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Hi everyone, With the summer months coming up, I thought that now might be a good time to have a go at commencing a long term project- modelling a 1:72 Lancaster and doing it justice. The aim is to model ED412 (EM-Q) of 207 squadron as it was prior to its final mission- piloted by Pilot Officer Horace Badge (at the age of 20). Having grown up with a picture of "uncle Horace" on the fireplace, my dad started researching our family's history and came across a number of records online which revealed a few details about the final mission and his earlier service career. Unfortunately the Badge crew were lost on the 13th of July 1943 (more information about the events of that mission can be found here). More recently I have started looking for associated documents and in recent years it seems that a great deal more documentation has become available, including: -Air movement form 78 (link), showing the various movements of the aircraft between squadrons and maintenance units -I haven't yet searched through the accident record cards (link) or the loss cards (link) but I suspect one of them will relate to ED412 -The payload of the aircraft on its final mission: a 4000lbs "Cookie" and 204 (Edit: 240) incendiary bombs (link) ("More than 700 kilos of incendiary bombs"- Link) -The aircraft may have been fitted with a "GEE" radio navigation system (link) From these documents I can ascertain that this particular Lancaster was: -Assigned the code "EM-Q" and was flown by 207 Squadron from RAF Langar -A Mk1 Lancaster with Merlin XX engines -Carried a "Cookie" and incendiary bombs as its final payload -------------------------------- So, the questions that I'd appreciate some help with: *(Green + bold = information added from replies below) 1: Roundel/code colours With the "EM-Q" code on the side of the fuselage, would this be red or grey? And what type of roundels would have been used? (Example variations are illustrated on this site (link)) --> Red (potentially XX*X or X*XX; ED413 shows XX*X style on port side) --> C1 type roundels 2: Dispersal area With the dispersal areas at RAF Langar in 1943, would it be appropriate to model the aircraft on a typical "Frying pan" dispersal area? (for example: link) --> Yes 3: Paint colours When it comes to painting the camouflage, my go-to choice of paint is Vallejo Model Air- does anyone happen to know or have experience of the most appropriate colours to go for, for the brown and green tones? --> Complicated area, I'll look further into it --> Comprehensive information in replies below courtesy of @Casey 4: Photos of ED412 itself? One particular Swiss forum thread about ED412 (linked here) contains two pictures of Lancasters: Is there any way to ascertain whether these photos do indeed show ED412? 5: Modelling flaps down? When parked on the dispersal area, prior to engine start, would the Lancaster's flaps be extended or retracted? --> Flaps extended 6: To model an exposed engine or not? Presumably an engine's cowling would have been replaced way before any armament was loaded onto the aircraft? Part of me wants to add the visual interest of an exposed and detailed Merlin XX engine, yet I also appreciate that this might not be entirely realistic/representative. --> Unlikely but not impossible 7: Mission markings/nose art I am assuming, with no reference photos nor written evidence, that ED412 didn't display any nose art. However, would "mission markings/tallies" be expected on this particular Lancaster? --> Without sources, presence of bomb tallies is open to interpretation. Forum post (link here) suggests 8 missions of ED412 prior to loss. Edit: Additional information from replies below -ED412 same batch as Lancasters for 617sqn- Operation Chastise- would have had fuselage windows (corroborated here) -Likely needle-nosed propellors -Likely short nose blister --------------------------------------- It would be nice to complete this project around the 13th of July but naturally it will take as long as it takes to model this aircraft, as a tribute to great uncle Horace and the rest of his crew, and do it justice. Many thanks, and best wishes, Sam