Lancaster B1 (FE)

[shatters]

Having read as many reviews of the new airfix Lancaster as I can find, I'm now wondering if I'd be better off getting a hasegawa kit for a more accurate post war Lancaster ?

 

Many thanks 

 

Phil

[Graham Boak]

If your desired subject has the twin 0.5in rear turret, it would seem so.  Not all post-war Lancasters did, of course.   However it isn't clear to me whether either kit has the slightly deeper tropical radiator.

Edited March 14, 2017 by Graham Boak

[shatters]

8 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

If your desired subject has the twin 0.5in rear turret, it would seem so.  Not all post-war Lancasters did, of course.   However it isn't clear to me whether either kit has the slightly deeper tropical radiator.

Some reviews say that hasegawa supply both radiator types, but would like someone to confirm. 

 

 

Phil

[Seahawk]

14 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

If your desired subject has the twin 0.5in rear turret, it would seem so.  Not all post-war Lancasters did, of course.   However it isn't clear to me whether either kit has the slightly deeper tropical radiator.

 

Not sure I understand this: one of the options in the B.I (FE)/B.III boxing, TW880/TL-F, has a twin 0.5" rear turret and the necessary alternative parts (F36, F37, F38, H25) are included, as I believe that they are in all boxings (they are on main sprues, not supplementaries).  No, you cannot raid this kit for the 0.5" tail turret as it shares the base and rear (parts D31 and H27) with the 4-gun one.

 

There is only one set of radiator fronts (parts F29) in the B.I (FE)/B.III issue of the Airfix kit, ie the boxing most likely to date to include the deeper radiators as an option. 

 

My Hasegawa Lancaster B.I/B.III (kit E23/00553) has only one type of radiator fronts (parts D31 and D32): that is not to say that they are not included in other boxings eg the limited edition postwar ASR boxing with lifeboat.  However my kit does include 2 sets of side intakes for the nacelles, the larger set (D4/21/22) marked not for use, and also the camera housing below the rear turret (G19), a feature of many post-war GR/ASR Lancasters.  As regards the 0.50" rear turret, only the guns (A29) are identifiably present: I imagine the remainder are on supplementary sprues not present in my boxing.  

 

So, if the choice is between a bog-standard Hasegawa Lancaster and an Airfix B.I(FE)/B.III, it's your choice whether the 0.5" tail turret of the Airfix means more to you than the engine intakes and camera housing in the Hasegawa kit.  If you can find a Hasegawa boxing other than the one I have, you may get the 0.5" turret as well, and almost certainly if you can find one marketed as a post-war Lanc.  As far as the base kits go, IMHO the Hasegawa kit is a crisply moulded product with a quality feel, probably easier to build, but with some errors (canopy escape hatch location), the Airfix is cheaper, less refined and needs care in the building but has much better interior detail and is probably more accurate overall.   

 

HTH

[shatters]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

Phil