Built Date: January 22, 2010
Victorious Virgin, RCAF 424 Squadron, ‘Tiger Squadron’, March 21, 1945,
I wish to thank Marcus Nicholls of Tamiya Model Magazine International (TMMI) for sending me this kit to build for an article. The full build article for this model is in the April and May 2010, Issue 174 and Issue 175.
This model is a replication of an RCAF Lancaster that flew during WWII. The plane was RF-128 (QB-V). The aircraft was known as “Victorious Virgin” and was flown by F/L J. F. Thomas. What’s more, one of the crew of this airplane,Matthew Cecil Ferguson, a former Calgarian, painted the nose artwork on this plane and other planes in his squadron. He also painted the first-ever bomb art on this 4000lbs “cookie” bomb to celebrate the 2000th sortie flown by his squadron No. 424 “Tiger” squadron, on March 21, 1945. The bomb was dropped on the oil refinery at Hemmingstadt.
Source Credit: http://424photographs.tripod.com/
The nose art for the bomb can be found at this web site http://www.lancastermuseum.ca/noseartnls12.html
I created the text and the angel halo using Microsoft Paint Brush. Due to a lack of a colour photo of the nose art, I had to guess on the colour. I printed the decals on Testor clear film decal sheet using my Epson CX 7800 Ink Jet printer. I set the printing quality to high photo quality and it came out looking great. I also made the decals for the bomb.
The model was totally rescribed with new recessed panel lines. I scratch built components to enhance the cockpit, landing gear bays, engine compartment, bomb bay, new flaps to show it in the down position, gun turrets, and many more details.
The square window located near the Radio Operator station was moulded about 1 cm too far forward. This is very noticeable when you compared the photo of the window on the real plane against the window on the model. I relocated these windows to be more accurate.
To display the specially painted cookie bomb, I scratch built a cradle to match that of the historical photo.
The model was painted with Gunze-Sangyo H58 Interior Green, H74 Sky Duck Egg Green, H303 Dark Green, H72 Dark Earth, H330 RAF Dark Green, H331 Dark Seagull Grey, H2 Black, H24 Orange Yellow.
This model won the Best Aircraft – Propeller, at the 2017 IPMS Vancouver Show.
References:
A MUST WATCH BBC TV Program of the only colour movie showing the complete operation of a Night Bombing Mission with a Lancaster Squadron. Watch it here: http://www.factualtv.com/documentary/Nightbombers
Avro Lancaster B. X, Topshots 36, Kagero Book, ISBN 978-83-60445-51-8
An excellent video of a guided tour aboard a Lancaster Bomber by a former RAF Pilot, Tony Iveson, at http://www.lancastermuseum.ca/lancbomber.html
An excellent collection of walkaround photos of a Lanc in the Prime Portal web site, http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/dave_kitchel/lancaster/
Excellent walkaround photos of the Lancaster Mk.X – Imperial War Museum – Duxford – England
For an incredible dynamic panoramic view of the inside of a Lancaster, this is a must see, Pan3sixty.co.uk- 360_full_screen_panoramas
Lancaster Pilot Handbook, http://www.156squadron.com/pilotsnotes/notesndex.html
History of RCAF 434 Squadron http://rcaf434squadron.squarespace.com/
Photos of a RCAF Lancaster under restoration
Lancaster Serial Numbers http://www.bomber-command.info/serialslancaster.htm
Always wanted to build this one…
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