1:48 Westland Lysander MkIIIA

[Dunny]

Hi All,

 

My next project is Eduard's 1:48 Westland Lysander. I have read much about this kit, not all good! I picked up the 'Limited Edition - RAF & Finnish Service' edition. Here's the box art:

 

 

On opening the box you are presented with 4 sprues in Eduard's hard, light grey plastic and one transparent sprue:

 

 

 

 

There are also three comprehensive (and very fiddly looking) PE frets:

 

 

There are five marking options, four RAF and two Finnish (including skis, mark you 🙀). Here's the very comprehensive transfer sheet:

 

 

I'm going to model as this aircraft - V9289, a Lysander MkIIIA flown by 357 Sqn RAF, formed in Didri, India in February 1944. The aircraft specialised in agent infiltration into Burma, Indonesia and Malaysia and also provided support to local resistance groups.

 

 

Here is a photo of the actual aircraft:

 

 

As you can see there is a heavy degree of weathering and fading. I'm going to try my hand at the hairspray technique for the first time, so we'll see how that goes! Anyway, on to a good study of the instructions - this one could be tricky!

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Roger

[dnl42]

Nice! 

 

Unless they changed their instructions, Eduard failed to treat the SD rear cockpit differently than the standard version.

[Dunny]

11 minutes ago, dnl42 said:

Nice! 

 

Unless they changed their instructions, Eduard failed to treat the SD rear cockpit differently than the standard version.

That's good to know - thank you! Will look into that further...

[mahavelona]

Great choice. These SEAC aircraft played a really important role in communications for the troops fighting in Burma who were generally isolated.

[bigbadbadge]

Oooooo very nice, got the older release of the kit.  Great choice . Will watch with much interest. 

Chris

[Dunny]

2 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

Oooooo very nice, got the older release of the kit.  Great choice . Will watch with much interest. 

Chris

Hi Chris, welcome aboard! I'm doing some research into converting the rear cockpit which was different for the SD versions. Watch this space!

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[Dunny]

1 hour ago, dnl42 said:

Nice! 

 

Unless they changed their instructions, Eduard failed to treat the SD rear cockpit differently than the standard version.

Hi @dnl42 - have now seen your excellent Lysander build thread. It is very informative and I hope you don't mind if I use it to improve my own build. Did you finish it? 

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[bigbadbadge]

5 hours ago, Dunny said:

Hi Chris, welcome aboard! I'm doing some research into converting the rear cockpit which was different for the SD versions. Watch this space!

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

I am sure it's going to be a cracker fella 

Chris

[Jeff G]

Really looking forward to seeing how this turns out. I've had my eye on it for a while, especially after building the Hawk kit and being disappointed. So far it looks like it will be a great build and is in capable hands!

[Dunny]

28 minutes ago, Jeff G said:

Really looking forward to seeing how this turns out. I've had my eye on it for a while, especially after building the Hawk kit and being disappointed. So far it looks like it will be a great build and is in capable hands!

Thanks Jeff - hope I don't disappoint!

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[phildagreek]

This looks interesting!

[Dunny]

13 minutes ago, phildagreek said:

This looks interesting!

Welcome aboard Mr dagreek!

[Dunny]

Hi All,

 

I made a good start today. First order of business was the pilot's seat. This consists of a moulded back and PE base. Here's the back:

 

 

Nothing wrong with that (apart from the blurry photo - apologies). Here's the base as presented (part number 34). 

 

 

From looking at pics I knew that the actual seat had a very distinct tubular structure, and I thought this was a bit of a poor show from Eduard - this could have been easily moulded. I was also far from confident in my ability to fold said component. 

 

Here's a photo of the seat:

 

 

I elected to fabricate a base from brass tube. Here's a photo of the components before assembly:

 

 

You can see the seat back at top, the frame directly below it, the laterals direct below that, and the longitudinal elements to the left of the frame. Here's the frame CA'd in position:

 

 

Here's a photo of the completed assembly:

 

 

Although it's all a bit wonky donkey I think it looks a lot more representative than the PE component (that'll do pig)

 

Next I moved on to the support frame for the seat. Here it is as presented:

 

 

Those dimples should be holes. Out with the twist drills:

 

 

That's better (if bl**dy fragile!) That's all for now,

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Roger

[mahavelona]

Wow. Very fine work on the seat - it looks fantastic. Not sure I will manage that myself so when I come to mine I might just imagine a cushion and give it a blob of putty!

[bigbadbadge]

Fantastic job on the seat Roger, looks great.

Chris

[Dunny]

12 minutes ago, mahavelona said:

Wow. Very fine work on the seat - it looks fantastic. Not sure I will manage that myself so when I come to mine I might just imagine a cushion and give it a blob of putty!

 

3 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

Fantastic job on the seat Roger, looks great.

Chris

Thanks for the kind words gents - I do need to have a lie down in a dark room after that!

[Dunny]

Hi All,

 

Another brief update. The rear of the instrument panel looks to be quite visible when in position, so I've drilled out the back of each instrument to later be fitted with lead wire. Here's before:

 

 

And after:

 

 

Did the 0.5mm drill bit make it through the day? 😒 No it did not...

 

Next the seat mount. Here it is with the PE rudder pedals fitted:

 

 

And here with the PE seat mount bracket and trim wheel fitted (as specified I used a 0.5mm length of plastic rod to mount the wheel):

 

 

That's all for today - thanks for looking,

 

Roger

[bigbadbadge]

Looking good fella, I broke all my .35 drills the other day drilling the holes for rigging the moth. Very frustrating. 

Chris

[Dunny]

9 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

Looking good fella, I broke all my .35 drills the other day drilling the holes for rigging the moth. Very frustrating. 

Chris

Jeez, isn't it just! I think there needs to be an MVDD (Minimum Viable Drill Diameter)! 🤣

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[Dunny]

One more update for the day! I noticed that there are moulded parts for the seat included, although they are not called out in the instructions (breathe easy, @mahavelona! )

 

 

The SD version of the Lysander had a sliding radio deck, rather than the fixed component as provided. Here's the kit part:

 

 

Rather than remove the existing detail (which you can see that I'd started to do), I decided it would be easier to fabricate a new component. Here's the new with the old:

 

 

Similarly, the rear seat upper deck has assorted equipment and gun mount which were removed on the SD version. Here is the replacement cut from plastic card:

 

 

The floor of the SD version extended to the full width of the cockpit, and was supposedly constructed from plywood. I'm debating whether this would have had an anti-slip coating applied, or whether it would have been a lacquered finish (watch this space). Here's the new floor alongside the original:

 

 

Here's the lot under a coat of primer:

 

 

And finally the relevant components sprayed with interior green:

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Roger

 

 

[AdrianMF]

Nice work on the seat and cockpit bits. That plastic seat bit looks like they could have tried a bit harder but I guess it's only a fallback item. I can't even work out how you would fold up part 34!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Dunny]

2 minutes ago, AdrianMF said:

Nice work on the seat and cockpit bits. That plastic seat bit looks like they could have tried a bit harder but I guess it's only a fallback item. I can't even work out how you would fold up part 34!

 

Regards,

Adrian

Thanks for the kind words Adrian. Yes, it is a case of two extremes between the moulded parts and the PE, and my ham-fistedness would have proved disastrous for #34! You could probably get a reasonable result by tizzying up the mouldings, but the work is now done!

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[Dunny]

Hi All,

 

A quick update. Here's the cockpit components following detail painting:

 

 

Next I started on the PE bits & pieces. Here's the radio mounted onto the sliding deck for the rear cockpit:

 

 

Here's the starboard side with instruments added:

 

 

And the main fuel tank in position:

 

 

Finally I added in the mounting frame for the auxiliary fuel tank along with the pilot's head armour, and the tank itself.

 

 

I think I 'll let that all settle down overnight before proceeding further,

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Roger

[bigbadbadge]

Looking very nice indeed as it comes together.  I love the seat that looks fantastic all painted .  

Great work fella.

Chris

[Dunny]

13 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

Looking very nice indeed as it comes together.  I love the seat that looks fantastic all painted .  

Great work fella.

Chris

Cheers Chris - it's damnably fiddly!