P-Popsie, a film Dam Buster

[Mutley]

Finally finished Popsie, a 1955 MkVII Lancaster in 617 markings. Popsie was flown by Sgt Eric Quinney and I was inspired to build this, with "Edam" mine after chatting with him at Duxford.

There have been many build threads of the new tool Airfix, so didn't do one (perhaps for the next build) The biggest headache I had was the mine and the side baffles. The mine itself was made from a block of balsa, carved down to hopefully be the right size/shape.

The nav/observer is from an HS-126 early war observer aircraft. The base made from a chopping block, with layers of blues and blacks with clear silicone for the water effect. Hopefully it has worked, I'm happy with my first attempt at displaying like this

(and I've just noticed the real wheel has gone awol!)

Edited May 19, 2016 by Mutley

[Graeme H]

Always good to see different diorama ideas, nice work on the crew

Must confess I know nothing about Dambuter aircraft or weapons, that's a quite unusual shape to the bomb

As well as the tailwheel maybe reattach the spinner on number 3

[stevehnz]

Reading Mutley's intro, this is supposed to prepresent the "movie" bomb rather than the real one. The "Upkeep" weapon was still on the secret list when the movie was made thus a representative shape was used.

Steve.

[malpaso]

Nice model, I'm glad you went for blue spinners. I have made the same choice for my film G-for-George, in my case the final evidence was the instructions for the ancient Revell Dambuster. I am using that for my rendition but at the moment there's almost as much filler as plastic!

The film planes varied a fair bit from the real mission, quite apart from being B7s, and even between them. Particularly the markings, where post-war practice seems to have happened. Some look like nose-art has been (badly) painted over, similarly the underwing codes. The real planes were fresh from the factory but the film ones show hard use. There are two books about the film, one from the BFI and one more plane oriented from Jonathan Falconer. Plenty of photos in the latter but the only decent close-up of the film-mine I've seen is in the original "Lancaster at War".

Cheers

Will

[bradleygolding]

I have seen somewhere colour pics of the Lancs in the film and sure that the spinners were red.

Steve

[PLC1966]

Reading Mutley's intro, this is supposed to prepresent the "movie" bomb rather than the real one. The "Upkeep" weapon was still on the secret list when the movie was made thus a representative shape was used.

Steve

I seem to remember there was only 7 photos taken on the night of the actual event.

[Mutley]

Nice model, I'm glad you went for blue spinners. I have made the same choice for my film G-for-George, in my case the final evidence was the instructions for the ancient Revell Dambuster. I am using that for my rendition but at the moment there's almost as much filler as plastic!

The film planes varied a fair bit from the real mission, quite apart from being B7s, and even between them. Particularly the markings, where post-war practice seems to have happened. Some look like nose-art has been (badly) painted over, similarly the underwing codes. The real planes were fresh from the factory but the film ones show hard use. There are two books about the film, one from the BFI and one more plane oriented from Jonathan Falconer. Plenty of photos in the latter but the only decent close-up of the film-mine I've seen is in the original "Lancaster at War".

Cheers

Will

Thanks Will, I relied heavily on Jonathans book "Filming the Dambusters" as well as other books on late service Lancs.

There were only 4 Lancasters used in the film, 3 "Specials" and one unmodified as Gibsons aircraft.

I have seen somewhere colour pics of the Lancs in the film and sure that the spinners were red.

Steve

Sadly, through much searching I could not find a film aircraft in colour. I could find some colour plates of 1950's Lancs, and there were may different colours, so went with my gut.

It was a fun build, the new tool Lanc is such a dream - especially when compared to the older Airfix kits.

[David Womby]

Excellent. I don't think I've ever seen the 'bomb' used for the film modelled before. Great way to mount it too - on the beams of the searchlights.

David

[malpaso]

I have seen somewhere colour pics of the Lancs in the film and sure that the spinners were red.

Steve

Yes, but in spite of searching, all the colour pics I've seen of the film Lancs are "colourised" B&Ws so no real evidence. I considered nearly all RAF colours but in the end on G-George I went blue because that's what's stated in the ancient Revell instructions and that kit's decal codes are clearly based on the film rather than the mission!

From the film photos in the Falconer book there was quite a bit of aluminium showing on the spinners, so they were well (ab)used aircraft...

Intriguingly Falconer states that only G-George had the real serial changed, the others kept their B7 serials. As far as I can see in his book the only one that was actually changed on any of the planes was the starboard (only) one on G - in a still of the return from the mission you can see that the code has been wall-papered on! The code on the port side of G in other shots remains in the NX series.

Cheers

Will

Edited May 20, 2016 by malpaso

[bradleygolding]

There was a thread on the Flypast Forum about this recently to which I responded and so did someone else who had seen the photos. I think they were from a private source who had worked on the film?

When the RAFMs Lanc was a Scampton Gate Guard, and Just Jane, they were each painted with red spinners I believe.

Anyway nice model.

Steve

[Rob G]

I've seen this done with 1/144 models, never with 72th. Nice work! And also nice to see a movie version, something different.

[Mancunian airman]

Excellent example, well done

Edited June 18, 2016 by Mancunian airman

[Mutley]

Thanks for your comments guys, all very helpful for If I try this again

[HOUSTON]

Mutley,

COOL !!

AWESOME work.

She looks TOP NOTCH.