Avro Albany B Mk2 (Project Wrathchild) - finished pics page 9

[zenrat]

Yeah, we're all indestructible when we're young.
I'm amazed I survived so many motorcycle crashes with nothing worse than cracked ribs.

So, Wrathchild.  Satin cleared today and glued on the main undercarriage legs.  Nearly there now.

[nighthunter]

So, Wrathchild.  Satin cleared today and glued on the main undercarriage legs.  Nearly there now.

I'm so tired I read that as "Satan", lol!

[zenrat]

So, Wrathchild.  Satin cleared today and glued on the main undercarriage legs.  Nearly there now.

I'm so tired I read that as "Satan", lol!

Heh heh, yes, I subcontract out the fiddly bits to someone with more patience than me...

Today I concentrated on Project Wrathchild;
Main UC legs removed and reattached at a better angle.
All glazing attached and krystal clear in the window holes.
Spinners attached to props.
Front UC doors scratched up.
Main UC door painted.
Main UC leg operating rams attached.
Bombs painted.

Here she is on her feet.
Wrathchild WIP 12-7-17 2 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
I was worried that the TSR2 main legs with 1/48 Me 262 wheels would be too short and there wouldn't be room for the bomb bay doors to open but it all worked out OK.

Wrathchild WIP 12-7-17 1 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[DogfighterZen]

Looking very good on it's wheels!

[zenrat]

Thanks mate.

[rickshaw]

Nice.  She looks the part, mate! 

[Old Wombat]

Nice.  She looks the part, mate! 

+1

[NARSES2]

I can see so many "influences" in that, it's amazing. Every time I look I see something different, fantastic 

[PR19_Kit]

How the Albemarle should have looked. 

[zenrat]

I can see so many "influences" in that...

Yes, particularly the purple lacky band (one thing about working for the Post Office, you are never short of them).
Any influences are subconscious.  I just sat down with what was left of a Revell Lanc after i'd robbed the inner nacelles and the tail turret from it and tried to work out how to make a whole aircraft from it.  Fuselage was shortened to fit with narrower wings and nose turret was dropped to save weight.  The shape of the nose and tail came about through having to close up where the turrets had been.  I was really just making it up as I went.
Obviously years of voraciously reading about aircraft and making models while growing up means certain aesthetics have been programmed into my brain.  Subconscious pattern recognition again maybe.  Like how if I draw a sports car it always ends up looking like a Lamborghini Miura.

Thanks folks.

Bomb load in and bomb bay doors on today.  There's a plethora of small balances and actuators, nav light lenses, pitot tube and what I assume is a dump pipe (starboard side, rear fuselage)  to glue on and paint and the aerial to rig and then she's done.  Should do all that tomorrow.

[NARSES2]

I can see so many "influences" in that...

Any influences are subconscious.

Obviously years of voraciously reading about aircraft and making models while growing up means certain aesthetics have been programmed into my brain.  Subconscious pattern recognition again maybe.  Like how if I draw a sports car it always ends up looking like a Lamborghini Miura.

I think that happens to all of us. Your subconscious drags out images that you saw time and time again, especially as a child. Back then it was what aircraft looked like and the subconscious remembers even if you don't.

Our P.O. use purple elastic bands as well btw. I'm always finding them in my stairwell. The other useful find is all the telecoms wiring the BT guys leave strewn around the "green box" down the road every time they work on it, lovely and thin 

[zenrat]

Funny, I was only saying to a sparky yesterday that he couldn't be a real, qualifiedl electrician because he was picking up all the bits of insulation from the floor.

Well, she's completed except maybe a squirt of clear on a patch I had to touch up which is now matter than the rest.
In the end I didn't attach the balances to the rudders as they would only have remained attached until the first time I moved it.
I'll take some beauty pics tomorrow.

[NARSES2]

Funny, I was only saying to a sparky yesterday that he couldn't be a rea, qualifiedl electrician because he was picking up all the bits of insulation from the floor.

Yup that would have been either the apprentices or labourer's job back when a few of my mates were on the BT (Post Office back then) "tools"

[zenrat]

Avro Albany

Avro Albany 5 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Avro Albany was intended to replace the RAFs existing medium bombers, the Whitley, Hampden and Wellington.
It was designed to use as many Lancaster components as possible in order to reduce lead time from design to production and simplify manufacture.

Avro Albany 10 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The intention was to power the Albany with Griffons but as it neared production it became apparent this would not be possible due to those engines being required for Spitfires and Fireflies.  It is rumoured that disruptive elements within the air ministry campaigned aggressively for Napier Sabres to be used but if this was ever the case any associated paperwork has been destroyed, there is no evidence of it ever being proposed, and the proposer has been disappeared.
Sabres were in any case never seriously considered for the Albany as the design changes required to mount them would have moved too far away from the "as much Lanc as possible" ethos.

Avro Albany 13 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Avro Albany B Mk1 was powered by Merlin XXs which meant that its performance wasn't much better that the aircraft it replaced.  It did however have a bomb bay which, while not as long as that of the Lancaster (23' compared to 33') still had room for a 4000lb Cookie in addition to other munitions.
The Albany B2 came with Merlin 61s, which improved matters, but it wasn't until the B3 that Griffons were available and the envisaged performance was achieved.

Avro Albany 12 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The aircraft Shown is an Albany B2 of 100 Squadron in April 1945. 

The Model
Revell 1/72 Avro Lancaster B I/III
Airfix 1/72 TSR2 Main undercarriage legs
Monogram 1/48 Me 262 wheels & nose undercarriage leg
Vallejo paint & Revell kit decals

Avro Albany 1 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Since taking the photos i've realised what was missing and have now attached the main undercarriage doors.

[PR19_Kit]

That's MAGNIFICENT Fred, worth a Whiffie nomination for sure.