Thank you Joel, your continuing encouragement from the start has meant a great deal and has helped me try to better my skills time and again.

The same goes for Brian and Gaz as the regulars who kept me company every step of the way as well as everyone else who has been along for the ride ! So many kind and helpful comments that I never once took for granted... Thank you all!

Where to go from here? I'm definitely looking to get a good few models built next year, (not just the one as in 2016!), starting with the 1/700 CA-32 USS New Orleans that I just won on Ebay this evening at a bargain price. As my first small scale warship it'll be OOB but a nice relaxing and fairly speedy build I hope. My mind is already turning to other choppers and fixed wing aircraft though. Especially revisiting some of those I built (mangled) as a teenager. Watch this space !

Hi Paul

Fantastic! The finshed Lanc is just drop-dead gorgeous! The new markings have made such a difference. The only point I make is that I'd still be tempted to knock a bit of the shine off the paintwork for a wartime machine.

I know you must already be prepared, but I think you can take it for granted you'll be nagged endlessly until you get this on the Front Page!

All the best

Rowan

This is just awesome, Paul. Not only did you build the beast, but you did a cool modification with custom decals and a detailed interior that's fully visible. It doesn't get any better than this, IMHO.

Thanks Rowan! I get what you mean about the shine although I wonder if that has been exaggerated by the long exposure that the photos were taken with? I'm no expert in photography but partner's step mother is and kindly took the photos that I couldn't have with my phone's camera.
Anyway, the finish is definitely less glossy in person but it's a final tweak I may undertake.

Cheers Brian, coming from you that's high praise indeed. Thanks for the all the feedback and keeping me company on the journey!

More images incoming.

Paul,
Just a few photo suggestions for the next time. Try a neutral to even a Blue background, as the white is so stark that the colors and finish are just further emphasized to what it is in real life. if the pictures were edited in a editing program, a little less contrast would tone it down just a notch.

You already know how I feel about your build. It's one of the best of 2016 here on Aeroscale as far as I'm concerned. From concept through the build it's been one enjoyable ride.

As for your next build, a 1/700 ship, good for you as a change of pace is a great way to keep the modeling juices flowing. I know that after the F4F-3 my 1st race car in more then 40 years will finally be on my workbench and in the Automodeler site. Please post a link to your build when you start it so that we can subscribe and follow along.

Joel

Thanks for the advice Joel, something to consider next time.

I've run out of ways to say thanks for all the amazing comments this has received.

As for my next water displacing thing with no wings you can check out the progress as it happens here:

http://modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net/forums/254042&page=1#2153569

Finally, the last of the photo-shoot to end this most enjoyable blog:

Brilliant work, Paul!
All the efforts and additional work are worth the result.
Very well done build as well as this thread was a pleasure to follow and the pics are great. Thanks for sharing and inviting us all to your progress and final show!
Thomas

Just awesome, Paul, and I loved every minute watching this come together. It has ALL the "take it to the next level" hallmarks of the best in our hobby. Taking a good basic kit to heights never dreamed by the manufacturer through research, creative thinking and sheer building skill.

Again, my hat's off to you on this one!

Brian

I've been reading Patrick Bishop's "Target Tirpitz" (an excellent read covering all the action surrounding and pertaining to the quest to destroy Tirpitz) and there's a specific mention of two fuel tanks added to the interior fuselage of the modified Lancasters.
I had pondered at the time whether to include both of the pair of Mosquito tanks rather than just one.

As I can't overlook any piece of research it looks like the fun isn't over just yet !

Here's the mirrored tank that naturally would make up the pair in the donor Mosquito, made in just the same way as the first.

Very nice build!

Thank you Drabslab ! Once I get the new tank painted and fitted hopefully that will be the true end to the blog !

So the second tank has been painted and plumbed in alongside the first. I'm calling this done (again !)

Paul,
The 2nd gas tanks looks outstanding. Now that it's painted and both tanks are plumbed, the build has finally come to its conclusion. Well done, as I enjoyed every single post and update.

Joel

Thank you Joel, that means a lot of course.
I sure did learn a lot and experimented with a LOAD of techniques that were new to me : photo etch, scratchbuilding and corrections, paint masks, resin gun barrels... the list goes on.

I especially enjoyed the story behind the build in that it wasn't a generic Lancaster or even just a specific one but was a model based on a specific mission within the epic story of Churchill's obsession to destroy the Tirpitz. The research and background reading were fascinating and as much a part of the build as the modelling. That's something I hope to repeat in future projects.

Paul! A great build of a great subject! The Tamiya kit still looks good and builds into a fantastic model, even if it is the same age as me ! I've never seen the markings on the stabilizer, was this a one-off or is it simply so that they don't show up on photos since that's an area of the airframe that is seldom seen from normal photo angles?



Magnus

Thanks Magnus, sorry I missed your post!
The kit is indeed still a fine model. I was between one and two years old when it was released

The aircraft's code markings on the tail were certainly not a common thing on Lancasters as far as I'm aware but I had it on good authority from the 617 Squadron Historian that 617 and 9 squadron's Lancs carried these markings. ( at least at this point in the war, perhaps not all the way through )

I can't say what the reason for this was though.

My best guess could be something to do with these squadrons carrying out specialised and precision bombing missions, often in daylight, as opposed to a lot of the other Lanc's mass bombing raids at night.
It must have been to aid recognition for friendly aircaft at higher altitudes in the same kind of way that emergency vehicles often have markings on the roof to aid helicopter pilots.

Of course, if someone knows for sure I'd be interested to know!

Paul,

Extraordinary work. You created an incredible show piece and shown the rest of us "how it's done"!

Respect.

Thank you Frederick, I recall your comment from nearly a year ago and I hope one day that you might get this kit after all and enjoy building it as I have

Hi there,

I saw your post in Feb 2016 with a photo of the scale model of the Lancaster with the logo "Captains Fancy" and wondered where I could find and possibly buy this?

-Reason Being, that is my Grandfathers plane - John(Jack)Mather Bailey . He was a key skipper for that plane

Paul:

There is a new documentary out on the Tirpitz raid where one of the vets discusses the extra tanks, and there is even a schematic. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3621966/ Not what you thought. Check it out. I just saw it on either Netflix of amazon.com. Forget which.

Hi there Darin, I'm sorry that I can't really answer your question I'm afraid.
The pictures that Brian found and shared in the first page of this blog are images from a computer game :





I might be wrong but I don't think there are decals available to create a model of this particular Lancaster. You'd have to create your own nose-art in a similar way to my Lanc.