Oh sorry! I miss-read/miss-understood.
The Border Models 1/32 Lancaster BI/III
- Thread starter BarryW
- Start date
Not quite sure if this will help Barry but if you need to remove some inner wing plastic you could try using a hot soldering iron and just melt it out of the way. That way you wont have to apply too much pressure to the wing. A good dollop of epoxy should take out any slack you have in the fit but it will mean the wings are a permanent fixture
Oh dear Barry, you don't need this. There is no obvious solution that guarantees a decent result so whatever you do is a risk. Maybe put it to one side and build something else. I wonder if this issue has been flagged up to Border Models by any other modellers?
I noticed that too. Think he had a good 40 videos that are now gone.
Well I have had contact with someone who managed to finish this kit and all he said was a ‘lot of sanding’. Well that’s a lot of plastic that needs to be removed, my least favourite activity. Some removal with a razor saw would be necessary…. Well, it’s doable. However, when I bought this kit I was counting on being able to have the outer wings removable as with the wings on I cannot accommodate it. That would mean having a perfectly snug and firm fit. Removal of so much material would reduce structural integrity, of that I have no doubt. These spars are not solid plastic either, which in a way would make sanding easier but also weakens the wing. I think it would work if the wing were to be cemented firmly in place but that cannot happen.
Instead I tried to hack away the offending part inside the wing as well as I can. It was not difficult to do but it left material behind inside that I could not reach. That said I was able, with difficulty, to get the wing into place. It was difficult and in the end the result was far from the perfect fit needed in this prominent position. I suspect that the material I could not reach caused the wing to be out of position giving me those difficulties. Normally some cement, filler and sanding would have resolved the issue, but that’s out of the question for a removable wing. I did try various things to improve the fit of the outer wing without luck. Remember to work it would mean having a perfect fit and being able to slide on with ease, neither of which is happening.
incidentally, competing a model of this size with the wings cemented into place is impractical while in a wheelchair. My experience from the B24, which could be displayed on my shelves thanks to the tricycle undercarriage, tells me that.
My reluctant decision is therefore to abandon the build.
So if anyone here has this kit I would recommend the following.
1/ Plan ahead for this stage. Make sure that you can accommodate this kit with wings in place, just in case.
2/ Leave out the offending parts which means having the model built with flaps up.
3/ By doing that you might find that you get a better outer/inner wing fit than I ended up with so they might me removable.
4/ If you want a large scale Lancaster, ignore the hype and get the HKM instead. It’s cheaper after all…..
Finally I have to say that this kit has been let down by Border Models and, make no mistake, I will never buy one of their own kits partly because 1/35 is the wrong scale for aircraft, but I am aware that even on their own models the instructions are crap. This model was clearly not finished being developed by Wingnut Wings and I am quite sure that the final result, if left to them, would not have the wing issue and would have excellent instructions so the issues I had would not have been a problem.
This is very much a case of what it might have been and it’s sad that it was brought to market before it was fit for sale.
Instead I tried to hack away the offending part inside the wing as well as I can. It was not difficult to do but it left material behind inside that I could not reach. That said I was able, with difficulty, to get the wing into place. It was difficult and in the end the result was far from the perfect fit needed in this prominent position. I suspect that the material I could not reach caused the wing to be out of position giving me those difficulties. Normally some cement, filler and sanding would have resolved the issue, but that’s out of the question for a removable wing. I did try various things to improve the fit of the outer wing without luck. Remember to work it would mean having a perfect fit and being able to slide on with ease, neither of which is happening.
incidentally, competing a model of this size with the wings cemented into place is impractical while in a wheelchair. My experience from the B24, which could be displayed on my shelves thanks to the tricycle undercarriage, tells me that.
My reluctant decision is therefore to abandon the build.
So if anyone here has this kit I would recommend the following.
1/ Plan ahead for this stage. Make sure that you can accommodate this kit with wings in place, just in case.
2/ Leave out the offending parts which means having the model built with flaps up.
3/ By doing that you might find that you get a better outer/inner wing fit than I ended up with so they might me removable.
4/ If you want a large scale Lancaster, ignore the hype and get the HKM instead. It’s cheaper after all…..
Finally I have to say that this kit has been let down by Border Models and, make no mistake, I will never buy one of their own kits partly because 1/35 is the wrong scale for aircraft, but I am aware that even on their own models the instructions are crap. This model was clearly not finished being developed by Wingnut Wings and I am quite sure that the final result, if left to them, would not have the wing issue and would have excellent instructions so the issues I had would not have been a problem.
This is very much a case of what it might have been and it’s sad that it was brought to market before it was fit for sale.
That's a real shame Barry. At the cost that is really dissapointing.
The right decision. You have considered your options, tried to sort it and it has not worked. Move on, sadly s**t happens. I look forward to your next build.
WOW Barry for the money that cost an not fit id be sending border models an email to complain as my two kit the tomcat an the hornet were bad fits but i dint pay that kind of money on them but they got built thank goodness they should give you a refund on that lank an to see it binned is sad as i was lookin forward to seein this built must put you off modeling i should think hope you get a new model that will fit
chrisb
chrisb
Sheesh Barry, that's not good! I understand your philosophy behind buying top quality kits, but isn't this the third or fourth you've ended up binning due to manufacturing issues?
I have to agree with Chris that an email to Border is in order. They've only got to look at your other builds to know you're no amateur and therefore your issues are legitimate and something they should resolve.
I have to agree with Chris that an email to Border is in order. They've only got to look at your other builds to know you're no amateur and therefore your issues are legitimate and something they should resolve.
Here are my two penny worths of thoughts. Really sorry that this supersize Lanc kit has not gone well Barry especially after all you have been through recently. But at £550+ it's far too expensive to bin off and should be given a second chance. So for me, put it to one side for a while, grab some cups of tea and biscuits and come back to it in the new year when hopefully your frustration with it has gone away.
I have built nearly 100 1/32 aircraft models and 20-30 1/48. Out of these I have ‘Binned’ about 6/7. I usually do so if I stop enjoying the build because the model fights me a bit too much. I am quite philosophical about this ‘sh** happens’.
In this case, if I were in good health, I would persist with the build, take photos and if I cannot accommodate it due to having to cement the wings into place enquire about museums or whatever who might want it, or bin it then if not. The fact is that I had not stopped enjoying it…. My final decision was because of my health, I don’t know how long I have, it could be a year, it might be four years. Also it takes longer working from a wheelchair and as my experience with the 1/32 B24 suggests handling a large kit is a lot more difficult and, I suspect, almost impossible for one this size when in a wheelchair. The handling would have worked if I could keep the wings separate but I am certain that would not be the case.
As I mentioned it seems that BM Lanc builds are often side-lined so I have no doubt that this is a known issue. The kit is not ‘unbuildable’ it just takes a lot of corrective work and I just made a decision based on practicalities.
if I just sidelined a build onto a ‘shelf of doom’ I know I would never return to it. Also, as mentioned previously, the decision was made on practicalities given changes to my health. See the answer above where I give a fuller explanation.
Yes, it’s an expensive kit and it was the most money I have ever spent on a model but I have other kits in the stash I want to get on with and my health now time limits me.
OH Barry so sorry to hear that your health is still not good i thought you was gettin better an havin to use the wheel chair must be quite irritatatain as yes i understand about limit of movement as i at the moment i have been havin back trouble again an difficult to move about for this last month but you sir must have an incredible moitvation an persitant to try an keep building as i dont think i could if i was in your postion but then at the moment i have no kits to build even if i could but thankfully im feelin a lot better now so hope to get to hannants in new year to pick out two new kits one 1/200 ship an a 1/32 scale plane so jen an i wish you all the best on your next kit an hope you can build it ok an enjoy the build
ATB TO YOU SIR
chris an jen
ATB TO YOU SIR
chris an jen
Thanks Chris
the simple fact is that there is no way to cure my cancer. It is at a stage where all they can do is control it as much as they can.
The direct quote from my oncologist was that the trials medication I am on can control for a period, one, two, three or perhaps four years but the cancer ‘will get through’ at some point and then I will need chemotherapy. So I just don't know how long I have. I am told that I have responded extremely well to the treatment so I am optimistic that it will be longer rather than shorter, but I really have no way of knowing.
Good luck with your issues, back problems, as I found, can be really inhibiting.
Barry, rather than bin such an expensive kit, is there a local modelling club or branch of IPMS who you could donate it to in exchange for a donation to a cancer research charity?
Pete
Pete
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