TonyW Posted June 30, 2018 Author Share Posted June 30, 2018 I've hit a bit of a wall with this build. I'm out of my comfort zone with the photoetch cockpit parts and think I need to backtrack a bit. Assembly of the dash panel went well. Astonishing detail that just kept getting better the more I added. The dash looked 3D, incredibly detailed and very pleasing to the eye. The challenge of folding up the compass assembly was very enjoyable, the finished compass was about half the size of a grain of rice. Added to the multi layered dash, it all looked really good to me. My delight faded somewhat once I offered it all up to the fuselage. It just about dissapeared from view! Once the canopy was tried in place, things got worse. The canopy hid even more of the detailing and now looked about a foot thick to boot! A vac formed canopy would be the only way forward now, except the view into the cockpit would now show up the lack of detailing on the fuselage walls. Deal with that with a weeks worth of scratch building and the problem then becomes the rivet details outside, the MG barrels, all the transparencies, flaps, wheels etc etc. The balence of the model has been altered and is proving difficult to get back. I'm not anti etch by any means, I have a stalled build of a Matchbox Stranraer that is waiting on me summing up the courage to fit a couple of etch scarf rings . If I manage to pull that off, I think they will be the ceterpiece of the whole model. I suspect I'll be backing right off on the Lancaster and will work with what's in front of me. All valuable lessons though, so it's not wasted effort at all. I've learned a lot. I've drilled out the windows along the fuselage on one side and they look so much better than the raised outlines provided. just another dozen or so to do and that part of the build will be done. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted July 18, 2018 Author Share Posted July 18, 2018 (edited) A bit of progress to report. Turret fairing removed and filled, side windows all drilled out although not yet cleaned up, remote turret has been started and a primer base just shot over the uselage to see how it's all shaping up. So far, so good... Removing the innacurate cammo pattern on the wing tops with bleach and a rub down with a kitchen soft scourer has pretty much removed the rivet and raised details. Ditto filling fuselage seams and bomb door fit issues. The reinforcing beam running along the bomb door sides looked a bit too heavy to me, it got progressivly rubbed down until it just about dissapeared. Photo's of the prototype don't seem to show the beam. Add to that lot the rubbing down around the turret surguries and there's not a lot of the original Airfix detailing left! I fitted the beautiful Eduard interior parts and, as feared, they just about vanish in the closed up fuselage. Edited July 18, 2018 by TonyW 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mancunian airman Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Its nice to see some further progress, I've stalled on mine doing the masking of the canopies. Shame about the etch but as they say "at least I know its in there" looking forward to seeing more Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 great progress! The picture above reminds me of my (much!) younger days when a kit would be built, painted and decals applied all on the kitchen table with strict instructions EVERYTHING was to be kept in the box.....ahh the memories......😁 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted July 20, 2018 Author Share Posted July 20, 2018 (edited) A Major Milestone passed! The plane is all one bit. 😁 It's starting to look like a Lancaster now. A couple of coats of Humbrol 29 and 30 saw a passable camouflage pattern applied. Not perfect, but a whole lot better than the first attempt. The port wingtip panel got a hit with humbrol 26 to give a bit of detail to what I'm assuming is a replacement panel, as shown on the pictures on page one of the thread. In my head I've decided that a pilot more used to driving a Manchester got things a bit wrong parking the plane at some point! The yellow undersides certainly give the plane a distinctive look. I can see me having a go at a similar scheme on a Halifax in the future. The prototype P gave a bit of trouble. The Xtradecal sheet I bought has 36'' and 54'' markings. Looking at photo's of the plane, I think they should be 48''. Bugger. I've tried the smaller ones and they just look wrong. The big ones fitted now look much better, although I'll change them if I find any 48'' versions. As they sit at the moment, they look right. The error is only apparent if you have a photo of the original plane to hand. Or if I tell you! The wing walkway decals were tried, then removed. They silvered badly and the black looked a bit stark and eye catching to me. I've ruled new lines with a black felt marker that are a bit more subtle. They are there, but don't shout at you. Loads more to do yet, The fuselage windows need touching in and glazing. Then there's the undercarriage, transparencies and some sort of base for to be done. I'm enjoying the build so far, which is more than could be said for the DH88 Comet finished earlier. More as is happens. Edited July 20, 2018 by TonyW 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Looking good there,love this scheme! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 liking that a lot!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Looks darn good with the Yellow 👍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 I like the wingtip in different colour! (OK, OK, I like the rest of it too - and props for doing a large multi-engine build.) Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Brilliant progress - it is certainly looking the part now 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 The Big Bannana takes another couple of steps to completion... ... spinners painted satin black. Props the same, with a bit of red added for contrast. Undercarriage assembled and fitted. Tyres painted with the same black with a bit of red formula plus a bit of dust. The tailwheel is only there for the picture, a bit of filling and painting required there. Turrets and glazing are next in line, then it's a matter of touch up and dialing in a uniform look to the plane. Tony. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Blimey, that's coming along. Nice work on the windows, that looks like a neat job and does look so much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Looking fabulous there Tony. I do like yellow belly's in general for their brightness, & that looks great. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted July 25, 2018 Author Share Posted July 25, 2018 (edited) It's time to start considering how to display the plane now it's getting closer to completion. Messing about with a cork pinboard and an Airfix Matador make me think a bit of hardstanding and a few figures dotted about will work. Dart castings Montys Models range have a few likely looking figures that might fit the bill. http://www.dartcastings.co.uk/montys.php Here's the base and a very rough try out... Edited July 25, 2018 by TonyW Changed picture 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Now that makes it look even better!!! 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted July 27, 2018 Author Share Posted July 27, 2018 (edited) Nothing much to report on the lanc front, however, the light in the garden this morning was outstanding. That calls for a couple of pictures, regardless of any progress on the model. The canopy and turrets are just propped up on the model here. These two were shot in the direction of Mildenhall, which is about five miles from me. The usual fenland huge cloud formations are sadly absent so far today. With a bit of luck they will return when I take my Gallery pictures, hopefully later in the week. Enough waffle, here's the pics... Edited July 27, 2018 by TonyW 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 Superb!! 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted July 27, 2018 Author Share Posted July 27, 2018 Apologies for blowing my own trumpet here, but I've just added a photoshop sky to the picture. The sky was shot earlier in the year for just this sort of oportunity. It's taken in the same direction as the first pictures. A click of a button in photoshop and it's a wartime image for added picture value. 😁 At some point, I'll get lucky and score a decent image or two of the local F15's as they hurl themselves about in the sky above me! 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 11 hours ago, TonyW said: Apologies for blowing my own trumpet here, but I've just added a photoshop sky to the picture. The sky was shot earlier in the year for just this sort of oportunity. It's taken in the same direction as the first pictures. A click of a button in photoshop and it's a wartime image for added picture value. 😁 At some point, I'll get lucky and score a decent image or two of the local F15's as they hurl themselves about in the sky above me! Well that's certainly put my photos on the kitchen worktop in its place ! Nice one cheers Pat 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted July 28, 2018 Author Share Posted July 28, 2018 (edited) To see this sort of thing done by a Master, take a look at Elgin Park! I'm a yellow belt. Micheal Smith is a Black Belt, Fifth Dan. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=elgin+park&first=1&cw=1226&ch=635 Edited July 28, 2018 by TonyW 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted July 28, 2018 Author Share Posted July 28, 2018 Well, the plane is just about done, just an ariel to fit at the side of the nose and a bit of touching in here and there. I'll build it a base before posting gallery shots but this pair of pictures will do for now. Tony. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted July 29, 2018 Share Posted July 29, 2018 Nice job Tony, she looks the business. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 29, 2018 Share Posted July 29, 2018 Brilliant thread and a great result Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted August 2, 2018 Author Share Posted August 2, 2018 (edited) I'm calling this one done now, Gallery pictures have been posted. I took the plane to my local IPMS branch (Mildenhall) last night and managed to drop the thing getting it out of my car. The undercarriage did a Short Stirling impersonation and collapsed on me. Curses. It got repaired for the Gallery pictures, but there's a fair bit of superglue holding things together now. Best leave it at that and move on to the next build then! Edited August 2, 2018 by TonyW 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 What a fantastic result Tony. I know that you have had a few issues with this build and it may not meet your exacting standards, but it is still a great looking model. Well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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