V*RA the CANADIAN Flying Lanc' also known as VeRA to the 'locals'.

[ian lanc]

Good day chaps.

I thought I'd share the building of a 1/48th Tamiya Lancaster modelled as V*RA.

First off in noting the differences between this Lanc' and a MKI/III is....

The upper turret position and that its a Glen Martin turret complete with 50 cal machine guns.[fill turret hole and re-cut hole for GM turret]

Exhaust stub stacks are very different and resemble exhausts off a Mosquito ! [search for someone who makes Mosquito exhausts]

There are no fuselage side windows at all apart from near nav' area. [fill them all...gulp]

Wheels/hubs are i think from a Shackleton.

Rear tail wheel is not the twin shimmy type. [find suitable wheel]

Wing-tip lights are totally different in that they are fully painted over with just little lights on the corners.

Nav' window on pilots is a small oval [no big square window]

Co' Pilots nav' side has just one big square window.[re-position square window and fill one oval and old square window]

No aerials on nose. [fill holes]

De-icers in front of canopy are closer together than the standard Lanc'

No Blind-pole on fuselage [fill three holes]

No pilot armour.

As always my model will be built from my TeaTray :music_whistling:

Ian.

 

[ian lanc]

This is the 'new' version of the old Lanc' kit there have been a few modifications to this kit and there is a better

choice in either making a MKI or MKIII, though the kit still has fuselage windows

First bit of modding was the rear tail wheel ! I've cut out the old shimmy wheel and to be replaced with a treaded tyre.

Filled all the side windows in with plasticard the sanding removed the rivet work so i had to do my own again and i'll have

to do the rest of the fuselage too, still got to get the correct position of the oval and square nav' windows and cut the holes.

Plugged the blind pole holes with scrap plastic as there is no blind pole on VeRA. I think the H2S platform has got to be removed as-well.

Scrapped and sanded off the rails which should be done on all Tamiya Lanc's

On VeRA one of the heating ducts is blocked off so more scrap and fillering to do.

Also removed the wedges of plastis off the ailerons top and bottom, they now look as if they are fabric covered now !

The wing tip lights are a very poor fit on this kit and seeing as VeRA's lights are fully painted over i've slapped them on and sanded them level...lol

Outer nacelle fairings need a little work and the sanding always destroys the detail so its out with the model knife and riveter !

A bit of PE for the cockpit, i don't normally buy this stuff but on this occasion i thought i'd see what its like, Nice detail.

A simple bit of construction here just four balance weights

The Glen Martin turret, not going to enjoy making a new hole and fillering the old hole in the fuselage...gulp.

Cheers and thanks for looking.

 

[ian lanc]

Mosquito exhaust stub stacks arrived, very nice indeed. [Go on then for anyone who's reading the tips why have i purchased so many exhausts ?]

1: mark.

2: drill.

3: cut.

Many modellers panic when it comes to moving the nav' window but its quite simple to do by first marking out the

window position then drilling the centre and with the use of a knife carefull remove the plastic until the window fits.

Cutting out the oval window is basically the same but you need to drill two holes near the ends of the oval part and work inwards.

To make the kit windows fit neatly on the inside so it sits level to the fuselage you've got to remove some plastic, you got to becareful with the trimming.

I did paint the whole interior in black then looked at real pictures of VeRA ! The cockpit is green so it was a 'cover up' :oops:

The top fuselage is an un-modified one and the lower fuselage is my altered cut filled in bodge,

i've had to re-rivet the whole fuselage as the sanding destroyed the detail.

Filled in upper turret with the kits blanking circle, i normally cut that part in half and glued them to either-side,

this makes it far easier to put in an filler than trying to put one whole circle of plastic in.

The filled in hole in the wing looks better than the picture ! Anyone thinking theres gaps all around it there not it clear super glue,

super glue can be used as a ace filler and sands beautifully.

First interior build parts and as VeRA has no nav' area as such there is a wooden table instead with slots to hold

maps and the leather seat cushions are all red not green, I had to rip off the head armour off the pilots seat too.

''What am i making here ?

Cheers.

Ian

 

[ian lanc]

The filling in and cutting out of the fuselage has been a right pain.

Seeing as no one answered my question as to 'what is this i'm making ?' Its the other co-pilots yoke.

The scratch made column looks pretty good if i ask myself....lol

Co-pilots back rest is just some old bits of plastic knocked together.

Finished nav' table complete with pigeon holes and maps, maps supplied by a forum member.

The instructions tell you to glue the inner nacelle fairings around the under-carriage,

you don't have to as you can glue the two parts then carefully push over the undercarriage.

The glued together inner nacelles, make sure you add the rivet detail back on the joins were sanding has destroyed them

I've seen many Tamiya Lanc' models spoilt because the front section of the rad cover is narrower than the fairing

add some sprue to the inside to wedge out so they become level and sit/align neatly.

The wheel hubs on VeRA are i think Shackleton hubs so i'm going to making a blanking panels to cover the Lanc' hubs.

The head-ache fillering of the side windows

Thanks for looking.

Ian.

 

[ian lanc]

A few real life pictures....

 

[ian lanc]

The fuselage halves are together now

Well guys the engine covers which are supplied with this kit is the worst fitting

of any Tamiya Lanc' ive made in the past, they did not even contour lower nacelle

covers so there was some bodge bending heating of the plastic to get them to fit.

I hate doing the nacelles on these models the fit is always appalling, to get the covers to fit you need to glue a bit at a time with super glue.

The bomb bay in the model has horrible stumps for the bombs and seeing as Vera has never had any bombs fitted i'm going to have the doors in

the closed position, best way to glue the two doors neatly together is to add scrap plastic to the inside and glue them together from the inside.

Vera has no extractor vents so i've filled the locating holes with melted sprue.

The front turret fairing on all the kits needs a 0.5mm of plastic adding to the base of the turret fairing [still yet to be trimmed]

Opened up two new fuselage windows - drill - cut - file job done....lol. Yeh the inside looks a mess but it can't be seen !

Oh because i add to fill in all the side windows i've had to totally make new panel lines and rivet detail.

I reckon i might add some fake fuel tank ends to the outside of the under-carriage frame work, don't know yet.

Top Tip ! When painting prop's/spinners trim down scrap sprue and use pegs as holders, making painting them alot easier.

Nearly finished prop's, Got to add some sort of decal to the centre of the prop's as seen on VeRA.

Not be adding any more cockpit detail as there is enough, The seat belts is just cut masking tape.

Thanks for looking.

 

[ian lanc]

Looking around the net for pictures of VeRA and found some nice links....

Flickriver: Most interesting photos tagged with mynarski

Avro Lancaster | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Mynarski avro lancaster image by Rubi_Jane on Photobucket

A Mynarski -   JANUSZ ZURAKOWSKI - Pilot Doswiadczalny, Avro Arrow Canada

Stock Photography: Avro Lancaster gun turrets. Image: 15544222

 

[ian lanc]

Remove most of the railway lines is to use a model knife on its edge and scrape

the lines down to a degree that they look ok, try to remove only the lines and not any surrounding detail work.

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Very nice work, I love the detail you put in and wish I could get to that lvl, thats for clearing the seat colour question ( again ) lol. In my defense I have 5 magazines all with Lancaster builds in front of me all but one shows brown seats, including IPMS's issue.

Can I also ask, on one build I looked at the guy put what I think are called line cutters along the leading edge of both wings, is that an alternative or standard thing to do?

 

[ian lanc]

Different types of wing-tip lights compared to the standard lanc'

 

[ian lanc]

Every Tamiya Lanc' i've made needs this wedge of plastic to bring out the bombing window so it butts up to the blister neatly.

Trimmed off the excess! You didn't think i was going to leave that massive bit of plastic did you.

 

[ian lanc]

VeRA's cockpit sure looks odd with all that red leather and black section, Turret fairing also glued on too.

Cutting out the hole for the GM turret a bit nerve wrecking i'll tell you!

Offering up the GM turret for fit. I've got a base the turret sits on which is made from an in-haler canister! Yet to add fairings.

If anyone has built the Tamiya Lanc' they will know how bad the fit is with these parts and the new un-shrowded nacelles were no better too.

One modified wing-tip light, i'll be trimming the lights down when the glue has cured.

Thanks for looking.

 

[ian lanc]

Worked on the upper turret fairing so added a few pictures from a forum member who has excellent pictures.

 

[ian lanc]

Doing the fairing for the upper turret has been a real headache because i had to make

the white parts several times to get it right and making a hole in thin plasticard is ot

the easiest thing to do but after three attempts i became a dab hand at it.

The strengthening plates had to be curved to fit the fuselage, my first attempt failed as i tried to glue straight plastic on a curved body...dur!

Succeeded in making the two parts and added some rivet detail.

For some strange reason this reminds me of a Nuns over coat! What you reckon

To get the white plasticard to fit around the turret canopy correctly like it is on the real un' i had to pour boiling water

over the in then push the canopy into the round hole to form some kind of lip, hot water on hands isn't nice and hurts.

Ian.

 

[ian lanc]

I've put masking tape around the fairing just in case i get any glue spillage.

Rather pleased with the outcome of the new position of the new turret and was dreading that to 'old' turret position could be seen.

A layer of primer onto the nacelles to hight-light any bad marks and there isn't any thank gord.

 

[ian lanc]

A few pictures of the re-worked front nose turret clear part[tamiya have it wrong] in which i've scraped the lines

off then working in stages to polish it back up so i can add new framework lines.

Modded the wing tip lights on both wings now and look great.

 

[ian lanc]

Always use Humbrol H29 Dark Earth for all Bomber Command aircraft, Picture a bit too bright in this though!

Added a rear seat and hand grips to the inside and may drill out the guns[may]

Always wondered why tamiya never made movable flaps/aileron's/rudders on their big models, I'd like to alter one build in the future.

Horrible glossy parts are only there for the decals to set nice,The over-all finish of this model will be satin not matt.

On large models i like to cut out the shape of the camo' in paper and stick the paper down

onto the model with tamiya masking tape then spray the green this gives a very fine blended edge.

The resin Mossy exhaust nacelles cut up and added back onto the kits plastic nacelle holder, Had a right carry on doing all eight.

Thanks for looking.

 

[ian lanc]

Had a few nice replies from William[the chap who makes the decals] and he says they are a lot dearer

because of the size compared to 1/72nd and the special in is very expensive to use. He is also to make me

the below letter imagines of the civil reg' red letters of C-GVRA and the white CANADIAN WARPLANE HERITAGE

and the SHELL badge which goes on the rear fin, Also he is to make me some Canadian flags to go on the poles

at no extra charge. Sounds a grand chap and would buy from him again.

The decals make take several weeks to be made so the model might be finished in two months time.

Hoping to make flag-staffs to mount the flags on just like above.

On with the model! Wings are now getting several coats of Klear/Future to seal in the paintwork.

Main canopy is just about fully painted, I like to paint the canopy 'off' the model as its far easier 'on' the model.

Test fitting the wings and getting a feeling for the old gal'

GM turret looks good to me! This is not fixed/glued in and will be able to rotate.

Before anyone says ''you painted the nacelle wrong and shouldn't have any green on it'' VRA has this green section....lol

Not adding the carb air filters until the model is nearly finished, they have a tendency to break off.

Just detest painting such big area's like the undersides of wings! My fingers kill holding just the two spars.

Cheers and thanks for having a neb'

 

[ian lanc]

Canopy finally finished and got to say I just hate painting these things, All hand painted with the use of Tamiya masking tape.

Sun-shade curtain this is only made from plasticard with a few lines put in for effect, this curtain goes under pilots escape hatch.

Rusty looking exhausts with a brushing of grey to somehow simulate lead staining.

Wing-tip lights and rather pleased with the outcome of these.

Brake[the red plastic red] and sat-nav' added to the cockpit.

Cheers.

Ian.

 

[ian lanc]

Top tip from me in covering up the undercarriage is to make a simple box which will go

over the entire undercarriage and down the sides of the nacelle fairing, These boxes will

also protect the undercarriage from any knocks as you build this mighty beast.

Something I hate with the decals in the kit is the black walk-way lines as they are prone to

'silvering' and to get the lines in a dead straight line is a nightmare, So being as there are

lines on the kit wings I mask them up and paint in the lines which is far better.

Masking tape removed and your left with nice black lines all done in just one hour!

The guide lines are on the kits wings because when this was first released no decals

were supplied and you had to paint your own lines.

Thanks for looking.

Ian.