Tim’s Hobbyboss 1/48 Fleet Air Arm Avenger MkI

[Tim Marlow]

Doh!! ......
When I looked at his seat initially I thought the back of it was against the fuselage side,so 90° off of mine.... Note to self,TAKE MORE NOTICE!!
Those tube things are there...but appear further back from him than yours :smiling3:
Know what you mean about the gun position...no idea how that worked!!

I think the later version actually did have the seat against the fuselage wall. The Eduard instructions say to move it there. Could find a picture though so it stayed like that…..

[Jim R]

Looking good Tim. The internal details are nice as is the painting. Glad the halves went together pretty well. I have also found that some Eduard PE is slightly oversize. Often not important but a real pain when it adversely affects the fit of parts.

[scottie3158]

Tim,
All looking very nice mate.

[Tim Marlow]

Looking good Tim. The internal details are nice as is the painting. Glad the halves went together pretty well. I have also found that some Eduard PE is slightly oversize. Often not important but a real pain when it adversely affects the fit of parts.

Cheers Jim. Glad it’s not just me then…….thought the lap belts in this one were too big as well actually. They were about a scale foot wide!

[Tim Marlow]

Tim,
All looking very nice mate.

Cheers Scottie.

[Andy T]

Good to see the two halves came together without much issue. Shame to hide a lot of that lovely interior work.

[Waspie]

Is the 'rear 'Bomb Aimer' actually listed as such?
My hypothesis!
To me, with it being FAA and all that. I would perhaps suggest the rear guy is actually a communications guy and gunner!! Or TAG, Telegraphist Air Gunner, a recognised trade within the FAA. The Swordfish carried one. (Just out of interest, the TAG's were the predecessors of my trade 'Aircrewmen'.)
With the aircraft being so big, I would assume it would have some range to it? (An assumption). That being so, then it would make sense for the RN to utilise the trades they have, TAG's) to communicate with the fleet and also he doubles up as tail end charlie in the event of the cunning enemy attacking the rear.
I would also think that all crew positions would have some form of harness even it were only a lap strap. Seems strange to me that so little consideration would be made to even the lowliest of crew members. Even during the war years.
Unless y'all know different!! :smiling2:

Edited bit.
Looking at Andy's Avenger, there appears to be a hatch on the port side under the turret operators position, (probably for the turret gunner). Also a hatch on the starboard side rear which I reckon would be the access to the 'stinger' operator!!

[Tim Marlow]

Good to see the two halves came together without much issue. Shame to hide a lot of that lovely interior work.

Cheers Andy. That’s the lot of the wingy builder I’m afraid…..you do it all because you don’t really know what can and cannot be seen, and it turns out nearly all of it has disappeared :sleeping2:

[Tim Marlow]

Is the 'rear 'Bomb Aimer' actually listed as such?
My hypothesis!
To me, with it being FAA and all that. I would perhaps suggest the rear guy is actually a communications guy and gunner!! Or TAG, Telegraphist Air Gunner, a recognised trade within the FAA. The Swordfish carried one. (Just out of interest, the TAG's were the predecessors of my trade 'Aircrewmen'.)
With the aircraft being so big, I would assume it would have some range to it? (An assumption). That being so, then it would make sense for the RN to utilise the trades they have, TAG's) to communicate with the fleet and also he doubles up as tail end charlie in the event of the cunning enemy attacking the rear.
I would also think that all crew positions would have some form of harness even it were only a lap strap. Seems strange to me that so little consideration would be made to even the lowliest of crew members. Even during the war years.
Unless y'all know different!! :smiling2:

Edited bit.
Looking at Andy's Avenger, there appears to be a hatch on the port side under the turret operators position, (probably for the turret gunner). Also a hatch on the starboard side rear which I reckon would be the access to the 'stinger' operator!!

Hi Doug. As far as I know he was a radio operator/navigator/gunner/bomb aimer. All the kit for all three is in his position. Probably a TAG, as you suggest. Stinger is only needed when under attack, and bomb Aimer only when attacking using level bombs. The flight there and back would give him plenty of time for the rest of it….busy little chap though…..
As to access, as far as I can make out, both rear crew members got in through the big hole in the starboard side…..the bottom flap in the turret below the seat drops down to let the gunner in. Always thought they must have been quite fit to clamber around in there…..

[Waspie]

Hi Doug. As far as I know he was a radio operator/navigator/gunner/bomb aimer. All the kit for all three is in his position. Probably a TAG, as you suggest. Stinger is only needed when under attack, and bomb Aimer only when attacking using level bombs. The flight there and back would give him plenty of time for the rest of it….busy little chap though…..
As to access, as far as I can make out, both rear crew members got in through the big hole in the starboard side…..the bottom flap in the turret below the seat drops down to let the gunner in. Always thought they must have been quite fit to clamber around in there…..

Naval aircrew have always had to be fairly adept at getting into and out of awkward spaces!!! Crew considerations seem to have been low down on designers priority lists!!! Look at the Sea Vixen? The Observer, (navigator/tactical), was in an awful place if it came to ditching!!

[Waspie]

Cheers Andy. That’s the lot of the wingy builder I’m afraid…..you do it all because you don’t really know what can and cannot be seen, and it turns out nearly all of it has disappeared :sleeping2:

But you know the detail is there!

[stona]

I have no idea why I have just seen this for the first time. Impressed I am, it's looking really good!

[Tim Marlow]

I have no idea why I have just seen this for the first time. Impressed I am, it's looking really good!

Cheers Steve, very kind of you.

[Geoffers]

Great progress Tim, as already said shame a lot of the internal detail will be hidden but I suppose creating it all adds to the fun :thinking:

Geoff.

[Tim Marlow]

Great progress Tim, as already said shame a lot of the internal detail will be hidden but I suppose creating it all adds to the fun :thinking:

Geoff.

Thanks Geoff. It is usually fun, but for some reason I’ve found this one a bit of a drag. Glad it’s zipped up now so I can move in to the next stage.