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A Little Help Please...


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Hi Gang,

I need a little help. At our recent club show, someone left several models on the table that they had brought to sell. This was one of them. As I am not very knowledgable on WW2 aircraft, could someone assist with identification? I am in the process of crafting a water tank for it to become a fire tanker. As if after being retired from military service, it was pressed into wild fire service. I have no idea of what the water outlets on such an aircraft would look like. Thus far, I am taking Evergreen sheet and Apoxyscupt to craft the tank. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

1444607834_20151011_180256_RichtoneHDR-picsay.jpg

1444599639_20151010_232052_RichtoneHDR-picsay.jpg

1444600927_20151010_232120_RichtoneHDR-picsay.jpg

David

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That is a Avro Lancaster, specifically a specially modified used to carry the Barnes Wallis bouncing bomb for the legendary Dambuster raids in 1943.

see

http://www.lancaster-archive.com/bc_damsraid6.htm

I stuck Lanscaster AJ-G ED937, the codes and serial into google, and got the link above.

AFAIK no Lancaster was used as fire bomber, though there was a civilain development, the Lancastrian.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Lancastrian

HTH

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That is a Avro Lancaster, specifically a specially modified used to carry the Barnes Wallis bouncing bomb for the legendary Dambuster raids in 1943.

see

http://www.lancaster-archive.com/bc_damsraid6.htm

I stuck Lanscaster AJ-G ED937, the codes and serial into google, and got the link above.

AFAIK no Lancaster was used as fire bomber, though there was a civilain development, the Lancastrian.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Lancastrian

HTH

Troy,

Thanks for the help! Now that I know what it is, I guess it will become a "What if" project! Since none probably made to firefighting service, a little "artistic license will be ok... Thanks again!

David

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Based on your ID, you may be interested to know there are various fire bomber kits and conversions available.

Lone Star Models is currently selling resin for 1/48 TBF/TBM and B-25; they've also done an F7F. In 1/72, they have bits for an S2F, TBF/TBM, F7F, and B-25. They have 1/48 and 1/72 decals for Hemet Valley Flying Services TBF/TBM.

Draw Decals has decals for a various fire bombers in various scales.

CMR has two 1/144 Martin Mars firebombers.

Minicraft did at least a 1/144 Douglas DC-6B

This is what I could think of off-hand. I'm sure others can add to the list.

I've got the LSM TBF conversion and Draw Decals Hemet Vallue decals that I'm using on a Revellogram 1/48 TBF. The LSM resin wasn't made for that kit, but I'll make it work.

HTH

Edit: Oh! How can I forget, RoG has a 1/72 Canadair CL-415

Edited by dnl42
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Troy,

Thanks for the help! Now that I know what it is, I guess it will become a "What if" project! Since none probably made to firefighting service, a little "artistic license will be ok... Thanks again!

David

A what-if firefigting Lanc sounds good, the specially stripped out Grand Slam Lanc carried a 10 ton bomb. A civilian firebomber could carry a good load, a bit of math could give water volume vs weight, and then work out a tank size, say 7 tons? about 14,000lb was a not unusual bomb load, and that was over a distance with turrets.

Note the Dambuster Lancs have fairings at either end of the bomb bay, the standard bomb bay is 33 ft long, and had no dividers, other british heavies had size constraints as when designed the largets British bomb was 2000 lb, why it was such a successful bomb carrier, flexibility and good laod carrying.

Regarding a what if firebomber, I'd suggest more likely a Canadian fire bomber, they built Lancasters in Canada, the MK X, and so plenty of them about, if fact they sold them off whole to farmers who saw them as 15 year worth or wires and spare parts! Years later various Lanc spare have been sourced from this.

So a Canadian fire bomber Lancaster is plausible, and it's interesting to have a back story to a what if I think.

I just googled image searched 'Canadian fire bombers'

they all seem to be seaplanes, which makes sense as easy to load water, but a Lanc painted like this Martin Mars would look great.

li-martin-mars-water-bomber.jpg

google will turn up loads of images more.

Edited by Troy Smith
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  • 1 month later...

:D, G'day hooknladder,

I just noticed your post when I was looking for something else. Qantas modified a Lancastrian with an under fuselage pod to carry Wright R-3350 engines for their Lockheed Super Constellations to aircraft that required an engine change overseas. The pod was designed and built by Qantas engineers and was used a number of times and made the Lancastrian look as though it was heavily pregnant, but then airlines implemented the practice of sharing engines and the Lancastrian was no longer needed for that purpose. There was a non-fatal crash of a Qantas Lancastrian at Dubbo in central western New South Wales during night flying training after the pilot attempted a flapless landing in unsuitable conditions but I don't know if it was that particular Lanc. You could change your Lanc to that one. All the details used to be able to be googled but at a quick glance I can't seem to find them now. I'll keep looking trying different search terms.

:cheers:,

Ross.

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:D/>, G'day again David. I've just done a little digging and I've managed to find a few photos of that Lancstrian, both while pregnant and before/after pregnancy. It was nick named The Pregnant Lanc by Qantas crews. It was registered VH-EAV and somewhere on the net is a detailed article of how the pod was designed and built. if you google avro Lancastrian VH-EAV you'll find a few photos of. It shouldn't be too hard to design and build a miniature pod for your Lanc. If you're looking for something real but unique this would have to be it and at one time Hawk Eye Models printed decals for it in 1/144 and 1/72 scales but they seem to be sold out or unavailable at the moment.

:cheers:/>,

Ross.

Edited by ross blackford
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