AndyC Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 (edited) Hi all I'd like to join with this old kit - possibly a sucker for punishment here but anyway, the kit cost less than the decals so... Box shot The sprues You will note a new pack of .040" rod - that is because the kit is too narrow and will have to be built with a spacer. I'm also going to try and correct the tail (which is too tall) Finally the decals which look beautiful - I'm not sure which scheme to go for here but the French and Czech look good. However I don't have any Israeli a/c on the shelf yet... Edited April 26, 2013 by AndyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 You knock them out quicker than I can blink Andy, Good luck with this one. I've got a soft spot for Monogram kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 16, 2013 Author Share Posted February 16, 2013 You knock them out quicker than I can blink Andy, Good luck with this one. I've got a soft spot for Monogram kits. Yeah, keeps me out the pub, mate! There's a bit of work in this one though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arniec Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Nice one Andy. Do the Israeli one. That will fit nicely between my night fighter and photo reconnaissance Mosquito. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Good luck Mate you will need it Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 Actually started this now... The basic kit (!) is a B.IV and to make a FB.VI you have to cut off the bomber nose...can be done with a sharp knife,,, There are two huge problems with the Monogram kit 1) the fuselage is too narrow and 2) the tail is too tall. I am going to attempt to correct both... The photo above shows the huge dorsal-fin-like appendix...so off that came The old Airfix magazine and Mike Still on Hyperscale recommends 1/4" off...so out with the razor saw at the line of the bottom of the rudder... as marked And as executed... Much better! That's a huge difference to my eye! Started on the fuselage - I went with the HS article by Mike Still and cut some .040" square rod' roughly tapered it and then glued it top and bottom for eventual shaping... Now can someone remind me why I didn't just buy the Tamiya kit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Nice start, glad I went for the Tamiya. Built the 1:48 sometime ago but now witched to 1:72 hope to find time to build it for this GB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 (edited) good start Andy Im watching this one lol Les Edited February 22, 2013 by wellzy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arniec Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Nice one Andy. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 Nice start, glad I went for the Tamiya. Built the 1:48 sometime ago but now witched to 1:72 hope to find time to build it for this GB Thanks Mish - that 1/72 Tamiya kit is a little beauty - hope we see that! good start Arnold Im watching this one lol Les Thanks Les (and I know you meant Andy!) - will be a minor challenge I think! Nice one Andy. Cheers, Thanks Arnie. I don't think I'm going to the IDF/AF option as I was reading last night that they were painted silver and I think there may be too much cut and shut on this one for an ultra-smooth finish with Alclad - I'll see how I get on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Sorry Andy lol Les 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted April 1, 2013 Author Share Posted April 1, 2013 Time to do some work on this tired old kit... I've added 20thou strip to either side of the cockpit floor as it won't fit the widened fuselage I have also decided to do it in flight (a la Kallisti!) and had bought some prop blurs for this. So the little guys will be painted up and used. Saves me a lot of hassle too with having to detail the wheel bays etc - the props are wrong anyway for a late VI. The radio is crap in the Monogram kit, so I butchered an Airfix Mossie kit that has been a shelf queen for 3 or 4 years - its the PR XVI model - horrible and weird fit and I messed up the camera ports as well, so I broke it open and nicked the radio from that and also the yoke and the tailwheel (which is much nicer than the Monogram one. Everything got sprayed Grey/Green inside. Also sprayed inside the wings for the bottom of the radiators. I'm going to build her 'clean' as well as I don't like the look of the rockets. Hopefully I will have the fuselage buttoned up at some point in the next week. Then there will be a lot of filling and sanding. I haven't decided how I'm going to pose her (straight and level/banking/climbing) but I have plenty of perspex rod. No base yet but there a re a few shows coming up, so I'll get one then. Thanks for looking and all comments welcome as ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 Another quick update... I decided to use the Monogram crew as they looked OK after a bit of a scrape with a scalpel. I primed them and then painted them with Humbrol acrylics. The IP was also painted, dry-brushed white and details picked out. I then had a dry fit of the cockpit - its a bit of a squeeze but the Airfix radio fits snugly enough. I could have moved it back a couple of mm but used the kit locating pins Once I was satisfied with it I glued it in - here is nav-man sat in his seat! The fuselage had also been clamped and glued at this stage His mate, the pilot also now in, who seems to be fiddling with his oxygen mask The pilot was a tight fit, so I trimmed a sliver off his left arm and cut his legs at the shins! It won't be noticeable as it looks like his feet are under the IP on the rudder pedals Added some card tabs to the modified fin ready for fixing. The old fin base was attacked with a rough sanding stick to shorten it and some spare rod was inserted into the hole Also placed and glued the nose - very bad fit because the fuselage is wider! There will need to be some hefty sanding and filling. I also applied putty to the spine, underside and base of the fin The canopy actually fits width-wise (I can always use the abandoned Airfix one if it doesn't) but the cockpit sides will meed to be built up at the front as there is a small gap. Thanks for looking and all comments welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drift Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 You, sir, are a master. Awesome read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 Thanks but let's see how it finishes up! Plenty of foul-up potential in this yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted April 6, 2013 Author Share Posted April 6, 2013 Things have gone a little quiet on this GB at the moment? Have made a few more bits of progress on the Monogram monster...I got the whole thing sanded and filled - it took 3 attempts to get her smooth(ish) but I'm now satisfied. Tail planes and fin are sanded too I have glued the canopy in place after masking with Tamiya tape and a sharp No.11 blade. There is a small gap at the forward quarter on either side but I can fill that either with Gator glue or putty I think the surgery has made her much better proportioned - it looked a little silly with a thin body and enormous fin! The wings are glued and sanded and are dry fitted for the photo...the fillet at the rear of each nacelle needs a little more work. Poor planning means I realised that the only exhausts in the Mono kit are the B.IV shrouded ones and with deference to those more at home with the wooden wonder, I.am fairly sure the FB.VI would have had open exhausts? Anyhow, back to the Airfix box and snaffled the pipes form there. I have two options 1) chain drill individual openings in the nacelles for all four stacks (cr*p job) or 2) sand the backing to almost nothing and surface mount them...I'm leaning toward the latter... Anyhow - prop blurs next and how to mount her in flight. Ta for looking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 The Build looks good so far Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arniec Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 She looks great Andy. Can't wait to see some paint on it. That reminds me to start building mine cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Thanks Les and Arnie. Been away all week, so nothing much done on this one. The filler around the cockpit has been sanded. I will try and get some primer on her on Sunday and then get going on the props too. I will buy a display base from MK next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted April 15, 2013 Author Share Posted April 15, 2013 OK...so I got the beast primed. Irritatingly I have a recurring ghost seam on the underside (probably as a result of widening the fuselage) which I have attempted to get rid of...it's stubbornly resisting all attempts! I then gave up on it - it's a 30+ year old kit with huge inaccuracies, that I tried to correct, I'll live with it - fortunately the seam goes through the bomb doors! I then attacked the model with a series of drills ending up with my 10mm wood drill and so I now have somewhere to insert the perspex rod. She will be in about 45deg of bank when she is mounted! Anyway, Medium Sea Grey on the undersides and then masking for the Ocean Grey uppers followed by Blu-Tac sausages, with Dark Green... The exhausts were glued on after having the mounting points sanded - they are still proud but - hey, life is too short! I also stuck on the aerial and the fin aerial. The decals look gorgeous and I'm doing an FB.VI of the newly formed post-war Czech AF (ex-311 Sqn). I will try and buy a base at MK show and so hope she will be finished soon. the Propblurs have been primed and painted too, with the yellow tips to do. Thanks for looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Coming on nicely Andy! Your detailing looks superb - well done and looking forward to the next instalment. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Long week away with work so no bench time... However got the chance to put the decals on tonight and very nice they are too! I am doing a Czechoslovak post-war machine (according to the decal instructions although my efforts at verification have proved fruitless!) They have gone down a treat and the airframe has been given an Alclad Gloss spray ready for a Flory wash. Prop blurs are primed and painted with just the tips to do...I bought a base at MK this weekend and will get that drilled ready to place her on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Looking very good Andy nice one Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arniec Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Great progress. She looks good in this scheme. I think that these Mosquito's were given after the war just like the Spitfires they hade. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 Thanks Les and Arnie! Yes I think that is right - the Mossies were donated to the Czechoslovakian AF - the Carpena sheet states black prop hubs but I have also seen red quoted elsewhere - however I'm going for black! I believe it was the (ex) 311 Sqn - which flew Liberators until disbandment (officially) in Feb 1946 - they then must have flown these from Prague afterwards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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