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Airfix Avro Anson 1/48 scale


galgos

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2 hours ago, galgos said:

I’m tempted to get rid of the second seat altogether Chris, still pondering! 

Another detail to note from your period photos is that the seat with the back folded down is in a later windscreen Anson whereas the simpler looking seat pad with no back(?) is in the earlier screened version?

 

I intend building an Anson that my uncle flew in 41 whilst doing navigation training and I assume the second seat would be redundant.

 

Excellent work so far Max 👍

 

Mike

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It's difficult to be sure about these things Mike, but I think the lack of clear information gives us a degree if licence to model the interior as logic dictates it should/could be!

 

These pictures from the IWM also suggest that in a navigation trainer Anson, the wireless gear may not be carried which is many ways would make sense:

 

RGqNYX.png


OaLd9e.png

 

 

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Coming along nicely Max. Be interested to see how your cockpit masks fit - another use of the Silhouette I am yet to explore,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

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They fit very well Roger, the two curved sections immediately above the main windscreen proved the most difficult to get right, but they’re now fine. I’m making an inside set too, so most sections need to be slightly smaller but that’s no problem. 

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So this build thread has really set me thinking about Ansons and their use in the wartime RAF.  The Anson originally came into being as Avro Type 652 following a response to Imperial Airways specification for a fast six-passenger low wing monoplane issued in 1933.  Roy Chadwick of Lancaster fame designed the aircraft, the first of which flew in 1935 from Woodford.  But the Anson, as it became known, also fitted the bill for a general reconnaissance aircraft required by the RAF due to the growing threat from German rearmament, and so the Anson entered service in 1936.

 

It was never designed as a trainer per se, and certainly not a pilot trainer (the Airspeed Oxford, a more demanding aircraft fulfilled that role), but it became a valued jack of all trades across all Commands including the Air Transport Auxiliary, whose Ansons were stripped of all unnecessary equipment and fitted with light seats, the standard number of passengers being nine but this was often exceeded.

 

BSOSU0.jpg

 

So I got thinking about the Ansons used at 24 BGNS where Dad was a staff pilot, whether the Ansons were all standard fit, specific for task or whatever.  So this morning I went through his log book for his time there and noted the serial numbers and the associated operation - gunnery, wireless op., navigation.  For what it's worth, here's the result:

mDLa5f.png

 

This of course is highly speculative but I only found one example of a turret-fitted Anson that was also used on a nav exercise., though there was much more carry-over between w/op and nav Ansons which is not reflected in my table.  I do think I can extrapolate that Ansons most probably had specific internal fits, but which was which?  :) 

 

All a long way from modelling but still relevant mebbe?!

 

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6 minutes ago, galgos said:

All a long way from modelling but still relevant mebbe?!

 

It's all part of the back story so completely relevant. I can see why this build would be a real labour of love for you. 

 

Richie

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21 minutes ago, RichieW said:

It's all part of the back story so completely relevant. I can see why this build would be a real labour of love for you. 

 

Richie

This is true Richie, and becomes more relevant when I get back to my 1/32 Anson where the internal fit will be more obvious. Not to mention being grist to the mill of my website www.rhodesianairtraininggroup.com

 

 

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11 minutes ago, galgos said:

This is true Richie, and becomes more relevant when I get back to my 1/32 Anson where the internal fit will be more obvious. Not to mention being grist to the mill of my website www.rhodesianairtraininggroup.com

Ah, I'll look out for the 1/32 Anson and have a look at your website. 

 

Richie

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3 hours ago, RichieW said:

It's all part of the back story so completely relevant. I can see why this build would be a real labour of love for you. 

 

Richie

In my opinion the back story is usually the reason I model a particular aircraft, make it far more interesting. 
 

With regards the second seat I would’ve thought the seat would be stowed away on the ground and then folded down as needed during the flight. Otherwise it would just be in the way especially for the pilot when first boarding the Anson?

 

Mike

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2 minutes ago, mick b said:

In my opinion the back story is usually the reason I model a particular aircraft, make it far more interesting. 
 

With regards the second seat I would’ve thought the seat would be stowed away on the ground and then folded down as needed during the flight. Otherwise it would just be in the way especially for the pilot when first boarding the Anson?

 

Mike

If you’ve ever tried crawling over the main spar getting into a Lancaster Mike, you’d know the seat arrangement on the Anson was pretty easy. And I’m with you 100% about modelling subjects with some type of interest or significance. 

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3 minutes ago, mick b said:

In my opinion the back story is usually the reason I model a particular aircraft, make it far more interesting. 
 

Same for me, I started scratchbuilding after reading, Bristol Scout 1264 Rebuilding Grandad's Aircraft. No 1/32 kit was available so it had to be done. ;)

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4 hours ago, galgos said:

If you’ve ever tried crawling over the main spar getting into a Lancaster Mike, you’d know the seat arrangement on the Anson was pretty easy. And I’m with you 100% about modelling subjects with some type of interest or significance. 


Yes I appreciate the main spar is a major hurdle but the guys clambering into these cockpits were yet to be in a position to be sitting in a Lanc pilot’s seat. My uncle was destined for a Hamden so the folding back to the pilot seat was a priority 😊

 

Mike

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Canopy masks for the more upright later screen completed, inside and out:

 

TWDA8y.png

 

You can download the file for free here, use of the file comes with the caveat that I have drawn these to the best of my ability as an enthusiastic amateur, I'm not a professional!

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Canopy masked inside and out:

 

I3yLgG.jpg

 

then painted:

 

xDk232.jpg

 

and trial fitted:

 

MwZSwN.jpg


kjfUOj.jpg


hs2ry9.jpg

 

I'm OK with that!  The transparencies are very clear but from certain angles there appears to be a faint "watermark" line in places a bit like reported with the Border Models Lancaster.

 

And whilst I'm dry-fitting:

 

4304KE.jpg

 

Marvellous fit.  Seriously impressed.

 

The question has been asked about masks for the earlier sloping windscreen, and the answer is "Yes, I will be drawing some up if anybody needs them."

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Perfectly painted canopy, that really does look excellent. Great job on the masks, very kind of you to make them available. After seeing your results I imagine they'll get a lot of use!

 

Richie

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Max,

 

Lovely work on the canopy, and most generous to offer the file. I may well make use of it when the time comes, so thanks very much!

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

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