Avro Manchester Bomber Instrument Panel 1:1

[kev67]

I have seen your other instrument panels you made before, very impressive, you could sell the dials as they are

[alzictorini]

Afternoon BMs (thanks Kev67)

 

Last item for the Blind Flying Panel (BFP)

 

The Artificial Horizon in this build is totally made from PLA or Polylactic Acid Plastic.

This is a thermoplastic monomer derived from renewable or organic sources such as corn starch or sugar cane. Using biomass resources makes PLA production different from most plastics, which are produced using fossil fuels through the distillation and polymerization of petroleum. Go Green!

 

Here are the starting items:

 

 

Having sanded all the parts until smooth I then looked at gluing the main body to the face ring:

 

 

For gluing PLA I use Plastic Magic, it sticks together like ordinary plastic.

 

 

I next applied my home made graphic to the Horizon face:

 

 

All the other items were sprayed satin black with a rattle can:

 

 

A new glass screen was cut out of .75mm clear plastic:

 

 

Next came the Horizon floating bar by firstly cutting out the graphic:

 

 

And attached it to a thin piece of plastic card, i believe .6mm:

 

 

I test fitted the face items to see how best they lined up (off set at an angle as they tend to sit when not caged post flight). Note the curvature of the rear horizon face to give a depth feel:

 

 

All the numbers and markers were painted with fluorescent paint and the complete gauge was glued together:

 

 

All the items in their respective positions ready for the next item - the BFP:

 

 

Enjoy

 

 

[alzictorini]

Evening BM's

 

The Blind Flying Panel.

 

The Manchester had the same BFP as the Lancaster, that being a 6A/760 item with the rounded top section. To make this replica I will be using 3mm MDF.

 

I have a template to draw the shape around which I did by using a pencil and then I simply drew on the MDF where the holes are to go:

 

 

I next cut out the holes using my pillar drill and adjustable hole cutter:

 

 

In less than 30 minutes I had the bulk of the holes cut out:

 

 

A quick test with the instruments shows there was no adjustment needed as they fit perfectly first time:

 

 

I next drilled out all the support holes for bolts etc:

 

 

Another check to see everything lines up was carried out without any faults:

 

 

I next stamped up the BFP with the part number 6A/760:

 

 

For painting I give the MDF 2 layers of grey primer sanding both to a smooth finish before applying the final coat:

 

 

Again I applied 2 coats of paint, this being Satin Black:

 

 

Now dried, I attached the gauges ready in their respective slots:

 

 

 

 

 

Thats the BFP complete, now for some new parts which will require research and designing in fusion 360 and casting of some real Lancaster parts (which were used in the Manchester as well).

 

Enjoy

[alzictorini]

Afternoon BMs

 

I'm now moving onto items on the main panel. One item I don't have in my inventory is a Vacuum pump change over cock. This was used to either power the BFP or the bomb aiming sight. If one of the pumps (one on each engine) was lost, the pilot could use the cock to switch between systems if needed from the active engine.

 

The pump is item number 48 in the pic below:

 

Initially I started finding pics of the item online but fortunately a fellow Britmodeller, Cees Broere was in Lincolnshire visiting from the Netherlands. Having spoken to him some weeks before he came to the UK armed with a real Vacuum Pump from his personal collection. Armed with this artifact for a few days I looked at reproducing the item from castings and 3D printing.

Heres Cees' Pump:

 

 

First off I removed the lever from the pump and decided that I would cast the Lever and 3D print the Pump housing. As the full length of the housing wont be needed I only designed the the top section of the pump were it fits to the panel and the lever fits. This is what the pump looks like without the lever:

 

 

Hers my design of the same thing in fusion 360:

 

 

Once happy with the design I transferred it to Creality to give me a G-Code for the 3D printer to print with:

 

 

Here's the rough print of the pump top:

 

 

Heres the item sanded and painted black and assembled:

 

 

For speed of construction in the future I made a mold for this item, heres the first test cast to check the plug - perfect:

 

 

OK, time for a brew. Ill be back in a while to complete this build.

 

Enjoy

 

[alzictorini]

MBs

 

Cracking on with this build!

 

Next is the lever. Here's the real lever in my 3D printed pump top prior to being painted black - fits a treat:

 

 

I decided to cast the lever rather than design and print one so this is the lever being readied for the silicon:

 

 

Again a simple lego box to house the part and hold in the silicon (prior to pouring):

 

 

Here is the Lever mold ready for pouring on the left next to the pump mold made earlier:

 

 

As the lever is an alloy I used a technique to reproduce this finish called cold casting. This is the adding of metal powders to the mold before you add the resin. This means when it comes out the outer layer is of that metal you poured in. I used Aluminium powder for this simulation:

 

 

Here's the powder being added to the mold - lots of shaking to get it in all the nooks and crannies!

 

 

Here it is out of the mold:

 

 

Prior to polishing:

 

 

Here is the real item and the casting:

 

 

To make it look a little more realistic you first polish the item with fine wet and dry or in my case micromesh cloths. I then dipped it in a wash and weathered it.

 

This is the final result:

 

 

It looks the part if not very old:

 

 

Hope you picked up some tips?

 

 

Cees - thanks for the loan of the item, safe journey home

 

Enjoy

Edited September 24, 2022 by alzictorini

[Cees Broere]

Thanks, and it was a pleasure.

Cheers,

Cees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[woody37]

This is a real pleasure to watch

 

[alzictorini]

Afternoon BM's

 

The next item is the Beam Approach Indicator, a sort of ILS indicator in modern terms (instrument Landing System). Here is the real item:

 

 

It fits to the left of the BFP and helps guide the plane home to the runway in poor weather.

 

This is one of the few items I did not have molds for so, over the last week I've made molds for all the parts.

 

Here's the original rough print items before clean up, assembly and paint:

 

 

I wont take you through the mold manufacture as Ive covered this previously and its all the same . This pic shows the intricate curves the mold contains:

 

 

It produces nice casts:

 

 

Here's the cast out of the mold:

 

 

I'm making 2 gauges, one as a spare for another job, here's all the parts involved in the build:

 

 

The graphics are designed in Serif and printed off in the normal manner, this is the graphic sheet ready for application:

 

 

 

 

All the items were then painted with daylgo paint:

 

 

 

Once the paint set, I simply clipped all the parts together:

 

 

Enjoy:

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by alzictorini

[alzictorini]

Next

 

Boost Gauges

Edited October 9, 2022 by alzictorini

[alzictorini]

Evening BM's

 

I Lied!

 

Im going to look next at the Bomb Jettison Switch Unit! I did say booster gauge but I got lost in designing this new item and I thought I could show you some design work instead.

 

So, whats this thing look like?

 

 

From what I gather this was the way to ditch the bombs in a hurry when you needed rid of them in a pickle.

 

So, I have a picture and some measurements. The box is 80 x 80 x 50. I inserted the picture of the item and ensured it was 80x80

 

 

From this inserted picture I can draw around its parts as long as the initial dimensions are spot on.

 

 

 

 

Each part I then convert into an STL file and downloaded them to a file on my desktop. From here I opened them in Cura where I position them for printing. Cura converts this info into a G-Code which I send to my printer for printing:

 

 

Here's the switch unit face which I printed off  4mm thick.

 

 

As each item is printed off, I clean them up and put them together:

 

 

Each bit adds up to build the final Switch:

 

 

I printed off this cover flap flat then simply bent it into shape after adding a bit of heat:

 

 

Its starting to take shape:

 

 

The flip covers are spring loaded, these I cant print so its back to old school model making:

 

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Fits at the back of the cover. The bulb holder needs a similar item which Ill complete tomorrow:

 

 

Fingers crossed, ill finish it tomorrow.

 

Enjoy

[ColinChipmunkfan]

Absolutely stunning skills and attention to detail.  Following this with admiration.

Colin

[alzictorini]

Good Evening BM's

 

Thanks Colin and also to all the others for their support with the thread build.

 

To wrap the jettison unit i need to add some bolts a filter and some paint, heres what it looks like in reality:

 

 

So bits i'm currently missing are some bolts. I have some chrome cheese head bolts which will suffice for this as they are going to be painted (real items were brass).

 

 

The bulb filter housing also needs some bumps which from pics of the real thing are just to ensure it closes correctly, mine are just some small brass rivets I have, the filter is just red coloured plastic film (far left):

 

 

I painted the main body satin black, no issues:

 

 

Same for the other items and any words are just white paint in the lettering then rubbed of the excess with some blue roll:

 

 

 

Last item to build is the electrical switch. Its simply a cold cast aluminium button i made years ago, 5 mins to cast:

 

 

I placed in the bulb holder housing x2 thin pieces of red filter plastic. The finished item looks really good (i think anyway), see what you think??

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you picked something up from this build:

 

 

Enjoy

[TheBaron]

I've been quietly admiring your work here for a while Al - a superb array of replicas on their own but taken collectively, well, they're amazing. Bravo!

[alzictorini]

TheBaron

 

Cheers buddy, Im hoping to have a complete panel before Christmas!!! Sooner if possible, just got to pull my finger out.

 

Defo booster gauges next

 

Enjoy

[georgeusa]

This is so fascinating to watch.  This is an aspect of modeling that is so completely alien to me.  I am so amazed at the results.  You make this process seem so easy when I know it has to be somewhat complicated and involves training and practice to get to the point you are in the use of 3d printing, designing and mold making.  It makes me feel my age in that this technology has passed me over without a clue on my part as to how it works.  But the results and what you are doing is just so jaw dropping.  Thank you so much for sharing and trying to explain how you do this complex process in such a way it makes me think a normal human with somewhat average intelligence (or slightly below on my part) could actually learn how to do this.

[Pete in Lincs]

On 10/16/2022 at 6:29 PM, alzictorini said:

The finished item looks really good (i think anyway), see what you think??

Very realistic indeed. After forty years on Military Aircraft I can certainly vouch for that. 

It's a niche aspect of modelling, and it's very impressive indeed. 

A great tribute to those brave men. 

[Jonners]

Absolutely brilliant, Al, bordering on genius. I'll have to make a return visit to Coningsby and see your work 'in the flesh' sometime soon.

Jon

[alzictorini]

BM's

 

Thanks for the kind words, nice to be appreciated

 

Jonners - if you are this way, PM me.

 

OK next Item - Boost Gauges x2

[alzictorini]

BM's

 

The Manchester had 2 engines hence it had x2 boost gauges. I've had a look in the pilots notes and it looks like the engines were recommended not to go above +6 boost so Ill put limiters on them to show this (all will become clear).  There is a pic in the Pilots Notes and it looks like the gauge head is not fully out of the instrument panel hole like they are in most other aircraft types and its later brother the Lanc! Have a look at this pic and hopefully you will see what I mean. They almost look flush??

 

 

Here's a completed boost gauge I made a few years ago for another build (lower left) and as you can see its the same as the one in the pilots notes:

 

 

There are 3 types of gauge screw top. Smooth, knobbled and single notched. The one in the Pilots Notes is single notched item which i dont have. I have a cast for the smooth type so Ill just use some plasticard to make the notch. Im also going to cut the gauges down because they dont stick out too far from the panel. The item on the left is full size and the one on the right is cut down a tad:

 

 

I air brushed the screw tops a burgundy brown colour:

 

 

I had some of the graphics already printed off - some a good use of old kit:

 

 

I printed of a face to fit the cut down body:

 

 

 

I also printed of a gauge hand or needle to fit the face and painted it to match:

 

 

 

I painted the relevant numbers with glow in the dark paint as normal:

 

 

This is the limiter marker graphic, all you do is stick it to the outer glass!

 

 

And that's it, screw it all together and it should look like this:

 

 

Hope you picked up some tips for your builds?

 

 

Enjoy

Edited October 25, 2022 by alzictorini

[alzictorini]

BM's

 

Next build - Magneto Switches. Ive made these before but this time Im not going to make them movable, this panel will be displayed in a case so no need for moving parts:

 

 

Click the above pic to see how it would operate.

 

Enjoy

Edited October 25, 2022 by alzictorini

[Brandy]

Interesting stuff, and beautifully made too. I guess the mag switches are an early type of gang bar, working both on and off.

 

Ian

[Cees Broere]

You need  a pic showing the side of the cage?

[Learstang]

Really amazing work on all this, Al! I wish I had your skill and your patience!

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

[alzictorini]

Evening BM's

 

Thanks Jason, don't all modellers have such patience with their projects, I'm sure you've got it also.

 

Ian - yes, it is a gang bar for quick selection. Cees asks for a pic from the side but i don't think I have one from the last build. This is what the real thing looks like though:

 

 

The actual switches came in either chrome or brass, think ill go chrome on this one. As I mentioned above, the item I'm going to make for this project doesn't need to move so Ill build it in the Off position.

 

Looking in the spares box, I have the following parts already cast from my last build:

 

 

First thing is to go and cast x4 chrome (or in my case cold cast aluminium) switches.

 

Back in a bit.

[alzictorini]

Evening BM's

 

I made x2 chrome switches (cold cast Aluminium switches then polished with micromesh to get a shine) and x2 Brass items as well to see which looked best?

 

Here's the raw cast Brass item direct out of the mold before polishing:

 

 

Here's both types post polish:

 

 

They both look really good, im a bit cut as to which set to pick??

 

 

Here they are with the magneto board painted:

 

 

I could actually use both sets, it may have happened that chrome and brass switch sets were fitted together on the gang board??

 

Any thoughts?