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AIRFIX 1:72 AVRO LANCASTER
B.I/B.III
'INBOX Review'
Reviewer: Mark B (SMAKR Webmaster) (smakr@bigpond.com)
Kit: Airfix 08002 - Avro Lancaster B.I. The box contains info on Humbrol paints required and versions kit produces.
Parts: 4 Sprues of about 125 injection molded parts in light grey colour (including about 17 clear parts on its own sprue). There is no flash to speak of and all the sprues are packaged together in one plastic bag. Large box as one would anticipate and reasonable amount of detail is apparent. Quite crisp and clean. Rating - very good.
Instructions: This is where the confusion starts - the instruction booklet says Avro Lancaster B.III !!? Anyway, it's an A4 sized stapled booklet with about a dozen pages. Includes a couple of pages on the aircraft history (in various tongues), 17 assembly steps which are all quite straight forward to follow but a little vague in a couple of areas with exact positioning. There is no colour call out for individual parts - only the finished external team with Humbrol numbers only (no names) so it may be a requirement to cross check these paints on my chart here on this web site. Rating - Good.
Versions: Four - listed according to their fuselage lettering - 2 x PM-Mē, one being a BB Memorial flight example, a HW-A version and 'Johnny Walker' BB Memorial Flight RAF Coningsby, 1995 (BB-Battle of Britain). All are painted in the sides and underside matt black and upper surfaces only Earth/Dark Green in their night bomber role. Humbrol numbers being 33, 29 and 30 respectively.
Decals: Not sure who produces Airfix decals nowadays but they are in the Propagteam mold of thin and quite specific colour with good register. However there are some obvious imperfections including the yellow outer ring being off-centre in a couple of examples. Not a great deal of stencilling, mainly roundels and the type where you are required to put the red centre dots on separately. Naturally all are RAF examples.
Accuracy: I've been told by other modellers that Airfix's accuracy has a lot to be desired but when it comes to 'proud products' like the Lancaster they have really pulled all stops to get it as close to the real thing as they possibly can. On my quick look it measures up well and the detail seems to be accurately portrayed. This is a kit that needs to be built to make a final judgement call but looks very nice in the box to me.
Detail: All panel lines and rivets are raised but they are finely done (not like other kits with excessive detail) and look pretty good. Wheel well detail is not its greatest virtue but again (due to the number of related parts to be assembled) it's hard to make a final ruling. Cockpit detail is very basic - pilot figure, seat, base, instrument panel (with decal) and control wheel. The instructions indicate that two figures are provided in the kit but I can only find one. So this means that there are no figures for any of the gunner placements which are also sparsely detailed - just a gun on a placement inside a glazed cubby. There are various 'do not cement' points indicating that the tail gunner and rear-roof positions are moveable. Bomb bay detail is quite good with six smaller bombs, plus larger one - see ordnance below. Rating - Reasonable.
Ordnance: (Information supplied by Don Bryans) The "large drum probably used for dam busting" you mentioned previously in the inbox review, is actually a 4000lb "Cookie" blast bomb; the other 6 are 2000lb Armour Piercing bombs. (The "Upkeep" dam busting bomb had the appearance of an oversized oil drum, was mounted transversely in a special cradle, and was spun backwards at 500RPM. It weighed in at 6000lb.).
Options: Moveable gunners (Tail and rear roof), open bomb bay with six bombs and large drum, open windows in cockpit, moveable propellers and moveable flaps.
Impressions: This does look like quite a nice kit to make and I am looking forward to building it later. I'm not an expert when it comes to telling the difference between a B.I and B.III Lancaster but it does appear that this kit is supposed to satisfy both without any prompting in the instructions to chose a different part depending on the version you build. The box quite clearly says B.I but the Instructions show a title saying B.III and the decal sheet has sections for both. If someone can provide a clear summary of the differences I may be able to point to which version this kit favours. I would have liked to have some figures to use in the gunner positions but only one figure is provided (I've hunted for the other but can't find him) so will have to make do with this. The model does not look too difficult to do and unlike some other large Airfix kits this one isn't warped. Overall this looks to be a nice kit of the Lancaster.
Addendum - supplied by Jason Sou: I can clarify the (minor) differences between the Mk I and Mk III. The Mk III had Packard Merlin engines , as opposed to Rolls-Royce merlins, and most of them would seem to have the later paddle bladed propellers. Externally the MkI and Mk III are identical - only fit of aerials etc. would differ.
On the basis of this info the kit should replicate both versions as suggested. I would recommend double checking reference photos when duplicating the version of your choice.
Other Comments: The outside of the box gives you some info about the kit which is good to have a quick look at. Humbrol paints 11, 24, 29, 30, 33 & 34 are recommended to have on hand. Skill Level is "3", there is 125 parts, four versions, the finished model measures 293 mm (L) x 430 mm (Span) and it is worth 3 Flying Hours!
It may of also be interest to know that Airfix have just released a 617 Squadron Lancaster over here in the U.K. (type BI provisioning) - thanks to Don Bryans for this information.
Boxart for the Dambuster Lancaster
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