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Lancaster II LL735 - Metrovick F.2 testbed


zebra

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I'm planning two builds for the STGB (might be a bit ambitious with In The Navy at the same time but I'll give it a go). First will be Lancaster II LL735 - the Metrovick F.2 testbed, which was modified with an intake on top of the rear fuselage and the turbojet mounted where the rear turret should be. There's a good colour photo of it here.

 

The base kit will be the Airfix B.II. Conversion parts will be 3D printed - my xmas present last year was a 3D printer and I've been experimenting with making a few parts. I think I'll be able to do a better job printing the conversion parts than I would have done scratch building them! I'll post photos of the kit and first goes at printing later in the week.

 

Itching to get started - just the small matter of a very busy week at work to get out of the way first!

 

cheers

Julian

 

 

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Time to get cracking. I started this kit a few years ago - didn't get very far, just a few internal bits done and slapped some paint on the interior, so way below 25% done:

 

Lancaster WIP

 

So it didn't take long to get the fuselage together. I've filled the hole for the mid-upper turret (LL735 didn't have any turrets, at least not when it was a testbed) with plasticard and filled the windows that need to be blanked off. As this will be in a natural metal finish I'll be paying a lot of attention to the surface where I've filled it as it's really going to need to be smooth. I've then added the first two 3D printed parts - the fairings for the nose (to replace the turret) and the tail (where the jet pipe will go) - in a nice bright orange (the colour of the roll of PLA that came with the printer). The fit isn't perfect but not too bad - pretty happy with my first CAD work in over 20 years! As expected with 3D printed parts the surface isn't entirely smooth, so since taking this photo I've added a layer of Mr Surfacer and will smooth it out.

 

Lancaster WIP

 

thanks for looking

Julian

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Thanks Chris - I have most of those but not the last photo - that one will be very useful, it’s the only good side view I’ve seen so it clarifies the position of the intake.

 

The colour photo shows the deck under the canopy behind the pilot’s seat is painted - I guess in its original colour. Looks like dark green rather than cockpit green to me, anyone have a better idea?

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1 minute ago, zebra said:

Thanks Chris - I have most of those but not the last photo - that one will be very useful, it’s the only good side view I’ve seen so it clarifies the position of the intake.

 

The colour photo shows the deck under the canopy behind the pilot’s seat is painted - I guess in its original colour. Looks like dark green rather than cockpit green to me, anyone have a better idea?

 

Yes, Dark Green. That area under the canopy was painted the camo colour before the canopy was installed.

 

 

 

Chris

 

 

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Now this does look to be very interesting indeed. We’ve got a unique subject, Silver finish, radial engines and home brew 3D CAD designed parts... an excellent combination of OOB build and thinking. Well done Julian, this’ll be a great WIP to follow. 
 

Cheers and best of luck.. Dave 

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Got busy with the sanding sticks today. Here's how the nose and tail pieces have turned out:

 

Lancaster LL735 WIP

 

Lancaster LL735 WIP

 

Pretty happy with my first go at 3D printing parts! Since I took these photos I've given it a coat of Mr Surfacer and will now focus on getting a good surface finish. I had been thinking about re-scribing lost detail but these panel lines are too deep and will look way too prominent under a natural metal finish, so I'm going to fill most of them in.

 

cheers

Julian

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I've just found this photo of Lancasters during production. See how the Dark Green was painted onto the upper fuselage before the canopy was added and the camo was finished.

 

49618137018_94950f76d4_b.jpg

 

 

 

Chris

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On 3/2/2020 at 7:34 AM, zebra said:

 I have most of those but not the last photo - that one will be very useful, it’s the only good side view I’ve seen so it clarifies the position of the intake.

 

 

Can’t recall for sure and my book is 900 odd kms away but the Drawings by Gerald Scarborough in PSL book in the Lancaster may cover the Metrovick?  

 

I think Dave @Rabbit Leader has the book so maybe he can verify if the Drawings show it?  

 

P.S.  Actually my “primary” copy of the book is probably only 15 kms away but it might as well be as far away as the “secondary” copy as I’m stuck where I am flat out fixing up the Mother-in-Laws House. 

 

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On 3/5/2020 at 5:32 AM, dogsbody said:

I've just found this photo of Lancasters during production. See how the Dark Green was painted onto the upper fuselage before the canopy was added and the camo was finished.

 

49618137018_94950f76d4_b.jpg

 

 

 

Chris

Cool photo - any more info on it? Where was it taken?

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On 3/5/2020 at 9:00 AM, Shorty84 said:

Oh, a Lanc with an hot end. Very nice.

Your 3D printed parts look quite nice. May I ask which printer you are using? An FDM one?

 

Cheers

Markus

It’s a Qidi x-smart FDM printer. I guess you’d describe it as entry-level - don’t think I’m going to be printing a lot of super detailed parts - but a pretty impressive machine for the price

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1 hour ago, zebra said:

Cool photo - any more info on it? Where was it taken?

 

All it said was: Avro Lancaster production in the north west

 

 

 

Chris

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23 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Is this what we’re talking about? The PSL book describes it as the Adder tail.

Cheers.. Dave

 

49620313142_f1e5dc5cc8_b.jpg

 

Thanks Dave. It’s more or less the same general arrangement - I think I’ve seen a photo, the intake and jet pipe are both a bit smaller than the one I’m modelling though.

 

Many thanks for all the references everyone. I think I have enough photos to work from, but if anyone finds any more please do share them. 

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15 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

 

All it said was: Avro Lancaster production in the north west

 

 

 

Chris

I suppose it’s probably Chadderton or Trafford Park. They really were churning them out! When I started my (brief) time at Woodford we were given a bit of history including a statistic on Lanc production there - can’t remember but i think it was 40something a week at its peak. At that stage I don’t think they were building 40 ATPs in 2 years!

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I've never seen this before, will be a neat subject. In the pictures of the ones in production, how come they can't be dismantled like this for hauling on a truck for restoration or moving on the road?

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Somewhere, I have seen a group of photos of the various major subassemblies of a Lanc, all loaded on truck trailers. Now if I could just find it.

 

 

Chris

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3 hours ago, dogsbody said:

Somewhere, I have seen a group of photos of the various major subassemblies of a Lanc, all loaded on truck trailers. Now if I could just find it.

 

 

Chris

 

I think it’s in the PSL / Airfix book but then again like Murray Walker (and the earlier Drawing “reference”) I could be completely mistaken ... 

 

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