Dambusters Lancaster Big Build: part 3.

The 1/32 Hong Kong Models’ Dambuster Lancaster, part 3.

As the kit is designed to cover both the provisioning type, and the standard bomber, a little work is required on the fuselage. For the standard type we have a plate welded where the ventral position was planned for a rear facing Vickers K. On the Type 464, the MG mount was used to mount the rear of the two searchlights that were used regulate the low altitude. These were angled offto the side, and by looking out the pilot could see when the two lights united on a spot, indicating the exact correct altitude. We have to cut out the two halves of the disc of ‘blanking plate’ from the bottom of the fuselage halves. I started by drilling holes along the perimeter of the section to be removed, inside the line of separation. Then, I clipped away the bulk of the area to be removed with thin-nosed sprue cutters, then tidied up the edge with a new scalpel. I painted the interior all black, followed that with interior green, building it up in thin coats, making it denser, and therefore lighter, around the windows.

Looking at reference, I came across the self-destruct control for the Upkeep. This was a failsafe that armed the Upkeep when it was deployed, causing it to self-destruct a set time after it was dropped. It is omitted in the kit, so I scratched the various parts and added them in the correct position.