Avro Anson Mk.1 (Airbourne Interception) 1/72 - UPDATE

[Acklington]

For those who may remember my previous attempt to create a Wellington Mk.XVIII (T.18) of 62 OTU at RAF Ouston, 1945, this new build is intended to produce its predecessor the Avro Anson Mk.1 (A.I.), also with 62 OTU at Ouston in Northumberland. The starting point for this new conversion is this excellent booklet;

Anson (2) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr

The top of the cover shows my chosen subject, complete with radar aerials. Inside the booklet is the following photo of one of these A.I. Ansons;

Anson (3) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr

 

And that is it! Unlike the Wellington T.18 where I eventually had six or seven photos to work from, here I have just one post-war photo, and a single side view illustration. The only information in written descriptions is that there were two radar trainees, plus an instructor, and that the A.I. radar installation was similar to that on early Beaufighters and Mosquito night fighters, with an arrow head aerial on the nose, and two vertical aerials near each wing tip. Absolutely no information regarding the internal layout - was there one radar position that the two trainees took turns at using?  Or two radar positions, one for each trainee? Where did the Instructor sit? This all matters, because the interior of a Mk.1 Anson is very visible. Were the two clear view escape hatches on top of the fuselage retained? And the bomb-aiming clear view panel in the nose? I've also got the excellent "Anson File" book by Air Britain, but it contains no photos of the A.I. version, and no additional information.

 

The post-war photo (above) gives some clues, and in particular there appear to be one or two additional partitions within the fuselage. So I'm going to opt for two radar positions, unless anyone knows different? The photo also shows that apart from the A.I. aerials, there were other aerials that seem very similar to those on the Wellington T.18. The main aerial mast above the cockpit was removed. The forward sloping aerial under the nose suggests that the bomb aimer's glazed panel would become solid. The photo also appears to show, more clearly in the booklet, that NK291 had a prominent astrodome in place of the forward top fuselage escape hatch. The side view illustration doesn't show an astrodome. My guess is that these Ansons were converted from various Mk.1s, and retained features from their particular donor aircraft. I also think that 'stray daylight' from various windows didn't matter, because these were going to be Mosquito or Beaufighter crew members, and in those aircraft the A.I. operator sat in an open cockpit, with the radar screen encased in light proof rubber cover.

 

62 OTU had three constituent squadrons, A, B, and C, with a total complement of over 50 Ansons. Apparently 'C' squadron didn't operate the A.I. version. So how many Anson (A.I.) were actually produced? The Air Britain "Anson File" doesn't identify the A.I. aircraft, but does record those that served with 62 OTU. The Wellington T.18 production run was 80 aircraft, and each of those could carry four trainees. So there must have been more than 80 Ansons, perhaps well over 100 aircraft? It was a significant version, and they were the only Ansons to equip a Fighter Command OTU. All of the Beaufighter and Mosquito night fighter squadron radar operators were trained at RAF Ouston, and RAF Usworth (Sunderland) before 1943.

 

This model uses the Airfix Anson Mk.1, not the best choice but it should knock into shape. The initial work being to alter the engines to remove the cylinder helmets; add the lower intake, (fashioned from scrap sprue); and reshape the lower part of the cowlings, including adding a notch for the external exhaust pipe.

Anson (1) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr

 

 

Edited November 30, 2018 by Acklington

[Hamden]

 

An interesting project I'll take a seat and follow along if you don't mind?

Perhaps BAE Heritage could throw some light on your queries

 

  Roger

[stevehnz]

I should like to tag along too please, I one of these in stock & although I've been enjoying Tony's @TheBaron build, I'm well aware I've neither the aptitude or inclination to delve so deeply into the dark arts of plastic alchemy as he.

Steve.

[galgos]

The beauty of modelling an esoteric subject is that if nobody knows anything about it, you can't be wrong! Go with your best educated guess. 

Max 

[Acklington]

On 01/12/2018 at 08:51, galgos said:

The beauty of modelling an esoteric subject is that if nobody knows anything about it, you can't be wrong! Go with your best educated guess. 

Max 

Many thanks for the comments. It has been an interesting exercise to aim to model all the main aircraft types that used an obscure Northumberland airfield. You start off thinking "all the main types are available as 1/72 kits, so it shouldn't be hard." And then you hit brick wall after brick wall, and realise that you have become the first idiot ever to try and resurrect a long forgotten aircraft mark. Worse still it was top secret at the time, 'no photography' meany just that, and anyone who knew anything about it has been shot! The one exception maybe was Eric Taylor, co-author of the booklet above. I can't find out much about him (no internet footprint), but I think that he may have been a 'local spotter' at the time, as he seems to be the source of many recorded wartime sightings in the North East of England. All I can say is "bless him", and this Anson (A.I.) will be a tribute to him.

 

Anson (A.I.) - I've made that designation up, as I have no idea what they actually called it at the time!

Edited December 5, 2018 by Acklington
typo

[Acklington]

Started to correct the tailplanes, removing the 'fabric ribs' wrongly added by Airfix in their revamp of this old kit. Also improving the end shape, the corrected one is on the right in this photo.

Anson (4) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr

 

Otherwise still working on the fuselage interior.

[ColinChipmunkfan]

Yup, I am in for this and will follow with interest.

[cngaero]

Following this one with great interest. 

[stever219]

23 hours ago, Acklington said:

The one exception maybe was Eric Hall, co-author of the booklet above. I can't find out much about him (no internet footprint), but I think that he may have been a 'local spotter' at the time, as he seems to be the source of many recorded wartime sightings in the North East of England. All I can say is "bless him", and this Anson (A.I.) will be a tribute to him.

The late Alan W Hall was well known.  He was one of that generation of wartime “spotters” who recorded just about everything that flew, whether they were meant to record it or not, and recorded it in words and pictures, mostly hand-drawn and coloured (no digital imagery and very little film of any sort in those days!).  He’s also the man who, along with the late Mike Keep, gave us Scale Aircraft Modelling magazine and, before that, the original newspaper format Aviation News, along with a number of other publications including the original Warpaint booklets.  The Anson was a favourite of his and I can still (just about) remember his conversion of the venerable (even then!) Airfix kit into a T. Mk. I to replicate an aircraft in which he flew in what, at the time, was Rhodesia.  For that he’d managed to obtain a pair of engines and cowlings from a FROG/Novo Airspeed Oxford which aren’s so readily available now.  I’d like to think that he’d approve of your effort to rekindle enthusiasm for this unsung sub-species of a significant aeroplane.

 

As for Eric Taylor, regrettably, I know nothing: hopefully someone else does and can give us an insight into his activities in this hobby of ours.

Edited December 2, 2018 by stever219

[Acklington]

Work has started to remove Airfix's incorrect 'fabric ribs', and the wing on the right has been done. Some muted wrinkles still remain, but real Ansons were never noted for a smooth finish.
Anson (5) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr

 

The fuselage interior is largely done, with two new partitions created and two trainee radar operator sets created. In the absence of any reference material, this could be a complete work of fiction! Further details still to be added, including a full set of four aircrew figures.
Anson (6) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr

 

Many thanks to 'stever219' for spotting that I carelessly mixed up the names of Eric Taylor and Alan W Hall. My apologies to all concerned, and I will correct my earlier posts.

[Mancunian airman]

Keep at it old boy, I think you have something there . . . . 

[Acklington]

While waiting for paint to dry, further work was done to improve the wings - shorten the ailerons; add the prominent landing lights on the port wing; and add nav lights on the wingtips.
Anson (8) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
The amount of milliput filler that is going to have to be mixed, goes up daily!

 

The fuselage interior has been further improved;
Anson (9) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
The orange cathode ray tubes looked too modern, so I have changed them to radioactive green. Two fire extinguishers have been added, given all the extra wiggly amps inside this fuselage. And a life raft has been installed, in case they have to ditch in the River Tyne.

 

And then the crew climbed into position;
Anson (12) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
Anson (13) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
To give a bit of life to the action a variety of figures have been used (two are Luftwaffe), not including any of Airfix's wooden dummies. So next the fuselage can finally be closed up.

[perdu]

lovely

[cngaero]

Great work so far. The interior looks fantastic. 

[Dan_RAFBC]

This is very interesting, great work.

[Hamden]

 

Nice progress looking forward to more of the same!

 

  Roger

[Acklington]

Many thanks for the comments, and now a question, how do you fill a gun turret hole?

Anson (15) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr

 

A.  Turn the turret upside down and push it in the hole.

This is also part of completely sealing the fuselage so that it can be filed and sanded, without (hopefully) any dust getting inside.

[galgos]

Marvellous work Philip, love the figures you've included.  I'm a great Anson fan (my father flew many during the war in S Rhodesia as an instructor then staff pilot) but I've never been able to find out what the "lumps" (port and starboard) are on the fuselage near the wing trailing edge.  Any thoughts?

Max

[Hamden]

 

 

With regard to the turret you could square off the opening, shape and fit a balsa wood plug then ether leave that in place or plunge mould/vac form a section to fill the gap.

Hope that makes sense.

Love what you have done with the interior looking forward to more of the same

 

     Roger 

[Acklington]

14 hours ago, galgos said:

Marvellous work Philip, love the figures you've included.  I'm a great Anson fan (my father flew many during the war in S Rhodesia as an instructor then staff pilot) but I've never been able to find out what the "lumps" (port and starboard) are on the fuselage near the wing trailing edge.  Any thoughts?

Max

The 'lumps' seem to be directly over the two bomb bay doors on the underside. So my guess is that they house the winding mechanism to hoist the bombs up. All the thousands of trainer versions did not carry ordinance, but it seems that it was easier to continue to build the 'warlike features' (including the nose gun trough and blister), rather than alter the production line?

[Martian]

I'm with Hampden's suggestion although I would swap the balsa with laminated plastic card to avoid having to lose the grain of the wood.

 

Martian 👽

[galgos]

1 hour ago, Acklington said:

The 'lumps' seem to be directly over the two bomb bay doors on the underside. So my guess is that they house the winding mechanism to hoist the bombs up. All the thousands of trainer versions did not carry ordinance, but it seems that it was easier to continue to build the 'warlike features' (including the nose gun trough and blister), rather than alter the production line?

That's a pretty sound piece of reasoning, I'll go with that!

Max

[Ivor Ramsden]

4 hours ago, Acklington said:

The 'lumps' seem to be directly over the two bomb bay doors on the underside. So my guess is that they house the winding mechanism to hoist the bombs up. All the thousands of trainer versions did not carry ordinance, but it seems that it was easier to continue to build the 'warlike features' (including the nose gun trough and blister), rather than alter the production line?

They are indeed above the rear ends of the bomb bay doors but they are to give clearance to the bomb tails when they are fitted into the bomb bays.

[galgos]

On 09/12/2018 at 13:34, Ivor Ramsden said:

They are indeed above the rear ends of the bomb bay doors but they are to give clearance to the bomb tails when they are fitted into the bomb bays.

Thanks Ivor, that agrees completely with an answer that I've had from a Canadian restorer currently working on an Anson.

Max

[Acklington]

First dollops of modelling filler applied to the turret opening, and also to raise the upper nose profile which is another significant inaccuracy of the airfix kit;

Anson (16) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr

When the filler has hardened it will be sanded to a better shape, and any errors corrected with more filler.