Marty, Tim , D & Torsten - Thanks gents for the kind words & all the more flattering coming from VERY accomplished modelers like yourselves.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I must mount the Lysander on a base before going any further. I’ve knocked the ladder of twice now while handling it and the paintwork around the ladder is starting to suffer . Some fragile bits like the antenna and mast , forward sliding canopy section, etc will also be at risk so best to put it on hold . I’ve ordered up some accessories for the base which I need to have in hand in order to determine the base size and layout so we are in a holding pattern right now .
More to come …
Cheers RT
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Many years ago I was researching the Lysander for a Model to be housed at the Doncaster Sandlbeat wood visitors centre because I found out that the wood that was coppiced there was probably used to repair Lysanders. This was carried out at what was then Doncaster airport, now a racecourse and Sandlbeat wood is at the end of the “mile”.
I wrote to Westlands and got back a load of information. One thing that stood out was the fact that when the partisans boarded the aircraft and because they had to hurry, they would throw themselves over the edge of the rear cockpit. Doing this would often damage parts and mainly the floor so there would be a mattress stuffed into the rear cockpit!
I never built the model as I moved from Doncaster council but I still intend to build a 1/32 scale model incorporating this detail. 
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Aha! OK I forgot to use lateral thinking i.e. just because they were “seated” didn’t necessarily mean there were seats, a mattress makes far more sense…and more room. I guess the fact that the plane would always be offloading and loading a similar “cargo” meant the balance/weight distribution would be maintained. Thanks for the illumination Mal 
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I’m not saying that there weren’t any seats, just that I really like the mattress idea because it would make a cool talking point and it would be an interesting exercise making one and fitting it in there.
Within the package, there was a drawing, scanned from a French magazine that showed 3 chairs inline in the rear cockpit. However, the forward one would have been in the interior oil tank, that was behind the pilot, so clearly wrong. I can imagine planks across the framing but I don’t think that you would get 3 sitting in the space, especially with the luggage? But, for the relatively short flight to freedom, several might cram in there?
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Hugh Verity states in his book that the bench seat held two abreast facing aft . A third would sit on the floor . On one occasion they picked up four and in this instance the fourth sat on the floor as well with legs shoved back into the aft fuselage under the radio shelf. As far as load weight goes , remember that the observer’s gun or guns ( some models had a twin mount in the back) were removed as well as their mounts , ammo drums , etc . Balance was another matter and I imagine this must have made life difficult for the pilot . The Lysander’s horizontal tail surfaces could be adjusted for incidence angle with a large trim wheel by the throttle group and had very poor elevator response if this was not set properly for varying airspeeds. Yet one more thing that tells us how good these pilots were and like most of their contemporaries they were kids.
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OK thanks Richard that all makes sense – maybe part of the coded transmissions teeing up a drop-off/pick-up had to include an estimate of the agents’ & luggage weights, the pilot wouldn’t have wanted to discover he had three corpulent agents to take back when they waddled out of the darkness to board. As you say some pilots were barely adults like so many other aircrew - when I think what I was doing at 20 compared to those guys – unbelievable
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I’ve made a start on the base now that the accessory I ordered has arrived and I can pin down the size of the base . I’ve sealed and painted up a piece of MDF …
… and the accessory itself …
Thompson Vc 3 wheel aircraft fueler .
Gotta love these beautiful resin kits from AA .
What could be more appropriate for a quirky aircraft then a quirky fueler !
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Base underway - built a curb by taping 3/16 “ square balsa around base with double sided tape and poured in Durham’s Water Putty for concrete hard stand . Joints scribed in with knife after curing .
Triangular portion at rear will be groundwork/ turf of some sort.
Here’s what you get in the Accurate Armour kit …
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Some more progress to report …
Thompson refueler mostly assembled , painted and clear coated and now ready for decals.
And base groundwork done in corner and painting begun.
Thanks for looking !
Richard
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Brilliant 
Want to get in and have a go
Would have been interesting linking the storage fuel tank to the engine and seeing how far it would go on a full tank…
tim
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Very interesting vehicle, Richard! Looks great! Could need one for my new Spits …
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@litespeed - Thanks Tim ! With 500 gallons of petrol and a 10 hp Ford engine and a max speed of 5mph I should think it would be a very long time indeed before needing topping off !
@BlackWidow - Hi Torsten - yes it is a quirky vehicle but as I noted earlier, the Lysander is a quirky aircraft so I think they are made for each other ! I think you should get one to fuel your Spits -
a very enjoyable build .
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I was just thinking the same thing!
Awesome little addition to the story here Richard, love it!
Cheers, D
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Hi Richard, What a wonderful thread about this most fascinating aircraft. Along the way, I’ve been drawn-in by your attention to detail. And even though I don’t build wingy-thingy’s, I find many of your techniques very useful. 
That ‘Thompson Fueler’ is the icing on the cake! 
—mike
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Bloody Brits and their 3 wheeled cars… you just know that thing was born in a shed in the midlands.
Richard, I’ve been watching this since the beginning and I’m absolutely floored with what you’ve done. I wish I had a 10th of your attention to detail.
Very excited to see the end product.
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You could see the re-fueler racing round the track at Brooklands. Though I definitely wouldn’t fancy driving it 
I’m often criticised by my petrol head friends for having no interest in automobiles. But that little three wheel tanker certainly does…
tim
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Thanks all for the interest and the compliments.
The Thompson three wheeler is indeed odd by our current standards and we all know that three wheelers have limits . I should hope that the tankage is stuffed with baffles - if not , can you imagine turning sharply with a half empty tank and what the free surface effect of 250 gallons would do
as it surged towards the outside of the turning vehicle… probably the reason for the 5 mph warning emblazoned on the sides !
I’ve lately felt the modeling mojo slipping away a bit but this little kit has restored it some . I like these resin kits as a nice change of pace and Accurate Armour does a nice job with them .
Cheers - Richard
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Calling this one done folks ! A fun project to be sure but battling a fading mojo in the end .
Thanks to all for the interest & compliments and for following along - glad to be part of a great bunch of modelers and as always all comments welcome !
Cheers - RT
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Looks excellent. Great job on an interesting bird!
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