1/48 Anson Build Review

[Ratch]

I would really like to build this as one of the many Ansons that flew from Northamptonshire in World War II. No 8 Civilian Air Navigation School were flying them from Sywell at the outbreak of the war, and No 6 Elementary Flying Training School quickly took over, and then, after the war No 6 Reserve Flying School continued using them. No. 12 Operational Training Unit flew Ansons from Chipping Warden, as did No 10 Air Navigation School. No 13 Operational Training Unit flew the Anson from Hinton-In-The-Hedges, as did No 26 (Signals) Group, Signals Development Unit (SDU) and 1551 Flight. No 16 Operational Training Unit had them at Croughton. No 17 Operational Training Unit had them at Silverstonre. No 7 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit had them at Westwood (Peterborough). Even No 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight had an Anson. K8784 flew with No 17 Operational Training Unit from ’43 to ’46 and N9749 was with No 16 Operational Training Unit. So, while the serials are quite close, I cannot make a match. I shall therefore stick with the kit options and go for the C scheme of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

[Ratch]

Construction started following the assembly sequence of the instruction sheet. I will try to anticipate actions required further along in the sequence and only paint at the last moment, as each step is completed.



[Ratch]

I brushed on Humbrol Clear Gloss Varnish AC7431 in preparation for the decals. The first few decals were applied and then construction continued.

There now followed short passages of assembly, followed by painting, and then decal application, repeated several times.

Plenty of decal softener was used on the instruments.

[SD45elect2000]

I have an ancient Airfix Anson in 1/72. I got a photo etch set to go with it. Should be fun. Now I got to find it….

Randall

[Ratch]

Planning how much to paint and when is a time-consuming process. I am running out of Humbrol Acrylic 78 Matt Cockpit Green. My conversion chart says Tamiya XF-71 Cockpit Green and Vallejo Model Color 70920 85 German Uniform are matches. A test on some scrap plastic reveals that XF-71 is quite close, but 70920 is darker. I may use some for a variation in tone.

[ian_rutland]

On the larger kits, I often spray the assemblies with the old rattle can. This worked very well on my Airfix Hurricane framework. Pictures here . . . . .

Need to spend a bit more time on the instrument panel. I may have to do this on the Anson. Mine should be along on my birthday, but I'm going to have to get another. I'd really love a new tool in 1/72nd, just so that I could build up a collection of all the superb schemes. The current classic build was let down by the transparencies and the upper decking. Just a new set of transparencies would do. The rest is still OK, with just the upper fuselage to build up. Actually, a complete 'Drop In' Transparency would cure the problem. It would replace all the poorly moulded pieces in one go, while allowing us to add some really nice scaled down pieces copied from the new kit. That's got me thinking, now. I may try and vac form some!

Enjoying your review build.

[Ratch]

[dogsbody]

Here is a card painted with my various Interior Grey-green paints:

Chris

[Ratch]

I have lots of options on my spreadsheet. I usually like to buy paints 'in person'. With SMW not too far away I shall look for something suitable there.

[Ratch]

Step 30 was omitted as this is for the Option A configuration (a machine gun on the port waist).

I used transparent colours on the navigation lights. 

[dogsbody]

There is no dedicated hobbystore in this small city where I live. All I have available are a couple of shops that are more for gamers and that ilk. One has Tamiya and the other has Citadel paints for the Warhammer kits and figures they sell. So I either have to buy online or wait until I travel the 300 mile/450 km. south, to find true hobby stores and even those are getting a bit thin.

Chris

[Ratch]

When I closed the fuselage, I taped them together to maintain a close fit.

I had to repeat this process three times, using clamps the second time and finally resorting to hand pressure. I then masked the nose port holes and navigation lights with Vallejo Model Color 70523 Liquid Mask. There are two roof sections provided, one for an aircraft not fitted with a turret and one with the turret fairing. As all three options in this box have the turret, at least one variation is planned for future release.

The moveable tail is cleverly designed, resurrecting a working feature that has become unfashionable.

[Ratch]

Construction now moved onto the engines and wings. Detail is very good, and the fit is positive. Most can be assembled before paint is introduced.

[Ratch]

I assembled the wheel wells, wings and painted the interiors of the cowling parts.

Assembly of the engines ensued, and these were painted too.

I suffered some misalignment on the port engine cowling, quite how I don’t know, but filler is required. 

[Ratch]

Filler applied.

I completed the painting of the Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX engines.

I then set about assembling the cowlings. I had previously painted the interior of the cowling panels but not the bulged teardrops. It is not necessary to paint them as they fix to the cylinder heads and will not be seen when in situ. The time-consuming process of cleaning up every gate after the part has been cut from the frame must be undertaken to achieve clean mating surfaces, and not affect the geometry of the assembled pieces.

[SD45elect2000]

Was this the same engines used in the Airspeed Envoy? Have the Anson and the Envoy side by side would be interesting.

Randall

[Ratch]

I have no idea which engines the Envoy used.

[Ratch]

Thanks for the info Gom.

The navigation light lens was cemented then masked off. Then the rudder was attached.

Moving on to the greenhouse, I marked out the interior framing with a draughtsman’s pen.

[Ratch]

There are two sets of glazing with the A & B options for this kit having the upright windscreen and the C option (that I’m building) the sloped screen.

On both options there are decals to apply to the interior of the door on the starboard side.

The transparencies were fixed with PVA. The roof lights and nose were fixed the same way. Two small parts are cemented to the engines and then we turn to the undercarriage. The tyres are weighted and must be married correctly. These, and the undercarriage struts, were painted.

[Ratch]

After a break for Scale Model World, I returned to the build and did a little painting.

I went back to steps 59 & 60 to fit the ailerons and their associated masts/balance weights. I could then put down a first coat of Trainer Yellow on the under surfaces.

[Ratch]

Another coat of yellow was brushed on.

I then put down masking tape to define the high demarcation line and brushed the Dark Earth areas.

This was followed by the disruptive camouflage pattern. The canopy framing was overgone with the bow pen in the appropriate colours.

[Ratch]

I removed the liquid mask I’d used and re-touched the yellow under surfaces where required.

[Ratch]

I touched up the upper paintwork. 

[Ratch]

Of course, it will.

After the main paintwork I picked out some more details. I then brushed with Klear to provide the foundation for the transfers.

The decals were applied using Humbrol DecalFix.

[Ratch]

I always have several models under construction at any given time.