1/48 Avro Lancaster Mk. X (Serial No. KB700) aka The Ruhr Express - August 1, 1943

[Pete Robin]

13 hours ago, Sergeant said:

Thank you, Pete. I hope no one takes offense, mate.

 

Harold

Harold my friend, if my post does cause any offense to anyone whatsoever, I will contact a moderator and have it deleted and I will apologise from the heart for that offense.

It was meant as a "fun" remark and I sincerely hope it is taken as such.

The banter (for want of a better word), was (is) something that has gone on for centuries between East Yorks and Lincolnshire. We were often referred to as "codheads" and they were called "yellow bellies" among the nicer colloquialisms.

Please let me know asap if anyone has any issues.

Once again I apologise if I have derailed your thread in any way shape or form.

Thanks,

Pete

Edited December 28, 2022 by Pete Robin
Bad spelling

[alzictorini]

Pete

 

Im originally from Hull but live in Lincolnshire now, I chuckled

 

 

[Pete Robin]

1 hour ago, alzictorini said:

Pete

 

Im originally from Hull but live in Lincolnshire now, I chuckled

 

 

Thanks my friend, it was intended as a "smile". I hope your strange accent is understood amongst the Wurzels😜.

I think it's probably an age thing as I've asked a couple of friends in their thirties and they haven't got a clue about the "rivalry".

Have a great day all,

Regards, as ever,

Pete

 

[Sergeant]

4 hours ago, Pete Robin said:

Thanks my friend, it was intended as a "smile". I hope your strange accent is understood amongst the Wurzels😜.

I think it's probably an age thing as I've asked a couple of friends in their thirties and they haven't got a clue about the "rivalry".

Have a great day all,

Regards, as ever,

Pete

 

No problem here, Pete.

 

Harold

[Sergeant]

Al @alzictorini I ordered the Alumilite Mini Casting Kit which is scheduled to be delivered January 6th. I will remove the brass barrels and locations pins from my carved turret and attached a pour gate and vents like you did in your demonstration photographs. Is there anything else I need to do in preparation for making a mould?

 

Harold

 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Sergeant

[alzictorini]

Negative bud, just enjoy

[Scooby]

On 11/23/2022 at 11:20 PM, RJP said:

Cataracts, ugh!  I had mine done several years ago and  what a relief it has been.  My surgeon was able to eradicate my short-sightedness while he was at it so goodbye to wearing glasses after almost 60 years.  Now I just need reading glasses for, well, reading.

 

Lovely shots of the CWH Lancaster.  It is of course FM213 under the skin, a late-built machine from the second batch delivered by Victory Aircraft in early 1945.  It has a number of differences from the original KB700 and there are a few points worth making with respect to the original.  I haven't got the HK Lancaster so am not sure which of these details might be covered by it.

 

KB700 was delivered in mid 1943 so was built to the then-current standard.  This means it had narrow blade props, sometimes referred to as “needle blades”.  Also, as delivered it carried the original blunter bomb aimer’s blister, later changed out for the later deep blister as moulded in most kits..

 

The pitot tube was carried in the original position further forward and angled down as seen from in front.  I see the HK box art includes the early pitot.

 

The mid upper turret was the Frazer-Nash 50 type with the fairing and in the original position aft of the bomb bay;  FM213 carries the American Martin 250 in the late-war position over the bomb bay.  It also had the mid-under turret, a Frazer Nash 64 just aft of the bomb bay.  The bomb doors were bulged down their centre line to fair the turret in.

 

Exhaust flame dampers were installed from the get-go

.

 

Finally, the row of fuselage windows seen on early Lancasters, a holdover from Manchester days, were not obvious in most photos of KB700.  They were however installed but painted over at the factory, a common enough mid-production feature. 

 

A Googling for KB700 will reveal all these details.  I’m not sure how welcome these points are but I’d feel remiss not to bring them up.  I am looking forward to following your progress.

Before I started reading this thread I discovered this evening the fuselage windows were on KB700 and painted over! Glad you found this too!

[Sergeant]

I am starting work on the interior today, now that my eye has healed enough for me to do small detail work. One of the items on my list that @Pete Robin pointed out is the Canadian built Mk. X had a different Flight Engineer's Panel than the British built Mk. I. The panel can be seen through the cockpit so @Winded Penguin suggested I use the image below of the Flight Engineer's Panel and reduce it down to fit the plastic kit panel. Then he suggested adding some knobs and switch handles to give the new panel three-dimensional appearance which I also think is a great idea.

 

Originally I was planning to use 5-mils thick inkjet transparency film, but as you can see below the film appears darker than white printer paper, so I think either white sticky paper or just plain white printer paper may work better than film or decal paper. The image quality in the first photograph looks poor, but that is because it's magnified. The actual size of the 1:48 Flight Engineer's Panel is 12.74 mm x 11.03 mm shown in the small corner photograph.

 

Al @alzictorini If you think the sticky paper would work, can you tell me what paper product you like to use?

 

Harold

 

Magnified photograph of printed Flight Engineer's Panel - dry fit, no glue.

 

HKM kit part with Flight Engineer's Panel

 

Illustration of Flight Engineer's Panel on Mk. I

 

Illustration of Flight Engineer's Panel on Mk. X

 

Cockpit view of Flight Engineer's Panel in 3D CAD photograph

 

1:48 scale knobs to enhance panel detail

 

 

6. I would also like to understand the process you use for creating and printing graphics. Serif Draw Plus version 8 > Inkjet Printer. You mentioned printing on water-slide decal paper, so I conclude that you are using an Inkjet printer on special paper for other graphics, is that correct? I do use an inkjet printer, currently a HP smart tank plus 555 as it has a huge ink store and at the best price I have found for refills. For my gauge faces I use matte sticking paper. I let the faces dry for 1 hour then apply Loxley fixative spray. The spray prevents smudge and protects it from UV. I have used gloss paper previously, but it will dull in direct sunlight even with fixative so matt it is.

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by Sergeant

[Scooby]

On 12/24/2022 at 6:41 AM, Sergeant said:

@Pete Robin @elger @alzictorini I believe you are saying a scale model is a representation of something, a static object without moving parts, it must then by necessity be presented as a snapshot in time. If I want several features to be seen on this model they may not be the way an actual aircraft would look in World War II, but it is the only way to show these features on one model at the same time.

 

Fortunately, many of the photographs I've seen of Lancaster's on the ground show multiple operations being conducted such as refueling, loading bombs, inspections, and maintenance. I would like this model to represent an aircraft in grown-crew preparation for a mission.

 

Harold

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harold, wonderful tribute to your Uncle. Growing up my next door neighbor was an upper turret gunner on Lancasters during the war. Knowing I was an air cadet, he told me very vivid stories in regards to his wartime experiences flying Lancs. I think he told me more about the war than he told his wife. I recall him telling me about Lancaster’s blowing up off his wing, just like that, seven men gone. I stayed in touch with him until his passing in the 90s. He always flew to the UK for reunions. Before he passed away, I was fortunate to fly on the Hamilton Lancaster, I was in the right place at the right time. A squadron mate and I did some maintenance on the Lancaster while it was visiting our base, he slipped and fell and banged his head on the floor while working on it. His concussion got me a ride too (they did appreciate the work too).

 

In regards to flaps. As a few mentioned, flaps were put up immediately after landing. One reason was this was to prevent rocks from damaging the flaps during the taxi. Another reason, it was so there was clearance under the wings so any ground support equipment if moved under the wings wouldn’t strike the surfaces.

 

Flaps are definitely dropped for service. On the C-130 Hercules, we always parked with flaps up. But we had to drop the flaps to grease the screwjacks and inspect the flaps and inner flap area. I only know of one RCAF aircraft where we dropped the flaps prior to shutdown, and that is the CF-18. The last hand signal we give the pilot before cutting engines is to drop the flaps. The reason for this is they will slowly bleed down on their own after shut-down, they won’t stay up. We do this for safety reasons, when we tow them into the hangar we need to ensure they clear all obstacles. If we were to tow a CF-18 in and the flaps bled down and hit something, there would be a lot of damage. There is still a lot of hydraulic pressure in the lines.

 

After a wash job on the CF-18, we actually push the flaps up. Which takes considerably strength. The reason we do this is the flaps have drain holes in the leading edge, we need to drain water from the flaps before the jet flies again. Eventually the flaps will drop on their own.

 

So after this long post, flaps can definitely be down for greasing the flap mechanisms on the Lancaster or other maintenance. But you already determined this.

 

Flaps down on an airliner taxing to the apron is actually a signal to ground crew/ATC the aircraft has been hijacked. Although I don’t think that method has been used since the 70s.

 

I’m happy to have found this thread, in the last 24 hours I determined the 1/48 HK Lanc isn’t suitable for any of the later Lancs I wanted to built. So I am building KB700 as Ruhr Express when it was with 419 Sqdn. I am using Belchers decals. This will be my practice build for the 1/32 Border Lanc my wife bought me for Christmas. She shocked me, I didn’t even know she knew the kit existed.

 

I will be following this thread closely.

[RJP]

11 hours ago, Scooby said:

Before I started reading this thread I discovered this evening the fuselage windows were on KB700 and painted over! Glad you found this too!

I picked up that detail from a photograph somewhere on the 'net of the burnt-out wreckage.  The windows (perspex!) burned differently in the heat and were obvious.  Once I knew what I was looking for, they were easy to spot in various crew photos.

[Scooby]

44 minutes ago, RJP said:

I picked up that detail from a photograph somewhere on the 'net of the burnt-out wreckage.  The windows (perspex!) burned differently in the heat and were obvious.  Once I knew what I was looking for, they were easy to spot in various crew photos.

I just found more info about KB700. Looks like the belly gun was removed as soon as it arrived in the UK. And as many thought, it left Malton minus the belly gun, which was added in Montreal.

 

http://www.419squadron.com/KB700.html

 

I don’t think it was ever upgraded with H2S radar.

 

Harold mentions he wants to build it while it was in RAF service. It was only ever in RCAF service, first with 405 Squadron (Pathfinders), although it was quickly re-assigned to 419 Sqdn.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Scooby

[Sergeant]

@Scooby You are correct regarding my goal to build KB700 as it would have appeared in RAF service. I did not know at the time I made that statement KB700 and most of the Canadian built Mk. X were assigned to RCAF Squadrons. However, I also did not differentiate between RCAF, RAAF, RNZAF or other air force volunteers in Bomber Command. To me they were all in RAF service based on the information below.

 

The aircrews of RAF Bomber Command during World War II operated a fleet of bomber aircraft carried strategic bombing operations from September 1939 to May 1945, on behalf of the Allied powers. The crews were men from the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth countries, and occupied Europe, especially Poland, France, Czechoslovakia and Norway, as well as other foreign volunteers. While the majority of Bomber Command personnel were members of the RAF, many belonged to other air forces – especially the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). Under Article XV of the 1939 Air Training Agreement, squadrons belonging officially to the RCAF, RAAF, and RNZAF were formed, equipped and financed by the RAF, for service in Europe. While it was intended that RCAF, RAAF, and RNZAF personnel would serve only with their respective "Article XV squadrons", in practice many were posted to units of the RAF or other air forces. Likewise many RAF personnel served in Article XV squadrons.

 

 

 

About the 419 Squadron Website article you referenced, it is a good article, very appropriate for my build, but I think there is something not quite right about the information. It is my understanding Canadian built KB700 was patterned after British built R5727 shown below which not only had the Nash & Thompson - F. N. 64 (belly turret) when it arrived in Canada, but the information below would indicate British built counterparts did in fact have the bottom gun turret, but modifications were made in the winter of 1943/1944 to remove the turret. This would be very close to the same time KB700 was modified in the UK before assignment to 405 Squadron of #6 Group in RAF Bomber Command.

 

So, while I agree the belly turret was removed from KB700 I disagree with the article's statement that British built counterparts did not have a belly turret. I believe the British Lancaster's that were built in 1942 and 1943 did have the belly turret, or at least some of them did. As far as my 1:48 KB700 is concerned it will have a belly turret but will not have the code LQ-Q that was applied when it entered service in 405 Squadron. Thanks to you @Scooby I have defined the time period for my KB700 model to be when it arrived at Northolt, Middlesex, on 15 September 1943. In the display I plan to show history that will explain changes to KB700 that took place when it became LQ-Q in 405 Pathfinder Squadron.

 

23 hours ago, Scooby said:

I just found more info about KB700. Looks like the belly gun was removed as soon as it arrived in the UK. And as many thought, it left Malton minus the belly gun, which was added in Montreal.

 

http://www.419squadron.com/KB700.html

 

I don’t think it was ever upgraded with H2S radar.

 

Harold mentions he wants to build it while it was in RAF service. It was only ever in RCAF service, first with 405 Squadron (Pathfinders), although it was quickly re-assigned to 419 Sqdn.

 

 

 

 

 

Reference Sources:

 

From 419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945:

 

The Beginning

 

On August 1st 1943 the first Canadian built Lancaster rolled out of the doors of Bay 3 at the Victory plant in Malton Ontario. The small town Northwest of Toronto on August 6th would see something new in its history and in Canadian aviation history.

On the 6th. a large ceremony was held to show case the pride of the workers of Victory aircraft. Political, military officials along with the plants management and workers took part. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation sent it's best known newscaster, Lorne Greene (later to be known as Pa Cartwright on Bonanza) to let the rest of Canada and the world know that Canada was doing it's part in the war effort in a big way.

The new Lancaster serial number KB700 would be better known as "Ruhr Express". Built with North American parts to somewhat match the engines and instrumentation used on the British made Lancaster's and given the designation as Mk.X. She also sported something that her British built counterparts did not possess, a bottom gun turret.

 

The Ruhr Express Heads to Britain

The man chosen to fly KB700 from Canada to action in Europe was S/L Reg Lane. Things did not go as planned. Maybe in the rush to get KB700 shown and on the way to war things were missed. In any event KB700 needed attention by the time she arrived in Montreal. It would not be until September 15 1943 that she arrived in Britain. Where she received modifications including removal of the belly gun. It would not be until after these were completed that "Ruhr Express" became LQ-Q with 405 Squadron, a Pathfinder Squadron which S/L Lane now went on to command.

 

From the Imperial War Museum (IWM):

 

 

 

From the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and Bomber Command Museum of Canada:

 

The crew of the first Canadian-built Avro Lancaster X to arrive in Britain, christened the 'Ruhr Express', photographed with their mascot at Northolt, Middlesex, on 15 September 1943. Squadron Leader R.J. Reg Lane DSO, DFC and the crew that ferried KB700 Ruhr Express to England shown in the photograph below. Source of photograph is Bomber Command Museum of Canada.

 

Lane remained in the RCAF after the war and retired with the rank of Lieutenant General. Ruhr Express was also heading off to join 405 Squadron, arriving on October 5, 1943. Her baptism of fire was soon to follow and it would be to one of Bomber Command's most dangerous and deadly targets: Berlin.

 

 

 

KB700 without belly gun ( ventral turret). Date of photograph below, on or after 5 October 1943 when KB700 became LQ-Q in 405 Squadron.

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by Sergeant

[Sergeant]

8 hours ago, Scooby said:

Harold, wonderful tribute to your Uncle. Growing up my next door neighbor was an upper turret gunner on Lancasters during the war. Knowing I was an air cadet, he told me very vivid stories in regards to his wartime experiences flying Lancs. I think he told me more about the war than he told his wife. I recall him telling me about Lancaster’s blowing up off his wing, just like that, seven men gone. I stayed in touch with him until his passing in the 90s. He always flew to the UK for reunions. Before he passed away, I was fortunate to fly on the Hamilton Lancaster, I was in the right place at the right time. A squadron mate and I did some maintenance on the Lancaster while it was visiting our base, he slipped and fell and banged his head on the floor while working on it. His concussion got me a ride too (they did appreciate the work too).

 

In regards to flaps. As a few mentioned, flaps were put up immediately after landing. One reason was this was to prevent rocks from damaging the flaps during the taxi. Another reason, it was so there was clearance under the wings so any ground support equipment if moved under the wings wouldn’t strike the surfaces.

 

Flaps are definitely dropped for service. On the C-130 Hercules, we always parked with flaps up. But we had to drop the flaps to grease the screwjacks and inspect the flaps and inner flap area. I only know of one RCAF aircraft where we dropped the flaps prior to shutdown, and that is the CF-18. The last hand signal we give the pilot before cutting engines is to drop the flaps. The reason for this is they will slowly bleed down on their own after shut-down, they won’t stay up. We do this for safety reasons, when we tow them into the hangar we need to ensure they clear all obstacles. If we were to tow a CF-18 in and the flaps bled down and hit something, there would be a lot of damage. There is still a lot of hydraulic pressure in the lines.

 

After a wash job on the CF-18, we actually push the flaps up. Which takes considerably strength. The reason we do this is the flaps have drain holes in the leading edge, we need to drain water from the flaps before the jet flies again. Eventually the flaps will drop on their own.

 

So after this long post, flaps can definitely be down for greasing the flap mechanisms on the Lancaster or other maintenance. But you already determined this.

 

Flaps down on an airliner taxing to the apron is actually a signal to ground crew/ATC the aircraft has been hijacked. Although I don’t think that method has been used since the 70s.

 

I’m happy to have found this thread, in the last 24 hours I determined the 1/48 HK Lanc isn’t suitable for any of the later Lancs I wanted to built. So I am building KB700 as Ruhr Express when it was with 419 Sqdn. I am using Belchers decals. This will be my practice build for the 1/32 Border Lanc my wife bought me for Christmas. She shocked me, I didn’t even know she knew the kit existed.

 

I will be following this thread closely.

@Scooby I did not know there was another Lancaster kit manufacture besides Tamiya and HK Models, so I looked it up and found Sprue Brothers Models in Liberty Missouri where I purchase most of my models and supplies is selling the 1:32 Border Lancaster B Mk. I/III #BF010 for $650.00 USD ($881.00 CAD). Wow, that is a lot of money.

 

Harold

[Sergeant]

 @Scooby thank you for your kind comments below. There is a back-story, in fact there are two back-stories regarding my uncle and his service in the RCAF and RAF Bomber Command. Uncle Harold died before I was born, but I was named after him. Many summers in my childhood were spent with his mother and father at their Victorian home in Mexico, Missouri. The house was originally constructed in the 1830's and added onto in the 1890's. It had five bedrooms four on the second floor and two bathrooms which was a big deal in the 19th Century. My grandparents (Harold's mother and father) my Aunt Mary, her husband, son (Bud) and daughter (Sara) and my mother and sister and of course me lived in that big house together during the summers.

 

I looked up to my cousin Bud because he was three-years older and did all the coolest things. It was Bud who introduced me to scale modeling when I was nine and we built airplane models together in Uncle Harold's attic room. Something about that room and the old house that generated interest in airplanes. Bud did not serve in the military, but Harold and I did. I served in both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. When I got out of the service, I wanted to be an electronics engineer and while I was attending college, I went to work for a man who had served in the U.S. Army Air Force during the Second World War. His name was Joe Kortman and he was an air force Major. In December 1944 Joe was the communications officer stationed in Laon, France. It was his men who found my uncle's aircraft after it crashed. Joe's men rescued three surviving members of my uncle's crew and helped return them to their base.

 

Joe did not know the pilot was my uncle and I did not know where my uncle crashed in France until many years after Joe passed away at 101-years of age.

 

Harold

 

 

Harold, wonderful tribute to your Uncle. Growing up my next door neighbor was an upper turret gunner on Lancasters during the war. Knowing I was an air cadet, he told me very vivid stories in regards to his wartime experiences flying Lancs. I think he told me more about the war than he told his wife. I recall him telling me about Lancaster’s blowing up off his wing, just like that, seven men gone. I stayed in touch with him until his passing in the 90s. He always flew to the UK for reunions. Before he passed away, I was fortunate to fly on the Hamilton Lancaster, I was in the right place at the right time. A squadron mate and I did some maintenance on the Lancaster while it was visiting our base, he slipped and fell and banged his head on the floor while working on it. His concussion got me a ride too (they did appreciate the work too).

Edited December 30, 2022 by Sergeant

[Sergeant]

I think I may have discovered a problem that I cannot easily overcome. In addition to creating the FN-64 Belly Turret on my Mk. X Lancaster KB700 there appears to be a modification to both the bomb bay doors and the area between the end of the bomb bay and the back of the FN-64 turret as shown in Photograph #1. This modification also appears in Photographs #2 and #3 although not as easily seen. The interesting thing is this feature does not appear to be on the British built Lancaster R5727 used as a pattern for KB700.

 

If I am correct about this modification to KB700 which I will describe as a fairing, it would require adding material between the bomb bay and back of the turret shown in Photograph #5 which is not too difficult, plus adding material to the end of the bomb bay doors that (would I believe be difficult) to make them flared out and match the plane of the cowling. I would appreciate any comments about this apparent modification to the fuselage and any solutions. Keep in mind I plan to have the bomb bay doors open.

 

Harold

 

Photograph #1

 

Photograph #2

 

Photograph #3

 

Photograph #4

 

Photograph #5

Edited December 31, 2022 by Sergeant

[dogsbody]

KB700 appears to have been fitted with the bulged bomb bay doors so it could carry the 8,000 lb. blast bombs. The fairing was added between the bomb bay and the turret. Other Lamcs that had the bulged doors but no turret would sometimes still be fitted with the fairing.

Now, there were two types of bulged doors. The early ones had the bulge that started below the cockpit. The later ones started at the front of the bomb bay.

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

 

 

[Sergeant]

3 hours ago, dogsbody said:

KB700 appears to have been fitted with the bulged bomb bay doors so it could carry the 8,000 lb. blast bombs. The fairing was added between the bomb bay and the turret. Other Lamcs that had the bulged doors but no turret would sometimes still be fitted with the fairing.

Now, there were two types of bulged doors. The early ones had the bulge that started below the cockpit. The later ones started at the front of the bomb bay.

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

 

 

Thank you, Chris for a quick response. None of the photographs I have clearly show the front of the bomb bay doors. So I’m not sure where that bulge starts or even if it would matter since I plan to have the doors opened. If we say the bulge starts at the front of the bomb bay like your Lancaster B I illustration above it might be possible to create a long tapered strip of quarter-round resin or polystyrene that would be attached to the existing doors to represent that bulge.

 

Harold

Edited December 31, 2022 by Sergeant

[Scooby]

22 hours ago, Sergeant said:

@Scooby I did not know there was another Lancaster kit manufacture besides Tamiya and HK Models, so I looked it up and found Sprue Brothers Models in Liberty Missouri where I purchase most of my models and supplies is selling the 1:32 Border Lancaster B Mk. I/III #BF010 for $650.00 USD ($881.00 CAD). Wow, that is a lot of money.

 

Harold

My wife is good to me. Yeah, it is a lot of money. Probably the best model on the market. Very complicated though. It was originally designed by Wing Nut Wings, after Wing Nut Wings stopped selling kits, somehow Border got the molds from another entity in China. There are legal fights over the molds, Border didn’t have the instructions, so there are a lot of errors in the instructions they produced. Some are so bad, if you assemble in the order the instructions say, you won’t be able to assemble it. There is an hour long video on the corrections. I sat down with my instructions and a pencil and made corrections.

 

Sprue Brothers had it on sale Black Friday, down to $500 US. It even has oil canning on the surfaces.

[Sergeant]

3 hours ago, dogsbody said:

KB700 appears to have been fitted with the bulged bomb bay doors so it could carry the 8,000 lb. blast bombs. The fairing was added between the bomb bay and the turret. Other Lamcs that had the bulged doors but no turret would sometimes still be fitted with the fairing.

Now, there were two types of bulged doors. The early ones had the bulge that started below the cockpit. The later ones started at the front of the bomb bay.

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

 

 

Thanks to Al @alzictorini for providing pictures of KB700's bomb bay doors and the fairing between the bomb bay and back of the turret. It is clear the doors are completely different on the KB700 than they were on the R5727. Even when KB700 became LQ-Q in 405 Squadron and the belly turret was removed the doors were not changed as you can see in the fourth photograph below. At this point I am not sure what to do about the issue.

 

Harold

 

 

 

 

[dogsbody]

I forgot I had this photo:

 

 

 

It shows that KB700 was fitted with the later-style bomb doors, where the bulge starts right at the front of the bomb bay.

 

In the photo below, you can see where the bulge starts on the B.II:

 

 

 

 

Chris

[Scooby]

22 hours ago, Sergeant said:

 @Scooby thank you for your kind comments below. There is a back-story, in fact there are two back-stories regarding my uncle and his service in the RCAF and RAF Bomber Command. Uncle Harold died before I was born, but I was named after him. Many summers in my childhood were spent with his mother and father at their Victorian home in Mexico, Missouri. The house was originally constructed in the 1830's and added onto in the 1890's. It had five bedrooms four on the second floor and two bathrooms which was a big deal in the 19th Century. My grandparents (Harold's mother and father) my Aunt Mary, her husband, son (Bud) and daughter (Sara) and my mother and sister and of course me lived in that big house together during the summers.

 

I looked up to my cousin Bud because he was three-years older and did all the coolest things. It was Bud who introduced me to scale modeling when I was nine and we built airplane models together in Uncle Harold's attic room. Something about that room and the old house that generated interest in airplanes. Bud did not serve in the military, but Harold and I did. I served in both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. When I got out of the service, I wanted to be an electronics engineer and while I was attending college, I went to work for a man who had served in the U.S. Army Air Force during the Second World War. His name was Joe Kortman and he was an air force Major. In December 1944 Joe was the communications officer stationed in Laon, France. It was his men who found my uncle's aircraft after it crashed. Joe's men rescued three surviving members of my uncle's crew and helped return them to their base.

 

Joe did not know the pilot was my uncle and I did not know where my uncle crashed in France until many years after Joe passed away at 101-years of age.

 

Harold

 

 

Harold, wonderful tribute to your Uncle. Growing up my next door neighbor was an upper turret gunner on Lancasters during the war. Knowing I was an air cadet, he told me very vivid stories in regards to his wartime experiences flying Lancs. I think he told me more about the war than he told his wife. I recall him telling me about Lancaster’s blowing up off his wing, just like that, seven men gone. I stayed in touch with him until his passing in the 90s. He always flew to the UK for reunions. Before he passed away, I was fortunate to fly on the Hamilton Lancaster, I was in the right place at the right time. A squadron mate and I did some maintenance on the Lancaster while it was visiting our base, he slipped and fell and banged his head on the floor while working on it. His concussion got me a ride too (they did appreciate the work too).

If you are OK with this, I can look up your uncles records in the archives. All I would need is his date of birth/loss, name, and service number if you have it. I can obtain electronic copies immediately. I know you say an RAF WO found the records, I might find more. If you are OK with this send me a PM.

 

I’ve had great success finding info on both my grandfathers WWI records. Including their wounds and where they were wounded. And I even found my dads records, he served RAF and then transferred to the RCAF.

 

My family is from Scotland, my dad immigrated to Canada in the 50s, my uncle Thomas to the US in the same timeframe. Uncle Thomas served two tours in Vietnam as an infantry officer. Oddly he served in the 101st and 82nd Airborne. I didn’t know that was possible. He retired a Lt/Col and is buried in Punchbowl Cemetery in Hawaii. 
 

I have a similar story in regards to my start in modeling. I started modeling in the 70s while on a vacation to Scotland with my parents. It was my cousin Kevin who got me started. He later joined the RAF and served a full career like I did in the CAF/RCAF. The room we built models was previously my mothers cousin Johnny’s room. Who was killed in WWII at the young age of 17, on the HMS Hood.

Edited December 31, 2022 by Scooby

[Scooby]

19 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

I forgot I had this photo:

 

 

 

It shows that KB700 was fitted with the later-style bomb doors, where the bulge starts right at the front of the bomb bay.

 

In the photo below, you can see where the bulge starts on the B.II:

 

 

 

 

Chris

Relish models make these bulged doors:

 

http://www.relishmodels.co.uk/relish-resins-1-48-lancaster-bulged-bomb-bay-doors.html

 

Paragon had a set, you might find on eBay.

These brass gear might be of interest to you:

 

https://the48ers.com/avro-lancaster-brass-and-3d-printed-undercarriage-set.html

 

 

[Sergeant]

Thank you, @Scooby I will send you a PM. A few months ago, I talked with the Director of Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum & RCAF WWII Memorial in Brandon, Manitoba. He confirmed that my uncle received his training there and his name is on their memorial. I asked about records and other information that might be available and he suggested I contact the Canadian Government Archival records and resources from the Second World War and the RAF HQ where my uncle served in Bomber Command. My Warrant Officer friend very graciously used his contacts to locate 85 documents from RAF Coningsby in Linclonshire, England.

 

Harold

 

 

[Sergeant]

35 minutes ago, Scooby said:

Relish models make these bulged doors:

 

http://www.relishmodels.co.uk/relish-resins-1-48-lancaster-bulged-bomb-bay-doors.html

 

Paragon had a set, you might find on eBay.

These brass gear might be of interest to you:

 

https://the48ers.com/avro-lancaster-brass-and-3d-printed-undercarriage-set.html

 

 

Would you look at that... Someone has been down this path before me and took the time to mould resin bulged bomb bay doors. Even though they were made for Tamiya they are the right scale, and I am no stranger to body-work in scale modeling. These parts will give me something to work with. Thank you @Scooby for finding this valuable bit of information.

 

Harold

 

[Sergeant]

5 hours ago, dogsbody said:

KB700 appears to have been fitted with the bulged bomb bay doors so it could carry the 8,000 lb. blast bombs. The fairing was added between the bomb bay and the turret. Other Lamcs that had the bulged doors but no turret would sometimes still be fitted with the fairing.

Now, there were two types of bulged doors. The early ones had the bulge that started below the cockpit. The later ones started at the front of the bomb bay.

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

 

 

Chris, it appears the B.I (F.E.) with deeper bomb bay illustration is what was used on KB700 and there was a fairing like you said between the end of the bomb bay and back of the turret.

 

Harold