Matchbox Airfix Lancaster bulged doors

[PhantomBigStu]

Any who has both the matchbox lancaster and the latest airfix tool able to confirm or deny if the matchbox bulged doors fit the airfix kit? 

[Mancunian airman]

Scroll down to the Black & White pics . . . 

 

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=111&start=100

he has fitted the Matchbox bomb doors onto the Airfix  08002/08007 version

 

Not your version but surely the bomb bay should be the same size ??

Ian

[PhantomBigStu]

Seems fairly conclusive, heard the old tool was spot on accuracy wise, so I would be surprised if the new one isn't the same, cheers 

[Graham Boak]

Sadly, "should be" is not a reliable guide to the fit of parts from different models made by different companies at different times, possibly made to different plans drawn by different draughtsmen/artists at different times relying upon different sources.  This is perhaps more often noted with regard to canopies, where replacement vacform canopies are made to fit specific kits, and do not fit others. Even in recent years, something as (one would assume) as well known as the Spitfire wing has been represented with different chords, different spans, and different curves.  Even, sometimes, on different kits from the same company.

[old thumper]

The radial engined Airfix Lanc also comes with bulged doors.

[PhantomBigStu]

16 minutes ago, old thumper said:

The radial engined Airfix Lanc also comes with bulged doors.

different bulged doors, the ones in the BII are for the 8000lb cookie, the MB ones for the 12000lb talboy

[Jure Miljevic]

Hello

FWIW ... I do not have Airfix Lancaster, but Matchbox bulged doors fit latest Revell kit perfectly. I have mine slated for Lancaster with the Jane ... nose art, participating in one of the Tirpitz raids. Cheers

Jure

[bentwaters81tfw]

Anyone wanting to try this, I have a set of Matchbox doors.

[old thumper]

3 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

different bulged doors, the ones in the BII are for the 8000lb cookie, the MB ones for the 12000lb talboy

 

I haven't checked but I think I read that the bomb doors are the same for both the bigger cookie and the tallboy, but then I am no Lancaster expert. 

I was told when building the Matchbox kit that the bomb doors on it were incorrect, but again I'm  not an expert.

Looking at both the two built kits the bomb doors are very different in shape at either end, so would say that probably the Matchbox doors wouldn't fit the Airfix kit, or at least not easily.

[Wm Blecky]

5 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

Seems fairly conclusive, heard the old tool was spot on accuracy wise, so I would be surprised if the new one isn't the same, cheers 

I've been of the understanding/opinion that the old Airfix Lancaster kit was the most accurate representation in 72nd scale - and still is.  When I've compared it to the various new offerings over the years, Hasegawa, Revell (in particular) and even the new Airfix offering, I've often found that there are discrepancies either in fuselage length (usually not too much) or in wing length and chord to varying degrees (Hasegawa - minor, Revell  - very noticeable and the new Airfix kit, similar to Hasegawa, in that it is minor).  The last surprised me, I would have thought that Airfix would have based (dimensionally) their new Lancaster kit off their older one, but with the differences, apparently not.  I still have my share of the older Airfix Lancs and prefer them to the newer releases, rivets and all!

[PhantomBigStu]

Thanks for the updates guys, guess Ill just go for the freightdog doors that I know will fit 

[old thumper]

1 minute ago, PhantomBigStu said:

Thanks for the updates guys, guess Ill just go for the freightdog doors that I know will fit 

 

To satisfy my own curiosity I just had a look at the freightdog doors. The Matchbox doors must be incorrect as they are very much different in shape to Freightdogs, particularly so at the rear.

[Finn]

Here is one form of the bulged bomb bay doors:

 

https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1329096F

 

from my understanding it was good for the 8,000lb Cookie while doors with longer bulges were required for the 12,000lb version.

 

Jari

[Miggers]

7 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

different bulged doors, the ones in the BII are for the 8000lb cookie, the MB ones for the 12000lb talboy

Correct. The B.II was never configured for Tallboy.

Ask Si Cornes if MB's doors fit the Airfix Lanc,he had the spare set that I had for a Tallboy Lanc.

I assume he was going to use a Revell or Airfix kit as his basis.

Also,don't forget that the old Frog Lanc has doors and decals(9 Sqn/WS*,IIRC) for a Tallboy Lanc.

[dogsbody]

I just did a quick, unscientific comparison of the Matchbox bay doors and both Airfix kits, the 80's release and the new B.II. With a little bit of sanding/fettling, the Matchbox doors should fit.

 

Chris

[old thumper]

But look at the shape of the Matchbox doors compared to the frightdog ones, they are completely different.

 

I don't have a particular interest in the Lancaster but would be very interested to know the answer to how these bomb doors varied.

There has already been several Britmodeller topics created regarding tallboy Lancasters and Lancaster bulged doors, none of which give clear enough answers for my liking (although there does seem to be some agreement that the Tallboy Lancaster used standard 8000lb and 12000lb blockbuster doors).

Both the Airfix BII and Freightdog doors are streamlined at the rear as in Finn's picture, while the Matchbox ones terminate straight and flat. 

Tallboy Lancs are from experience very difficult to research due to lack of pictures.

Edited March 5, 2017 by old thumper

[Graham Boak]

The Airfix doors would appear a lot less streamlined if they weren't going back to a ventral turret.  I suspect that this may be a hidden variable in the discussion so far.

[Finn]

Here is one about to get a 8000lb Cookie:

 

 

can't really see much of a bulge. Here is one, that lost it's tail turret and gunner, note the back part of the bulged doors:

 

 

Jari

[old thumper]

2 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

The Airfix doors would appear a lot less streamlined if they weren't going back to a ventral turret.  I suspect that this may be a hidden variable in the discussion so far.

 

That is what I originally assumed, but the freightdog doors have the same streamlined taper, and of course no ventral turret was fitted to tallboy Lancs.

 

2 hours ago, Finn said:

Here is one about to get a 8000lb Cookie:

 

 

can't really see much of a bulge. Here is one, that lost it's tail turret and gunner, note the back part of the bulged doors:

 

 

Jari

 

The outline of the bomb doors can be seen to change towards their rear.

[old thumper]

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwiIi4ug3cDSAhUDIMAKHWPrDFoQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britmodeller.com%2Fforums%2Findex.php%3F%2Ftopic%2F234938388-new-freightdog-set-due-soon-for-airfix-lancaster%2F&psig=AFQjCNHzBcO0whVO00ZbvcbA6ifGXyCadg&ust=1488850171256098

 

 

The freightdog tallboy conversion kit,  showing a pinched rear end to the bomb doors either similar or identical to that on the BII. 

 

 

 

 

A picture of my own Matchbox Tallboy Lancaster, the bomb doors maintain the same shape for there entire length and are open to the rear. Matchbox had a habit of cutting corners like this, so I just blanked the open ends of the doors on this model off with filler..

Edited March 6, 2017 by old thumper

[Finn]

The longer bulged doors on this one:

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205126608

 

Jari

[Guest]

The doors on ye olde Frog Lancaster are correct for Tallboy aircraft.  And it gives you the bomb too.

[Miggers]

11 hours ago, Finn said:

The longer bulged doors on this one:

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205126608

 

Jari

That looks like a brand spanker out on the grass at Woodford. No mods to that one at squadron level,so a good

accurate photo.

 

[Mancunian airman]

4 hours ago, The Wooksta! said:

The doors on ye olde Frog Lancaster are correct for Tallboy aircraft.  And it gives you the bomb too.

 

I would suggest that you give reference to your source to come out with a statement like that ??

[Guest]

I meant more correct in shape compared to the Matchbox doors.

 

Frankly, sir, I don't like your tone.