Enzo the Magnificent Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 My entry for this GB is a rather special one. Lancaster III PA990 UM-R2 of 626 Sqn based at RAF Wickenby. The aircraft was named Fanner's Follies. In 1945, this aircraft was captained by P/O WFC Fanner, the father of a very good friend of mine. Here is the aircraft and her intrepid crew. And here they are posing with a piece of radio equipment - presumably surplus to requirements... This aircraft may be familiar. She was originally Bennett's Beavers. When P/O Fanner took over as captain he kept the nose art but changed the logo. Here she is much earlier in the war. Notice how much cleaner and less beaten up she looks! I shall be using the Airfix 1/72 kit. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share Posted October 10, 2014 Here is the aircraft and her intrepid crew. The photo above is from the Fanner family collection. Thanks to Mick and Robin for their permission to use it. The photo was taken in May 1945 When P/O William F.C. Fanner took over Roger Two in March 1945 she was renamed 'Fanner's Follies', having been 'Bennett's Beavers' since she arrived at Wickenby. Pictured is Bill Fanner's crew from left to right : 1598001 Sgt G.T.Clavery 'Geordie' - Mid-Upper Gunner 3020940 Sgt J.C.McCulloch 'Jimmy' - Wireless Telegrapher 164131 F/O D.G.K.Williams 'Dave' - Air Bomber 138395 F/O R.E.Heath 'Dick' - Navigator (2nd Tour) 1827582 Sgt W.K.Storrie 'Jock' - Rear Gunner 1567904 Sgt S.Boyes 'Stan' - Flight Engineer Not shown is 187785 F/Lt W.F.C.Fanner 'Bill' - Pilot. He is behind the camera! Lists of names courtesy of Robin Fanner. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Thats a great personal subject and I`ll look forward to seeing it come along,......how will you replicate the artwork? Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share Posted October 10, 2014 how will you replicate the artwork? I haven't a clue! All suggestions gratefully accepted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonehammer Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Perhaps a combination of masking for the larger areas and a very soft pencil for the lines? I did some bomb graffiti that way and they weren't bad; I used a white Giotto Supermina. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jephcott Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 A great subject and a great personal story to match. I really really look forward to watching this build develop 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonD Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Looking forward to this one. I've always loved the Lancaster (I may have mentioned that once or twice) but the connection with Mick's dad makes this one special. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 I've always loved the Lancaster (I may have mentioned that once or twice) Oh really?!?!? We recently visited the Yorkshire Aviation Museum at Elvington and he wouldn't keep quite about 'em! But joking apart, I urge everyone to visit Elvington soon. It is an excellent museum which deserves our support. The Air Gunners' display really brings it home to you what air gunners went through when they spent goodness knows how long cooped up in those tiny turrets. They have a gunnery simulator which is quite a sobering experience. I wouldn't have made a good air gunner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonD Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 We recently visited the Yorkshire Aviation Museum at Elvington Enzo got quite nostalgic, standing in the pouring rain looking at a Harrier! He said it brought back memories of when he was in the RAF, keeping them flying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 And we're off! Rather than post my own pathetic attempts at sprue photos, may I redct your attention to Paul AH's excellent review of the kit which has far better photos than I could take. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234957540-avro-lancaster-bife-biii-172-airfix / and on to the build. Here are the interior parts painted up and ready for the fuselage to be assembled. PA990 had completed well over 100 missions by 1945 so I can attempted to make the cockpit interior look quite worn. The pilot's seat has a harness by Eduard, one of their superb new fabric range. Interior parts installed. The level of detaile is very good, especially considering that very little of it will be seen when the canopy is on. Fuselage halves closed up. This is a B.III aircraft so the windows have been puttied over. The main spars will make for a rather robust airframe. However the ends have slots in them to allow for the wheel bay internal construction so at the moment they are rather fragile. The fuselage halves went together quite well. This is in extreme contrast to the B.II kit which I am currently converting into a Manchester. Identical parts in the B.II kit were quite horrifically warped. I wonder if this was due to the fact that the B.II kits were moulded first and the factory hadn't quite sorted out their quality assurance procedures. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted November 9, 2014 Author Share Posted November 9, 2014 Moving forward slowly but surely. A rather cruel close-up of the cockpit. And ready for the wings to go on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted December 12, 2014 Author Share Posted December 12, 2014 Moving forwards slowly but surely. The wings are on and the nacelles are ready for fitment. Nacelles fitted. I was a bit surprised to find that the Airfix Lancaster is actually quite a tricky build. It requires that the undercarriage legs be inserted through the top of the wing. I didn't want to do that and was intending to leave them off and insert them from underneath after painting is complete. It turns out that the legs are accurately shaped and so cannot be inserted from underneath, so I have to follow the recommended assembly sequence. That explains why there are gaping holes behind the inner engines. But at least it is starting to look Lancasteresque now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonD Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 I have to follow the recommended assembly sequence. That must be really annoying to a rebel like you! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted December 12, 2014 Author Share Posted December 12, 2014 I have to follow the recommended assembly sequence. That must be really annoying to a rebel like you! Don't get me started... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 A quick update. I'm still working on getting rid of all traces of the fuselage windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Looking very nice Enzo. Keep up the good work All the bestChris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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