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Lancaster B mk Vll Mid Upper Turret


whisky42

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Hello, I plan to build airfix Lancaster as a B mk Vll namely NX611 'Just Jane' but I cannot find anywhere including posts on other forums here that give the exact location of the C250 Martin mid upper turret. It looks like the turret has been moved forward to where the aft escape hatch was? 

Also was going to rob a Martin turret of a B24 Liberator, think that would be an accurate replacement.

Edited by whisky42
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I'm not familiar with the B.XII so do you mean the B.VII which is the correct version for 'Just Jane'?

 

The Martin turret was indeed moved further forward than the standard FN turret but I don't have any plans to confirm its precise location, although there are plenty of pics of NX611 which would give a pretty good idea.

 

The SAM publication on the Lancaster states that the turret was "38 feet, 5.5 inches from the nose to the centre of the turret" if this helps and it also meant that the rear most fuselage escape hatch had to be deleted

 

Regards

Colin.

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  • whisky42 changed the title to Lancaster B mk Vll Mid Upper Turret

Some interesting info on Lancaster escape hatches and safety equipment here (apologies if this is common knowledge): link

 

Every time I see photos of PA474 in flight, both hatches appear to be open/missing, anybody know why?

 

John.

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Possibly a health and safety precaution as the Lancaster was never the easiest of aircraft to exit in flight or on the ground given the location of the escape hatches. I think I read somewhere that on average only 2 of the 7 crew managed to safely exit the aircraft when a Lancaster was shot down which is a little sobering if you happen to be a member of the PA474 crew.

 

Regards

Colin.

Edited by fishplanebeer
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48 minutes ago, Johnha said:

 

Every time I see photos of PA474 in flight, both hatches appear to be open/missing, anybody know why?

 

John.

 

I think it’s something to do with venting a fumes build up in the fuselage, but someone with a lot more knowledge will be along to correct me...

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Thinking about it I don't recall seeing pics of 'Vera' (VR+A) with any dorsal escape hatches open, which is a bit of an enigma both in terms of my H&S theory and possible venting, although as she differs from PA474 this may be the reason, plus regs in Canada may also be different.

 

Regards

Colin.

 

Ps. having been inside both PA474 and NX611 both hardly have room to swing a mouse let alone a cat and moving the turret further forward did little to ease or enable egress from a stricken aircraft.

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Scan of an article in an old Airfix Mag (I think) - for a B.X but virtually the same as a VII.  Hope its useful. 

Code 9X at header was 20MU Aston Down - where I come from.

 

 

 

 

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HTH

Dennis

Edited by sloegin57
Re-scanned and reference information added
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9 hours ago, Johnha said:

Some interesting info on Lancaster escape hatches and safety equipment here (apologies if this is common knowledge): link

 

Every time I see photos of PA474 in flight, both hatches appear to be open/missing, anybody know why?

 

John.

I believe I read an article on the BOB flight that said it was to help keep the temperature down,  as they fly at low level and it gets uncomfortably hot in the cockpit and fuselage.

 

Bob 

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Just now, Nigel Bunker said:

Scale Aircraft Modelling, April 1995 (Vol 17 Issue 2).

 

Hope this helps.

Thanks Nigel, I was still going through my Airfix mags to answer the original question.  I'll have to rescan it and re-post

 

Dennis

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