Avro Lancaster 102" Dambuster

Can't wait to see the finished model Ralph, what a lovely project, a real credit to you.

Got fed up with all the sanding so decided to start fitting the nacelles. They are thin fiberglass moldings done by a fellow modeller at the site I fly at. Very light and reinforced with strips of carbon tow.

The front lower section is removable to get access to the speed controller and motor. The rear section is fixed. I have bought some very fine screws from Model Fixings to secure the front lower section. They are small enough to look like Dzus fasteners so wont look out of place I hope.

A little bit of filling to do and the fit is acceptable.



As I am fitting flaps the rear section of the inner nacelle is fixed onto the flap so it needs to slide inside the main section. Managed to get this nearly right first time. Just a little more trimming and setting up and it will work nicely.

That's brilliant! I know what you mean about sanding, it does get a bit boring..

As the wind was up (weather wise that is!! ) I decided to sort the flaps out. So started on the port wing.

The Lanc has split flaps at different dihedrals so linkage can be a bit daunting. So I decided to keep it simple. The flap servo is mounted in the nacelle at the rear linked to a horn on the flap. The hinges are not that elegant but they work well and simple to install.





To drive both flaps i have used a 2mm carbon rod sliding in a PTFE tube. As the flaps open the outer flap moves away from the inner flap because of the dihedral. So the linkage needs to slide. I will disguise the rod and tube with some balsa to make it look part of the flap spar



Works well and looks the part.

Ralph
Very neat!
I could be wrong but to my eye that servo looks a bit 'modest' compared to the size of flaps and the angle it takes them to.

Hi Q.
Thanks. Its a 5kg servo. Should be ok. :whistle: :whistle: I did consider blow back. When the flaps are in that position the servo arm is 90 deg to the flap hinge line. So if anything the blow back should pull the servo out of its mount.

I'll give it a go and can change out to 7 or 12kg if required. I'm trying to keep the weight down and every bit helps.



Note the horn and rod are temporary to prove the mechanism. I'll change them out later.

Gentlemen, let me introduce you to Guy. Guy will be the pilot of the Lanc.

As you can see he is 3D printed. I bought the design file from a website. I got the stl files so can print as many times as I want and also scale him to suit other planes. Currently he is 1/12. Unfortunately the stl files carry so much detail changing any of the design is not possible. Well put it this way my computer cant process all the detail. You can print a complete pilot or torso, head, oxygen mask and boots all separately, which is what i'm doing for the Lanc.

In the picture Guy decided to try the seat frame for the Firefly and my painting is a first pass to see what the paint sticks like.

Nice - but his parachute harness would be Khaki (greenish brownish), and his flying clothes would be serge, so are too shiny!
If you give him a dog, be careful what you call it! :evil:

Something along these lines?

No copyright infringement intended!

That looks like the Sidcot suit (designed by some chap called Sydney Cotton).
Before that came along, they flew in mess uniform, usually with a silk scarf to stop the stiff collars (separate from the shirt, and held on by several studs a bit like cufflinks) from sawing holes in their necks.
When the Americans joined in, they introduced the leather flying jacket.

Love the pilot Ralph, presume your finishing the model as Gibson's a/c?
You may have mentioned it previously but are you fitting a bomb?
looking forward to your next instalment.

Any chance of a link to where you got the files? Great work by the way.

According to the Imperial War Museum the Sidcot suit was first developed in 1930 and by 1942 was further developed to include additional buttoned on internal linings as well as electrical connections for heated boots and cloves.
I don't know if 617 squadron had the latest flying gear but as a newly formed squadron with brand new aircraft they certainly could have.

Klippy, the pilot was from:

www.cgtrader.com/3d-print-models/miniatu...rines/spitfire-pilot

Yes Paul, the aircraft will be done in Gibsons makings and yes it will have a bomb and it will drop. I designed and printed the mechanism some while back. Just need to finish the fuselage and fit it all in.

Heated cloves?? heated boots and cloves.