Avro Tauton C.1

[McColm]

 Some people would argue that the Avro Tauton was in direct competition with its stablemate the Tudor. Both shared the same wings from the Lincoln bomber,they also had the tail wheels and were pressurized aircraft.
 The Avro Tauton was designed as a four-engined troop transporter using the Rolls-Royce Griffon engines rather than the Merlins. The fuselage came from the Douglas DC-4 /C-54 Skymaster along with the tail section and cargo doors. The Mark 1A gave the pilot the option of having a nose wheel and tail wheel both with wheel-steering this attracted the attention of the US Navy who placed an order for 50 to be used for C.O.D. and the ability to fold it's wings known as the C-55A. Whilst the RAF would receive the first batch of 50 Mk.1s later changed to the C.1.
The C.2 would be fitted with the nose wheel and the noise reduction pack due to the Griffon Growl and the fuselage lengthened to match the Douglas
DC-6B. With the option of a long-range fuel tank fitted underneath the fuselage. This tank would be converted into a bomb bay as used on the Douglas Skyliner GR.1. A maritime patrol version began replacing the Avro Lincoln B.2 and MR.Mk 31s due to corrosion in the wing spars.
The C.3 was a re-engined C.2 with the Rolls-Royce Griffons replaced by turboprops opening the market for commercial users.
 The Avro Tauton attained operational status in September 1945 assigned to the Zebra Force during Operation Downfall and carried fuel during the Berlin Airlift, with the C.2s replacing them in time for the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya, the Malayan Emergency and the Korean War which kept the supply lines busy. They acted as support for the Suez Crisis and found themselves supporting Australia in the Vietnam War.
The US Navy had converted their C.O.D. into gunships, replacing the engines with Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasps designated the AC-55A . Fitted with similar firepower as the Douglas AC-47 Spooky. The Avro AC-55A Tauton was in high demand that an additional 70 aircraft built from ex-airliners to meet the requirements. Which led to the AC-55TP (turboprop) developed after the war and used by twelve countries.

The build.
The kits are the Revell Douglas DC-4 and the Avro Shackleton AEW2 (wings, engines and landing gear).

[McColm]

Finally got the build started, windows are in and the cockpit floor plus the wheel housing.. The wings have been glued on and the fuselage halves are glued together. The only gap is up by the nose.
I have reinforced the wings with spars going across the interior fuselage and the two sides of the underside of the original wing allowing for PSR..


https://flic.kr/p/2seEm5u

https://flic.kr/p/2seFvZk

Not sure what's going on with the photos but you can click on the bottom one if the top one doesn't open and see both . on my Flickr account.

[McColm]

I'm using the Revell Avro Shackleton AEW2 wings, engines and landing gear which are a good fit so far. The radome taken from the B-29 has become the search radar H2.
The Avro Tauton could have been used as a light bomber along with it's transportation duties. I have added the double doors to the cargo hold. There was an option for a swing-tail for rear loading but customers preferred the side doors.
Another problem the Avro Tauton had was it's stable mate the Avro Shackleton, although the Tauton would become the training version and support aircraft sales for the maritime version met with stiff competition from the Lockheed Neptune.