Airfix Lancaster b.II as DS824 JI-K, 514 Squadron, lost 22 January 1944

[elger]

After finishing Revell's B-17 "In Der Fuehrer's Face" my next subject is Airfix' Lancaster b.II as DS824 JI-K of 514 Squadron, which was lost in action on January 22nd, 1944.

On their way from their home base of Waterbeach (near Cambridge) to their target Magdenburg, the aircraft was intercepted by a night fighter. It was 01:12 on January 22nd, 1944: the aircraft was never seen again and crew were lost. Most likely, the aircraft crashed somewhere into the IJsselmeer (formerly Zuiderzee), in The Netherlands.

The remains of 4 of the 7 crew members were recovered from the IJsselmeer. 3 are still Missing in Action. Those who were recovered are buried in Makkum, Hindeloopen and Stavoren.

The missing crew members, Sergeant D. F. Henshaw; Sergeant James Richard Keenen; Sergeant Arthur Pratt are commemorated at the Runnymede memorial.

Two of the crew are buried in Makkum. Their remains were recovered by a fisherman in the days after the loss of the aicraft.

The navigator, Leslie Noel Millis, (22) from Teddington, Middlesex.

One of the gunners, Ernest Allan Lane, from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Can).

Another gunner was found near Hindeloopen and is buried there.

Wilbur Henry Chapman (26), from Dawson, South Australia

The pilot was found near Stavoren.

Pilot John Kenneth Williams

Although the aircraft was never found, some aircraft parts have been recovered in recent years by a local fisherman. These parts come from an uknown Lancaster wreck, and factory stamps in the metal indicate that the aircraft was built by Armstrong-Whitworth - the same plant that built DS824. Only a couple of Armstrong-Whitworth-built Lancasters went missing in the area where the parts were found, and it correlates with the area where the remains of the crew were found, so there is a fair chance that the parts are from DS824.

For the model I'm using the "new-ish" Airfix kit.

I'm not going as crazy with the details for the Lancaster as with the B-17, since I am actually learning that little can be seen. I've added some photo-etch from Eduard, and I added some electrical wiring and oxygen hoses from copper electrical wire and very thin solder. The hand-rail was made with some stretched sprue.

The Eduard pilot seat.

Inspired by some other recent Lancaster builds on this forum, I added rivets. Not perfect, but I feel that I'm getting better at this.

plodding along... some more interior stuff to be done, but then I can start painting and assembling the interior.

Thanks for looking and as always comments and suggestions are welcome!

Edited September 13, 2014 by elger

[stevej60]

Superb project and excellent presentation of the story,it never hurts to remind ourselves of the human element involved in the aircraft we model

good luck will watch with interest.

[Adrian Davies]

Elger,

Your WIP posts are always a treat. And this one is no exception.

Your research on the crews adds a great deal of humanity to the machines we are so interested in.

Thank you. And that B-17 you did looks great too.

Best,

Adrian.

[Stashaholic Steve]

An interesting and moving background story, and a nice tribute build.

[bobgpw]

Elger,

Great stuff, but except for the prototype, I thought all BII Lancs were built by Armstrong Whitworth at Coventry (Baginton/Whitley)? The AVRO stamps on the recovered items would indicate that it wasn't a BII.

Bob

[Oddball]

Mmmm lovely. That photoetch seat looks fantastic in it's own right.

Odd.

[Gary West]

One of the gunners, Ernest Allan Lane, from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Can).

Well this is one of the best "scene setters" Ive seen for a build for many a year - one thing I noticed was the head stone of the Canadian Gunner - not only does he head stone say Royal Air Force and of course not RCAF but the words Forces had an s at the end.........Royal Air Forces. I have never seen this before but assume its simply a mistake.

[elger]

Elger,

Great stuff, but except for the prototype, I thought all BII Lancs were built by Armstrong Whitworth at Coventry (Baginton/Whitley)? The AVRO stamps on the recovered items would indicate that it wasn't a BII.

Bob

You are correct- I misremembered my own notes: the stamps actually indicate Armstrong-Whitworth, not A. V. Roe. Thanks!

[elger]

Well this is one of the best "scene setters" Ive seen for a build for many a year - one thing I noticed was the head stone of the Canadian Gunner - not only does he head stone say Royal Air Force and of course not RCAF but the words Forces had an s at the end.........Royal Air Forces. I have never seen this before but assume its simply a mistake.

I noticed that too - not common, I think.

[bobgpw]

The Winnipeg Tribune for 27 December 1941, records Sergeant Ernest Allan Lane RAF, from Hertfordshire, England, marrying Dorothy Nims of 557 Broadway, Winnipeg. Perhaps this explains why F/Sgt Lane is shown as coming from Winnipeg?

He would appear to be an RAF aircrew member, given his service number which I think makes him RAF(VR), training in Canada at the time of his marriage.

[Gary West]

He would appear to be an RAF aircrew member, given his service number which I think makes him RAF(VR), training in Canada at the time of his marriage.

I think you have that bang on because I also found more info confirming him as RAFVR, as were most of the other Brits in the same crew.

[elger]

I just about finished the interior. Instruments panel with Eduard parts, with some Future added to the dials to simulate glass.

I have also acquired a kitten in recent months: Frankie. She is very curious.

The base colour of the interior is Tamiya's IJN green, with a little gray mixed in. I masked and highlighted the ribs with a lighter shade of the same colour. This was sealed with Future, which I let dry for at least a week before a final wash with oil colours. The "black" is actually Tamiya German Gray.

Based on photos of DV732 in the IWM I painted the oxygen hoses ochre (Vallejo). I also opted for a bright yellow hand rail.

The other side

I scratchbuilt and added the undercarriage lever.

The cockpit should be quite visible when finished

About ready to seal up the fuselage!

Thanks for looking! Feedback is always appreciated.

[stevej60]

Beautiful interior detail,starting to come together nicely.

[elger]

To avoid the work of adding rivets to the wings I decided to add some figures and vehicles.

The bomber crew are resin figures from The Armory (very nice). The officer is from the old Airfix set and the ground crew man is from Revell.

I hardly ever paint figures but I think I'm getting better at it, if I do say so myself :-)

The Bedford truck and the Austin Tilly are from the Airfix bomber re-supply set.

Now back to riveting...

[Miggers]

This (for me),is the best kind of modelling.

Top notch research,first rate building,excellent photographs and a historical thread.

The church looks beautiful and the graves are very well tended as is befitting for

the final resting place of these brave men.

This will be a fine tribute to a fine crew and a fine aeroplane that gave it's and their all

for our todays.

[JOCKNEY]

Wonderful background research behind the build.

The interior is wonderful, can I ask if all the instruments come as part of the original decals ?

Cheers Pat

[elger]

Wonderful background research behind the build.

The interior is wonderful, can I ask if all the instruments come as part of the original decals ?

Cheers Pat

Thanks! The instruments are from the Eduard set.

[bigbadbadge]

Wow fantastic work and thead, as said this will be a fitting tribute. Keep up the good work.

All the best
Chris

[woody37]

Loving your progress, this is going to be a special build

[Selwyn]

To avoid the work of adding rivets to the wings I decided to add some figures and vehicles.

The bomber crew are resin figures from The Armory (very nice). The officer is from the old Airfix set and the ground crew man is from Revell.

I hardly ever paint figures but I think I'm getting better at it, if I do say so myself :-)

The Bedford truck and the Austin Tilly are from the Airfix bomber re-supply set.

Now back to riveting...

Nice to see wartime RAF vehicles painted correctly, not in a funny blue colour. they look fantastic.

Its a Standard Tilly by the way not an Austin. The RAF didn't use Austin Tillys during the war. Airfix got it right on this one!

Selwyn

Selwyn

[Tonyqone]

great model nice work

[elger]

work resumes on the landing gear bays

I used sheet styrene to make the fronts of the wing fuel tanks.

thanks for looking!

[RMCS]

My grandfather was a foreman at AV ROE building Lancasters, what a suprb build....

[elger]

small update; the engines are painted and the main body is ready for paint!

thanks for looking!

[elger]

small update: basic paint job done. I've given it a coat of future which I will let dry thoroughly over the next few weeks that I'm really busy, then after that decals, shading, weathering and final assembly.

thanks for looking!