1:32 NOSE of Avro Lancaster B Mk.I/III w/ Full Interior

Avro Lancaster B Mk.I/III — the nose section with an interior, 1:32 (Border Model)

This kit from Border Model captures the nose section of the Avro Lancaster in 1:32 scale with a thoroughly worked interior. It is not a model of the whole aircraft — what you get is a section of the fuselage that is built as an object in its own right for the display case and shows in full what stays hidden on a complete bomber: the crew stations in the forward part and the glazing of the nose. The large-scale format favors that, because even the small items of interior equipment are easy to read once the build is done. The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted.

The real subject

The Avro Lancaster was a British four-engine heavy bomber of the Second World War and the backbone of the Royal Air Force's night operations. The B Mk.I version used British Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, and on the Mk.III they were replaced by license-built Merlins of American production; the airframe and the equipment stayed practically identical, so the two versions differ in a model only in details. The forward part of the fuselage consisted of the glazed nose with the bomb aimer's station, the front gun turret above it and behind them the raised pilot's cockpit with its characteristic angular canopy.

Building and painting tips

Turn the sequence around compared with an ordinary model: paint and finish the interior first and only then join the shells. The inside of British bombers starts from a darker green, which takes a wash into the corners and gentle drybrushing of the edges well; the wiring and the small items of equipment stand out with spot highlighting. Mask the glazing before you spray the exterior finish and glue it with a glue intended for the job, so that the transparency is not lost. Because this is a section of fuselage, think through the finishing of the cut and the base in advance — a machined board or a simple stand does a great deal for the final impression.

Who the model is for

• More experienced modelers who want to display an interior rather than the silhouette of an aircraft
• Collectors of the large 1:32 scale with limited room in the display case
• Fans of British bomber aviation
• Builders who like to combine a model with a base or a scene

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.