Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum

This is the next one to hit my workbench, the Airfix Lancaster II which has received great reviews.
I remember Airfix magazine and the late great Alan W Hall. It was he who started me on the road to more serious modelling especially conversions and I remember trying the Lancaster II as he explained in the October 1968 issue. Rereading the article I can see there was more to it than was on the page and tools and techniques have moved on. Is anyone still using “plastic wood”, or carving pieces of balsa wood? My first attempt at the Lancaster II conversion has not survived so I was particularly pleased to see Airfix squaring the circle and providing a complete kit after all these years of waiting.
Till the next.

Mike

Yes Mike, I'm about to embark on a 1/48th scale Percival Proctor made initially in basso wood. I may use it as a former for a vacu-build.
Max

ME453 wrote:Yes Mike, I'm about to embark on a 1/48th scale Percival Proctor made initially in basso wood. I may use it as a former for a vacu-build.
Max

Hi Max
That sounds an interesting build, will you be posting a build thread?
Mike

I will but it's my first scratchbuild so a) it will be slow, b) I'm sure to have many mistakes and cockups en route, and c) it may end up as kindling!

My build starts unconventionally with the wings; I must confess I didn’t want to end up assembling the wings around the spars as I like to keep the fuselage and wings separate while painting is completed. I’ve therefore borrowed an idea I think I first read in another forum.
Thus in the first picture you can see I’ve assembled the undercarriage wells between the spars after first fixing the spars to the top of the bomb bay.


In the second picture I’ve now cut the spars off with the well structure intact so as I can now paint and fit to the wing inners. The remainder of the spars can be seen test fitted in the fuselage and these can then be slid into the wing after all of the painting, yet still good enough for strength and alignment.

Till the next

Mike

Good thinking Mike. The recommended way of building a kit isn't always the best way for a confident, experienced modeller is it? I must admit the small "engineering" problems of construction are always enjoyable I think, John certainly had many with his epic 1/48th Stirling build! I'm currently struggling with the canopy of my Fortress - I can think of several possible solutions to my problem but which is best?????
Max

In this update I’ve been working on sub assemblies and the fuselage interior. I’ve made the decision not to go overboard in the interior as most can’t be seen once the fuselage is closed up. Next is some detail painting and a dark wash to pop out the details
I’m pleased to report that the misalignment in the fuselage halves that other modellers have reported is not present in this pressing. I assume Airfix have made some sort of correction.
Till the next
Mike

In today’s update I’ve fitted the wheel well detail and closed up the wings and fuselage. Berna clamps are needed to hold the fuselage halves in position and the fit seems to be ok.
While waiting for glue to cure I’ve started on the tailplanes and noticed an error in the instructions. Section 28 would have us putting together B8 and B9 and Section 30 would have us putting together A6 and A7. In fact you can’t do this otherwise you will be joining the wrong halves together. The locating pins give this away. This then means that parts A1 and B10 the elevators have to be properly handed making sure that the small locating point for the trim actuator part C31 is facing downwards.
Till the next when the clean up begins.

Mike

Lovely work, Mike .............. keep pressing on.
John

Love the flap detail on the mouldings, are you going to keep them green? It's one of those imponderables but when I researched the flaps on my 1/48th Lanc (still not finished ) I came to the conclusion that most were black.
Max