deecee Posted September 13, 2015 Share Posted September 13, 2015 The Airfix moulding shows some raised detail on the port side of the fuselage just beneath the cupola, but not quite defined enough to show what it actually is. Now I'm guessing that it's a form of quick release for external access, but I could be wrong. It looks as though the two fasteners are linked by a cord or wire. I have trawled my Beaufighter references, but can find no close-up detail of the configuration. Here's what I have found so far: p.50 Beaufighter Squadrons - canopy slightly ajar with 3 bits of raised detail which is indistinct: no cord/wire visible. photo p.136 Beaufighter at War - canopy open: no external detail: you can however make out the fasteners hanging loose. What is interesting though is the gun barrel pointing up but not from where you would expect - being fixed to the rear of the opening as Airfix have it. It looks as if it is attached to the open cupola. Would this be correct? photo There are various photos of internal fittings in Modellers Datafile by Richard Franks, but it's the external view I need. I would really appreciate some help with this, A drawing or photo would be great. Incidentally, the drawings in Airfix Model World (May 2015) by Terry Higgins are suburb, accurate and with a wealth of information. They show the position of the fasteners and linkage (first drawings ever to do this ?) but is it raised or flush, cord or wire or what? And one more thing ... what is the black dot on the stbd side of the cupola? Cheers deecee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted September 13, 2015 Share Posted September 13, 2015 Nothing much here: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205219423 Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecee Posted September 14, 2015 Author Share Posted September 14, 2015 Thanks for your reply, Chris. Unfortunately this is the earlier standard cupola. To quote from the article in Airfix MW for May, Terry Higgins states: "Early aircraft delivered to Coastal Command with earlier standard cupola had it replaced with the Bristol B.20 rear-defence gun cupola - initially at user unit airfield and later at MUs. B.20 appears to have become a standard production item through the early summer of 1944". As the Airfix kit represents a TF.X it's this cupola that I wanted to use, but am a bit puzzled about the detail. Nice picture of the earlier cupola though! Cheers deecee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Nothing much here: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205219423 Chris Huh? Anyone know what are the thumbnail-sized circular spots apparently stuck all over that rear canopy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonC Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 At a guess, they might be poppers for affixing a fabric hood to avoid glare when using the radar. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 (edited) Good idea. Which would make them internal rather than external, and might account for the fact that upon close inspection each one appears to have a small hole in the middle. And they do look as if they are arranged in three hoops: front, middle and rear. Never seen or heard of them before though - something new every day. Edited September 14, 2015 by Work In Progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Images of the area on a Beaufighter are real thin on the ground. From No. 404 Squadron site: http://www.404squadron.com/ http://www.404squadron.com/images/gallery/PL19438.jpg http://www.404squadron.com/images/gallery/PL29810.jpg http://www.404squadron.com/images/gallery/PL40766.jpg Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Images of the area on a Beaufighter are real thin on the ground. From No. 404 Squadron site: http://www.404squadron.com/ http://www.404squadron.com/images/gallery/PL19438.jpg http://www.404squadron.com/images/gallery/PL29810.jpg http://www.404squadron.com/images/gallery/PL40766.jpg Chris Not a lot of help on the fasteners but prove that the gun and mounting are attached to the canopy rather than the fuselage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 On the late design of cupola, but was it true for the earlier version? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 After looking through at least 7 different publication on the Beaufighter, I've found this. From Beaufighter At War: From Modellers Datafile #6 The Bristol Beaufighter: Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecee Posted September 15, 2015 Author Share Posted September 15, 2015 Wow !!!! Chris, those 3 pictures are fantastic! You can see that the gun is clearly mounted on the cupola and not the fuselage in this late series and in fact there is quite a bit of detail to pick up on in picture 3. That would make a great pose in a diorama. It's interesting that Work in Progress spotted the circular pads inside the earlier cupola. I note these are still there on the later series. I would go along with your suggestion, Jason, as to their use. In the last picture of the Beau getting a 'wash and brush up', the cupola is the late version, but no evidence of fasteners or connecting wire on the port side. I'm not so sure now that the raised detail on the kit should be there. The fasteners are definitely internal as shown in the drawings from Chris. Maybe an even later addition? Why else would the Airfix drawings show it? Thanks guys, there's been some interesting stuff revealed. It's late now so I'll sign off. Good night deecee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecee Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share Posted September 16, 2015 Thanks Terry for the generous information you supplied. That's fantastic. It goes a long way to clarifying things. PM sent cheers deecee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecee Posted September 17, 2015 Author Share Posted September 17, 2015 Hi guys, Just had a reply to my PM from Terry with some further pictures. He has said it's okay to post them, so here goes . . . . . Hi guys A lovely set of images I'm sure you'll agree. Of course the one that I'm really pleased with is Fig.6 with the cupola closed and the quick-release mechanism clearly shown, as moulded in the Airfix kit. Brilliant! Thanks again guys for all your help, deecee (aka David Holland) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 A callout to Terry for sending these images to deecee. Thanks, Terry. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FZ6 Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Those photos will be really useful for my build. It looks like there is an armored bulkhead behind the observer in the picture below. I'd not noticed this on any of my references. Are they present on most marks of Beaufighter or just the TF.X? Regards, Mark Hi guys, Just had a reply to my PM from Terry with some further pictures. He has said it's okay to post them, so here goes . . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 (edited) My work here is done! Attaboy, Chris. bob Edited September 23, 2015 by gingerbob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Thanks, gingerbob. I should have posted that here yesterday. Guess I had my mind way up a major anatomical orifice at the time. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Just so that folks don't miss this interesting bit of intel, I'm posting the cupola drawing here again. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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