Corgi 1/72 Westland Lysander Mk II 1940

[adey m]

Corgi issued two styles of packaging for some of their diecast aviation models. Usually they came in a sturdy box, and would contain a display stand and alternative bomb bay and undercarriage options. They would also have a numbered Limited Run certificate as these models were only produced to a limited production run.

A selection of their aviation models were also issued in an economy clear plastic blister pack at a lower price, but these models tended to be of a lower standard of assembly and did not include optional position undercarriages as these would be glued in the down position, display stands or Limited Run certificates. My Lysander came in one of these economy blister packs.

 

It came in Western Desert camouflage scheme. I decided to take it apart and add detail to the cockpit and paint the interior. It became the most difficult dismantle job I had attempted on any diecasts, the challenge was removing the main wing assembly which was supported by the cockpit canopy and had the lower fuselage, struts and undercarriage permanently attached, it became a bit of a Chinese puzzle to take apart, and my worry was that I would struggle to get it back together again later.

 

 

So here we have the main components laid out. It has a very nicely detailed instrument panel wth the rear of the instruments included which you can see through the very clear canopy.  I have added some wing supporting structure to the cockpit. It looks like I may have replaced the pilot's head with an Airfix one, this was quite a few years ago now. The canopy is very thin so must take care with that when trying to force wing/undercarriage/lower fuselage structure into position during reassembly.

 

I did eventually get it back together, and then I repainted it in European Theatre camouflage colours and found some suitable decals in my spares.

 

 

And here she is. This economy model did not have the external ordnance-carrying stub wings so I added these from my spares, I think they came from the old Matchbox Lysander, and also added a suitable bomb load. Corgi usually add some working features to their models and on this one the variable-incidence tailplane is pivoted and moves. I lost the cockpit gunsight during my battle to reassemble it, and there was no way I was going back in there ................ so the pilot will just have to point the aircraft in the direction of the enemy and spray away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nicely detailed Bristol Perseus XII engine.

 

 

The propeller spins freely.

 

 

 

Exercises with the army on Salisbury Plain. Variable-incidence tailplane in engine start-up position.

 

 

Airfix AEC Matador truck in background

 

 

 

Somewhere in France in 1940, preparing to set off on an armed reconnaissance of the front line.

 

 

That has been my Corgi Lysander, hope you like it.

 

regards, adey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2020 by adey m

[Edger]

Wow superb

[DaveyGair]

I always like looking at your RFI's Adey, especially interested in the scenery, especially the airfield/airport type. Do they take up much space or are they just set up for photo's and tucked away again?

 

 

Davey.

Edited May 23, 2020 by DaveyGair

[adey m]

14 hours ago, DaveyGair said:

Do they take up much space or are they just set up for photo's and tucked away again?

Hi Davey, I have a number of baseboards and buildings which I set up for photos as required and then they get stored away.

 

 

This 1/72 scale 1960s airfield apron diorama is made up of three baseboards which just butt up to each other and can be easily stored away. My dioramas are always set up on this 600 mm deep run of worktop in my model room.

 

It is the camera angles, close-in focus and zooming in from a distance that makes the dioramas seem bigger and deeper than they really are, also by using smaller scale models in the background can also give you the illusion of greater depth than there actually is.

 

 

I have a number of 3mm deep baseboards about 450mm x 450mm for displaying various 1/72 and 1/144 scale aircraft on. They are brush painted using water-based immulsion and acrylic paints.

 

 

Here two runway scenes can be joined together for extra depth of view.

 

 

Here I have some smaller baseboards for !/144 scale aircraft dioramas.

 

 

Some larger baseboards which I keep stored away in the loft.

 

 

My 1/144 scale Corgi Vulcan at a model show. My base sizes were determined by the depth of our club display table.

 

 

1/72 blast pen diorama.

 

 

By using a sky coloured background and extending the foreground with another baseboard we get this effect of depth, in only 600 mm.

 

Hope this explains how I achieve my dioramas my friend.

 

regards, adey

 

 

Edited May 24, 2020 by adey m

[DaveyGair]

28 minutes ago, adey m said:

 

Hope this explains how I achieve my dioramas my friend.

 

regards, adey

 

Very much so!  Given me food for thought. I've never thought about displaying any of my models in a diorama set up, but I've recently bought the Airfix Bomber supply set, for some reason, so need to have a go at this. I plan to do an Alleycat 'Tallboy' conversion of an Airfix Lanc', have a resin lifting trolley coming from Canada, so need to do something like this to display the aircraft about to be bombed up.

 

Cheers Adey.

 

Davey.

[adey m]

54 minutes ago, DaveyGair said:

so need to do something like this to display the aircraft about to be bombed up.

Hi Davey, here is a selection of 1/72 bomber dioramas by other modellers that I have photographed at shows

 

 

 

 

This Lancaster Mk II conversion is displayed on a commercially-produced printed sheet, but it does not relate to any actual RAF bomber dispersals. Lancasters were parked on either frying-pan or spectacle-type concrete dispersals which were surfaced with tarmac. 

 

regards, adey

 

 

Edited May 23, 2020 by adey m

[Booty003]

Lovely work again Adey - the magician giving away his secrets there with the dioramas...!!!  In all honesty, seeing stuff like this and the relative ease of setting up good photos really does inspire others to follow suit.  With a little bit of creativity and a good eye we can all show off our models in the best way possible.  I keep meaning to put together a Vietnam revetment diorama (my main building and collecting theme) - I have a couple of pieces of really nice board from my sons old wardrobe that I have tucked away in the garage for future use!!!

 

All the best,

 

Phil

 

 

[Wince]

One tasty Lizzie! I need to get me a Lysander 

[adey m]

9 hours ago, Booty003 said:

I keep meaning to put together a Vietnam revetment diorama

Hi Phil, these 1/72 Vietnam dioramas were on the USAF Special Interest Group table at Scale Model World a few years ago.

 

 

 

Your Vietnam diorama idea sounds good, go for it mate

 

best wishes, adey

[Booty003]

Cheers Adey, I did buy a paper kit PDF revetment that you can print at home onto stiff paper - these work well enough for distance photos.  I also found plans to make up scale revetments using plastic card stock and Evergreen, these would be perfect for any up close shots.  It's all on my list....!!!