Jump to content

Tamiya 1/32nd De Havilland Mosquito


Recommended Posts

Hi people,

My second WIP post (other is FW16 F1 car) and first plane.

I suspect this model has had a lot of WIP, as it is so new - so I hope another one is ok! Best way to get advice on techniques etc...the skill level on these forums is incrediable...

Same story as many on here I am sure - used to make models as a kid, getting back into it 35 years later! Less likely to throw the result out of a window, set on fire - and I have an airbrush now!

I love this plane, and once I saw a few reviews and pictures of the kit, I thought I'd give it a go...splashed out and give it a go!

Going for the Operation Jericho version - incrediable story.

So far I have worked on the cockpit, so I'll start there...

IMG_1357_Lucid.jpg

It's a lovely kit - with a LOT of parts!!

IMG_1358_Lucid.jpg

Some nice historical booklets included, different paint schemes etc...

Small number of PE details.

IMG_1362_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1364_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1368_Lucid.jpg

Everything goes together very accurately. Fit is superb.

IMG_1371_Lucid.jpg

Love the ease that this green goes on - test fit of sub-assemblies (seats, instrument panel etc)

IMG_1373_Lucid.jpg

I've worked on all the 'interior' elements of the main fusalage, again test fitting elements...

IMG_1375_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1377_Lucid.jpg

  • Like 15
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I decided to try weathering on this kit - inspired by some of the stuff on this website. It is something I want to try on some of my F1 models (and others) in the future, so figured this would be a good place to try.

I'm learning - so forgive the fact that this may look heavy handed compared to the masters on here!

I only learnt some tips after starting (like using different paint medium when using washes, or using various clear coat layers - gloss/matt - to facilitate weathering washes etc etc...so I have tried a few things, and re-started on a few parts - but overall I'm pretty chuffed with how it has ended up - so far!!

So these are early stages:

IMG_1388_Lucid.jpg

In the picture above I had used an acrylic wash on acrylic - this of course dried very quickly, so I was unable to 'wipe off' excess...now I know about using a gloss layer, then using a matt layer after....

IMG_1382_Lucid.jpg

Adding detail...

P1090927_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1386_Lucid.jpg

Much has been written about the PE, decals and clear lenses of the instrument panel on this kit - as this is my first plane model, I cannot compare - but it looks superb!

Test fitting:

P1090925_Lucid.jpg

P1090926_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1447_Lucid.jpg

I tried holding the airbrush a little distance away from the PE parts when I sprayed them to simulate a 'crackle' type finish (or at least not full-gloss)

IMG_1451_Lucid.jpg

Edited by caterhamnut
  • Like 13
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So - intention was to make this entirely OOB, but I had seen people using Eduard harnesses in models, so I found some of these.

Started to use them - and their tiny PE parts, but just wasn't getting on with them.

IMG_1458_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1455_Lucid.jpg

Grain of rice for scale!

IMG_1462_Lucid.jpg

It was only after posting a picture on another forum that someone pointed out that I had not removed the paper backing from these fabric belts - doh! Lesson learnt - but I actually preferred the PE ones from the kit, so after annealing them over a flame, I stuck with these....

IMG_1463_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1487_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1491_Lucid.jpg

Not weathered yet...

IMG_1493_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1496_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1500_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1508_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1509_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1511_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1512_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1514_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1516_Lucid.jpg

And that is where I have got to with the cockpit so far - still a few bits and pieces to add.

I have moved on to another sub-assembly - the Merlin engines.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMG_1420_Lucid.jpg

Again, everything goes together beautifully - no fettling required.

IMG_1419_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1418_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1421_Lucid.jpg

I also started to give these a little bit of weathering...

IMG_1518_Lucid.jpg

IMG_1517_Lucid.jpg

...and that is where I have got to so far. Hope it isn't too many pictures.

Next stage is starting the wing central core that the main fuselage fits to, with more internal bay details.

Really enjoying this kit - it really does go together amazingly, and I shall certainly tackle the 1/32nd Spitfire.

Dream would be a 1/32nd Lancaster....

Will add more when I get some done!

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I have been looking at this kit with mounting interest for a while now. It is tempting me off the area of interest I have in 1/72 WWII German aircraft. I have made a (very early) New Years resolution of not to buy any new kits this next year, but to concentrate on making them.

This is proving to to be a very great temptation. The quality along with the subject of this beautiful aircraft is difficult to resist. The idea of making kits within kits to produce an overall impressive final piece is calling!

I have noticed you have not added any new posts since November? How is it going? I would really like to see any more progress you have made. The work you have done so far looks very good, it will produce an excellent final piece and is very encouraging to see.

Thanks for posting your work, Andrew.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking good so far caterhamnut.

Dream would be a 1/32nd Lancaster....

Keep an eye out for the HK models product. They are planning on releasing a 1/32nd scale Lancaster at some point. It has been delayed a little by their desire to get it right so that bodes well.

I'm hoping that Tamiya will offer a glass nosed Mossie at some stage.

Keep up the good work and thanks for taking the time to add your photos along the way. I'm sure I'm not the only one who appreciates the in-depth visual treat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Riiiiiight.

Been a slight delay in this one - lol.

I moved to the MFH F1 cars, and having 99.9% finished the BT52b, I'm going back to this one for the variety.

I also want to learn about weathering, and the F1 cars don't really have much of this!

The military models tend to, and the skills you see here and elsewhere are staggering - I've also got a tractor to work on for 'mud'!

I want to learn about and start using oils - as I will need these skills on the older F1 car models - chassis of Alfa 159 for example...

 

So over a year ago when I started this, I had done some weathering on the cockpit - as a first attempt I was pretty pleased, but you learn a lot in a year and I want to improve...

I have also purchased the Eduard detail kits - front guns, belly guns, interior and exterior PE sheets and some engines are on there way. The Tamiya kit detail is still stunning - but I want to try stuff, and go even more detailed. That being said, I will also do some very basic scratch building - TBH mainly just with wiring etc.

 

So, I got back on this kit at the weekend. I cant use all the Eduard PE stuff in the cockpit without starting again, but I have used selectively. This has involved a little bit of a dismantle, but it came apart easily enough. I also need to try and 'match' what I have already done. In hindsight I think what I had done a year ago turned out a bit dark and messy - I want to tidy that up a bit, and managed to over-spray a little green over some grubby bits so I could start again...

 

I'm going for the used look though - so I am committing to weathering the exterior of the plane, which will certainly be a challenge - a lot of surface area.

I'm confident I can do the engines and engineering stuff nicely, having done a few F1 engines...

 

So - with all that said, on to the photos.

 

I started by breaking the main elements apart.

 

IMG_1114.jpg

 

IMG_1115.jpg

 

IMG_1116.jpg

 

I'm happy with the basic weathering here - but I got annoying silver sparkles from using some tamiya weathering stuff - that is basically eye make-up! I'll be getting rid of that with careful touching up.

 

IMG_1117.jpg

 

Some of the 'old' stuff looks a bit 'muddy' so will also tone that down.

 

Of course, almost none of this will be visible once closed up - but when you have fitted a head gasket and moving pistons into an MFH Mp4/4 Honda engine, and then sealed it all up in a stationary model, that doesn't matter - the detail is still there ! :)

 

So - this bulkhead is a major swap out - the grey one is from the Eduard nose gun kit - it has a bit more detail, and the upper fitttings for the ammo-boxes molded in, so I will use this. Only real pain is 2 yellow decals on the other side - I'll have to mask and paint these on the 'new' bit - don;t have a circle cutter so will come back to those with some fine scalpel work!

 

IMG_1120.jpg

 

IMG_1121.jpg

 

Location of bulkhead...

 

IMG_1145.jpg

 

There are 4 ammo boxes in the nose - one molding in the Tamiya kit. These are separate in the Eduard kit. I painted these and picked out the detail with oil paint - thinned and painted on, wiped off with cotton buds and thinners - early days but I am liking it - more detail later.

 

IMG_1155.jpg

 

These are just 'clipped' (very precise this Eduard stuff) into place - lots of PE straps and chains to add to each one...

 

IMG_1164.jpg

 

IMG_1165.jpg

 

IMG_1166.jpg

 

Comparison shot with the Tamiya part...

 

IMG_1169.jpg

 

IMG_1167.jpg

 

Whilst there are some decals and detail missing on the Tamiya bits, you can clearly see the difference in the Eduard versions...

 

One of the biggest improvements in using the Eduard internal PE set are the foot pedals - old shot below shows the Tamiya version...

 

P1090925_Lucid.jpg

 

New versions - obviously much finer, but a bugger to make straight...

 

IMG_1136.jpg

 

You can see the updated versions below...

 

IMG_1171.jpg

 

 

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nothing finished here by the way...nothing fixed yet!

 

On the older pictures earlier on this WIP, you can see where I had used Tamiya panel line colour to bring out detail - but inexperience meant I had not used a gloss layer first, and it all looked  a bit messy...now I have watched a few vids (highly recommend PLASTO on youtube) I feel I can try oils with a bit more confidence.

 

IMG_1148.jpg

 

I tried the panel gap first, but concluded this is great for fine detail, but not flatter areas - when I wiped the excess off using thinners, it wiped it all off on this sort of smoother detail.

So I took the step into oils - thinned down loads, painted on, then taken off with cotton buds - I'm a convert. It will take time and practice, but I can see the potential.

 

IMG_1154.jpg

 

IMG_1153.jpg

 

IMG_1184.jpg

 

IMG_1185.jpg

 

...for sure this commits me to the grubby used look, but that's cool....

 

Mid-rub...

 

IMG_1149.jpg

 

IMG_1150.jpg

 

Here you can see some of the Eduard PE parts fitted to the front of Tamiya components...

 

IMG_1158.jpg

 

In the shot below you can see where I have painted some of the round discs again to vary the tone (tip from someone elses WIP) - I believe that these are wooden discs that were fixed to the frame/skin and provided mounting points for fixing instruments and fittings too...

 

IMG_1181.jpg

 

This is a similar part pre-oil. The fittings and instruments are Eduard - more later. Yellow wire is Tamiya molding - I may replace with 'real' cable...

 

IMG_1147.jpg

 

IMG_1157.jpg

 

Some more Eduard parts (the PE) with the Tamiya part also shown...

 

IMG_1131.jpg

 

IMG_1133.jpg

 

IMG_1135.jpg

 

IMG_1134.jpg

 

Most of the internal detail kit from Eduard is instrument panel - you cut the molded detail off the front of the tamiya parts and glue the PE on - I'll leave the main instrument panel, as it is not bad and hard to replace - but there are lots of ancillary radios, boxes, batteries etc that I can upgrade. Many of the panels use multiple layers of PE to make them more '3D'...

 

IMG_1141.jpg

 

IMG_1140.jpg

 

IMG_1139.jpg

 

IMG_1183.jpg

 

IMG_1159.jpg

 

IMG_1160.jpg

 

IMG_1161.jpg

 

IMG_1162.jpg

 

In this shot you can see the rear of the instrument panel. It will be hidden...but damn it I am tempted to add some wiring...grrr!

 

IMG_1172.jpg

 

So that is where I am now - I 'oiled' a few more green bits and hope to carry on a little bit quicker now!

 

IMG_1180.jpg

 

IMG_1187.jpg

 

IMG_1186.jpg

 

 

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Right - bit more time on this again.

I discovered and decided to try the Eduard accessories - don't think these were out when I originally bought the kit at launch...so I have the gun detail kits and the engine sets...

Although I had started the engines from the kit, I wanted to try these.

Super sharp detail, so I am going to max these out with wires and cables etc etc...

 

IMG_2846.jpg

 

IMG_2845.jpg

 

IMG_2831.jpg

 

IMG_2832.jpg

 

IMG_2841.jpg

 

IMG_2844.jpg

 

IMG_2843.jpg

 

IMG_2842.jpg

 

Many pages in the instruction booklet - covers each engine separately as they are slightly different, hence double the sheets.

Like many 3D printed kits, the pipes in this are well supported - so lots of very careful cutting out and trimming required. The plastic is hard enough that this is not too big a deal - not like the plastic and tiny parts on the D7 'dozer kit I have started, that break if you look at them.

 

IMG_2824.jpg

 

Lots of bags of bits, a small PE sheet (x2)

The kit includes the engine pod panels as well - these are very thin and nicely detailed...

 

IMG_2834.jpg

 

IMG_2840.jpg

 

IMG_2839.jpg

 

IMG_2837.jpg

 

IMG_2835.jpg

 

I also bought this magazine, which actually features a Merlin engine (Spitfire) amongst others, so is a great source.

 

IMG_2872.jpg

 

 

 

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So made a start on the first engine (I think I will do one at a time and learn!)

 

IMG_2821.jpg

 

IMG_2826.jpg

 

IMG_2825.jpg

 

IMG_2828.jpg

 

IMG_2830.jpg

 

Detail really is nice - I have some shots comparing the ones from the kit that I had started, and you can see the clear difference (there should be - this engine kit is not cheap!) - a bit hard to make out detail on the gloss black engine (it was ready to be weathered)

 

IMG_2852.jpg

 

IMG_2853.jpg

 

IMG_2856.jpg

 

IMG_2858.jpg

 

IMG_2857.jpg

 

IMG_2859.jpg

 

IMG_2861.jpg

 

IMG_2862.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Finally back on this after a lot of moving and office relocation. Packed up and sent a load of modelling stuff back to the UK, so just left enough to be able to carry on with some specific kits.

 

These are the first pictures uploaded with something other than Photobucket :rant:. I think the rest of this thread will disappear around Christmas, so I will try and update those images to keep this complete....

 

So I am carrying on with this engine detail kit -

 

Lots of rather thin framework and piping in the kit that has to be trimmed away from carriers - they actually come off quite well, and are not that hard to clean off - I found scraping with a blade pretty effective...

 

IMG_2876-L.jpg

 

PE parts included...

 

IMG_4674-L.jpg

 

IMG_4676-L.jpg

 

I painted the main block - kept re-touching as I went, adding parts etc...

 

IMG_4681-L.jpg

 

Don't fit this PE part at this point - I was too early and had to remove later for clearance....doh!

 

IMG_4686-L.jpg

 

IMG_4682-L.jpg

 

I used my trusty metallic pens for details and highlights,,,

 

IMG_4685-L.jpg

 

I painted and added some wiring to these engine frame parts before fitting to the block...

 

IMG_4973-L.jpg

 

IMG_4975-L.jpg

 

I've also started with some light weathering, as learning that is one of the reasons for this project (F1 cars tend to be pretty clean) - I am learning as I go so trying lots of things - oil wash, tamiya panel wash, pencils etc etc -

 

The copper metallic pens are great for this - really smooth and no visible 'flake'...

 

IMG_4981-L.jpg

 

Also the first time using 'lead' for the wires - so much easier to shape and form, without putting any strain on anything (unlike trying to bend solid wire) - usual battle trying to identify where the wire it shows you to fix at stage 12 actually disappears to!!

 

IMG_5019-L.jpg

 

IMG_E5025-L.jpg

 

IMG_E5027-L.jpg

 

Although black here, I painted these pipes a dark grey later on...

 

IMG_E5030-L.jpg

 

IMG_5045-L.jpg

 

IMG_5063-L.jpg

 

IMG_5065-L.jpg

 

IMG_5069-L.jpg

 

IMG_5070-L.jpg

 

IMG_5066-L.jpg

 

That is one engine structurally complete - I'll go back over it all and tidy up finishes etc, and add some more wiring, before trying it in the Tamiya kit wing (which I have not started yet) - I was going to build the other engine 'OBB' to compare, but I will now just build the detail version (like this) for the model. Maybe I will build the Tamiya verison for display next to the finished plane - or perhaps the other way round - mount the super detailed version on a 'trolley' - choices!

 

Because I keep coming back to this model after long breaks, I am learning techniques elsewhere that I want to apply here, so I am re-visiting other elements and re-doing some finishes etc - particularly the cockpit (actually, that is all I have completed!) -

 

Gun detail kits next!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...