Wellington 1c - window configuration

[BobCNutt]

Hi all

 

I'm building a Wellington 1c (N2848) assigned to an OTU (18). No reference photo exists AFAIK so I'm trying to make a best guess. 

 

AFAIK one (the clearest?) defining feature of the 1c was the waist guns which would require the "inverted triangle" windows toward the rear of the fuselage. 

 

However, the images and schemes I've seen for OTU 1a and 1c aircraft tend not to have these, but instead have the long windows above the wings. I don't think I've seen any with both long and triangle windows.

 

Can anyone suggest what the most likely configuration is for a 1c assigned to an OTU?

 

N2848 seems always to have been destined to be a training aircraft, assigned to OTUs from manufacture. 

 

Thanks

[fishplanebeer]

Not sure how much this will help but the 4+ book on the Wellington confirms that the inverted triangle waist gun positions were introduced in late Mk 1c's, presumably to replace the long windows, but interestingly it also has a pic of a Mk II with both the triangle positions and the standard long windows. That said I've not been able to find any pics of a Mk 1c with both so I suspect that it was a case of either or, regardless of whether the aircraft was with an OTU or a squadron.

 

As N2848 appears to be a relatively early 1c (3rd production order, 2nd production batch) built at Chester in August 1940 my best guess would be just long windows.

 

Regards

Colin.

 

Ps. one of the main external distinguishing features of a 1c compared with the 1a is the lack/removal of the close fitting fairing around the nose gun turret, something Airfix overlooked when they issued their new 72nd scale Wellington kit as supposedly both a 1a and 1c.

[BobCNutt]

Thanks very much Colin. That's so helpful.

 

I think that supports a reasonable best guess at what N2848 would've looked like.

 

The latest Airfix Wellington 1c does show the turret fairing cut-away in the instructions I have. Maybe they've recently revised them.

[fishplanebeer]

I did have the new Airfix Wellington when it first came out but clearly missed the bit in the instructions about paring back the nose to achieve the 1c configuration so humble apologies to Airfix for my oversight as I don't think they have changed the instructions since it was released.

 

Regards

Colin.

[dogsbody]

I have both releases of the new Airfix kit and both show the removal of that fairing around the nose turret. I wonder if Airfix has plans on releasing another kit with the fairings in place?

 

 

 

Chris

[Ed Russell]

22 hours ago, fishplanebeer said:

something Airfix overlooked when they issued their new 72nd scale Wellington kit as supposedly both a 1a and 1c.

No, the instructions say to cut it back.

 

[fishplanebeer]

For the Airfix kit to be a 1a the fairing has to be left in place as molded, if you want a 1c you simply need to carry out the surgery indicated in the instructions, however Airfix do not highlight this in the instructions even though the two decal options are for a 1a and 1c. For the avoidance of doubt they needed to highlight an option A and an option B with reference to the two decal options in the same way that many other kit manufacturers do.

 

Regards

Colin.

[BobCNutt]

6 hours ago, fishplanebeer said:

For the Airfix kit to be a 1a the fairing has to be left in place as molded, if you want a 1c you simply need to carry out the surgery indicated in the instructions, however Airfix do not highlight this in the instructions even though the two decal options are for a 1a and 1c. For the avoidance of doubt they needed to highlight an option A and an option B with reference to the two decal options in the same way that many other kit manufacturers do.

 

Regards

Colin.

I agree. They don't indicate which options correspond to which variant. It'd be good to have that info. 

[Ed Russell]

35 minutes ago, BobCNutt said:

It'd be good to have that info. 

That's what Britmodeller is for...............

[BobCNutt]

1 hour ago, Ed Russell said:

That's what Britmodeller is for...............

Ha, ha. Yes. The thought had occurred. It'd just make us lazy if things were too easy. 

[fishplanebeer]

The problem is that I suspect the majority of people who bought the kit were/are not members (otherwise it's sales volume would have been pretty low) and would not necessarily be aware of this difference between the 1a and 1c variants. So Airfix really do need to include something in the instructions highlighting the fact that 'as is' is OK for their decal option B (Mk 1a) but option A (Mk 1c) requires the plastic to be removed.

 

Even better would have been to have had the fuselage as a 1c with an extra piece representing the fairing/coving to be added to make the 1a. This would then remove the need to take a sharp blade to make the alteration and save a few bleeding thumbs in the process!

 

Just a thought.

 

Regards

Colin.

[europapete]

Nah, BandAids are cheaper than new molds.