Crossofiron1971

Many thanks for your comments all! As always, I bow to the knowledge of the people who use this site... So, looking at the photos above (thanks alt-92) there is no chance that MH434 was an e-wing as there is no evidence of the inboard Browning? How about a poll then? Best subject for a Mk.IXe Wing to model? Cheers Steve

Hello All, I am doing some research into Spitfire Mk.IX MH434 and I am getting conflicted information regarding the wing type? Depending on which website, b,c&e wing types are referenced. Can anyone confirm the correct wing type or was MH434 modified through its service life? Thanks in advance Steve

Hope you see them now? Cheers Steve

Hi Anthony and everyone. Apologies for the radio silence. I have had quite the upheaval over the past few months, I have changed my career completely which has also meant moving house. All is fine and the best bits are as follows; I have moved to Bomber County! Literally, 5 miles from Coningsby so plenty to stop me in my tracks on a regular basis. My new house has also given me the opportunity to, for the first time, design and build my own model room... What was once the garage; So as you can see, my sanity is back! The only thing is, and this kind of works, I have been commissioned to build an F-4J of No. 74 Squadron RAF. The kind of works reason being is I am going to park the Lancs until I can get hold of The latest Border Kit to use the bomb bay cowling and Upkeep Bomb. Sounds frivolous but I am also developing an Avro Lincoln which this kit will be used for. So, standby for another post for the F-4! I will always be a moth to flame for this project though so watch this space too, 😉 Cheers Steve

Wow! Now there's a thought of a project! Just Jane maybe? 🤔😊 Down the road of my Airfield Diorama but it's now on my bucket list 🫡👊 Cheers Steve

Thought I would share some final photos of the fuselage halves before I button her up; She is fully electrically connected too now; going to be fun burying this lot All three turrets are (will be) lit and there are three ;ights per wing... Thanks for looking, hope you like it... Cheers Steve

Many thanks for all your comments all!

Hello All, I know I have been posting Lanc's in threes but to be honest, I underestimated just how long it would take to furnish one inside!! So, this is to prove I am still alive 😜 I present to you first then, Thumper; All the internal equipment is pretty much all 3D Printed or photo etched. Since starting, Quinta Studio brought out their sets so took out a second mortgage and bought three sets. Worth it? I think so, up to you to judge... So, time to put the bomb bay and floor in plus electrics! In other news, finished my next Diorama piece, the Pillbox; Hope you like what I have done so far... Cheers Steve

Hello one and all! Hope you are well... So, here is what seems to be my monthly check-in... Firstly, am the only one to think that the words Longeron and Stringer are brilliant words? Got to be up there with flange, right? The reason, I have gone a little Longerons and Stringers crazy... Been doing my usual research and I have learnt what primary systems were installed into the Lanc's before painting and what systems were added after... My three ladies are now ready for their forward paint jobs; Here is the Lancaster B.I Please note the flak damage on the rear window, sustained in late '44 over France Full systems in this one Here is the Lancaster B.I (Special) – Grand Slam; The Services to the Front Turret are not installed The Stick Bombs Panel and other systems were removed, hence the location holes in the panels Here is the Lancaster B.III (Special); Bombing Computer has been removed, I just left the frame as a feature Camera has been replaced by the front height spotlight In other news; The electrics are starting to creep in; The Rear Internal Sections are now done; Here is the Lancaster B.III (Special); Here is the Lancaster B.I Here is the Lancaster B.I (Special) – Grand Slam; The Grand Slam will be crewed and ready to taxi with the door closed so no internals except what you can see from the rear turret. I have also blanked up the cabin windows on the Grand Slam; Finally, managed to get to the bottom of the accuracy of the Thumper Decals; now I have to sort out a bulged bomb bay! Hope you like what I have done so far... Cheers Steve

Anthony! Great to hear from you sir! Been a while... Also seen your work on the 1/24th Mozzy since our exchange, most impressive. My Mozzy Projects is in suspended animation until this project is sorted but will most certainly be in touch mate. Cheers Steve

Hi All, Apologies for the late reply. I have just cleared all my history and data and reloaded on Chrome and it works spot on for me? If not for you, shall I put a ticket in for Hobbyphoto?

Many thanks for all your help guys! Cheers Steve

Thanks WP!

Thanks Mike! Would you be so kind as to check again? Washed all the photos through reducing software... Many thanks Steve

Totally agreed! That is my main source of material apart from too many trips to museums!

With many thanks to Mike, I have been working on my photos... Have washed through size reducing software. Can someone let me know if the downloads are better? Many thanks

Hi, Reference my current thread here; People are complaining that the pictures are taking an age to appear and if at all? I am using Hobby Photo Host and link with the Britmodeller Button... Thanks in advance Steve

Hi WP. Pretty much; All of the parts are photo etched bespoke from my drawings I lightly tack the main section to the wall so I can manipulate to get vertical and straight Then add the two side strips to form the T Section; then run some Zap A Gap down to fill gaps to make them look as one Finally, the grooved top piece is added after a slight role to curve the parts; more so of course at the back. For the pure amongst us, I know for of the main joining sections were 'C' Sections but thought that a step too far, particularly as two will not be really seen at the back...

Hi Dave, Sorry you are having problems, for the modulators, I am using Hobby Photo Host?

Many thanks Sabrejet... Here is why I chose this; https://www.kitsworld.co.uk/index.php?GOTO=318&PICFILE=318&STKNR=318&STRH=&ORDN=&RNZ=251584&THISVIEWMODE=2&SUPPLIER=&FINDRETR=&WIDENET=&CATEGORY=3&SUB=10&VWW=1&VANCE=99

Hello all, For those who celebrate it, I hope you all had a pleasant Christmas Holiday. Thought I would give you an update to prove I am still alive... Now, I have so far, not had a single issue with this kit but with my obsession with cabling up and piping, the kit does flag up a small issue and this is depth. The whole fuselage internal is a solid moulded piece and this is great but does not allow for piping between the spars. So, I got rid of the assembly and started from scratch! Here is the detail in the Dambuster Model as it shows the holes left with the Bomb Aiming Kit removed for Chastise; I had to play around with the Longerons on the nose section to make them look straight from the nose to aft. More on this later,,, In other news; Electrics are beginning to appear; Cockpit Floor etc, are done; Seats and Controls Columns are done. The one folded up is the standard in maintenance... Hope you like them! Cheers Steve

Hi everyone, I wouldn't normally post something like this as it is quite a small assembly but when you do three of them, it kind of becomes a thing... Completed the Navigators and Radio Operators Stations; UK Aircraft Explored on Youtube has been invaluable in working out the cable runs and types. Some points for you; There are four materials that go to make up the shared table; - Aluminium Main Construction - Hard Dark Wood for the Radio Operators Compartment Hinged Flap and the Navigators Document Tidy - Light, Grained Wood for the Navigators Map Station Area - Brass Strip Guide for the Adjustable Measuring Angle Couldn't resist a pin up... Because none of my Lanc's have the H2S Ground Radar System, The Fishpond Indicators supplied for the kit are not fitted I used Fag Packet Cellophane to mimic the plastic sleeve the maps were placed in to allow the Navigator to crayon all over them and then reuse them... As I have said, The Lancaster B.I will be undergoing maintenance on my table so I have Red Tagged the Radio Receiver and Transmitter for strip down and test Also disconnected the Power Leads and Morse Code Cables Please note the Lancaster B.III (Special) Upkeep Mine Revolutions Counter for the Crew On a Side note, I have also completed the first of the vehicles for my Diorama; Here is the Bomb Trolley Type E for the Upkeep Mine from Iconicair Hope you like the bits... Cheers Steve

Hello all, Bit of an update for you; I have, at long last, on the third attempt, received the replacement, intact clear sprues! Based on a 6 week delivery time from China; The first set were the wrong sprues... The second set were the correct sprues but these too arrived damaged Third time lucky! Four months later, I now have more spare sprues than I can wave a stick at! I will keep you posted but I am talking to a specialist 3D Printing Company who can do me a 'clearer' version of the canopy and turrets...

Here you go; https://www.iconicair.com/ Would help if I spelt it right! 🤔

Hello All, Firstly, may I say; God Rest Her Majesty and God Save The King! Apologies everyone on the time between posts, I hope this post makes up and explains the time between posts... Plus work has been well, a swear word... After watching Nigels Build Videos, I decided to start with the Business End and build the Lanc's around the Bomb Bays. So, I made a trip to Duxford and paid for a trip around their Airspace Lancaster Mk.X including a really good look in the Bomb Bay. I also took a trip to the Avro Museum and finally I am in possession of Digital Copies of the Lancaster Maintenance and Parts Catalogues. Plenty of research to start then! After studying the Kit, several issues became apparent. Now, I am not going to spend the whole of this thread gushing about the shear injection moulding brilliance of this kit but it is clear that the limitations of this kit is the Injection Moulding Process itself... The same issues can be said for the bomb bay piping; There are also some missing details (see below); After some soul searching and short of taking the birch to myself, I decided on some serious pipe and cabling fatigue; I stripped back everything in the Bomb Bay and discarded the piping. Made some bespoke photo etch for all three bomb bays The Parts Lists told which pipes where alloy, steel etc. Re-cabled the whole thing Then the usual, primer, steel, airframe aluminium coats, varnishing and here you go; Firstly here is the B.1; Here is the Lancaster B.III; The Gearbox and Bracing Frame is from Iconair, the rest is scratch built This is the back end deflector cowl and as with the rest of the kit, I decided to take the Iconair and can the surface Here it is with the cowling on; note I had to widen it to fit this kit; Finally here is the Lancaster B.I (Special); The complete cowling is 3D Printed from using the HK Models Kit as a basis and then size tweaked; Decided on bespoke photoetch to give a better representation of the service covers on the aircraft; All hand drilled and riveted, couldn't resist a bit of battle damage and patching too 😉 Hope you like them!!