"Sugar's Blues" Late War RCAF Lancaster

[Uncarina]

7 hours ago, Shoggz said:

This is a great thread. Love the modelling AND the ongoing narratives.

 

Thank you! I’m glad you like it (and them). I thought it might add an element of authenticity to include firsthand accounts of what it was like to fly in this aircraft ove Europe. I’ve certainly learned a great deal!

 

 

3 hours ago, jeroen_R90S said:

Great looking work on this enormous model!

 

Thank you, I appreciate your encouragement! Enormous is a perfect adjective.

 

Cheers, Tom

[Derek B]

Tom,

 

This is an incredibly worthy build and the passion behind it is inspiring - well done and great respect to your uncle. The regular book extracts in your update posts are something new that I have not seen anyone do before and really bring everything into context.

 

Derek

[Bomber Command nut]

I think when there is a connection with an aircraft build it brings a much more of a personal touch and emotion to such . . . 

 

My current build is of an aircraft that was shot down by a night fighter and I knew two of the crew that were the only survivors.

Ian

[Uncarina]

3 hours ago, Derek B said:

Tom,

 

This is an incredibly worthy build and the passion behind it is inspiring - well done and great respect to your uncle. The regular book extracts in your update posts are something new that I have not seen anyone do before and really bring everything into context.

 

Derek

Thank you very much! I keep his memory in the back of my mind whenever I am working on this build. From my Dad I do know he loved the Lancaster, and one day my sister and I plan to visit his resting place.

 

I’m gratified that you like my prologues, not sure why no one has done them before, but really like reinforcing the connection between my build and the actual aircraft. I do plan to include them in future build threads: the Spitfire comes to mind!

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Uncarina]

2 hours ago, Bomber Command nut said:

I think when there is a connection with an aircraft build it brings a much more of a personal touch and emotion to such . . . 

 

My current build is of an aircraft that was shot down by a night fighter and I knew two of the crew that were the only survivors.

Ian

 

Ian, I agree competely: there’s the love for the aircraft, the pleasure from researching it, the joy (hopefully) of building it, but when there’s a personal connection it goes to a whole new level. I’m really enjoying following your build. 

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Phartycr0c]

I'm ashamed to say im late to the party on this build! 

 

Having thrown two of these together I appreciate the work your putting into this tribute build. 

 

If i remember rightly HK used a mixture of Just Jane at the East Kirby Museum A MK 10 I think therefore with the larger radiators, and S sugar at the Hendon Museum which is a MK 3. Also the BBMF Lanc is also a later version with the larger radiators sp having access to the later models, I think Neil opted for the versins we have in the kits rather than the earlier wartime fitment. 

 

While there is a slight difference in the intake openings, I'm not sure its enough to translate much in 1/32. 

 

Keep up the very good work. Watching with interest.  

Edited February 5, 2021 by Phartycr0c

[Uncarina]

Thank you! First, I've been a long time admirer of your work, and your Lancasters in particular. Secondly, I appreciate your insight, and I feel better moving forward without having to change the shape of the intakes. Third, I appreciate your support and encouragement!

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Uncarina]

“So, he [Owen] said, ‘Well, look, lads, I’m going to land’. The navigator [Bill Shires] got very concerned and said, ‘If you land without permission, this could be a Court-Martial.’ ‘Yes, and if we don’t try to land it could be a coffin for us.’ So the navigator called out again, he said, ‘But the runway’s not clear, there’s an aircraft still on the runway.’ ‘Oh well,’ Charles Owen said, ‘we’ll have to take that chance.’ Meanwhile, all the other aircraft were circling around and he came down low and we could just see 1 or 2 of the perimeter lights at a time, but it was very difficult to see much. He came in and the flight engineer helped him to try and pick out the flare path, and we landed with a terrific bump and shot up in the air, but it was the best landing we ever made. Eight Lancasters landed at Bourn”

 

— The Crew: The Story of a Lancaster Bomber Crew by David Price

https://a.co/6hI7oao

 

Work continues apace, albeit slowly. I've attached the starboard outer engine, and was pleased with the fit to the wing. I've also added various bumps, outlets, and the interior flap assembly. I'm still on the fence about flaps up or down: when the 428 Squadron returned to Canada they were parked with flaps and bomb bay doors down, presumably to go easy on the hydraulics, but the lovely shape of the Lanc is obscured, especially head on. What are your thoughts? Getting back to assembly, the wing to fuselage fit is pretty good, and you can see I've attached the crew heating duct included in the kit but not in the instructions (thanks again for the spot Ian!):

 

 

 

I plan to finish the starboard wing before moving on to the port side, working to make sure all modifications are uniform!

 

Now on another topic further down the road for me, but probably sooner for those of you further ahead (I won't mention names, but their initials start with the letter Andy and Dennis!), I wanted to discuss something often not brought up with the Lancaster canopy:

 

 

 

See the difference? On some aircraft the highlighted framing appears external , while on others it appears internal, like that of the Mosquito.  This appears to be the case with "Victorious Virgin":

 

 

And my girl:

 

 

The point here is to be on the watch for this in the aircraft you are depicting. Since I have the DN Models mask set which includes interior framing, I will only paint the inside of these frame sections (which include the last vertical frame before the astrodome).

 

Until next time!  Cheers,  Tom

Edited February 8, 2021 by Uncarina

[Finn]

Here is something from a manual that might be of use:

 

 

Jari

[Uncarina]

Thank you as always Jari! It looks like the outer section is present on some aircraft and not on others, which could explain the discrepancy.

 

Cheers,  Tom

 

[Derek B]

6 hours ago, Uncarina said:

Thank you as always Jari! It looks like the outer section is present on some aircraft and not on others, which could explain the discrepancy.

 

Cheers,  Tom

 

 

Just a thought Tom, but I wonder if the difference is more related to repair of the canopy? I am not certain if the aft canopy is a single-piece moulded Perspex type with internal framing (as manufactured)?

 

If so, then any in-service damage to it may have entailed, what could have been, lengthy and time consuming replacement, whereas cutting out and replacing only a damaged section would be faster (but may have required sealing and external plate strengthening afterwards?). Does anyone have any Lancaster AP repair scheme details to confirm this theory?

 

Cheers

 

Derek

[Bomber Command nut]

Bomb doors were usually opened when the aircraft got back to dispersal, 1. to check for any hang ups by the groundcrew and  also 2. it saved having to get a FME back in the morning to start an engine to open the doors.  Flaps were usually left up but sometimes hydraulic pressure dropped and the flaps gradually came down a little . . . 

[Bomber Command nut]

I think you are correct Tom in that you have to check on your chosen aircraft to have the correct details,

Cockpit canopy framing on an aircraft that survived well into 1944 and had a few repairs done during its time flying Ops. 

Now fully restored

 

You can follow the horizontal frame and the light clearly shows that its frame is not external . . .

On the starboard side it looks as if there is also no external framing  . . .

 

Looks to be the case of screw heads through the perspex to the timber frame on the rear section of the canopy  . . .

I hope this helps Tom ??

Ian

[Dennis7423]

Tom-

 

My understanding, and the route I plan to go with mine, is that the vertical stringers are exterior, and the vertical stringers are interior, aft of the main section where it starts to taper off towards the rear observation blister. This logically makes sense... the outside vertical ones provide shape, while the inside ones provide strength and structure. Additionally, they provide pressure-counter pressure. It also looks like the rear-most vertical frame is interior as well:

 

 

Funny you bring this up, as I just finished up the padding at the rear of the cockpit area in preparation for beginning my canopy work. I just finished mounting all four engines this morning, so aside from some seam work, the wings are complete. Time to get started on the fuselage again! The end is in sight...

 

- Dennis S.

   Thornton, CO USA

[Uncarina]

Derek and Ian, thanks! Looking at early and late wartime Lancs, with as many showing external frames as those without, there seems to be no real discernible pattern, but perhaps it’s as you suggest Derek that the external frames were removed after repairing any damage. Now I have see photos of Lancs fresh from the factory!

 

Cheers,  Tom