Jump to content

Paragon 1/48 Manchester L7301 (and Lincoln RA679 too!)


Recommended Posts

Got round to taking some photos today. Firstly, the base was made from MDFG and cardboard squares, it was like being a kid again covering the table in PVA glue!

 

26723732269_a217203b9f_b_d.jpg

 

Painted up with static grass and a Lincoln sat on top, it looks like this...

 

26723732039_c92c311812_b_d.jpg

 

And the Lincoln on its own, not the easiest thing to photograph!

 

26723731599_4ed992768d_b_d.jpg

 

The Manchester has had the mid upper fairing sanded away today and the turret blank fitted to fill the hole. P38 covers the mess that's left so it can be tidied up before close of play.

 

  • Like 26
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That Lincoln looks superb, Neil. The base sets it off beautifully. 

 

Sorry to hear that you were unwell for Telford - I popped over to the Bomber Command table to be told you were unable to make it. Glad you're feeling better and have been back at the bench. 

 

Still, I'm looking forward to seeing this and the Manchester at some point on the show circuit next year. 

 

Tom

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Cheers guys,

 

Managed to get a few photo's of the Manchesters current state. The mid upper fairing has been sanded off and blanked as it is going to be the VC aircraft L7301 in which Leslie Manser lost his life to save his crew. Following the 1/72 build I did last year, Robert Kirby, the author of the Avro Manchester bible 'The Legend Behind the Lancaster', reminded me that only the first 21 aircraft had the narrow tailplanes (It is in the book but I'd missed this detail when building it. Unfortunately for that build, it was too late to correct it, but here I have the chance to redeem myself! I've use the standard Lanc tailpanes but added the Paragon tail units. Looking at photo's, the early elevators were fabric covered, so ribs have been made by masking off and using high build primer to build them up before sanding them back with a sponge sanding stick to blend them in a bit.

 

38750517382_d92fc8568c_b_d.jpg

 

38750517322_c7acd420cb_b_d.jpg

 

Unlike the Lanc rudders that have balance horns, the Manchester fins have a different set up. Brass wire was used to create the radiussed guides feedin through the tail and connecting rods will be added to the rudders later in the build.

 

38750517202_ebfa16113a_b_d.jpg

 

The fuselage was completely rescribed and riveted too. As you can see below, the windows on the Tamiya Lanc are somewhat recessed, so I'm planning on pushing them all out and filling them with Micro Kristal Klear. A practice on a spare kit shows how much better they look using this method.

 

38750517142_0ab40dc7f1_b_d.jpg

 

My normal approach is to do all the sticky out bits last, but by this point, I'm usually sick of looking at a model and find it a complete chore, so the next step here is to put the big lump to one side and start on the turrets and gear. 

 

Cheers

  • Like 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That looks superb!  I know that it was flawed in many ways, but (heresy alert) I’ve always thought that the Manchester was a better looking aircraft than its Lancaster descendants.  Lanc infinitely better aircraft, but for pure aesthetics give me a Manchester.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love the finished Lincoln. A Hardcore conversion, done the way nature intended. If you can get some low angle photographs those would be lovely to see, but like you said its size makes it difficult to photograph.

 

And the Manchester...... TBH, not a fan but i love the quality of the work going into it. And i grudgingly admit it looks better than a Lincoln.

 

-d-

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, woody37 said:

Hi David,

 

I'll try to get some more on the square Lanc (:D), it is difficult getting the low down ones due to the size.

 

Cheers

 

Yeah i imagine it would be; you need a backdrop large enough to make a good cylcorama, with a minimum of edges that need to be cropped out, plus you gots to get the camera down low and in close; a tripod is a necessity.

 

-d-

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not much done this week but the turrets are getting there. The rear turret still has more detail to be added yet. Solar trim came to the rescue to create sharp framework on the rear vac part. It's been fiddly to get everything lined up but I'm quite pleased with the alignment now.

 

38028699945_c19165f491_o_d.jpg

 

38028699805_a0611faf81_o_d.jpg

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, perdu said:

That there is a definite rather you than me job

You nailed the look entirely :thumbsup:

You're the expert at fiddly bits like this Bill, taking a leaf out of your book at detailing although much easier in 48 scale!

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow Neil, the Lincoln looks superb. I do like your way of depicting the concrete slabs on the hardstanding, the gaps look more 'interesting than my way of a thin line black marker pen.

 

The turrets for the Manchester look a treat, congrats.

 

Have a great festive season if I don't look in again before then.

 

Colin

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow Neil,

Very nice, I absolutely love the Fn4 but totally hate the Fn5 nose turret, the area between the .303's is too wide. If you can get hold of a Trumpeter turret cupola it transforms the thing.

That is what I used for my 1/48 kitbash Manchester.

 

Cheers

Cees

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎13‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 2:55 PM, Cees Broere said:

Wow Neil,

Very nice, I absolutely love the Fn4 but totally hate the Fn5 nose turret, the area between the .303's is too wide. If you can get hold of a Trumpeter turret cupola it transforms the thing.

That is what I used for my 1/48 kitbash Manchester.

 

Cheers

Cees

Hi Cees, 

 

Would that be off the Wellington kit? Not a bad idea if I can source one although not sure people would have one spare.

 

Happy Christmas everyone, hope you all got what you wanted and had some well earned quality time with family or friends.

 

Progress has been slow leading up to Christmas, in part due to a hand operation, in part with the usual rat race momentum. I've finally got the turrets finished tonight. The FN4 has fought back quite a bit due to the fiddly nature of vac formed parts and the fear of getting glue on them, but I'm declaring it a victory on the whole. It's not as tidy as I would like it, but looks like an FN4 and fits the fuselage well...

 

27538607579_efd1e9ca14_o_d.jpg

 

38607961844_b3230ed5f5_o_d.jpg

 

38607961714_e46d7c7d0b_o_d.jpg

 

38607961604_acebe49f7c_o_d.jpg

 

38607961464_362cbc2a53_o_d.jpg

 

38607961254_3e2a6e03cd_o_d.jpg

 

38607961074_119e839dcd_o_d.jpg

  • Like 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been finishing off the interior detail before the clear bits get glued in place then its on to the paint job. I've based the detail on a combination of the Manchester cockpit below and photo's of a Lancaster cockpit. I had a set back with the canopy in that it was splayed out for some reason so I used the hair dryer to try to reshape it. Note to ones self, turn the heat down next time! Fortunately, I have a spare Lanc kit so took the canopy from that for now so I need to see if anyone has a spare for that.

 

27631231719_f9e9d69788_o_d.jpg

 

27631232229_d6e944069f_b_d.jpg

 

27631232099_7852a6f0cb_b_d.jpg

 

27631231949_ed57f0f939_b_d.jpg

 

27631231839_77289df779_b_d.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Clear plastic

The world would have been a better place if it hadnt been invented and we all used black paint to represent clear windows

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lie alert

 

I was lying

 

but it is the ultimate bad bit in any kit  :(

 

I hope your hand is feeling better Neil and that you had a good Christmas

Do we think there'll be a Manchester at Huddy?

 

:fingerscrossed:

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...