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Aeronavale Lancaster


Magua87

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Hi, all. I've had an idea for a project brewing for a while and thought I should start to log my progress somewhere. My girlfriend's father gave me an old mould Airfix Lancaster in 1/72. As I've already got a Hasegawa Lanc Mk.I/III I thought I'd try something different with the old Airfix kit. 

 

The Lancaster in the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland was donated to the people of New Zealand by France. It's currently dressed up as "The Captain's Fancy" of 75 Squadron (NZ), but it was previously an aircraft of the Aeronavale flying in the Pacific. There will be some modifications to make and some detail to be added. Haven't decided if I want to commit to a rescribe. Perhaps some limited scribing. 

 

I've got exhausts from a Hasegawa Lanc' (not mine), the Hasegawa Zoom kit from Eduard, and a Montex mask. 

ybDQRi2l.jpg

 

First up, a bit of scratch building to busy up the interior. 

JuMSNXTl.jpg

xzJvjOCl.jpg

 

Next I'll start adding interior detail and ribbing modelled on the Hasegawa kit. 

iZEepNnl.jpg

 

I've got a reference book on request from the local library. Hoping it can help a bit further with the details. 

 

 

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I was given one of these things too, and I have the xtradecal Aeronavale decals.....:hmmm:Was thinking of using a Revell Lanc for the project, but will be interested to see what the old Airfix one scrubs up like!

 

Does the museum aeroplane still have the radar scanner (Ithink it is?) in a clear H2S type bubble under the fuselage? I couldn't really find a clear enough picture on t'net to scratchbuild one.

 

Looking forward to seeing this progress!

 

Keith

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On 9/29/2016 at 0:18 AM, keefr22 said:

Does the museum aeroplane still have the radar scanner (Ithink it is?) in a clear H2S type bubble under the fuselage? I couldn't really find a clear enough picture on t'net to scratchbuild one.

 

It does, yep. Here's a close up from a few years ago. http://sas.raf38group.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2173

 

I've added some basic cockpit detailing following the Hasegawa kit. 

KJmRa2jl.jpg

 

And I've removed the upper turret. I'll add some plastic card and smooth out the gap with milliput when I join the fuselage.

vpPchh5l.jpg

 

I want to wait for my reference book before I start to do much more to the interior, but I'll start improving the instrument panel while I wait. 

Edited by Magua87
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42 minutes ago, Magua87 said:

 

It does, yep. Here's a close up from a few years ago. http://sas.raf38group.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2173

 

 

 

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately. now they've painted the radome black, the scanner can't be seen....

 

Almost all the pics I found of Aeronavale Lancs show them to have a completely clear radome with the scanner clearly visible, although one or two do seem to have it painted grey - maybe I'll do one of those!

 

Keith

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16 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

 

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately. now they've painted the radome black, the scanner can't be seen....

 

Almost all the pics I found of Aeronavale Lancs show them to have a completely clear radome with the scanner clearly visible, although one or two do seem to have it painted grey - maybe I'll do one of those!

 

Keith

 

Oh, sorry. I thought you wanted a shot of the radome in it's current state. Here's a shot of the aircraft I'm building with the radome clear and the radar visible. 

 

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000106552.html 

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Hello,

I hope it's ok to join in and take a seat at the back?

 

A very nice choice of subject :) 

 

The photograph of the aircraft in white Aeronavale livery, makes me think the rivet look on the old mould Airfix is actually a better scale representation than more modern mouldings.

 

This is a lovely colour scheme :thumbsup2: .

:popcorn: 

 

All best regards

TonyT

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10 hours ago, Magua87 said:

 

Oh, sorry. I thought you wanted a shot of the radome in it's current state. Here's a shot of the aircraft I'm building with the radome clear and the radar visible. 

 

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000106552.html 

 

Brilliant!! Many thanks, didn't have that one & it's the clearest I've seen!

 

Cheers!! :thumbsup:

 

Keith

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Well, it's an interesting read and will prove very useful for the external painting. However, no internal shots. So I'm going to plow on ahead and busy up the cockpit with a few reference shots from a standard Lancaster. Next step is to find out where the observation windows sat on the rear fuselage and how big they were. Oh, and Keith, there's some great shots of the radome in the book. My local library had a copy.

 

Gk54jMJl.jpg 

Edited by Magua87
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Progress in the cockpit with more Hasegawa inspiration and PE meant for the Hasegawa kit. 

 

z9XF1cKl.jpg 

 

Eduard PE. 

17u3LF8l.jpg

 

rMpRK22l.jpg

 

I did a poor job of dry fitting the instrument panel, so I'll need to get out the scalpel and remove a bit of the cockpit wall for a better fit. 

 

Edited by Magua87
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Always interested in seeing a new schemes being presented on Lancasters.

This is going to be a little bit special as you dont see many in the Aeronavale Blue never mind the White.

 

I too have that book but also a book entitled something like  'Blanc Lancasters' by a French pilot and its all in French !!

Luckily my other half was a French teacher for 40 years so I have the basic translation which also includes some fine photos.

 

I look  fwd to seeing your progress.

PS was at MOTAT in 2014 just before they changed the nose-artwork of the former Aeronavale Lancaster.

Ian

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1 hour ago, Mancunian airman said:

I too have that book but also a book entitled something like  'Blanc Lancasters' by a French pilot and its all in French !!

 

That's incredible, French pilot speaking and writing French!

Your book is "Le vol du Lancaster blanc", by CV Henri MARTINI.

Keep it safe, it is collector!

 

Here's a good link for documentation on French Lancs.

 

Do not hesitate to have a look at the French version, there are much more info there.

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The instrument panel is in. Took a bit of fiddling, but it's looking good.

 

UiZpMbXl.jpg

 

I made some seat cushions from milliput for all the seats in the aircraft and have glued together the seats and table behind the pilot's seat. The lines I've added to the cockpit floor aren't accurate, but I wanted to break up the solid black paint. 

 

I think I'm done with the additions to the interior. I don't want to get too carried away. You can't even see the second seat when the fuselage is closed unless you're looking for it. It'll probably disappear when the canopy is attached. I might add the hand rail between the cockpit levels in the front as it's pretty distinctive in yellow. 

 

aH8hAjWl.jpg

LApsWsIl.jpg

 

I now need to move to the rear of the aircraft and cut out the windows before I do anything else. 

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Well, that was a lot easier than I thought! The Hasegawa kit comes to the rescue again. There are frames inside the Mk.I/III fuselage which will be for the Maritime Reconnaissance and and ASR boxings. A few quick measurements and out with the knife on the Airfix kit!

 

5mtUgIjl.jpg

 

I'll have to clean up the dates on the inside of the fuselage. Don't think I'm going to bother with much detailing. 

 

Szxoirwl.jpg

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