1/72 Handley Page Halifax B.III 'Friday the 13th' No.158 Sqn RAF, Lissett, UK

[A4K]

I've been thinking of trying the same recently, so the idea was in my head already...

(Love your new siggy btw!)

 

[Airframes]

By 'whacking paint on', is that a NZ technical term for 'I carefully applied the first coat of black with the precision instrument known generally as an airbrush'?!
Doesn't really matter which black is used - it'll need a clear gloss coat for the decals, then an almost matt coat for the Green/Brown and semi-matt clear to finish the black, the latter being 'Smooth Night' and later a semi-gloss finish.
The bomb load would depend on target - 500lb and 1,000lb GP bombs , or Incidniaries, or a mix, 500lb and Incendiary.
( The 250lb was rarely, if ever, used on 'heavy' bombers, and rarely even on Medium bombers by this stage of the war - mainly fighter bombers such as the Spit/Hurricane, again rarely as the 500lb could be carried.)
The incediaries were packed in a framed, rectangular container, and were frequently a large part of the Hallibag's load. Easier to make, but if you need to make 500 or 1,000 lb bombs, a piece of sprue roughly the right size/diameter, sanded to shape will do it it. British bombs had a tail ring around the fins, and this can be made from thin plastic card quite easily - the wall thickness of tube, unless it's a drinking straw, is far too thick for scale appearance. In 1/72nd scale, you might find plastic drinking straws the right diameter, and they're ideal - just cut slices to make the rings.
I'd let you have the bombs off my Lanc, but I'm thinking of using them in a diorama - of a Halifax.
The reason there saren't any in the kit is that it originates from the late 1950's/ early 1960's, when things such as open bomb bays were very rare, and, in truth, injection moulding of plastic kits was still in its infancy.
Have you got any bombs left over from your Airfix Lanc?

 

[109ROAMING]

By 'whacking paint on', is that a NZ technical term for 'I carefully applied the first coat of black with the precision instrument known generally as an airbrush'?!

Its the term given when one needs a full 28ml bottle of humbrol thinners to do just that bit of painting

I'd have been super pissed had I paid the $4.80 for it

Gave me nothing but grief it did - I'm just gonna stick to the cheap stuff which funnily enough actually bloody works too!

The bomb load would depend on target - 500lb and 1,000lb GP bombs , or Incidniaries, or a mix, 500lb and Incendiary.
( The 250lb was rarely, if ever, used on 'heavy' bombers, and rarely even on Medium bombers by this stage of the war - mainly fighter bombers such as the Spit/Hurricane, again rarely as the 500lb could be carried.)

Knew you'd be able to tell me T! I figured 250's because of the size of the wing bays but if they all take a 500 pounder each awesome! How many 1000lb's could I squeeze in the main bay max do ya reckon?

I'd let you have the bombs off my Lanc, but I'm thinking of using them in a diorama - of a Halifax.

Have you got any bombs left over from your Airfix Lanc?

Sh!t no . I must have lost some because I only had the 1 cookie and about 6 500lb's - looked bloody empty!

I've been thinking of trying the same recently, so the idea was in my head already...

(Love your new siggy btw!)

Cheers mate , tis a RNZAF Corsair 8)

 

[Airframes]

I'd need to check the load configuration charts, whcih i think i have somewhere, but again it would depend on target, bombing altitude and range. Full fuel tanks for a long trip, say Vienna for example, would mean a lighter load. The easiest way, in this case, for a 'general' display, would be to look at the total bomb load capacity for the Halifax III, subtract whatever you put in the wing bays, then load up the main bay accordingly. At a rough guess, I'd say 8 to 9 x 1,000 pounders max, or up to 15 x 500 pounders - that's just off the top of me noggin!

 

[A4K]

I've got the bombs from my Lanc going spare, and can probably give you some from the Stirling too... don't worry about postage, just tell me how many of each type you need.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Looks like you cracked it Daniel, Terry as usual a mined of info and Even to the rescue, good on'ya all.

 

[lesofprimus]

Lookin good, cant wait to see how ur bombload comes out...

 

[109ROAMING]

Cheers guys

I've got the bombs from my Lanc going spare, and can probably give you some from the Stirling too... don't worry about postage, just tell me how many of each type you need.

Thanks mate! Il figure it out in the next few days

Looking at 12 * 500 pounders in each wing bay then , about another 6 in the main bay

 

[Airframes]

I think the majority would be in the main bay Daniel, with probably one in each cell of the wing bays. One of te pics earlier in your thread, showing the bomb bays, should give an idea. Off the top of my head, I'm not sure of the weight capacity of the wing bays, but the main fuselage bay is big and strong, like the Lanc, so the main load would be evenly distributed along its length, probably three to four abreast. So, probably 14 to 18 x 500lb in the main bay (or half in 1,000lb bombs), and 6 x500lb bombs in each wing (one per cell), giving a possible total of 15,000lb, probably nearer 12,000lb, made up of 30 or 24 x 500 pounders. I think I'd aim for the latter figure, or a bit less, if they're 500lb bombs you get.

 

[109ROAMING]

Il go with that Terry ,Thanks mate. I just went back and looked at that pic and realised as you said only one bomb in the wing bays

Also , in that pic there doesn't seem to be a 'wall' separating the front to back bays in the wing. Is it just the darkness of the photo or is there actually a wall there? Theres 2 sets of doors so I'm assuming theres some sort of seperation? ( Il have to remove it if not)
Drat I don't have those pics you sent me Terry on this computer

 

[Airframes]

I'll have to check the wing bays on my plan drawings, but I'm fairly certain there was a bulkhead between the front and rear wing cells. I can't remember which pics I posted - I know the one of the bomb bay was posted by Alex I think. Let me know which ones you need, and I'll see what i've got. I e-mailed you some stuff with cutaways and pics, so they're probably still on my PC.

 

[109ROAMING]

Cheers mate


Been quite demotivated on this build for the last few days . Managed to squeeze abit in this evening
Turrets are a right pain , bloody thick plastic with near to impossible to get to ejection marks. Dry fitted the cockpit canopy and the fit is bloody horrible

anyway what I did today

 

[Heinz]

Damn looking good mate, keep it up eh

 

[109ROAMING]

Shall try! Cheers mate

 

[A4K]

Looking good mate! One thing with the undercarriage doors though. the wheel stuck out a little when closed, hence the large hole. You may have to remove them again and fit the main wheels first, unless you can cut the wheels down at the point they stick out and glue them to the doors?

With the bombs, what type of 500 lbers have been used? Just the 'angled' type as here and in Alex's pic on page 2 ...:
http://www.flightglobalimages.com/i...r-load-bombs-during-world-war-two_1572125.jpg

...or also these type, as used in the Stirling, Hampden and Lanc?:
http://www.pegelsoft.nl/bombs.jpg

I have 30 of the latter type for you if good...

 

[109ROAMING]

Cheers mate! Yup I knew about the wheels sticking out , Il just fit them in somehow

With the bombs I'd like to use if possible the ones in Alex's photo giving a total of 24 arranged like this

18 X 500 pounders in the main bay loaded 4 abreast and then 6 in the wing bays giving a total of 12000 lbs ( as Terry said)

That okay? if not no worries

Il figure it out

 

[A4K]

The new-tool Revell Lanc kit comes with 18 of the 'angled' type...I can give you those then, plus four of same from my Hampden conversion set (I just need the torpedo from that). That leaves 8, which I should have close matches for in my spares box - get back to ya on that.

 

[109ROAMING]

Only if your sure you won't be using them mate?

No trouble if you want em , wouldn't mind trying my hand at making 9 1000lbs' for the main bay then just 6 500's for the wing bays

 

[A4K]

To be honest, hadn't decided yet on how many angled type I'll need...if it's good for you then, try making the 1000 lbers first, and I'll send 6 500 lbers. If you get stuck, I'll send the rest.

I'll check out my spare bombs from other aircraft in the meantime too to see if I have matches for the 1000 lbers (any photos or drawings of comparitive sizes? Haven't found anything reliable so far)

 

[109ROAMING]

No worries mate , some sizes to go on would be good tho

Il make some more bombs for George while I'm at it