Lancaster B1 question

[aerotechi]

Fellow modellers, would anybody know what the interior cockpit colours of a Lancaster B1 grand slam bomber would be (Tamiya 1/48 kit 1970s version). Looking at pics has produced more variations then I knew existed from green primer sides and floors to black or even grey the same with cockpit seat and radio/nav desk also being black, green or wood. Ive even seen red leather edging.

So far I've opted for black forward of instrument panel, green primer walls with black electrical boxes, black desks, green pilot seat base and green floor.

 

Any input please.

[woody37]

To the best of my knowledge, the cockpit area was black on later Lancasters. This would include the seat. The rear fuselage retained the green finish.

[stever219]

Do a web trawl for Lancaster PD130.  This is a recreation/reconstruction of the cockpit section from instrument panel to front spar using original parts wherever possible.  It's still very much a work in progress but much of the so-far-completed structure is Black/Night.  The pilot's seat cushions are green (almost a match for Humbrol 30😆😆).

[Graham Boak]

The general principle, applied to all night types, was that any "interior" that could be seen from the outside had to be black.  Or, I strongly suspect, Night, which is not quite the same. - 

[aerotechi]

22 minutes ago, stever219 said:

Do a web trawl for Lancaster PD130.  This is a recreation/reconstruction of the cockpit section from instrument panel to front spar using original parts wherever possible.  It's still very much a work in progress but much of the so-far-completed structure is Black/Night.  The pilot's seat cushions are green (almost a match for Humbrol 30😆😆).

PD130 was one i was looking at but being a "new build" I wondered about how much is best thinking rather then known. My main reference so far is a pic of the Hendon Lanc which is more green and as far the history states repainted in 1970 after leaving raf service (I assume like for like)

20 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

The general principle, applied to all night types, was that any "interior" that could be seen from the outside had to be black.  Or, I strongly suspect, Night, which is not quite the same. - 

 

3 hours ago, woody37 said:

To the best of my knowledge, the cockpit area was black on later Lancasters. This would include the seat. The rear fuselage retained the green finish.

Thanks. Thats was my initial thinking

 

I am doing a daylight version btw.

[stever219]

3 hours ago, aerotechi said:

PD130 was one i was looking at but being a "new build" I wondered about how much is best thinking rather then known. My main reference so far is a pic of the Hendon Lanc which is more green and as far the history states repainted in 1970 after leaving raf service (I assume like for like)

 

Thanks. Thats was my initial thinking

 

I am doing a daylight version btw.

R5868 at Hendon is a very early production airframe: my references aren't to hand just now but she may have been ordered and laid down as a Manchester.  I know that she went through major overhaul in 1943/'44 but without access to the probably long-gone job cards what was done there I can't be certain of.

PD130 on the other hand is from the batch of B. Mk. I Specials that were built specifically to carry Grand Slam.

Edited August 28, 2022 by stever219
Fat fingers

[cherisy]

R5868 was definitely  laid down as a Manchester.  I've been inside and the cockpit area and everything  aft is cockpit grey green, the nose being black. PD130 is a very authentic  rebuild at the Boscombe down aircraft collection. I know they try to be as authentic  as possible and the chap overseeing the restoration is a member on here and did post various works in progress .

Edited August 29, 2022 by cherisy
Incorrect grammar

[woody37]

On 8/28/2022 at 12:25 PM, Graham Boak said:

The general principle, applied to all night types, was that any "interior" that could be seen from the outside had to be black.  Or, I strongly suspect, Night, which is not quite the same. - 

Certainly later in the war, but early Lancs / Manchesters were green throughout and aluminium turret interiors. I'm not sure when the changes were introduced however. 

 

On 8/29/2022 at 9:49 AM, cherisy said:

R5868 was definitely  laid down as a Manchester.  I've been inside and the cockpit area and everything  aft is cockpit grey green, the nose being black. PD130 is a very authentic  rebuild at the Boscombe down aircraft collection. I know they try to be as authentic  as possible and the chap overseeing the restoration is a member on here and did post various works in progress .

I suspect the rear fuselage of R5868 is no longer the original aircraft following a major overhaul. There are no windows along the sides of the fuselage that it once had. I believe that the registration stayed with the front of the aircraft when they were split in such overhauls which could explain this unless they removed the windows and replaced the panels with metal. This would seem to be unnecessary additional work in war time pressures though. I've not yet come across a definite explanation for this change on R5868.