PM@M² (1:72)

[top turret toddler]

Hello all,

 

I am building the 1979 Airfix Lancaster kit and i really want to build the Mike Squared subject covered in the kit decal sheet. Only grief i have is using the Airfix decals as i feel the old Airfix decal colours are pale and perhaps even off. I have trawled the mighty e waves but without any catch. Is there any aftermarket sheet that covers the subject i am looking to model or is my only option to try to obtain a sheet of RAF code letters and piece it together this way?

 

While studying the decal sheet from a later Airfix release i noticed there were two decal options for Mike Squared. One with a different tail code and the city of Lincoln emblem up front on the nose. What does all this mean and exactly what does mike squared imply? Also did Airfix reprint the Mike Squared sheet more recently to give it a more modern standard? Thanks!   

 

 

Edited August 25, 2017 by top turret toddler

[Jure Miljevic]

Hello, top turret toddler

Is the serial number of that other Lancaster PA474? If so, it is BBMF aircaft, which carried Mike squared scheme back in 80'. Cheers

Jure

[Work In Progress]

Yes, the Airfix kit sheet for the 1970s Lancaster gave you the oriiginal Mike Squared, ED888, and the option of the BBMF aircraft PA474 when it wore those markings. I believe the origin of the raised 2 after the individual aircraft letter M was to denote it being a replacement for the original Lancaster with that squadron code. This was not normal practice.

 

Airfix brought out al all-new Lancaster a few years ago with completely different decal options, so there's no chance of a factory replacement sheet. All the ones for that kit in my possession are fairly rough, it was not a great era for Airfix kit decals.

 

If I wanted to make either ED888 or PA474 in the Mike Squared markings I would use mostly decals from standard Xtradecal generic sheets.

Edited August 25, 2017 by Work In Progress

[top turret toddler]

Thanks. Yes i was aiming at building the ED888 one. Ah so that`s what it means, had no idea about that. Live & learn ;-) I think i read somewhere that the aircraft previously

flew in a different squadron so i was thinking that was the reason for the PA474 tail code but i suppose that would mean a different squadron code as well (the BIG letters) 

 

I would like some input on the red colour of the WWII RAF Lancaster roundels letters and the flag on the rudders. How many variations were there for the RED, and did ED888 utilize the dull red colour? In that case the old Airfix decals may well suffice after all. Just a part of me screaming out in agony as these are not as bright red "as they should"    

 

So what`s the difference between Xtradecal sheet #72211, 12 & 13, all three at first glance seemingly identical. ....oh and which one would be appropriate for my dire needs ?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtradecal-X72210-1-72-RAF-Red-48-by-24-by-6-Bomber-Codes-Model-Decals-/142035372020?epid=1830933312&hash=item2111f7c7f4:g:cfUAAOSwuq9ZZbp-

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtradecal-1-72-RAF-WWII-Dull-Red-Bomber-Code-Letters-72211-/332237749366?epid=1653742139&hash=item4d5ae9bc76:g:TrsAAOSwZKBZKHsA

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtradecal-1-72-RAF-WWII-Dull-Red-Letters-and-Numbers-72212-/332175653840?hash=item4d57363bd0:g:PcMAAOSwA29Y5kAT

 

 

[Troy Smith]

22 minutes ago, top turret toddler said:

I would like some input on the red colour of the WWII RAF Lancaster roundels letters and the flag on the rudders. How many variations were there for the RED, and did ED888 utilize the dull red colour? 

 

the standard WWII colour for RAF Red is ... Red as shown below

 

this is a scan of the colour chips that came with an RAF museum book.

'Matt Red'and 'Matt Blue' are the prewar colours.

 

the Blue is very dark, the Red browny-orange hue. (brick red)

have look at @Etiennedup  Flickr of WW2 colour

 

these are all the  Lancs in this link

https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=8270787%40N07&q=lancaster

 

some examples,  and some points on common glitches on models

 

Touching up        July 1942. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

 

Shows roundel and code colours well

 

also note the exhaust stains,  due to wing dihedral the outer exhausts go under the wing, not over.  

 

A common flaw on many a fine Lanc model is outer exhaust streaks!!

the pale grey is from lead oxide from 'leaning' out the fuel mix. 

Note side of outer nacelle.

Avro Lancaster     1942. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

this for gear leg colour as well.  Not black.

Lancaster tyre. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

HTH

T

 

 

[Work In Progress]

Yes, the almost brick red colour is right for WW2 service, certainly not a bright Post Office kind of red. Post war the BBMF was prone to making its markings a bit more vivid, though these days they pay much more attention to authenticity than they did in the '70s and '80s.

See also this video, a decent view of the red of the markings around 2.10

 

Edited August 26, 2017 by Work In Progress

[top turret toddler]

Alright, so i take there were two red colour types used on RAF Lancaster aircraft, the dull red and the bright red one also found on some Lancasters. Should help narrow down my search area. Please forgive me for being a tad bit sceptical looking at the colour photos you provided. How do i know they have not been subjected to some clever artist adding colour to a B/W photo by his own artistic license? As for the VN@N in flight, the red colour on the wing roundels seem much more dull than the red colour on the fuselage codes. I have a gut feeling many of the WWII photos we are presented with have been at some stage been "digitally remastered" for lack of a better term. Gotta love being the critic ;-)      

[Jure Miljevic]

Hello, top turret toddler

Unless there is an indication another colour had been used I would stick with original dull red colour. There were few exceptions. No 43 Squadron did use Post Office Red on their late war Spitfires Mk.VIII and Mk.IX, but only for code letters and spinners, roundels and fin flashes remained dull red. Cheers

Jure

[Work In Progress]

Yep, dull red is the default for Lancasters in WW2 night bomber service. It is what was ordered by the customer to be applied at the factory for the roundels and serials, and what squadrons were ordered (and had paint stock to provide) to add the squadron codes at unit level. It's also what the primary photo evidence portrays, and therefore what in all good conscience you have to assume unless you have a specific and convincing piece of evidence that a non-standard paint job was produced for some reason on a psrticular aircraft that you wish to model.

[top turret toddler]

Okay, fair enough. At this stage i`m not sure if i am building the kit for my modified coffee table or if i am modifying my coffee table because i am building the kit. glass inlays on top over two rooms just wide enough to hold a fully laiden Lancaster. Need to do a proper job of both, lol. Cheers.   

[Marvel Onkey]

Using a coffee table as a display case- that's a very good idea!