A Quiet Evening in Lincolnshire: Lancaster Diorama Part 3

Time for another quick update on the Lancaster diorama. I’m happy to say that the ground vehicles are now more or less completed, apart from a couple of decals. The diorama will include a David Brown RAF tug and a Bedford MDC light truck from the Airfix Bomber Re-Supply set, mentioned last time, and the classic AEC Matador refuelling tanker, a veteran kit from the old Airfix RAF refuelling set. Last time, I had not even bought the Matador refueller, but I managed to get hold of one from my excellent local model shop, Regal Models of Chatham, and a few days later it is ready to go into the diorama. I have also finished the small hut which will be the only building on the diorama.

 

The Airfix AEC Matador RAF refueller. I based the colour scheme on a Matador in the film ‘In Search of RAF Bomber Command’, a wonderful resource which shows bombers being readied for action back in WW2.  

 

The hut is a model railway kit, though I think it suits the WW2 airfield role pretty well. It has been weathered with enamel paints and a Tamiya weathering set.

I thought I should also capture a couple of photos of the Lanc’s cockpit before I cover it up for ever with its large clear ‘glasshouse’.

 

This is what the Lanc’s nose looks like with the front turret installed: it’s starting to look more like a Lancaster now!

 

Next time, I will show the diorama scenic base and hopefully some shots of the finished Lancaster.

A Quiet Evening in Lincolnshire: Lancaster Diorama Part 2

I thought I’d post a quick update on the Lancaster diorama. Last time I mentioned that I would be adding some RAF ground vehicles to the display to add some life and realism, and these have started to come together in the past week or so. I have been referring regularly to my three volumes of ‘Lancaster at War’, a multi-part reference work which has first-hand accounts from Lancaster aircrews and ground crews as well as many great photos of the Lancs and their crewmen. The photos show how many people and how much equipment was depended upon to service and maintain the aircraft, and it is clear that I need to reflect this in my diorama.

So, I will be using at least one vehicle from the Airfix Bomber Re-Supply set I mentioned last time, plus a die-cast tractor intended for railway modellers. I might also include an Airfix refuelling bowser, as well as several RAF ground crew figures.

I have built the Bedford MVT from the Airfix Bomber Resupply set, and it builds up as a really nice little truck. The kit allows you to build it either as a water bowser or as a light truck with a canvas roof, which is what I chose.

 

I bought a David Brown aircraft tug tractor made as a die-cast model by Oxford Diecast. It’s a nice little model (it really is small, about an inch long) but was in the wrong colour, being in the light blue colour of the Fleet Air Arm, so I repainted it in RAF blue-grey. I’m not sure it’s quite the right colour, but it looks OK. It is also apparently 1/76 scale, so too small for a 1/72 diorama, but again it looks alright to me.

Both vehicles have been painted with Humbrol enamel paints then gently weathered using a Tamiya weathering set. The next job is to buy and build an AEC Matador refuelling bowser kit.

A Quiet Evening in Lincolnshire: Lancaster Diorama Part 1

Growing up in the 1980s, I found myself enthralled by World War 2 history. My grandparents’ generation had lived as adults through WW2 and even 40 years later, it seemed to my young eyes that all the best films, the best comics – and the best model kits – were focused on WW2. In Britain we maintain a strong remembrance of previous wars, particularly WW2, so growing up I was accustomed to seeing the RAF's surviving Lancaster flying over each year as part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and naturally I was very impressed by this mighty, rumbling, graceful machine.

Back in the 21^st Century, and I realised recently that I have never built a model Lancaster. It occurred to me at the same time that some acquaintances of mine are involved with an armed forces charity, and a plan began to form: what if I made a model Lancaster diorama as a fundraiser for them? They quickly agreed and work began earlier this summer. The plan is to create a diorama showing a Lancaster being readied by ground personnel for an evening mission at a Lincolnshire bomber base.

The main focus will be the Lancaster, of course, and for this I chose the  Revell Lancaster Mk.I/III kit in 1/72 scale. This has turned out to be a decent kit with good detail and nice build options. I deliberately didn’t select one of the Dambuster Lancaster kits available because I wanted the model to represent a typical aircraft preparing for a typical mission, rather than a one-off.

The Lancaster is currently about 75% finished. The main assembly is complete, together with the finished paintwork and decals, with the propellers, landing gear, gun turrets and cockpit glazing still to add. The rear vertical stabilisers are finished but still to be added.

To add some life to the scene, I will be adding some ground personnel and RAF vehicles to the display. Luckily, Airfix have just released their WW2 RAF Bomber Re-Supply set, and I will be making good use of the excellent vehicles and ground accessories within to give some purpose to my display. I will also add some figures from Revell and Airfix RAF personnel kits.

Airfix RAF Bedford in progress

 

Next jobs on A Quiet Evening in Lincolnshire:

Finish the Lancaster

Build the ground vehicles

Finish the ground base and figures