I am not sure how old the Airfix
Lancaster is but it must be 15 yrs since its re release came out so a new kit
is certainly overdue. Hasegawa have come up with new up to date
version using today's engineering technology with engraved panel lines and some
very fine part mouldings. I had both to hand so I built the two kits for a
comparison check and found very little difference in the finished models but
there are some in the construction and details. The newer cockpit
has much more detail in it but not all is correct it seems and the fuselage
holds spars for the main wings and the tail planes which fit into recesses
so no cement can show, this makes it so much easier to align the wings at the
proper angles. On the Airfix model all the turrets rotate but on the new kit
they don't and while the new bomb bay is much better detailed with hangers for
each bomb the old bay has a more usual load of three bombs across each row
against the newer one with four, that is possible but a very tight fit so three
was the norm is seems. Both kits give you the alternative of open or closed bomb
doors but the new kit unlike the older one gives clear fuselage side windows as
opposed to just engravings on the sides.
The new kit has the main wheel
bays moulded in the lower wing half whereas the old one has the bays in the
nacelles, the landing gear struts on the old kit are a bit basic but strong
while the newer set are more detailed but very delicate. Each new leg is
made up of five very fine parts and includes the linkage to the doors which you
will need to bend outward to reach the doors. The new wheels are bulged
with "flat bottoms" but remember that Airfix wheels were moulded
before flat tyres were the fashion.
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The new Hasegawa engine nacelles
come with separate exhausts and shrouds to give you a choice of fitting and the
small intakes come as individual parts but do not have the tiny screens in front
of them as the Airfix kit does. The outer nacelles are not fully faired into the
wing leading edge, unlike the Airfix kit, but you do get a choice of propellors,
pointed and paddle type.
Separate
actuators for the ailerons are a feature on the new kit but not on the old
and you get some clear wing tip nav lights for this new version plus
separate mass balances for the rudders.
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Hasegawa's
canopy comes in several pieces, there is an alternative high or low astra
dome and the side windows come bulged or flat but these fit on using the
same method as the airfix windows. The main canopy part V3 has the escape
hatch in the forward row of top windows when it should be in the second
row as is the Airfix kit.
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The new model
has the radar dish included in the H2s dome and you get the Monica aerial
for the tail moulded on plus the nose aerials and alernative pitot tubes
for early or late Lancasters.
There is one big mistake on this model,the tail wheel is much too big
almost 1/48th I would say and it makes the model sit at an unnatural
angle, in fact it is appx one and a half times the size of the Airfix tail
wheel.
Construction of the model is straight forward and quite easy, the
instruction sheet is quite clear with full painting guides all the
way through. |
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The decal sheet
provides markings for three aircraft, PO+S from 467 Sqdn summer
1944, PO+S 467 Sqdn May 1944 and PO+V 467 Sqdn summer 1943.
Note how large the roundels are here they should be smaller as on the
Airfix wing. |
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Painting was made very easy with
both kits as the assembled wings and tailplanes could be painted before adding
to the fuselage, my models had the top colours painted first and then masked
along the fuselage and engine nacelles for the black undersides.
I used Xtracolor for one model and Revell paints for the other but after the
coats of Klear were added I can't tell which is which.
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My Airfix model had the rivets
rubbed off and some panel lines scribed on but the Hasegawa model was built as
is and at Telford SMW last weekend very few people could tell the difference
between the two, as a comparison goes not much to choose from overall just the
details provided with the newer tooling.
I chose to make up my model in the
markings of an old pal of mine who flew in Lancasters during the war
he was with 75 NZ Sqdn first with Stirlings and then moved to 7 Sqdn on Lancs,
his pilots name was F/O Mee and his planes always carried the code letter M, I
have chosen one of four aircraft he flew in to complete 31 ops, a full tour of
duty.
I have a copy of my pal's log book and recorded in it is an incident which
took place on the night of Dec 2 1943, they were destined for Berlin but were
attacked by an Me 110 on the way in, severe damage, which rendered the gun
turrets, compass and intercom unserviceable, was inflicted on his
aircraft, my pal also was hit in the head with a cannon shell. The pilot
pressed on to the target released his bombs and turned for home, after leaving
the target area another fighter attack developed but aided by skillful
directions given by his gunners F/O Mee avoided further damage and flew home to
make a safe landing at base.
My Pal recounted to me that he was hospitalised on Dec 3rd where they replaced
the top of his skull with a silver plate and released from Hospital Dec 30th and
back on ops in January 1944 with his crew, but by March his injuries caused him
to come off ops and the first time his old crew went out without him they were
shot down over Berlin and there were no survivers. Thanks to these guys courage
we are able to tell the tale today.
Ted
Drop by Ted's
Website to see more of his models. Ted
Taylor's Modelworks
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