Hi everyone.

After returning to model making after around 30 years I am well on my way to completing my first build; a Revell 1:72 scale Dambusters Lancaster Bomber. I have added a lot of extra detail to ythe interior and I currently adding to the exterior and bomb release mechanism.

I intend to turn this into a diorama but I am having trouble finding information to help me with the scenery. I need to find suitable figures for then scene; I want to make a recreation of the famous photo with Guy Gibson on the ladder half turning to camera and his crew behind. Anyone any ideas where I casn locate suitable models for the crew as most seem to be ground crew only. Also I wanted to add a bomb trolley and the starter machines, there are kits for the starters but I cannot find any references for the bomb trolley. Does anyone know if it was an orcinary type (if so what model?) or a special one for the bouncing bomb? Anyone got any pictures or can recommend a refernce book showing one?

I have taken some photos of the buil;d which I will post when the scene is complete, next build is a 1:24 Spitfire MkV then a Mossie.
Cheers
Andy

"Due to the size of the bomb two other problems were encountered. The first was how to get the bomb underneath the aircraft so that it could be lifted into the bomb bay. A specially strengthened type B bomb trolley was used to carry the weapon but it could not be moved in sideways under the bomb bay. Consequently a novel solution was found in the form of lifting the tail of the Lancaster into the air by 10 ton Coles crane and then wheeling the bomb on its trolley in from the rear. Despite the modifications to the Lancaster's bomb bay there was still only a three inch clearance for the weapon to get in. Once situated under the bomb bay the weapon was winched up into position by a pair of ten ton bomb winches situated above the floor of the bomb bay with two sets of wires passing around the mine to give the lift."

An extract from this web site

http://www.dambusters.org.uk/bomb.htm

Hope that helps for now.

Nige

Hi Andy, welcome to Aeroscale.

Revell has just released a new RAF Pilots and Ground Crew set in 1/72- it has just sold out at Hannants, but other places have stock. I've not seen any photos of the figures yet. The Luftwaffe crew that were released at about the same time are a mixture of old 1970s/1980s Preiser figures, and some new, undersized, seated pilots. Not holding out much hope for the RAF being really cutting edge, but you never know, as there are not any old Preiser RAF figures to re-release. I have used the more modern Preiser multi-part Luftewaffe figures (the set that comes with lots of tables, deck chairs, and people playing cards)- and it is exceptionally good- just a few modifications and I think some of them pass as RAF groundcrew.

Post the photos so far in a build thread in the WW2 forum, and I'm sure they'll attract a lot of helpful advice.