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Big Daddy

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Posts posted by Big Daddy

  1. We have a bunch of 1/72 kits in our gift shop at the hangar that aren't moving. I guess kids just aren't building them any more. Anyway, i decided to bring this one home, build it and then see if it would sell. It's from the Academy T6G Texan kit and I built it in the same livery as our 1954 Harvard IV, CF-VIJ, RCAF s/n 20382.

    382Model2_zpsr2q3bpaz.jpg

    382Model3_zps5pjb9bxp.jpg

    382Model4_zpsblp216lg.jpg

  2. BeaufighterIIF_HU-M%20morris_unk_zpsq0evkxy9.jpg

    Whenever I look at black & white images such as this one, I compare the colors that I know. For example, in the above pic, we know the roundel colors are red, white, blue and yellow. Comparing the white in the roundel to the squadron codes, my immediate feeling is that they are white also. The serial number is definitely a different hue/tone than all of the others so my guess is that it would be grey. One thing I find over and over again is that, whatever the "official" colors were supposed to be, some squadrons always seemed to do what they felt like, or, at the very least, used whatever paints were on hand.Just my .02 cents. :)

    BD

  3. Many thanks to master modeller Chuck540z3 for his donation of a 1/48 aircrew sprue from a Lancaster kit!!

    And further thanks to Steve F from the Lancaster Facebook page who has supplied the correct serial numbers and markings for both Lancasters that flew on April 29, 1945, as well as the name of the Aussie pilot who flew the second Lanc.

    "Details taken from the 101 Sqdn ORB of April 1945- The only two lancs and pilots to take part were F/S R F UPCOTT who flew NV579......P/O P G L Collett flew PB350.....Colletts service number was A424149......UPCOTT dropped 274 bags of food and COLLETT dropped 284."

    Thanks again, gentlemen!

    Don

    Edit: Further research in my Lancaster productions records indicates the following..

    "PB350 101Sq(SR-G), Damaged 20ct44 & 15Aug45, Scrap Aug46"

    As there were no serials in the NV range I presume Upcott's aircraft was NX579..

    "NX579 101,9,10ISqs; BCIS, Became 6305M at Stradishall"

  4. Well, I have already had to make some alterations to the diorama plan to be historically accurate. After finding excerpts from several other of the crew's logbooks, including pilot Bob Upcott's, it turns out they were in fact flying a different Lancaster than their usual bird, SR-N2. Four of the five logs I have seen list SR-I as the Lanc flown on the mission. The logbook image I posted earlier is from the rear gunner's log. He is the only one to list SRN2 as the a/c they flew that day so I have to assume he made an error. So, more research is required to find the serial number of that aircraft as well as the markings on the other Lanc.

    Upcott%20log_zpssne7kmcy.jpg

    Here is the mission as described by pilot Bob Upcott in his own words.

    "Bob Upcott: First ones to drop food over Holland

    Early in the morning of the April 28th 1945, my crew and I were briefed together with another crew, that had an Australian pilot. Our Lancaster's were at that moment the only two bombers on Ludford Manga airfield, that didn't have secret radio-equipment installed. Normally our squadron would send bombers on their mission to fly with other squadrons that were on their way to targets over the continent. Our aircraft had an extra crew member on board, this crew member could speak, or at least understand German and while in the air with the other bombers on a mission, he would scan the frequencies with his radio-equipment and when he came across a frequency that was used by the Germans, he would send out a jam signal.

    This time we were sent on a very different kind of mission. We learned at the briefing that our bombers had been filled with food, and that we were going to drop it over Holland. The ground personnel had pulled all the food in through the bomb-bay. They climbed through a small opening of the bomb doors and simply stacked the food on the bomb doors.

    We learned that we were going to make a test-run. The Allied and German commanders had negotiated over a truce to allow the food drops for the last couple of days, but had not been able to reach an agreement. The Germans held off. The RAF decided that it didn't want to wait for the truce to be effective and called for a test-run, to test the German reactions to the low flying Lancaster's.

    Our two bombers had to fly through a corridor that the Germans had prescribed. If our mission was a success and we could drop our food without being shot at, Operation Manna would be launched. The weather was really bad on that morning of the 28th. We weren't able to get our heavily loaded bombers off the ground and the mission was postponed. The clouds began to break early in the morning of the next day, April 29th and we took off. We crossed the Channel flying only on our instruments because it was still misty. When we came over the continent however the weather was clear there and we could now see what we were doing.

    When we passed the Dutch coast we saw anti-aircraft guns that pointed their muzzles in our direction. We even saw tanks that tried to keep their masterpiece on us. We were looking right down a number of barrels. All the guns were still manned and they didn't have reason to do otherwise since the war was still going on at that time. We were very lucky that they all kept their fire. We were however hit by small arms fire. We didn't know this right away. When we returned from our mission, the ground personnel discovered that a 9 mm pistol had slung a small hole on the right side of the aircraft, near the tail.

    We saw very few people on this first mission. Nobody knew that we were coming, so the civilians were not yet prepared to welcome us as they would be later. Then we saw the Racetrack Duindigt. This was our drop zone for the day. We could fly in directly, without circling around. The Australian pilot was on my port side, flying echelon port. I dropped first when we were over the racetrack, while the Australian dropped almost that same moment. I had waited a little bit to long with the drop, because I partly overshot the drop zone. Half of the load slammed into the bleachers on the end of the racecourse. I hadn't noticed that my load had dropped on the wrong place, until a Dutchman told me forty years later that he had seen the two Lancasters drop on that first day. He happened to be on the Racecourse that moment and he saw the first bomber dropping too late. That could only have been me.

    The first part of the mission had been a success, now we only had to follow the corridor back to the North Sea and we were on our way home. The second part of the mission didn't provide any problems. As soon as we had left the continent and were back over the North Sea, our radio operator transmitted the message to our base that the mission had been successful. Around noon that day the BBC broadcast the news that operation Manna was going to be effective the same day. Two hundred Lancasters would appear over Holland at two o'clock that day to bring their food to the starving population of Holland. The Dutch population reacted en mass on this news. When the Bombers flew over the Dutch landscape they were waved at by many civilians."

  5. This model goes together the same way as the real aircraft!!

    10659375_1501493286766958_6835491256066926691_n.jpg?oh=9d76fbf58f68f87dc0d5c9454a256066&oe=54F54F49&__gda__=1425233777_63a199942ffb5edef73e0e5bd62a698f

    V.P.

    Well, not really. Here is an actual Mossie wing under construction at our hangar. Quite a bit different. I am surprised that a 1/32 kit wouldn't at least have separate engine nacelles. Rather disappointing IMHO.

    248946_10151566256641753_1055458725_n.jpg?oh=853e384e02d6af2a180b2c476c3a1860&oe=55605119&__gda__=1428620310_4ab0f99043b2d21685bd711eb0a95e26

    BD

  6. I'm continuing my stash downsizing. I have the following for sale:

    Tamiya 1/48 Fairey Swordfish Mk.1 plus Tamiya Photoetch Set (#68, #61069) - $57 // both factory sealed

    Price dooes not include shipping. I am located in Chicago, IL and will ship at cost. This shouldn't exceed $9 and may a fair bit cheaper depending where you're located. Will consider other offers or trade offers, but I am primarily looking to sell. Contact by PM, reply to the topic or eszczesniak(at)gmail(dot)com. I prefer Paypal, but will also accept cash or Money Order.

    (Limited interest) wants:

    GWH 1/48 F-15C

    Kinetic 1/48 T-45C

    Hobby Boss 1/48 A-6E

    Kinetic 1/48 C-2A

    ? Hasegawa F-111A/B?

    ? Meng 1/72 F-106 or Trumpeter 1/48 F-106

    Interested in a 1/48 Monogram EA-6B Prowler, still in shrinkwrap?

    Don

  7. Hi Chuck,

    So glad to have found this WIP. I always enjoy and appreciate your builds, especially your tutorials and tips on the different techniques you use. They are much appreciated.

    Now, correct me if I am wrong but is this brake line not in the wrong portion of the wheel? I believe it should be in the center section of the wheel not the outer section. The brakes would last about 3 seconds once the tires turned and snapped the brake line off.

    Gearwell11.jpg

    Cheers.

    Don

  8. Hi Mike! Thanks for looking in. It's been a while and I have missed this place and the fine people like yourself who hang out here. Thanks for the suggestion too.

    Cheers,

    Don

  9. These are the two kits I will be using in the diorama.

    5A84A9BD-90AD-41BE-ADCD-6C3903D447E8_zpszyqfz1vm.jpg

    18ee5699-3844-41ce-89b9-5d46cf75e0e8_zpse7a2730a.jpg

    The USAirfix kit seems to be a pretty good one, with fairly good fit between the parts and comes with 5 crew members. It has moving turrets, ailerons and rudders. I will have to cut the bomb bay doors open though.

    USAirfixLanc_zps1487329f.jpg

  10. I belong to a Facebook group about the Lancaster Bomber (well, actually it is one of many that I belong to re the Lanc) and despite the appearance of the occasional new bit of info, the "signal-to-noise ratio" as Steve N so aptly put it, is nearly unacceptable. I recommend that you follow this forum for a few days to understand what we are saying...The Lancaster Bomber. I love your idea but having it on a public forum such as Faecesbook could be a real challenge IMHO.

    BD

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