Gondor's Lancaster Mk XL

[Gondor]

Just a little more progress, hopefully the other wing will be stuck together later today and I hope to also get the bomb bay roof sorted as well today.



Still not worked out how to change the bomb bay doors although I have decided to split the bomb bay into two parts and to put the Lincoln style H2s radome on the section between the bomb bays. I am thinking that modifying Shackleton bomb bay doors may be the answer.

Gondor

[sequoiaranger]

Before you split the bomb-bays, you might remember that the Lancaster was the only other Allied plane besides the B-29 that had a large enough bomb-bay for the Atomic bombs. If I may be presumptuous here, I would assume this stretched Lanc would be considered for carrying Atomic Bombs (whether British or US-manufactured). I'm sorry I cannot give you more details on the size of bomb-bay necessary for the A-bombs, but I thought I would at least alert you to the above fact. But, on the other hand, if this Lanc XXX was NOT capable of carrying an a-bomb, that would explain why it was "discontinued" and there are no remaining examples around! 

[hurricanemk1c]

Red Beard was 12ft long and 28in diameter - so should fit into a Lanc's bomb bay. Lincolns were to carry atomtic weapons if the V-Bombers failed. So a Lanc XXX instead of the Lincoln would be perfect!

[The Wooksta!]

A Blue Danube WILL fit - just! - into a Lancaster bomb bay.  I've tried it and have a whole scenario planned around specially modified Lancasters using Blue Danube sized bombs.  Apparently there's a photo of a Lancaster carrying a shape similar to Grand Slam but bigger...

One other thing.  The inner nacelle will need to be lengthened as the props will clash.

[The Wooksta!]

P38 is excellent filler.  Quicker than Milliput and ideal for largish sections.

[Gondor]

Red Beard was 12ft long and 28in diameter - so should fit into a Lanc's bomb bay. Lincolns were to carry atomtic weapons if the V-Bombers failed. So a Lanc XXX instead of the Lincoln would be perfect!

Never thought about carrying Nukes though its an interesting idea. The splitting of the bomb bay into two equal lengths.....approximately 17 scale feet each......... with the radar scanner between them and below the wing centre section. This would still allow a Red Beard to fit in either bay or I could always decide to carry "special" weapons between the inner pair of engines or even between the engines and the fuselage, just like the B-29 was able to do with Grand Slam bombs.

A Blue Danube WILL fit - just! - into a Lancaster bomb bay.  I've tried it and have a whole scenario planned around specially modified Lancasters using Blue Danube sized bombs.  Apparently there's a photo of a Lancaster carrying a shape similar to Grand Slam but bigger...

One other thing.  The inner nacelle will need to be lengthened as the props will clash.

No need to extend the nacelle as I took the size of the props into consideration when measuring the size of the required plug to go into the wing. If I do find they clash its not too much of a problem to add a plug to the innermost pair of engines.

P38 is excellent filler.  Quicker than Milliput and ideal for largish sections.

Never heard of the stuff unfortunately, who makes it, does it have a brand name and where can I get some by mail order or even from on-line?

More pictures tomorrow when I should have gotten further.

I have also been thinking about the colour scheme, Tiger Force being the fairly obvious one, going to use information from Bombing Colours by Michael J F Bowyer for the CIB theatre for the markings.

And thanks for the input guys.

Gondor

[kitnut617]

No need to extend the nacelle as I took the size of the props into consideration when measuring the size of the required plug to go into the wing. If I do find they clash its not too much of a problem to add a plug to the innermost pair of engines.

Gondor

You may not have to add another plug at all, the inner nacelle on the Lanc was in the same position as where the nacelle was supposed to be for the Manchester. This was envisioned to swing a 16 foot prop when powered by the fully developed Vulture engine, so considering that the Merlins only swung a 12 foot 6 inch prop, all you would have to do is slide the nacelle closer to the fuselage as you have about 1 foot 9 inches to play with (1'-6" to give you 3" of prop tip/fuselage clearance)

[NARSES2]

P38 is excellent filler.  Quicker than Milliput and ideal for largish sections.

Never heard of the stuff unfortunately, who makes it, does it have a brand name and where can I get some by mail order or even from on-line?

Gondor

It's standard auto filler available at Halfords. I'm told that if you get the timing right you can cut it like cheese 

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchCmd?srch=p38&action=search&storeId=10001&catalogId=10151&langId=-1&x=33&y=15

[Martin H]

P38 is excellent filler.  Quicker than Milliput and ideal for largish sections.

Never heard of the stuff unfortunately, who makes it, does it have a brand name and where can I get some by mail order or even from on-line?

Gondor

It's standard auto filler available at Halfords. I'm told that if you get the timing right you can cut it like cheese 

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchCmd?srch=p38&action=search&storeId=10001&catalogId=10151&langId=-1&x=33&y=15

And dont use it indoors...your home will reek of the stuff for weeks afterwards.

[The Wooksta!]

I know! 

[Gondor]

P38 is excellent filler.  Quicker than Milliput and ideal for largish sections.

Never heard of the stuff unfortunately, who makes it, does it have a brand name and where can I get some by mail order or even from on-line?

Gondor

It's standard auto filler available at Halfords. I'm told that if you get the timing right you can cut it like cheese 

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchCmd?srch=p38&action=search&storeId=10001&catalogId=10151&langId=-1&x=33&y=15

And dont use it indoors...your home will reek of the stuff for weeks afterwards.

I know! 

Glad I haven't gone shopping for the stuff then. I am currently filling the larger gaps with plastic stock to reduce the size of the holes and in fact I am making the plastic stand proud of the surrounding area in places so that there will be even less filling to be done. Probably going to use Squadron Green Stuff, after all I have a tube of the stuff at hand.

Gondor

[chrisonord]

Hya Gondor,
When I need to fill pretty large gaps up in stuff I use pieces of sprue that I cut out to use as paint stirrers.As they can be in different lengths and diametres, and even different profiles. It will save you a fortune on using your styrene stock up.
Chris.

[Gondor]

Plastic stock is not particularly expensive and comes nice and flat which sprue doesn't.

Found that I need two sets of bomb bay doors from the Frog/Novo/whoever Shackleton to use for the kit and unfortunately I don't have any spare.

Can anyone help?

Gondor

[The Wooksta!]

Surely they're too wide for the Lancaster?

[kitnut617]

I would agree, Lancaster fuselage is 6 feet wide, Shackleton fuselage is 8 feet wide