Avro Lancaster in Military Service, 1945–1965

Martin Derry, Neil Robinson

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Aviation
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781473827240
• eBook ISBN: 9781473851047
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

The Avro Lancaster, such a stalwart of the skies during the Second World War, also enjoyed an interesting and surprisingly colourful post-war career. It is this era that the authors have chosen to focus on by profiling the type across its many variants.Split into three primary sections, this book offers a concise yet informative history of the Lancaster's post-war operational career (from 1945-1965) charting the course of the various alterations and improvements that occurred during this time and including a selection of contemporary photographs with detailed captions. A 16-page section features 32 colour illustrations (in profiles, 2-views and 4-views) specially prepared by Mark Gauntlett. The book's final section provides a list and box top illustrations of the plastic model kits produced of the Lancaster in all scales plus reviews and 'how to' construction notes on building a selection of kits in 1/144, 1/72 and 1/48 scales. As with the other books in the Flight Craft series, whilst published primarily with the scale aircraft modeller in mind, it is hoped that those readers who might perhaps describe themselves as 'occasional' modellers - if indeed they model at all - may also find that this colourful and informative work offers something to provoke their interests too.

Modelling the Lancaster

The Avro Lancaster has been kitted by most of the major injection-moulded plastic kit manufacturers over the last fifty years or so, invariably as Second World War Bomber Command variants, and many of these kits are still available. Most of the post-war operated variants were essentially similar to their wartime counterparts, and as such, many can be modelled with few changes from existing kits, although some featured improved or updated equipment and/or minor airframe changes that need to be considered.

MINICRAFT

1/144 scale

Avro Lancaster B.I

Originally produced by Crown in the 1970s, and then under the Academy label in the early 1990s, the moulds were acquired by MiniCraft in 2000. This was once the only option for anyone wanting to model a Lancaster in this scale

Three box tops under which the MiniCraft 1/144 scale toolings have been released over the years.

A-MODEL

1/144 scale

Avro Lancaster B.I/B.III

Never let it be said that 1/144 scale modellers don’t relish a challenge – A Model products are ‘limited run’, so be prepared for plenty of flash and heavy sprue gates, but you also know that somewhere within the box there will always lurk a great model waiting to be liberated; and such is the case with the iconic Lancaster, a perfect subject for 1/144.

What you get are some 120 injection-moulded components which are certainly finer and better detailed than previous offerings from this manufacturer. An assortment of bombs for every occasion is provided (a chart included in the instructions suggests various possible combinations of load, albeit with no information as to their purpose). There are a number of alternative, duplicated or redundant parts such as exhausts, radomes and tailwheels, which presumably apply to the simultaneously released Canadian variant, (and possibly future versions?) A clear sprue covers the transparencies.

You also get a very delicate photo-etch set which provides for a complete bomb bay interior, radiator grilles, D/F loop, various mass balances and what appears to be the ‘chain’ used to hold a ‘Tallboy’ in place! The package is completed with some alternative mainwheels in vinyl, although the kit includes conventional plastic ones which might look better as ‘under weight flats’ can be filed on them, and a very passable decal sheet which offers two subjects – B.I, ME499, AS-D of No.166 Squadron RAF, and B.III, EE176 ‘QR-M’ ‘Mickey the Moocher’ of No.61 Squadron RAF. The decals are very good quality but the blues and reds appear a little bright. Very fine upperwing walkway, and underwing trestle, lines are provided in black and red. A neat touch is the row of oval window decals along the fuselage. The shapes are lightly etched on the plastic and you can use them (or not) depending on the individual aircraft you are modelling.

The instructions indicate that you should start, logically enough, with the cockpit interior. This is all plastic and whilst the shapes are all there a fair bit of refining and fettling is required. You are also directed to build the etched bomb bay at this point – but don’t. The photo-etch is exceptionally delicate and simply will not survive the handling required during construction if you try to put it all in at this stage. Fortunately the roof of the bay is a strong plastic component, essential for the structural integrity of the model.

The A-Model Lancaster B.I/B.III finished in the kit’s decals as a wartime B.I, ME499 ‘AS-D’ of No.166 Squadron RAF, circa late 1944/early 1945 sporting yellow fins and wing tips. The small scale of the model is emphasized by the £1 coin, despite this there is plenty of detail, including quite a full bomb bay. Model by Mike Verier

The best approach initially is to just use the two large etched roof grids, everything else can go in later. Various transparencies also need to be put in before closing the fuselage halves, most of which don’t fit very well, so again some patience and fettling is required. Once you have the thing assembled there is surgery to do. The main one being a large hole needed to accommodate the mid-upper turret. At this stage it also becomes apparent that the two circular transparencies on the centreline are too small. Fortunately, sections cut from the transparent sprue were just right so these were fitted and polished back to clarity. All the turrets can be installed later which greatly eases painting and handling.

There is no transparency for the main-plane leading edge landing lights, but these can be reproduced by simply burnishing down some kitchen foil on the inside, (a spot of adhesive will stop it slipping), before closing the wing around the two sturdy spars provided. Because of the spar design you can’t really build the other wing until the spars are fed through the fuselage, although it might be possible to build the spars into the fuselage first. In the event, everything lined up okay and the finished result is quite robust. Before leaving the wings, wingtip navigation lights can be cut out and replaced with clear sprue which can then be polished back to clarity.

The engine nacelles are accurate but quite difficult assemblies having no locating pins. There are internal blanks and etched radiator grilles to contend with too. Again they go together eventually and fit the wings quite well. The kit provides alternative exposed exhausts (which are actually quite good) or rather vague lumps intended to represent the flame dampers.

The final phase covers the bomb bay, undercarriage, propellers (all with individual blades!) and the turrets. None of these are easy or quick to assemble, in particular the seemingly endless angle brackets for the bomb bay side walls. As an aside, the reason that the rear of the H2S radome was left unpainted was that it covered two of three downward i/d lights. There are a number of small aerials and details to fit before the bomb-doors can go on to complete the model.

Not for the faint-hearted perhaps, there is no doubt that this kit can be a challenging project, but ultimately a very rewarding one. The bomb-bay is stunning and proves that etched brass in this scale is certainly feasible. If anything, this model actually emphasises the need for a mainstream injection-moulded Lancaster and some decent decals in this scale, there are dozens of fascinating variants and colour schemes out there!

The kit has also been released as a Dambuster aircraft with the necessary mods and bombs. Bren Gun have produced a fine set of vacform transparencies as well as resin and photo-etch replacements for the bomb-bay and an excellent set of dropped flaps. Decals too have arrived from Kits World and Rocketeer, so it is possible to produce an excellent Lancaster in 1/144 scale now.

Assessment and model by Mike Verier

FROG	1/96 scale

Avro Lancaster B.I

The very first FROG (an acronym for Flies Right Off the Ground) kits approximated 1/96 scale, or thereabouts, and their Lancaster was one of the first kits released in the late 1950s. Festooned with heavily engraved panel lines and the positions of the markings suitably embossed, representing R5689 ‘VN-N’ of No.50 Squadron, the kit was moulded in a glossy black plastic. Novo, Triang and UPC released the kit for various period in the 1960s and 1970s...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Origins
• Bomber Command Lancasters
• Coastal Command Lancasters
• Second-line Lancs Miscellany
• The Lancaster in the RCAF
• The Lancaster in Aéronavale Service
• The Lancaster in other Air Forces
• Post-war Lancaster Colour Schemes
• Glossary and Abbreviations
• The Lancaster in Colour
• Modelling the Lancaster