Scratch building a replacement Lancaster

This could be a long term project.

After the demise of my previous Lanc last year, ( attack of the killer hedge ), the salvaged parts, everything except the body, wings, tail, kept staring at me, pleading me to make them a new home.

I started drawing up an A20 Boston/Havoc, then realised it looked too much like my B-25 but with only one fin, and uses only two of the motors. To use up those four motor it just had to be another Lanc. Well they do look ....... special.

So, another scratch build, and genuinely starting from scratch as there were no usable drawings of my original, but then that's the fun of making it up as I go along. Though I may later regret using the word 'fun'.

I don't do detailed build threads, just a few pictures occasionally, the rest of the 'design' is still in my head.

So here she is so far. And yes, it's electric and in mostly Depron foam.

Check the tail feathers will fit, Just held in place. (Photo rotated by system). -

Fuselage getting its skins. -

Wings will be plug-in. Wing box using carbon arrow shafts. -

A load of ribs hand cut, and these are just for the centre section. -

Mocked up to check fit of ribs and inner engine locations. -

Will be a slow build, so don't expect many updates.

She should be about 102" span, (last one way 98" span).

Ray, (as mad as ever, but in a nice way ).

Looking brilliant

Looking good.

Slow? I already see a fuselage!

Nice one Ray, I don't know if this is the right word for working with Depron etc, but  beautiful carpentry as usual. Cheers

Edited By fly boy3 on 11/03/2019 16:37:04

A couple of additional photos.

The spars are now glued in, makes the wing section very strong considering it's 1/8" balsa spars.

Lower bottom sheeting 3mm Depron added to define tailing edge. A test shows using 3mm sheet wrapped around the L.E. will work quite well.

Ray.

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Thank you , but I don't see it a superb craftsmanship, more like very lucky bodging .

I'm just willing to have a go and see what comes out, usually the final result looks Ok, and flies just fine.

Each new build is a another technique gained, usually because I forgot what I did before and don't draw plans.

But it's enjoyable.

Ray. Some of my builds and models. (It may say 'Not Secure', but they do allow me on a long chain these days )

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Newspaper covering ?

Yes and no.

Yes, - as it does increase the surface strength from hangar rash, it's cheap, (my favorite word).

No, - as it does add a little weight, the depron needs to be really 'clean' if using thinned PVA/white glue to stick the paper on, newspaper can shrink and you need to be careful and match sides to reduce any twisting on thin sections .

I probably wont use the same method on this one. Most of the other Depron builds are sanded, primed with thinned matt ceiling emulsion with a little talc powder added, light sanding and then painted. But they can suffer with minor scuffing etc. But, it does make them easier to repair if needed. Paper or glass cloth covering can make repairs a little trickier.

My whole aim is to build to fly, not build to survive, usually with as little power as possible, so keeping them light is just part of the design and build, but then my models are a good few years old and still seem to survive well.

Ray.

Any update with your building of the Lancaster please?

Hi Keith

Yes it has been a long time since my last post.

She is finished and ground tested, but unflown so far. I haven't had a particularly good year, (it's an age thing, aches and pains), but hopefully she will, but probably not until next year.

I don't have a picture of the full assembly, even the fuselage has to be in four pictures, (small room).

Ray.

P.S. I don't do 'scale', so I like the colour scheme.

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Thanks Ray

It looks good and I would love to build one at 102" span and have just started by cutting depron fuselage sections. Got the motors for engines and canopy plus gun turrets and propellers. The front gun turret is crap and front of canopy doesn't look right so will modify by adding front bits. Hoping to put batteries in the wings.

Will do a Talboy version from 9th Sqn and will not include a top mid turret.

What's your model's weight and centre of gravity? Your photos look great plus how do you do linkages to rudders? (Within the tailplane?)

Got photos if you're interested of my bits and pieces.

If it goes well, I will do a similar build for a 90" span Manchester. Can do a Mk1 and Mk1A. (Differences is in the back part and Mk1A would be easier to fly.

Keith

Edited By Keith Simmons on 09/10/2020 12:01:56