Jonny Posted July 2, 2022 Share Posted July 2, 2022 I know this is a long shot, but does anyone have a spare Rose-Rice Lancaster turret - the late WW2 twin 0.5 guns one? I think this was included in the Airfix Lancater B.1 FE. Ideally, I'd like as many of the components as possble but happy to consider the glazed part. I'll pay any postal costs. Please let me know via a direct message if you can help. Thanks (with crossed fingers!), Jonny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_RAFBC Posted July 2, 2022 Share Posted July 2, 2022 I think you mean the FN82 turret. It's supplied with all the latest tool Airfix Lancasters so there should be plenty around: Spoiler A09007 - Avro Lancaster B.III (Special) A50138 - The Dambusters Avro Lancaster B.III (Special) A08001 - Avro Lancaster B.II A08013 - Avro Lancaster B.1(F.E.)/B.III A50158 - BBMF Collection A50139 - RAF Bomber Command A08013A - Avro Lancaster B.III A50182 - Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted July 2, 2022 Share Posted July 2, 2022 I don't think that extra turret in that Airfix kit is a Rose-Rice turret. This is what a R-R turret looks like and it doesn't match with what's in that kit: The kit has is an FN.82 turret: Chris 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted July 3, 2022 Author Share Posted July 3, 2022 Thanks, WhitleyZ6743 and dogsbody (Chris)! I feel a bit of an idiot! Somehow I had a fixation that the two 0.5 gun turret was the Rose-Rice one and I forgot the FN.82. I should have asked for an FN.82 ... I dug deep in my stash, found my Airfix Lancaster B.II and sure enough it includes the FN.82! I think I might have the B.I/B.III kit too, somewhere. Aplogies for wasting everyone's time and thanks to WhitleyZ6743 and to dogsbody (Chris) for being so gentle! Mods ... would you please delete this thread? I'll cringe every time I see it!!!! Thanks. Jonny 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 Leave this posting here. Someone else may be thinking the same thing as Jonny and this will be where they learn something. Chris 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 6 hours ago, dogsbody said: Leave this posting here. Someone else may be thinking the same thing as Jonny and this will be where they learn something. Chris Quite informative as I had never even heard of the RR Turret! I will move it to the WWII section for reference 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 2 minutes ago, Julien said: Quite informative as I had never even heard of the RR Turret! some interesting info here http://www.bphs.net/GroupFacilities/R/RoseBrothersGainsborough/index.htm#9 note only 227 were built, but seems a very good design.. More detail in link. more surprisingly, the colour image @dogsbody posted is actually a film still from the Nightbombers film, which is the only colour film of a Lancaster operational base, now helpfully up on youtube. see here for link plus some background on the film as this is on the Rose/Rice turret replacement of rear turret with the Rose turret with 2 x0.50 guns, link to time. https://youtu.be/xAztJVoBTKE?t=127 Hope of interest. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishplanebeer Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 I think the benefit of the RR turret was that the gunner could bail out from the front instead of having to traverse the gun and then open the rear hatch/door as with the FN turrets. Regards Colin. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 Colin ... I've read that with the original turret there wasn't room for the gunner's parachute, so it was stored in the fuselage. All the poor devil had to do was centralise the turret, open the doors, retrieve his chute, clip it on, then revolve the turret to port or starboard and fall out backwards. I don't know if there was room in the Rose-Rice turret to stow the 'chute in it. The turret certainly looks roomier than the FN turrets. I'd be interested to know if indeed the gunner could bail out through the front as you suggest. Anyone know for sure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnAndersen Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 1 hour ago, Jonny said: ...I'd be interested to know if indeed the gunner could bail out through the front as you suggest. Anyone know for sure? Certainly not for sure, but being a former skydiver, I know a bit about parachutes and such. I'd venture the following: Unless the gunner was wearing a seat parachute, I'd say from the picture that he would be stuck between the guns and the perspex as the parachute would be clipped to the front of his body, increasing his girth considerably. Pure guesswork, but my 5 pence... /Finn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 The main benefit of the RR turret, as compared to the FN.82 (and the similar BP one -Type D?) is that it was available much earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 47 minutes ago, FinnAndersen said: Certainly not for sure, but being a former skydiver, I know a bit about parachutes and such. I'd venture the following: Unless the gunner was wearing a seat parachute, I'd say from the picture that he would be stuck between the guns and the perspex as the parachute would be clipped to the front of his body, increasing his girth considerably. Pure guesswork, but my 5 pence... /Finn I have pictures demonstrating the technique of bailing out of this turret through the perspex. The gunner had a seat that enabled him to wear his parachute at all times, and in fact the RR turret was so roomy compared to the FN turrets that it could acccomodate two people in it, which was very useful for training gunners Selwyn 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 I think you (Selwyn) have cracked it! I did a search and came up with this account http://www.bphs.net/GroupFacilities/R/RoseB I really was tooking for a two 0.5 guns FN turret - FN82 - but it's been really interesting. I didn't know how versatile the Rose company was! Live & learn, eh? Jonny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnAndersen Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 1 hour ago, Selwyn said: I have pictures demonstrating the technique of bailing out of this turret through the perspex. The gunner had a seat that enabled him to wear his parachute at all times, and in fact the RR turret was so roomy compared to the FN turrets that it could acccomodate two people in it, which was very useful for training gunners Selwyn So was it a seat parachute they wore? Just curious. /Finn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 14 minutes ago, FinnAndersen said: So was it a seat parachute they wore? Just curious. /Finn Finn, If you use the link I provided you'll see this: It had more room than in other types and it was possible to wear a back type parachute and so bale out of the turret. It was, however, very cold due to the cut-away Perspex, which left the turret completely open. I think that answers your question! I hope so, anyway! Jonny 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishplanebeer Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 In terms of the temperature inside the turret apparently (see the link from Troy) it was only a few degrees lower and due to its shape was not drafty as it deflected the slipstream, so in relative terms a much more 'comfortable' turret than the FN versions. And as already mentioned it was roomy enough to accommodate two gunners which is quite significant having sat in the FN82 turret of 'Just Jane' where cramp would have been a major issue given its restricted confines! Regards Colin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotmid Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 I had understood that the company that produced the RR turret had production difficulties. Is anyone able to confirm this is correct? How did the FN82 turret and the BPE turret both with the same armament as the RR turret compare? They seem to have been produced on a larger scale . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 13 minutes ago, scotmid said: I had understood that the company that produced the RR turret had production difficulties. Is anyone able to confirm this is correct? How did the FN82 turret and the BPE turret both with the same armament as the RR turret compare? They seem to have been produced on a larger scale . read jonnys link above. Selwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishplanebeer Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 (edited) Many rear gunners removed the perspex in the rear turret of the FN versions in order to improve vision due to misting/frosting and the inevitable scratches that would occur so the 'open' nature of the Rose turret would not have come as an unpleasant surprise to them. The Rose turret is akin in some ways to the MB.5 in that it was a wonderful design and would have been the best option but existing designs were already in mass production and able to meet the essential requirements. Plus as the war was very close to being won there was so no real need to change things and disrupt existing production lines which would soon be run down after VE/VJ day anyway. Regards Colin. Edited July 4, 2022 by fishplanebeer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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