nheather Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 Building an Airfix Beaufort and I have a question about the hatch on the port side, the one you can leave off to show off a Lewis gun. I haven’t decided whether I want to fit it or not yet but I have noticed that the panel line doesn’t look to be in the correct place. It would be a simple matter to fill the existing line and scribe a new one but before I do that I want to be sure that this is a kit error and it’s not meant to be like this. Also, anyone know how common it was to have the hatch removed. Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 There is a thread about Australian Beauforts, which goes into some detail about how this hatch opens - it is not normally "missing" - and the gun mountings. If it isn't on this board I don't know quite where it is but some of out Australian contributors might help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 It's not uncommon for it to be open. It's not really removable. It slides down. Here's the correct position. PS - I'm not an expert! EDIT - As Chris says below, you can see the upper and lower hatch halves in the open position. Note also the pre-painted camouflaged fin and rudder. It's probably not entirely a posed picture - in another sequence (only on microfilm) the worker is installing the door on 271. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Actually, The door is in two parts. the upper half swings up while the bottom half slides down. CHris 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Does that last photo show an armoured plate? That’s quite a big hole in the middle. No wonder the crewman is rolling his eyes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 The hole is to allow the widest possible angle of fire for the gun. The door isn't armour plate, as you might be able to slide it down but couldn't lift it back up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nheather Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 Many thanks, this explains the location of the panel line - and that it isn’t really a panel line but the gap between the two parts of the door - and therefor it is correct that it doesn’t line up with the panel line on the fuselage. Interestingly, a lot of the profile pictures even those that come with after market decals show the line on the door matching the panel line on the fuselage - in this case it seems that Airfix are correct and the profile artists wrong. Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 On 8/9/2022 at 11:23 AM, nheather said: Many thanks, this explains the location of the panel line - and that it isn’t really a panel line but the gap between the two parts of the door - and therefor it is correct that it doesn’t line up with the panel line on the fuselage. Interestingly, a lot of the profile pictures even those that come with after market decals show the line on the door matching the panel line on the fuselage - in this case it seems that Airfix are correct and the profile artists wrong. Cheers, Nigel By the way its a side mounted Vickers K gun not a Lewis! Interestingly its also fitted with a vane sight. Selwyn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drop Bear Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 On 8/13/2022 at 7:02 AM, Selwyn said: By the way its a side mounted Vickers K gun not a Lewis! Interestingly its also fitted with a vane sight. Selwyn In my research also sometimes referred to as a Vickers GO gun (GO = Gas Operated) just in case........ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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