Neal Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Good solution. I dug out my kit last night, I'd forgotten how bad the mould line is around the faired in upper turret, yours seems to be a lot better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbrush Posted October 5, 2012 Author Share Posted October 5, 2012 Good solution. I dug out my kit last night, I'd forgotten how bad the mould line is around the faired in upper turret, yours seems to be a lot better? You'd never know the upper turret was there on mine, it's not a bad join at all. Loads of flash throughout though! All in all though I'm pleased with the detail on the kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smeds Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 With regard to the bomb, I believe it was actually a mine, and it is my understanding that the operational weapons were smooth. The prototype weapons were clad with wooden slats and these broke away when the mine hit the water, this can be seen in footage of the testing of the Upkeep mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 With regard to the bomb, I believe it was actually a mine, and it is my understanding that the operational weapons were smooth. The prototype weapons were clad with wooden slats and these broke away when the mine hit the water, this can be seen in footage of the testing of the Upkeep mine. There's a whole BM tread on the colour & finish on the mine http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=80452&hl=upkeep&st=0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broady Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Hello dogbrush. The build is looking really good. Is this evergreen just normal pvc? If so what thickness? Good luck with the rest of the build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbrush Posted October 20, 2012 Author Share Posted October 20, 2012 Hello dogbrush. The build is looking really good. Is this evergreen just normal pvc? If so what thickness? Good luck with the rest of the build. Hi Broady, thanks - it's slow going though - I really must get a move on with those propellors!! Evergreen is just a brand name for a company that produces a lot of different types of styrene plastic. You can get it in lots of different thicknesses (the stuff I have is 0.4mm) , it's very useful stuff - have a web search for "sheet styrene"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broady Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 Thanks dogbrush. I work for a printing firm and use a lot of this but at 0.75mm. might start asking for the off cuts !!!!! Good luck with the props there has been some good ideas to pick from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbrush Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 Pulled my finger out & started on the bulk of the paint-job. Masked off the lower half black (although I say lower half it does extend quite high!) and painted with Revell Earth Brown. Will leave this a good 24 hours before attempting some blu-tac masking and doing the dark green - can't wait to take off the tape & have a look when that's done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprue Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Hi Dogbrush This is an interesting build and discussion in that the same old questions get asked over and over again. I did a Tamiya 1/48 model which can be found on the Relish Models website http://www.relishmodels.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/612-tamiya-dam-buster-lanc/. Colour of the bombs is an old chestnut and could be anything from unpainted to green or black. They were in short supply and the last were delivered on the day of the raid. Wallis had made it clear that the finish was unimportant. Some were delivered with wooden "overcoats" and the later ones certainly weren't and by the time of the raid all wooden slats were removed perhaps revealing the bare metal or primer finish. Interestingly the bomb recovered by the Germans from Flt Lt Barlows aircraft ED927 AJ-E was primer red. The well known 3/4 rear photograph of the bomb under Gibson's Lancaster was taken after the raid at Manston I think. It has to be remembered that the dams raid was originaly to be one of a seris so development work would have continued after the raid until Bomber Harris decided the losses were unsustanable and that the Germans had realised the attack method. There are photographs which show a dambuster Lancaster front view and the forward spotlight can be discerned in the camera aperture probably enclosed in a modified flare shute. The lamps were modified aldis lamps. The same view also shows the VHF whip aerial fitted almost at the last minute when it was found R.T. communication at night was a problem. A lot of the detail modifications were carried out at squadron level right up to the day of the raid including removal of the upper turret although it was an Avro idea, not to save weight but for aerodynamic reasons. Hence some aircraft display either bare metal or primer areas where the upper turret had been. The Lancaster was very capable of lifting the upkeep mine and much heavier loads but needed to fly straight and level at 220 mph which required acceleration from a dive and then the ability to maintain that speed during the attack. Another puzzle is the safety harnesses; enquiries around museums and RAF forums seems to suggest that the only person in a Lancaster with a safety harness was the pilot while the flight engineer only had a lap strap attached to a fold down seat. The emergency procedures for Lancasters which can be found on the net seem to bear this out. Good luck with the model it certainly is coming along and looking good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbrush Posted October 28, 2012 Author Share Posted October 28, 2012 That's some detailed research there Sprue! I like your build also - really nice job there!! Quick update photo. Painted the main camo - got some touching up to do on the green but quite pleased with the overall effect. Time to get this thing finished & set up the diorama scene!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broady Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Looking good Dogbrush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbrush Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Thanks Broady Another quick update - spent an hour or so framing the canopy in foil on the inside. Will paint it tomorrow & glue in place then ready to start finishing the exterior paint job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Looking good Dogbrush! Are you any closer to finishing? it is my understanding that the operational weapons were smooth. Sorry for bringing this up again, and sorry for the tangent Dogbrush, but I've just come across the photo I posted previously again in "No 617 'Dambuster' Sqn" by Osprey and it has a little more information. I think Sprue is talking about the same photo too. The book says the photo was taken on a hard standing at Scampton on the 20th May as part of a series of photos, as Sprue was getting at, presumably for use on further discussions on future use. As the photo was taken so soon after the raid and at Scampton, I personally suspect the mine was likely to have come from the original stocks supplied to Scampton for the raid and as such, quite possibly the final form of the weapon. I'm not saying that Smeds is wrong, I just wanted to better explain where my reasoning is come from as I came across that photo again. Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilfish Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 (edited) Anyway, slight update. I've airbrushed some nice grey all over & finished the bomb-spinning mechanism. I've noticed under the engine cowlings spaces where something is obviously missing. Looking at some reference pics it looks like there are some kind of vents below the engines. There is no reference to this in the instructions & I can't find any parts resembling these so I'm going to get the evergreen styrene out & build some I think! Next step is to do the green/earth/black paintjob! Could be Neal... I looked at this (5th photo down) --> http://www.dailymail...d-pictures.html - I think this shows the duct that you mean! I hate to say it, but look closely at the picture in that link....(5th down) You can see the drop down vents, and then behind them you can see the hole, that you have now covered over with the vent, which I believe is represented on the kit, in the closed "in-flight" position further forward. Edited November 29, 2012 by Devilfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddball Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 I recall building a special edition airfix dambuster years ago, it was done in lovely black plastic, was that the same moulding as this one? I just remember thinking how crisp those mouldings were, compared to the large amount of flash that seems to plague a few of these newer boxings. Or is it just nostalgia creeping up? Cracking work by the way, you're doing a top job. Are you going to weather it or keep it fairly clean? I'd imagine with the amount of practice those boys did, their kites would get pretty dirty. Odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprue Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 I recall building a special edition airfix dambuster years ago, it was done in lovely black plastic, was that the same moulding as this one? I just remember thinking how crisp those mouldings were, compared to the large amount of flash that seems to plague a few of these newer boxings. Or is it just nostalgia creeping up? Cracking work by the way, you're doing a top job. Are you going to weather it or keep it fairly clean? I'd imagine with the amount of practice those boys did, their kites would get pretty dirty. Odd. I'd keep the model fairly clean as most of the practice flights were carried out with borrowed aircraft as most of the modified ones weren't delivered until late April or just a few days before the raid; and even then they were subject to lots of modifications on station which kept them from flying.That aside you're doing a lovely job. Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbrush Posted December 8, 2012 Author Share Posted December 8, 2012 I hate to say it, but look closely at the picture in that link....(5th down) You can see the drop down vents, and then behind them you can see the hole, that you have now covered over with the vent, which I believe is represented on the kit, in the closed "in-flight" position further forward. Holy smokes devilfish - you're right! looking at where they line up on the engines I've got it completely wrong - I'll remove the home-made vents, thanks! I recall building a special edition airfix dambuster years ago, it was done in lovely black plastic, was that the same moulding as this one? I just remember thinking how crisp those mouldings were, compared to the large amount of flash that seems to plague a few of these newer boxings. Or is it just nostalgia creeping up? Cracking work by the way, you're doing a top job. Are you going to weather it or keep it fairly clean? I'd imagine with the amount of practice those boys did, their kites would get pretty dirty. Odd. Thanks Odd - I'll attempt some oil-washing and dry-brushing, more to bring out the detail than anything as I've just read Mike's post below... I'd keep the model fairly clean as most of the practice flights were carried out with borrowed aircraft as most of the modified ones weren't delivered until late April or just a few days before the raid; and even then they were subject to lots of modifications on station which kept them from flying. That aside you're doing a lovely job. Regards Mike Thanks Mike, I'll bear that in mind once I've finished the paint-job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbrush Posted December 8, 2012 Author Share Posted December 8, 2012 Quick update, main paintjob finished - just touching bits up then time for decals! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Looks good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gustavo Bunger Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Cool ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbrush Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 (edited) Happy new year everybody! Thought it really was time to get a move on with this one!! Decals finished, starting on the flimsy vac-formed rendition of the mohne dam... will need to fill it out inside with papier mache or something to give it a bit of strength I reckon! Edited January 1, 2013 by dogbrush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Looking great, can't have too many of these iconic aircraft 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbrush Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 Looking great, can't have too many of these iconic aircraft Yours is looking brilliant - just been looking through the progress pics (reckon you'll be finished before me as well! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggers Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 (edited) The "vents under the engines"you boys speak of are the radiator shutters. On start-up,during engine warm up,mag and prop checks,the"automatic" position on the rad shutter control was ensured as selected . They were selected to "manual",i.e wide open for take off ,then to "automatic" for the flight once established on the climb out from base then back to "manual for landing. "Automatic" was then re-selected once the aircraft was parked and the engines shut down. In the film(the "proper" black and white one)Gibson(Richard Todd),shuts down the engines and then gives the command(to Pulford the F/E)"Radiator shutters automatic",Pulford moves the appropriate switch on the F/E's panel and repeats to confirm"Radiator shutters automatic". The last thing Gibson does before vacating his seat is to release the brake lever catch (on the control yoke)to release the parking brake and then shouts to the 'erks below "Brakes off"through his open sliding panel. Edited January 1, 2013 by Miggers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaddy Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 I'm just looking at the bomb aimers blister. It seems to have the Z equipment moulded on. That's not appropriate for a May 1943 aircraft, is it? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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