isaneng

Ok, my understanding is that PA474 has the original Far East radiators. You may well find Airfix have put the wider FE rads in their kit as standard - apparently they used her for measuring up and perhaps did not appreciate the difference. Those really deep rad intakes, that incorporate carb intakes, are not Lanc fit that I'm aware of and may well be Lancastrian or York specific. Yes, PA 474 uses Shack tyres. Reference to Lincoln bits is misleading, ie rudders - they were a late Lanc design that were also used on the Lincoln for example. I have the photos I passed on the Spadgent available if you wish, but good luck either way!

Johnny, See, not just a Lanc thing! And this just shows your determination to get things right. Which doesn't surprise any of us! Looking forward to the second version 😀

7 months. Nearly a thousand posts. Superb Johnny. Superb. I look forward to seeing the RFI, but this record of your efforts has been engrossing. You should be duly proud of yourself, not something we normally like to admit to others, but bloody well done Sir. And thank you. Thank you very much.

I used to work in a modelling shop in the early eighties. We had a few boxes in stock that were designed to catch peoples imagination and draw them into the shop. This was a prime example, along with a 1/48 B17 with a clear fuselage side (Monogram?), the 1/72 Matchbox Flower Class Corvette and the Tamiya Yamato Battleship. I never saw one of these completed - your build made me Google some reviews and finished examples. Nicely done Sir, I look forward to the finished item, loving the NMF variety and tonal finish!

You're barmy. Raving bonkers. I can't wait to see how this progresses!

Johnny, if you had 'smellovision', with a hint of avgas and old leather, I'd swear I was in the hangar! Superb chap, absolutely superb.

Evening Johnny, email sent, further details to follow. I'm out of the country now, but kind souls back home are checking for me! Best regards to Mrs Spagent!

Flaps. Deployed or not.... Ok, on the Lancaster the flaps are brought up as soon as we land. It kills the lift from the wing and makes sure the tail sits down properly to control the landing. On shutdown, we move the flaps to check the hydraulics and deplete hydraulic pressure. Now I don't know the Whitley systems, but I'll bet they're not much different. Which I reckon means 'put the flaps where you want to, you can justify it either way'!!

Johnny, I am truly amazed at your results. I'm off to see her shortly, to plan for a trip tomorrow. Your date of 2008 is fine - she was repainted to 'The Phantom..' in 2007. Enjoy your holibobs fella, hope you and yours have a great time!

Ok, I think I may - possibly - perhaps - maybe - have the answer. PA474 was built 1945, one of the last Lancs built, and as already mentioned, set for Tiger Force, hence the wider cooler intakes. It uses the 'later' upgraded undercarriage, which was ALSO used on the Lincoln design. Likewise it uses the later rudder style - with increased area and longer trim tab surface. This later rudder style was also used by the Lincoln, which started production in 1944. (Well, so says Wiki, and I have no reason to doubt it!) The larger rudder and increased trim tab give better control in cross-winds and, probably more importantly, when flying with an engine 'out' and having to balance the assymetric forces that result. Original PA474 photos show her with the same rudder she has now, so this would agree with the idea that it is merely a late war standard fit. We didn't steal Lincoln bits, they used our upgraded design!! Johnny, love the B+W pic, great atmosphere! Cheers, Isaneng.

Damn you chaps, you go beyond my knowledge on a day to day basis...! Ok, I know the mainwheels are Shackleton - no Lanc wheels available for many years. I would be surprised if tailplane or undercarriage was not original. Whilst similar, they are not the same and aircraft are not 'shake and bake'. Not just a question of physical fit and finish, but also legality and authorisation to fly. Johnny, I am with her on Thursday, planning for a sortie next week. Will photo tail and U/C and pass on to you. Isaneng, even more aware of his limited knowledge than normal.. 😀

Great to see an old favourite. I doubt I am the only one who often flicks through Evilbay just to see some of the old artwork and memories of kitchen table modelling, and this and the old Stirling were 2 favourites. Watching this with a big smile!

I may, perhaps, be somewhat biased here. But I feel that Johnny captures more than 'X' millimetres in his creations. I feel that he epitomises the soul and character of his subject. It is the very reason I first contacted him. It is why I have been proud to discuss his progress with my colleagues, and to have laughed with them as I lay on the hangar floor taking pics at odd angles. What he creates is more than the sum of the parts, so crack on Johnny, the first beer is on me.

Hi Mike, With 6500hrs on C130, I will help where I can. Great to see your '30' stretch you have built for a MK3 version. Lower flight deck windows were for spotting for airdrop, hence no need on a civvy aircraft. The coastguard tend to have them for dropping air sea rescue packages. Looking forward to seeing how you build the MK3 AAR probe... or an early version?? Great to see your work, good luck chap!

Afternoon Johnny, Just back from looking over the old girl, I am taking her to Exeter this weekend. Just for info or to make you smile, if you look at the pic of your canopy interior: The grey box, centre, 6 knobs on it - rheostat controls to dim the internal lighting. Wires in the roof - guide/support wires for a collapsible material sun shade that can be slid forward to shade the cockpit. Either side of those, halfway up the canopy sides, the rail either side is the grab handle to unlock and then slide back the side windows. 'Knurled' knob, below each small (almost triangular) window at the front - release catch - those small windows are DV windows, or Direct Vision. If the main windows were damaged, you could put your goggles on, open the DV window and look out of the open hole! Stunning fella, absolutely stunning, good on you!

I'm a little confused as to what we are talking about..! The large air intake under the propellor is the cooling radiator for the water and oil systems, temperature controlled by the cooler flap at the back, opening and closing to regulate as required. The small air intakes either side, often with a little mesh guard, are the air intakes to the carburetors to feed the engines.

Hi Johnny, The radiator things are exactly that, cooler matrices for the oil and water/coolant systems, very similar to your car. The rivet work is outstanding, it is quite pronounced on the real thing. Cosford is being flown by my friend, I'll ask him to give you a wave!!

Hi Johnny, Yes, the raised circular mounting point is clearly visible under the fuselage. There is a corresponding round plug in the internal walkway that covers it, just visible in outline in the non-slip covering on the floor. Kitchen is looking good fella, see, everything coming together slowly!

Having flown both VC10 and B707 derivatives, only the VC10 had a RAT. Neither envisaged the total engine failure/gene failure as a routine risk, and their reactions/checklists were based thus. The B707 in particular, in its early versions, required very little electrical input as its' controls were unpowered. The beautiful VC10 (ok, I'm biased), had such a plethora of redundancy in its flying controls that there was no need to deploy a RAT (one way, ie down, operation only) unless severely up the creek. I guess a knowledge of Victor electrical systems, switching procedures and safety systems might answer the question, but I am sadly ignorant of such.

Morning Johnny. I'm due to fly her on Tuesday. If you can wait until then, I will photograph the lights and window for you. Cheers, R

Most large aircraft wings deploy the trailing edge AND leading edge devices at the same time, normally in the first selection of flap from a clean wing. Therefore if you have the trailing edge flaps deployed, I would expect to see the leading edge flaps/slats out as well. Please note, whilst this is pretty normal operation, I never flew the 1011, so can't actually confirm this is correct in this case.

Email for you Johnny. 😀

Corsaircorp Post#170 3rd pic Box with round screen on front, air holes in side, is, I think, the H2S display. Google can confirm it!! Cheers, R

Was chatting with a chap who flew the Mk II operationally last year. I'm surprised by one of the earlier comments about it being a hot rod, he reckoned it was underpowered. Apparently it struggled for height, leaving it below the main bomber stream and an easier target for night fighters. Looking forward to seeing the end result, best of luck sir!

Wow. Really, just wow. The radio position looks pretty spot on. The Nav position shows what I think is the H2S display - this was a downward pointing radar, lived in the big bulge under the fuselage towards the back. Wasn't very accurate by modern standards, but served to follow line or height based features, ie coastline, rivers, hills etc. Panel on stbd side, with multi-coloured instruments, is engine gauges (oil press, temp, and coolant temp). Fuel gauges at the bottom, fuel pumps and lights on the left of the panel. Lookin' good Johnny, lookin' good...