E for Easy (or will it be) Airfix Lancaster B3 Dambusters.

[Jeff G]

Drilling out the end of the barrels adds a lot, looks fantastic. With the PE as well you better be careful or it will become the focal point of the whole model! 😆

[Spookytooth]

On 07/12/2020 at 13:24, giemme said:

Lovely job with that turret, Simon! 

 

All those PE bits are adding a lot to the overall aspect

 

Ciao 

Thanks G. Trying to make something out of them is fun.

 

Thanks @dogsbody, @AliGauld, @CedB, @Tomoshenko, @Bell209 and @Jeff G.

 

Well folks , after listening to @Tomoshenko and @elger, I had ago at joining the fuselage together with the main internals fitted but there was a gap that you could drive a bus through.

 

So, out with the files/scraper and I started to remove paint from all the contact surfaces.

 

 

 

The rear bomb bay bulkhead needed a lot of filing to make it fit properly.

 

 

So did the front one but not as much.

 

 

Still there was a gap, until I found the main culprit, the wing spars, they were sitting slightly proud of the bomb bay floor.

 

 

With those bits sanded/filed back, success. (I had even removed the P.E. floor from the cockpit area too, but I can glue that back into place later.

 

But I did manage to add a few bits of P.E. to the rear turret though, fiddly but fun (I think).

 

 

Coffee break now and then see what I can do, the weather is too poor to spray, so what is new LOL.

 

All comments welcome.

 

Simon.

[giemme]

More tiny little (fiddly) PE bits to amuse yourself and your audience   

Glad you were able to sort the fit issues, looking forward to the fuselage coming together

 

Ciao

[CedB]

Me too!  

[The Spadgent]

Looking good. Glad you managed to get the fit right. I hate it when the dry fit is fine then when the crunch comes. Gaps!!! What the.😮🥸

You seem to be knocking this one out of the park Simon. Bravo. 👌

 

Johnny

[chrisrope]

On mine 2nd attempt at this kit, I used 1mm masking tape where the 4 bulkheads meet and along the length of the bomb bay sides before painting started. I then glued in sections to work out a bit of warping and misalignment between the two halves of the fuselage. It went together a lot easier than my first go with this kit though I still have some tidying and rescribing to do. 

Bravo on the extras on your kit, I find the kit over complicated OOB  

[Spookytooth]

On 14/12/2020 at 16:53, giemme said:

More tiny little (fiddly) PE bits to amuse yourself and your audience   

Glad you were able to sort the fit issues, looking forward to the fuselage coming together

 

Ciao

 

On 14/12/2020 at 18:36, CedB said:

Me too!  

 

On 14/12/2020 at 22:07, The Spadgent said:

Looking good. Glad you managed to get the fit right. I hate it when the dry fit is fine then when the crunch comes. Gaps!!! What the.😮🥸

You seem to be knocking this one out of the park Simon. Bravo. 👌

 

Johnny

Thanks lads, it was worth doing before anything fiddly is attached.

 

Thanks @chrisrope, it is not that over complicated but can be a bit fiddly, but we will see.

As for the masking tape idea, I think I will use that on my next build whatever it is LOL.

 

Thanks @bigbadbadge, @AliGauld, @elger, @Dr. Quack, @AdrianMF, @Tomoshenko, @dogsbody and @bbudde.

 

Well sorry its been two week since I last posted but life Covid , Xmas etc got in the way.

But I got some bits done today.

 

Carved off the detail on the flight deck and added the P.E. floor also refixed the main floor while at it.

 

 

Next up to radio boxes and another box bent out of P.E.

 

 

Still a piece to bend and stick to the "Silver" one.

 

And on the observation of @elger I trimmed the elevators far ends to allow for full rudder movement.

 

 

 

It looks like sooner rather than later I am going to have to get the primer out.

 

Anyhow, you lot have a great Xmas.

 

All comments welcome.

 

Simon.

[Spookytooth]

Thanks @AliGauld, @Tomoshenko, @dogsbody, @Dr. Quack, @giemme, @CedB, @The Spadgent and @elger.

 

OK folks, a little bit more done so far today.

Some brass bending etc.

 

The flight-deck has more brass to be added.

 

 

 

 

The support brackets for the control column were a sod and pockets interesting to say the least.

 

All comments welcome.

 

Simon.

[Tomoshenko]

Those look superb mate. I was mad enough to print off reduced sized copies of the actual maps and slotted them in place. Of course know one will ever see them, or care, but I know they are there...

[Spookytooth]

14 minutes ago, Tomoshenko said:

Those look superb mate. I was mad enough to print off reduced sized copies of the actual maps and slotted them in place. Of course know one will ever see them, or care, but I know they are there...

Thanks Tomo, as for maps etc, they were not allowed to stored on un-manned aircraft during war time at least.

 

Simon.

[giemme]

More lively brass details there, Simon  Very neatly deployed!

 

Ciao 

[CedB]

Nice work Simon. Those map pockets are a pig... good job!  

[bbudde]

Hello Simon. Nice work and a hopefully relaxed and nice Sylvester to you  and your Lady Rose. Have a good new year. Better than the last one schould be easy Anyway a "Guten Rutsch" from me here of course for the next year.

Cheers Benedikt

Edited December 31, 2020 by bbudde

[Spookytooth]

26 minutes ago, bbudde said:

Anyway a "Guten Rutsch" from me here of course for the next year.

And to you Benedikt, keep yourself safe sir.

 

Prost dear chap.

 

Simon.

[Jeff G]

Wow, one has to wonder if this is more brass than plastic by the end of it. The detail is just mind boggling!

[Spookytooth]

On 29/12/2020 at 20:30, giemme said:

More lively brass details there, Simon  Very neatly deployed!

 

Ciao 

 

On 29/12/2020 at 20:33, CedB said:

Nice work Simon. Those map pockets are a pig... good job!  

 

They were and were not, it was just a case of working out the fold procedure.

 

Thanks @bbudde, @dogsbody, @Tomoshenko, @AliGauld, @ruudster, @occa, @Dr. Quack, @elger, @The Spadgent and @Jeff G.

 

Well a very Happy New Year to you all, let`s hope it is a damn sight better than the last one.

 

Not a lot done until this morning.

 

So, first up, I drew around the upper wings and tail planes to start creating the templates for the camouflage for later in the build.

 

 

Next up, drilled some tiny indents into the IFF and landing lights for reference after painting (the bulbs).

 

 

Then gave the IFF lights some colour.

 

 

I will let them dry before painting the reverse sides silver, as well as the landing lights.

 

Time for coffee then see what else I can do.

 

Stay safe.

 

All comments welcome.

 

Simon.

 

 

[Spookytooth]

Thanks @giemme and @AliGauld.

 

Priming is what I did next.

To see the mistakes LOL.

 

Turrets.

 

 

Flight deck.

 

 

Oil coolers ?

 

 

Mine and main U/C wheels.

 

 

Tail wheel and black box.

 

 

And wings.

 

 

I may spray some colour around after brunch.

 

All comments welcome.

 

Simon.

[Spookytooth]

Thanks @Dr. Quack and @AliGauld.

 

XF 1 was my next choice of colour.

 

Turrets.

 

 

Oil coolers.

 

 

And U/C bays on the wings.

 

 

Plus my size 10 LOL.

 

All comments welcome.

 

Simon.

 

 

[giemme]

Lovely paint job, Simon

 

Ciao 

[Spookytooth]

Thanks @giemme and @AliGauld.

 

OK, last of the spraying done for today, it`s getting dark and to cold to have the window open, so.

 

Outer engine nacelle`s primed and painted.

 

 

I.P. re-painted, I had t trim some excess off around the central console to fit the P.E. bits.

 

 

Rear turret fairing given a blast of black while at it.

 

 

I had the interior green out as well and gave the flight deck a squirt.

 

 

As well as the insides of the upper wings.

 

 

I am going to let things dry for now and see what can be done later.

 

All comments welcome.

 

Simon.

 

[bigbadbadge]

Coming together well 

 

[Tomoshenko]

Looking good. The internal framing for the wings is quite a tight fit (but fits well), so try a few dry runs first before letting rip with the poly cement. You might have to sand off some of the paint.

[Spookytooth]

Just now, Tomoshenko said:

Looking good. The internal framing for the wings is quite a tight fit (but fits well), so try a few dry runs first before letting rip with the poly cement. You might have to sand off some of the paint.

Cheers for the heads up on that Tomo, a friend of mine told me about it before I started her.

Hope to get some more done over the next few days.

 

Simon.

[CedB]

Nice work Simon, coming together well  

[Pete in Lincs]

Simon, the interior is looking rather smart. It looks like a case of dry fit everything before adding glue.

Which is probably better than in the old days when parts fitted where they touched!

I read the Dambusters book (again) a couple of months ago, and I thought it said that to save weight, the Pilots seatback armour plate was removed?

You may want to check before committing to paint there? I'll have another leaf through the book and get back to you.

The film was on over Christmas and they mentioned stirrups being fitted to the front turret. These kept the gunners feet away from the bombaimer. 

Probably too small a detail in 1/72nd though!

If you get a chance, (when things are back to normal) try to visit the Dambusters pub in Scampton village. The food (and beer) is very good.

And they have a large number of exhibits in honour of the crews and their mission. Including a prop and mainwheel tyre in the bar!