1/72 Scale Lancaster...Hasegawa

[stona]

I recently managed to help out fellow member Roman (Vajled) with a bottle of Klear from my stash. He very kindly insisted on reciprocating in some way and what a nice surprise it was when this kit arrived hot foot from Croatia!



I've had a quick look and it looks very nice. Like many larger Hasegawa kits a sparse interior is more than compensated by a very nicely done and finely detailed exterior which is the bit we'll see at the end

There are three decal options for two aircraft, all from No. 467 Squadron. Two for PO-S, R5868,at different times. Unfortunately the text of the decal about no enemy aircraft over the "Reich" reads "Eich"!

No problem, I will do the other option PO-V, an aircraft that was lost on the night of 02/03rd October 1943 with all her crew on a raid to Munich.

As we near remembrance day I thought it would be good to remember her typically young crew of men from around the Commonwealth.

Pilot: P/O. Robert Harder N/Z415692 R.N.Z.A.F. Age 26. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. George Kenneth Barnes 546801 R.A.F. Age ? Killed

Nav: F/O. Milton Edwin Garbutt AUS/413976 R.A.A.F. Age 24. Killed

Nav 2: Fl/Sgt. Allan Walter Wright AUS/418609 R.A.A.F. Age 20. Killed

Air.Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Graham Ernest Potter AUS/410088 R.A.A.F. Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. William James Baker 1334345 R.A.F.V.R. Age 20. Missing.

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Norman Sidaway 1499834 R.A.F.V.R. Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Frank Pullom AUS/414161 R.A.A.F. Age 28. Killed

One small error with the decals for this one too. PO-V was ED621.

The serial given on the decal sheet is ED539 which was PO-P, lost with all her crew on 27/28 January 1944 over Berlin. Obviously a completely different aeroplane.

I will make a decal with the correct serial for PO-V.

It's a nice kit which I'm looking forward to building. Hopefully I'll do it justice and justify Roman's confidence, to whom thanks are due!

Poor research by Hasegawa!

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Very nice detail from Roman.

Look forward seeing this one Steve, I'm sure you will do it justice!

Cheers

[stona]

Yes Polux, it was a very generous gesture from Roman.

Now I have to make a decent job of the kit! Pressure is on

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Very nice & friendly and more like a club on line. I am sad that I cannot make this Telford thing to meet some members.

Nice to remember in names rather than just a big overall with all lumped together.

Having visited the Bayeux memorial in France also in Jersey, in the Town Park in a lovely corner just next to the church which stands as part of the park, there are the graves of American crews brought down over Jersey. Quite something to walk along those graves and think of their age, so little used, & all they people left in the world to whom they meant so much.

Why not Steve dedicate your Lancaster to all lives lost by airmen in the WW11 including German & Japanese airmen.

Laurie

[stona]

Well Laurie I will be sparing a thought for all those who have lost their lives in conflict on the 11th.

I was inspired to build this Lancaster by the story of Bomber Command and specifically the men who lost their lives in PO-V.

I'm thinking of a little diorama. There used to be a bomber support set from Airfix. Since the bomber was a gift I can splash out on one if it is still available......off to google that right now!

Cheers

Steve

[Alan 45]

That's a very nice thing for Roman to do I bet your chuffed

I've seen a few hasegawa in my local hobby shop it will be good to see how good these kits are

[Guest]

Yes that sounds good Steve. More & more I like to see models in their environment. Some of the photos of Lancasters on the airfields especially as they all line up for take off. Often wonder what it was like. Sure that most of us have not been subject just to the stress of one night let alone a Tour & then another. The nights in-between each raid with fear eating away your insides.

Laurie

[Guest]

If anyone can do it justice Stona, you can. I'm really looking forward to seeing this go together as I have developed a particular soft spot for Lancasters having recently moved next door to a couple and being regularly 'buzzed' by one through the summer months! I'm even planning on singing Christmas carols under the wing of one this year!!

You may just provide enough inspiration to make me buy a kit!!

[stona]

Good news is that the Airfix set is available and one should be winging it's way to me courtesy of the recently privatised Royal Mail!

This of course means I'll have to build some vehicles

Cheers

Steve

[flyjoe180]

A nice thought from Roman, and a very poignant build to mark upcoming Remembrance Day. The crew list is nicely representative of the broad range of nationalities involved in Bomber Command's campaigns. No.467 Squadron was in fact a Royal Australian Air Force squadron operating within Bomber Command, one of many Commonwealth units to do so.

The aircraft was indeed ED621, that is a silly error from Hasegawa. http://aircrewremembered.com/harder-robert.html

Here is a biography from the Auckland War Memorial site for Pilot Officer Harder. http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/25474.detail

[stona]

I finally got a chance to start this one.

One of the first things I noticed was the large clear sprue.



This led me to order this straight away!



I've also stuck together what passes for an interior.



Luckily I'm not interested in the interior. I will draw a discreet veil over its shortcomings, or rather hide it when I join the fuselage halves together

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Well there's a few things sure here....

Its a great friendly forum (Kudos to yourself and Roman)

I'm with Laurie ... It was a shame to miss Telford

Everyone loves a Lancaster

It will be a poignant build

You will make a cracking job of it as per usual

That's it in a nutshell really!

[Guest]

Yes, I like it. I have not given up hope of buying a Lancaster but in 1/48 scale and preferably the model of Tamiya.

I'll follow it.

Regards

ajcmac

[stona]

Yes, I like it. I have not given up hope of buying a Lancaster but in 1/48 scale and preferably the model of Tamiya. I'll follow it.

Regards

ajcmac

The 1/48 Tamiya Lancaster can be made into a nice model but it is a very old kit. Despite recent boxings including a few options like different propeller blades it does show its age!

It is definitely not up to the standard of a modern Tamiya kit. For what it is it is very expensive, particularly as you might decide to buy some after market parts to bring it up to standard.

I don't want to discourage you. I'm just being honest. I've seen several of your builds and I know that you would make a beautiful job of it.

Cheers

Steve

[Vaughan]

Will watch with interest Steve.