To my fellow forum members,

Please excuse my ignorance, as I thought this is a cool bomber to build.  I had little next to no knowledge of this aircraft.  After reading about it, I must say that the Lancaster was one of the most important allied aircraft of all time.  I also found out that this is Tamiya's original first of the series, hence the Japanese instructions.  

I also read that this kit was reissued with new molds.  This newer release comes with a painted canopy glass.  I thought that was a great idea.  They actually look great!  

Well, I made very little progress yesterday and into the evening.  It took me that long to use the Eduard mask.  I must say, I had fun and it was exciting to see it's transition.  That's something no one can ever take away from me, unless Tamiya pre-paints the canopies.  LOL!  Here are the front and rear turret assembly.  Thank you so much in advance for visiting my Lancaster thread!

Toshi

If I may add, I would like to reiterate that I am almost clueless of the Lancaster build.  It's like learning to ride a bike for the first time.  Thinking that since this is a Tamiya kit, everything about it would be perfection.  The only mistakes made would be on the behalf of the builder.

A few builds ago, I assembled a Monogram 1:48 B-24 Liberator.  Gaps on the liberator as well as seams, was exceptable in my humble opinion.  Of course like all hobbiest, putty and sanding would be the norm of the day.  Fast forward to the Lancaster build.

Being that this is a Tamiya produced kit, everything and I mean everything would fall into place.  Oh my!  That was incorrect.  I have to remember that this mold is probably 25+ years old, hence the technology that we take for granted is in all the new kits that are produced today.  I'm sure when this kit became available for the market, everyone was in awe.  

The seams are equal to the Liberator kit.  At some places on the fuesalage, it was next to ridicules.  I'm not complaining, I'm just giving forum members a heads up if members choose to build this classic kit.  So far the front and rear turrets are on the Avro, next up, is the wings and engines.  I do know this much, I'm going to have to paint this kit in sections as it's a monster.  

What I do like about this kit is that I get to see how Tamiya has grown over the years.  We now have the Tamiya signature 1:32 kits like the Corsair, Mustang, Zero, and the Spitfire.  I almost forgot to add the recent introduction of the 1:32 Mosquito.  Ultimately, I'm just taking my time and enjoying myself, isn't that what this hobby is all about?  I think so, no, I know so.

Toshi

Toshi

  Ultimately, I'm just taking my time and enjoying myself, isn't that what this hobby is all about?  I think so, no, I know so.

Toshi

 

I couldn't agree more!  That IS what it's all about.

Mike

Buckeye

 

 

Toshi

  Ultimately, I'm just taking my time and enjoying myself, isn't that what this hobby is all about?  I think so, no, I know so.

Toshi

 

 

 

 

I couldn't agree more!  That IS what it's all about.

Mike

 

Toshi

Take care when placing the canopie-masks; a lot of  them a very askew.  Comming along nicely. 

Take care when placing the canopy-masks; a lot of  them are very askew.  Coming along nicely. 

Thank you SubarooMike.  I just came upon this issue with the main canopy. I thought I did something wrong.  LOL!

Toshi

Wow awesome, looking forward to seeing the rest of your build. I too have the Tamiya Lanc, but the "Dambuster" version so please let me know about the problem areas. The Lanc is one of my favorites. 

7474

Wow awesome, looking forward to seeing the rest of your build. I too have the Tamiya Lanc, but the "Dambuster" version so please let me know about the problem areas. The Lanc is one of my favorites. 

 

Toshi

Here is yesterday's progress.  SubarooMike was correct in that certain Eduard masks were Askew. I did order AM decals.This should be good!  Due to the incorrect nature of the Eduard mask, I did approximately 50% by hand, the old school way.

Toshi

I say, she's going to be quite the bird at 1/48 scale! She's looking really rather splendid so far, top ho, I say!

Barnaby

To my fellow forum members,

What you can view below is the first base coat of Vallejo Flat Earth 70.983 on the fueselage.  I then free hand AB the camoflauge of which is Vallejo US Dark Green 70.893.  

In order to protect the camoflauge, I purchased a product that I've never used of which is Testors Wet Look Clear #1834 one coat lacquer.  The clear coat is not only is a pre-prep for the decals but also for the entire bottom half of the Lancaster of which will be AB Vallejo Black 70.950. 

As you can see in another photo, I am also putting together both wings which are huge monstrous.  Due to the size of this Lancaster kit, I need to AB this aircraft in sections.  This makes AB the Avro that much more user friendly. So far, I have yet to come across any issues and or concerns regarding the assembly process.  I hope I can continue in this fashion for the rest of the build.  

Once again, I'd like to thank you all in advance for supporting my builds And leaving comments as well. 

Toshi

Hi Toshi,

All the masking pays off.  Your build brings back fond memories when I painted mine.  Hope you are enjoying the build. The cammo pattern looks spot on.   It will look great when you do your weather washes to tone down and blend the green and brown.  

Cheers,

Scott

Toshi, you've really got the air brush down pat.  That'a a very nice smooth and clean paint job and your no mask como looks great .

scottrc

Hi Toshi,

All the masking pays off.  Your build brings back fond memories when I painted mine.  Hope you are enjoying the build. The cammo pattern looks spot on.   It will look great when you do your weather washes to tone down and blend the green and brown.  

Cheers,

Scott

 

You are correct that when I add a wash, the colors will actually tone down but blend into each other much better.  As for today's work, I'll be working on the landing gears and prepping for the AB of the black.  Thank you so much sir for your support in my projects.  I am most honored!

Toshi

Jay Jay

Toshi, you've really got the air brush down pat.  That'a a very nice smooth and clean paint job and your no mask como looks great .

 

Toshi

Here is Saturday's progress report.  As I described above, the Lancaster fueselage is prepared for the black coat.  I'll also seal the flat black in with Testors clear coat.  While this dries and cures, I'll be working on the front landing gears.  More up dates to follow.

Toshi

This is where I am at today.  

What a great day to be alive.  I've always said any day I can wake up is always a good day.  I just started my continuation of my build at 12:00 noon, just as I started, a classic movie started.  I'm sure everyone knows of the Academy Award Winning Movie called Patton with George C. Scott.  After this movie, another one of my favorite shows will be playing, A Bridge Too Far.  I saw this movie when I was 12 years old.  At nineteen, I would have never imagined that I would be touring these battle fields as a Jazz Artist.  How life can hand you a new direction at every turn.

Thats one thing I teach my children; "Always take the oppurtunity when the door opens, it might never open for you again.  It's a once in a life time scenario, do it while you're young and have the time".  I think that's the key.  Enough of my Toshi philosophy, below is my progress thus far, I hope you enjoy enjoy the photos as much as I had building and painting the Avro Lancaster.  Just a quick note, I've never painted the underside of an aircraft black.  It just feels weird.  LOL!

silentbob33

That's looking really nice Toshi, great paint job. It is a bit of a surreal feeling being places with a historical significance.

 

There are so many other things and places I can go on about, I just don't have the room nor time to do so.  When my children were young and had tests in history class, I would tell them that I've lived in all those places and they would be in awe.  

My fondest memory was when I lived in Amsterdam and my girlfriend and I would visit her parents in Eindenhoven.  It was so beautiful there in the summer!  Then again, I sit here writing this on my iPad in NE Ohio, 35 minutes from Cleveland with my beautiful wife enjoying the wonderful sunny and warm spring weather is something I'm very thankful of.  Thank you sir, you've awaken some fond memories.  I thank you also for taking the time out and reading as well as replying on this thread.

Toshi

With the size of this beast maybe you need a full on spray gun. lol.

Your camo looks great, Toshi.  The clear coat looks like it went on pretty well too. Decals should sit nicely now.

allan

With the size of this beast maybe you need a full on spray gun. lol.

 

Your camo looks great, Toshi.  The clear coat looks like it went on pretty well too. Decals should sit nicely now.

 

I also have a Harbor Frieght Tools AB that's a siphon feed with a relatively larger needle and nozzle, this generic AB does a great job handling large coverage areas plus it has a decent size paint bottle to be able to AB with a wider pattern spray.  It's just that the clean up on the siphon AB is and can be difficult at best.  So I use laquer thinner to do a thouruogh job.

The clear coat I purchased was a first for me.  It's for car modelers that want that high shine wet look.  It looks really nice, it was an experiment in process for me.  I think it went well.  Allan, thank you so much for your support in my projects.  It's members like you can hat have allowed me to grow in this new and exciting hobby!

Toshi

lawdog114

Looking great. Indeed Tamiya and Monogram were similar in kit design back in the day. Their Betty Bomber is supposed to be beautiful though, but that's a newer kit.

 

Toshi

Toshi, you are doing a great job on one of my bucket list kits. Nice paint work too.

BK

Thanks BrandonK.  I feel really good about how I'm handling the AB.  I know I still have a lot more to learn but with every build I'm taking a step closer.  Thank you so much for supporting my threads.

Toshi

 To my fellow forum members,

Here I have finally applied successfully the base coat as well as the camoflauge onto the Avro Lancaster.  As you can see by the photographs, the wings are now attached.  I am working on the tail and will assemble the tail on the fueselage.  More photos to follow.  

Toshi

She's lookin' good Toshi. Glad to see your Tamiya paint stand was up to holding something this large! 

I know what you mean about certain places. From strolling the battlefield at Gettysburg to battleships like the USS North Carolina and Wisconson it's that feeling you get. A few years ago touring the USS Yorktown I sat in the pilot's briefing room and tried to imagine what it must have been like to be a young kid back then prepping for a mission.