Tim's Merlin Wellington - COMPLETED

[theplasticsurgeon]

A GB that I hadn't really expected to join, and didn't participate in the chat surrounding it in any way.

That was until I saw the same subject appear in the thread list, earlier this week.

 

Presenting the biggest British WW2 bomber in my stash.

Joining with this kit,  bought on Amazon in 2017   for £12.31. Is that the biggest bargain?

Parts. Originally MPM in 2002, then Merlin parts in 2008.  This Revell kit released in 2014.

Decals, look very precise.

Offering either this RAF option of Aug 1941.

Or this RCAF, same month.

 

 

[theplasticsurgeon]

Just time to show my previous Wellingtons - all 1/72.

First the original Airfix, with Hercules engines.

Then a Revell (ex Matchbox), again Hercules engines.

Repainted with XtraDecal Desert markings.

Then the new Airfix, with Pegasus engines

and my reference manual

[PeterB]

Never seen one of the latest Airfix ones completed Tim - looks good. The Revell one is as you say the same as the MPM one I intend to build - looks like it could come out OK but neither as much interior detail as the Airfix one nor as well engineered/easy to build I suspect - we will see.

 

Pete

[theplasticsurgeon]

So, I perused my book for the differences of a Merlin Wellington.

The Merlin was more powerful, but heavier than the Pegasus, so the main wheels were pushed a few inches further forward, by extending the back-stays.  Probably not noticeable in 1/72.

Up/down instability in the air was cured by extending the leading edge of the horizontal stabiliser 1 foot forwards.  Alternate parts for that are in this kit.

This kit also contains engine parts for Hercules and Pegasus engines - and their props, and well as those for the Merlin.

 

[PeterB]

Hi Tim,

 

Do any of your books etc say anything about the fuselage windows being blanked off on the Mk I and II? I know it was done. probably at unit level initially with paint and/or canvas as it is mentioned in one of my books and I have seen a few pics like this -

The caption says front windows were blanked off and this plane is one of the options in the MPM kit, so I might end up building it, but I would prefer one of the ones from 305 (Polish) Squadron if I could confirm they too masked some of the windows. Some also had the "rectangular" window in the starboard nose blanked off as well. As you will have noticed by now, side view drawings are no use as the engines mask the view of most of the windows so the only way you can tell is a photo, and ones of Mk II are none too common, perhaps because only 200 were built. Ones showing the windows like the above are rare - in fact this is the only one of a Mk II I have found so far. I believe that Vickers began to reduce the number of windows on the production line at some point, before finally phasing them out on the Mk III. I guess that with the switch to night bombing the windows served little useful purpose and increased the problems with light escaping from the nav's position, and glare from searchlights.

 

The windows in the MPM kit distort the view but are clear enough to show internal detail to some extent - don't know about the Revell plastic. If you are not going to blank out the front windows like me it might be worth considering scratching the nav's position.

 

Good luck with your build.

 

Pete

 

Pete

[theplasticsurgeon]

3 hours ago, PeterB said:

Do any of your books etc say anything about the fuselage windows being blanked off on the Mk I and II? I know it was done. probably at unit level initially with paint and/or canvas as it is mentioned in one of my books and I have seen a few pics like this -

 

The caption says front windows were blanked off and this plane is one of the options in the MPM kit, so I might end up building it, but I would prefer one of the ones from 305 (Polish) Squadron if I could confirm they too masked some of the windows. Some also had the "rectangular" window in the starboard nose blanked off as well. As you will have noticed by now, side view drawings are no use as the engines mask the view of most of the windows so the only way you can tell is a photo, and ones of Mk II are none too common, perhaps because only 200 were built. Ones showing the windows like the above are rare - in fact this is the only one of a Mk II I have found so far. I believe that Vickers began to reduce the number of windows on the production line at some point, before finally phasing them out on the Mk III. I guess that with the switch to night bombing the windows served little useful purpose and increased the problems with light escaping from the nav's position, and glare from searchlights.

 

The windows in the MPM kit distort the view but are clear enough to show internal detail to some extent - don't know about the Revell plastic. If you are not going to blank out the front windows like me it might be worth considering scratching the nav's position.

My book has just one photo of a Merlin Wellington, which shows my kit's RAF option.  And has steered me to build as that aircraft now.

Shown from the port side, just the small diamond shape window in the nose, so I'll try to scratch a nav position.

Google for photos of RAF 104 Squadron Wellingtons, show the same aircraft again - and confirm that large nose window on the Stbd side.

As for Revell plastic, well the waist gun positions are flashed over, and with surface detail consistent with the rest of the fuselage.  My photo shows these windows not applicable to that aircraft. 

 

I found this online album for RAF 305 Polish Squadron, including some Wellingtons, some showing waist windows only. 

[PeterB]

Thanks Tim,

 

It certainly looks as if at some stage 305 also blanked out some if not all of the strip of windows over the wing or else they arrived that way from the factory. Strange looking "Hercules engine" in the pic showing one being pushed back into the hanger at Lindholme! 

 

The MPM version provides markings for 305's W5566/H and W5567/M in "1941/42", together with W5442/V of 214 and Z8345/S of 104 Squadrons in late 1941 so maybe I can do a Polish one with less glazing! The very early ones did not have the triangular window and the waist gun  stuck out of the rear of the long window strip, but it was moved to the new position on most supposedly including all 4 MPM provide decs for, as it was on late production Mk IC. It is difficult to tell which ones had the starboard nose window covered over but some certainly did.

 

As to the Nav/Wireless Operators positions the instructions for the Airfic Mk IA/C give a lot of info and I have pics of the preserved IA from Loch Ness if they would be any help, for example-

https://flic.kr/p/2n7ca1j

 

Pete

Edited March 6, 2022 by PeterB

[Mike N]

3 hours ago, PeterB said:

It certainly looks as if at some stage 305 also blanked out some if not all of the strip of windows over the wing or else they arrived that way from the factory. Strange looking "Hercules engine" in the pic showing one being pushed back into the hanger at Lindholme! 

 

The MPM version provides markings for 305's W5566/H and W5567/M in "1941/42", together with W5442/V of 214 and Z8345/S of 104 Squadrons in late 1941 so maybe I can do a Polish one with less glazing! The very early ones did not have the triangular window and the waist gun  stuck out of the rear of the long window strip, but it was moved to the new position on most supposedly including all 4 MPM provide decs for, as it was on late production Mk IC. It is difficult to tell which ones had the starboard nose window covered over but some certainly did.

Pete, looking in 'Wellington Squadrons In Focus' by Paul Freer and Simon Parry, there is a photo of Mk II W5455 SM-L which certainly looks to have no visible overwing windows, just the trapezoidal window. There are also photos of 12 and 148 Sqn Mk IIs that may indicate the same, but are from angles that obscure at least some of them.

 

In the Flypast special on the Wellington, there is a photo of Mk II W5442 BU-V which has no visible windows at all, although some of the overwing ones are obscured. The same photo is also in the excellent Osprey book 'Vickers Wellington Units of Bomber Command'. The latter book also has 2 profiles which show a couple of Mk IIs (Nos. 12 & 305 Sqn) with the unobscured overwing windows painted over, but it depends how desperate you are to allow yourself to believe them...!

 

Mike 

[PeterB]

Thanks Mike,

 

As ever it seems the units carried out "field" modifications but that makes sense as by the time they switched to night flying the windows were mostly at best of no great use and at worse a liability. BU*V is in fact one of my 4 options though MPM show at least the rear 3 sets of windows present on their instructions, but things changed with time so maybe it had them initiallyand they were later partly or totally painted out.

 

pete

[theplasticsurgeon]

Interior painted and being prepared.

Wider chord tailplanes.  And tabs for location.

 

[theplasticsurgeon]

Some more progress today.  

First in answer to @PeterB's question.  Intake parts are moulded with the rest of this kit.

I've heat-smashed the prop hubs, so that my props will rotate.

Assembly of major components.  The fuselage windows just fit into the same shaped aperture,

currently held in with Klear.  I've another idea to make them a bit more secure.

[PeterB]

Hi Tim. 

 

Looks like Revell added a replacement/extra sprue including intakes and revised tailplanes.

 

Pete

[PeterB]

Looking at your sprue shots I think they have also bevelled off the edges of the undercarriage bay so it should be a little easier to build than mine! They also have provided decs for the instruments and maybe seat belts as well. I presume that the turrets still come as 4 pieces of glazing which look a bit fiddly?

 

Pete

[theplasticsurgeon]

Confirming all that you've said. 

I was going to ask whether the turrets are fittable after the fuselage is assembled - looking at your photos,  they are.

Turrets are massively fiddly.  I've dunked the glazed parts in Klear, so that I can assemble them with superglue.

[PeterB]

17 hours ago, theplasticsurgeon said:

Confirming all that you've said. 

I was going to ask whether the turrets are fittable after the fuselage is assembled - looking at your photos,  they are.

Turrets are massively fiddly.  I've dunked the glazed parts in Klear, so that I can assemble them with superglue.

Well, I hope they are Tim, but if all else fails I should be able to cut off the upper pivots, fit the turrets and then reinstate them. The other alternative is to cut off the "footwells" on the base plates and perhaps just glue some card over the hole. They won't be visible anyway except perhaps in the nose if you look up through the bomb aimers window! Should know by the weekend. Not decided what to use - superglue is tempting as Clearfix can be a bit messy for this sort of job, particularly as it dissolves acrylic paint. I bought some Revell "Contacta Clear" from my LMS a few years ago which is supposed to be for canopies etc, but it never seems to work that well. I noticed that the nose gun opening seems to be a bit out of line on mine - the Port side seems to be deeper than the Starboard, so I have filed it down.

 

Pete

Edited March 10, 2022 by PeterB

[theplasticsurgeon]

Preparing to join the fuselage halves.  I've felt-tipped the geodetic frame onto the side windows.

The turrets are the most fragile I've ever see.  Clear parts for back and both sides, then form a cap over the base - with no location points.

[PeterB]

Yes Tim,

 

The lack of any sort of location marks for the turret interior does look like it could be a problem. I guess I need to get the clear parts glued together and then use them to check the alignment of the guns/mounts. Do they glue on top of the base, or are they bigger so that the base goes inside. Just about to start mine so it would be helpful to know! For what it is worth my book says that the turret interior was mostly black except for the entry door which was grey/green on the inside. The outside was black as it could be seen when the turret was traversed, though frankly I might stick with black on everything!

 

Pete

Edited March 10, 2022 by PeterB

[theplasticsurgeon]

34 minutes ago, PeterB said:

The lack of any sort of location marks for the turret interior does look like it could be a problem. I guess I need to get the clear parts glued together and then use them to check the alignment of the guns/mounts. Do they glue on top of the base, or are they bigger so that the base goes inside. Just about to start mine so it would be helpful to know! For what it is worth my book says that the turret interior was mostly black except for the entry door which was grey/green on the inside. The outside was black as it could be seen when the turret was traversed, though frankly I might stick with black on everything!

I think you're going to struggle to get the turrets into your assembled fuselage now Pete.

Building those turrets again, I'd fix the back to the base first,  then each side part.  They're quite a tight fit, so clean any paint off mating surfaces.

This is how they build up.

The narrow on left is rear,  wide on the right is rear turret.

[PeterB]

Thanks Tim,

 

Already reached the same conclusion so I have cut off the "footwells" and plated them over. On mine the "narrow" one is the rear turret! Just tried them and maybe I have been lucky but they seem to fit the bases pretty well - of course I have yet to add the interior gubbins. I used Clearfix in the end - carefully - it does allow some adjustment before it sets and a coat of varnish might also help to seal the joints.nTime will no doubt tell! Incidentally I have filed down the fuselage parts where the turrets fit as they seemed just a little too high.

 

Are you fitting the guns before you close up the turrets or after?

 

Cheers

 

Pete

 

Pete

Edited March 10, 2022 by PeterB

[theplasticsurgeon]

Fitting of the turrets.  A very tight fit.  Wrapped in paper, for masking.

And I've fitted the wings and tailplanes.

I'm not convinced that RR engineers would have started fitting Merlins from a circular bulkhead. The few photos I've seen of Wellington IIs, show flatter engine sides.

[theplasticsurgeon]

Congratulations to Peter for finishing his Wellington.  First in the gallery - very well done.

Mine is lagging slightly behind, having just fitted the engines and canopy.

Very portly Merlin cowlings, with tapering exhaust slots. I'm unconvinced that this is the right shape.

[theplasticsurgeon]

Masked up ready for airbrushing.

Then disaster, I've run out of Hu29 Dark Earth, so tried Hu186 brown instead.

Which is more like clay-earth.

So we'll call that undercoat, until I get some more paint. 

Hopefully tomorrow - the LMS will call about a replacement Tempest for me.
 

[theplasticsurgeon]

Upon checking properly, I did have a tin of Humbrol 29 Dark Earth all the time!

Airbrushed earlier this morning.

[stevehnz]

Nice going on that Tim & well done to both you & @PeterB for getting your turrets in so well. I know they've given trouble to others before, it is good to know they're doable. 👍

Steve 

[theplasticsurgeon]

A first for me,  masking with AK Plastic Putty.

Airbrushed Humbrol 163 green.

Demasking was VERY quick, revealing my camo pattern.