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

[zenrat]

What if Avro had created a medium bomber in parallel with the Lancaster?
What if they used a modular construction approach utilising much of the Lancaster tooling?

I am starting with a 1/72 Revell Lancaster B I/III from which I have previously used the inner nacelles and the tail turret.
I have cut down the nose by 10mm, removed the inner portion of the wings and reshaped the tail.  Once the glue is dry and reinforcement has been added I will cut shorten the tail.
I plan on retaining the mid upper turret but no nose or tail turrets.  Armament more akin to a Blenheim than a Mitchell.



<edit>
Looking at the pics I think shortening the fuselage behind the mid upper turret will leave it too far rearward and so for weight distribution and aesthetic reasons I will move it forwards.  Is there any reason why it cannot be above the bomb bay?  Vertical clearance maybe?

[Caveman]

I feel a bit silly saying this but... Manchester?

As for the fuselage length, the Manchester was the same length as the Lanc (according to wiki).

[darthspud2]

re mid upper turret.
Isn't / wasn't the Canadian built version mid upper turret somewhat further forward?
might save awkward weight and balance/ trim questions from certain rivet counters?

[Dizzyfugu]

I feel a bit silly saying this but... Manchester?

LOL, was my first thought, too! Will be a very subtle whif, though. 

[PR19_Kit]

A Lancaster effectively WAS a Manchester, but with engines that worked.

Fred's downsizing the whole airframe somewhat, which would make it a Bury, or Bolton maybe......... 

[Rheged]

A Lancaster effectively WAS a Manchester, but with engines that worked.

Fred's downsizing the whole airframe somewhat, which would make it a Bury, or Bolton maybe......... 

Go for the alliteration!  Taking Kit's idea of using a Manchester suburb, how about an Avro Ancoats........you could even paint it  Ardwick Green.

[kitnut617]

re mid upper turret.
Isn't / wasn't the Canadian built version mid upper turret somewhat further forward?
might save awkward weight and balance/ trim questions from certain rivet counters?

Yes but by not much, when the Martin turret was fitted it hung down inside too far and it fouled the radar mechanism below it, so the turret was moved forward enough to clear it.

[Devilfish]

A Lancaster effectively WAS a Manchester, but with engines that worked.

Fred's downsizing the whole airframe somewhat, which would make it a Bury, or Bolton maybe......... 

Rochdale?

[NARSES2]

Avro Ancaster ? Village in Lincolnshire, Bomber County.

[PR19_Kit]

Avro Ancaster ? Village in Lincolnshire, Bomber County.

[Captain Canada]

Great idea and looking good so far ! Going to be an interesting piece when she's done I think.

[The Wooksta!]

Now, I'd thought of doing something similar - a Lancaster based torpedo bomber in 72nd with the Frog/Novo 96th Lancaster.

[Old Wombat]

What about bringing the mid-upper turret right up behind the cockpit area as per the B-17's & B-24's?

[zenrat]

AFAIK the Manc and the Lanc were the same size with the main difference being the number of lumps sticking out the front of the wings.
This is shorter (by about 7' since I cut more off the back of the fuselage from just aft of the bomb-bay) and has a shorter span (by about 18').  Losing the nose and tail turrets will reduce weight.
Mid upper turret may end up over the wings where the square hole can be seen on the photos.
Of course, if people think it is a Manc at first glance then so much the better.
Current favourite for the name is Avro Knutsford.  For the simple reason that my sister lives there.  Could change though.
Current job is piecing together bits of plastic to fill gaps around the tail.
After that I need to find some wheels.  Lanc ones will do but are maybe a touch too large.

[The Wooksta!]

Try Mosquito wheels.  But don't use the buttons from the Airfix kit.

IIRC, Manchester wheels are smaller than Lancaster ones.