Lancaster 8000 lb bulged Bomb Bay doors query?

[Rabbit Leader]

Trying to tap into the Lancaster BM Brains Trust if I may. 

Just looking at the 8000 Ib bulged bomb bay doors that are supplied with the new-ish Airfix Mk.II kit, I noticed that the back end of these doors have a thick solid backplate. For some reason, I would have thought this area would have been hollow and open, similar to how Matchbox designed their bulged Tallboy doors on their kit. Can anyone confirm or deny that this backplate exists? Are there any back end photos that show this area in any detail? 

 

Cheers and kind regards.. Dave 

[Work In Progress]

Why would they not have a bulkhead across the back of the bomb door in the same way as the standard bomb door? It would pretty much destroy the torsional strength of the door for no gain I can think of. 

Anyway, you can see it here

Edited March 4, 2020 by Work In Progress

[Rabbit Leader]

Thanks for the photograph. Now that you mention it, having a back plate does make sense. That now poses another question, was there a backplate on the Tallyboy bomb doors as well? 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

[gingerbob]

Wasn't the Mk.II door designed to fair into a turret at the aft end?

[Work In Progress]

Yes, but while that affected the contours it didn't have an implication for the construction one way or the other

Edited March 4, 2020 by Work In Progress

[franky boy]

Great picture. I pity the poor guy who was in that turret. 
 

James 

[Finn]

Here is one:

 

 

and a Lanc being built:

 

 

Jari