1:32 scale Lancaster Mk.1 Hachette Partworks

[Gerry]

Happy 2014 Everybody.

Thanks Terry, for your kind offer. I believe I already have some references for the equipment you refer to but will let you know if I need any better shots. Strangely, the magazine supplied a fairly comprehensive fit-out for the Navigator's position - but nothing for the Radio Op's position. Where's the logic in that? The equipment supplied includes the API, the Gee receiver and the Navigator's panels with the dials and the Navigator's sliding ruler - most of the pieces you can see on the second spread that Jan posted. Also included, but won't be installed, are the two boxes for the H2S receivers - but again no under-fuselage H2S radar dome was supplied. As this was only fitted to S-Sugar late in 1944, I won't be including it in my build.

Jan thanks for the references you posted. All very useful and I've already ordered a copy of that publication, it seems well worth having.

Cheers,

Gerry

 

[Gerry]

Hi Everyone,

Because of the Holidays, I found my attempts at building thwarted by visitors. I think things should be back to normal from now on. Most of the time I had was spent scratch-building - very fiddly and time consuming - and this is as far as I've got. I must apologise for the differing quality of the photos. Some of the items are so small my camera had difficulty focusing at close range. I should also point out that all of these pieces are in their raw state, before priming and painting.

The aerial switch, made from sprue and lead foil which will be positioned to the left of the radio transmitter.

The Type 4 Morse key, scratch-built from a tiny shaped scrap of ply, with some spare buttons and rod to give the key effect, and a piece of lead 'cable' that will connect it to the transmitter from under the receiver. The unit measures approx 4.5mm X 2mm.

The Navigator's anglepoise made from plastic scraps, brass rod and sprue. This is the third attempt, the first two were discarded for various reasons (rubbish). Hopefully there will be room to fit it when the rest of the equipment is in position over the Navigator's desk.

The navigator's flexible ruler was one item supplied by the magazine. It came in three pieces, and the transparent panel will be permanently added after the rest is painted. Hope the transparent piece is visible in the photo, when posted.

Finally, some of the metal panels and boxes supplied for the Navigator's desk. I had thought I could assemble them first before painting but, as printed instruments will be visible through the holes, they'll have to be painted before being bent into shape. A is the Gee set. B is the Navigator's Panel for the fuselage behind the desk. C is the Gee receiver that hangs from the roof beside the Gee set. D is the API unit. Also supplied are lots of buttons, knobs and cables that will add detail to the boxes, when painted.

My next task is to paint everything, then get them detailed and positioned before I continue on other aspects of the main cabin.

Cheers,

Gerry

 

[vikingBerserker]

Dam, that's just amazing!

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Great work so far Gerry!

 

[Lucky13]

Fantastic work Gerry!

 

[Wayne Little]

Excellent work there Gerry!

 

[Crimea_River]

+1.

 

[Geedee]

Trust you have 'type-rating' to fly her when finished !!

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

 

[Tony Hill]

Stunning work Gerry!!!

 

[Gerry]

Thanks David, Wurger, Gnomey, Jan, Wayne, Andy, Gary, Bill, and Darryl for your kind comments and infinite patience with this build!

I ran into some unforeseen problems in the painting of the nav equipment and it's taken me 'til now to sort it. I had given the flat metal boxes a coat of metal primer before spraying with satin black. Despite this, when I bent them to shape, the paint came off in large flakes. I had to sand them down, respray the blank sides and hand paint around the decals and instruments on the faces. I also had a problem with the metal snapping along the folds in a couple of cases, when straightening and rebending. And because there is no overlap, it was a nightmare getting the sides to adhere to each other...

Moan over, this is where I've got to.

The navigator's lamp and ruler. Hope you can still see the transparent bit as the flash overexposed it.

The components for the Gee system which will be positioned side by side. The wires will be teased into position once they're installed.

The API unit and navigator's panel, to be positioned above the desk against the fuselage.

Finally, the morse key and two spare boxes which will go to filling out the space above the radio op's station.

Now that these are done, my next job is positioning them and adding extra wiring looms to the stations. Already I can see that some deconstruction (destruction?) of the formers will be necessary to be able to access the areas they fit into. Ahh, the joys of modelling...

Cheers,

Gerry

 

[Lucky13]

Superb work mate!

 

[fubar57]

That detail is just amazing.

Geo

 

[Airframes]

Beaut work Gerry! So, fold, fix, then paint !

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Looks great so far Gerry!

 

[aviatik]

Marvelous...!!!

 

[Crimea_River]

Picking jaw up off the floor....

 

[Gerry]

Thanks again to everyone for your very positive posts. Every time this build gets me down, your attitude picks me right up again and gives me the incentive to go on. I didn't want to reply until I had something to show and I can do that now.

First a shot of the radio operator's position as it is now with one of the references I've been using.

To fit this, I had to remove the tops of the first two formers and won't replace them until I'm happy that everything else is in position. There are two boxes to be fitted between the second and third formers, above the longeron, but the second former has to be restored before I can do that. You can just about see the top of the morse key in the centre foreground and the bright yellow cable needs to be knocked back to resemble the wear on the cable in the reference.

Next, some references I've been using for the navigator's position and photos of my build. I had to make a compromise between using natural light, which I prefer, and flash to show the really dark detail - but because it's direct from the camera I think it blasts things out too much, in this scale.

These first two shots are the ones taken in natural light. The map is optional, being held in place by the ruler. You can also just see a folded map in a document box which I decided to add to the divider panel. In the second photo the Gee box is more visible and you can just see the silhouette of the anglepoise behind it.

The next two shots were taken with flash to try to show more of the detail.

Here you can see (A) the anglepoise, from this angle partially obscuring the API unit. The wire (B) has still to find a final home. You can also see (B) where I had to cut the former top to access enough room to position things properly. It is possible that the the designer of this build has snake-like fingers that will get between the formers, but not these pudgy digits! Again, that former top, along with the stringers, needs to be in position before I can successfully hang the second Gee unit.

Finally, I just positioned the pilot's seat to give an idea of how the completed cabin is beginning to look. the grey wiring looms need toning down and you can just about see the morse key on the radio op's desk.

I'm hoping to have this section of the build (minus the skinning) and the bomb aimer's section done by mid-February for a 'Bring your Builds' session at my local model society. Because I've been jumping from issue to issue, I now need to do and audit through all the intervening issues to make sure that I haven't overlooked any other panels. I'm very aware that major wiring has still to be done from the electrical distribution panel. There might be a bit of a pause in the build while I check back, but I will continue to post as I make more progress.

Sláinte,

Gerry