolitan-Vickers build MKIII DV197 VN-T, first 54 aircraft delivered starting from May 43. Do you know, when the position of the trailing aerial was changed in Production? Or does it belong to a certain batch or the manufacturer? Cheers Kai 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FME erk Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share Posted January 3, 2021 Kai I do believe it was only on those aircraft with the serial no. starting with the letter 'R' and 'W'. You are right when you say its on the DV range but to which aircraft it changed will probably be never known . . . Ian 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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