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In Futurum Videre


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To see into the future.

 

Two entries for this GB - a Mosquito and a Vampire.  I am combining them into a single thread as they will both be in the markings of IV Sqn, hence the thread title which is the motto of the squadron.

 

It's a little odd as the motto refers to the traditional squadron role - army co-operation and reconnaissance. The squadron itself was engaged in neither of these roles during the time periods of the aircraft which I will build!

 

001.jpg

 

 

 

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3 minutes ago, DAG058 said:

An excellent idea for combing your builds Enzo. Did you have to get AM decals or do both kits have IV Sqn decals in the box?

 

AM decals for both.  The Mosquito markings are from Freightdog and the Vampire markings are from Xtradecal.

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  • 2 months later...

Time for an update.

 

It looks like I have done a lot of work in a very short space of time.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  I've been working on these since the start of the GB - I've just been very remiss in posting my progress. :blush:

 

So here we go.

 

The kit box, with the instruction sheet from the Freightdog decals.  Guess which one I'm doing...  :fool:

 

(although I will be doing the Brigand later in the year for the Radial Engines Rock GB)

M6-001.jpg

 

The sprues

 

M6-002.jpgM6-003.jpg

 

There are two of the left hand sprue.  Those and the ones above are common to all the Tamiya Mosquito kits.  The right hand sprue is specific to the NF.II/FB.VI boxing.

 

M6-004.jpg

 

The transparencies are also specific to the fighter versions.  The bomber version has a different windscreen.

M6-005.jpg

 

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Other people in this GB have commented how good the Tamiya Mosquitos are.  I have to agree with them - It basically falls together.

 

The cockpit builds up as a sub assembly.

 

M6-006.jpg

 

M6-007.jpg

 

M6-008.jpg

 

M6-010.jpg

 

The interior green is Lifecolor UA004 Interior Green.  It is intended for use on US aircraft, but is a very good match for Aircraft Grey Green. 

 

The wing interiors were also sprayed with this green, while the nacelle interiors were sprayed aluminium from a car paint rattle can.

 

M6-009.jpg

 

Once the wings are assembled, there is no doubt that they will fit firmly to the fuselage...

 

M6-011.jpg

 

 

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Major assembly finished, with the canopy masked with Eduard masks. 

 

M6-012.jpg

 

And primed with Alclad2 Grey primer.

 

M6-013.jpg

 

One problem with using grey primer is that it's difficult to tell is you have a good coverage of grey paint...  :wall:  This is Xtracrylix XA1003 Medium Sea Grey.  The masking for the undersurface is exceptionally easy...     The black is simply from a car paint rattle can.  Then the whole thing has been sprayed with a few mist coats of clear lacquer.

 

M6-015.jpg

 

Then on with the decals.  Although the clear lacquer provides a lovely gloss coat, oddly enough it is quite difficult to reposition the decals.  A liberal dousing with Microset solves the problem.

 

M6-016.jpg

 

Having applied the IV Sqn badge on the port side of the fin, I them proceeded to lose the starboard one before I could apply it.  :wall:   I robbed a suitable decal from the Xtradecal History of IV Sqn sheet.  Five minutes after I applied it, I found the original decal...   typical!

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Let's get started on the Vampire.

 

V001.jpg

 

It's a relatively simple kit, given the twin-boom layout.

 

V001a.jpg

 

V001b.jpg

 

The fuselage pod builds up nicely.

 

V002.jpg

 

V003.jpg

 

The engine looks really strange, but won't be seen anyway.

 

One concern is that there is very little space to put ballast.  I have packed everywhere I possibly can with Liquid Gravity, but I'm still concerned that it won't be enough.  If that's so, I reserve the right to add wing tanks with more liquid gravity in their noses. :)

 

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Hi Enzo,

 

I agree with Patrice re your achievements so far.

The Mosquito is rather splendid!

 

JR

 

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  • 1 month later...
11 minutes ago, Enzo Matrix said:

hmmm...    dunno what has happened to the photos in this thread.

 

This is very strange.  I can see photos posted by everyone else.  However, photos that I have posted show as the filename in text, without even a hyperlink.

 

But then, if I look at the site on my tablet, the photos are there...!   :mental: 

 

Edit:   okay...   it's something to do with Firefox.  If I look at the site with IE, the photos are fine. 

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15 minutes ago, DAG058 said:

The photos are showing up fine for me. Just waiting for the update (and on the Comet) and I'll go away! :rofl:

 

Definitely hoping to get some work done on the Comets this weekend.  The Mosquito and Vampire are pretty much finished...   but people won't believe it unless I show photos. :D 

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  • 3 weeks later...

These two are now finished, so I really should document the builds.

 

Here is the Vampire airframe assembled.  It went together nicely, with the exception of the nose.  Not a problem with the kit, though.  That was all my own fault. I tried to get as much Liquid Gravity in there but ended up putting in a little too much causing the fit problems.  In the event, there still wasn't enough to make the model sit reliably.  If I were no build another, I would pack the fuselage behind the cocpit with Liquid Gravity or lead shot.  There's no way it can been seen.

 

Alternatively if someone could invent Liquid Cavorite, I could pack it into the tail booms. :)

 

V004.jpg

 

 

V005.jpg

 

Primed with alclad2 Grey primer

 

V006.jpg

 

Sprayed with Xtracrylix XA1004 Dark Sea Grey and then masked using my usual technique of Blutak worms and copydex.

 

V007.jpg

 

The green used was Xtracrylix XA1001 RAF Dark Green.  Undersurfaces were sprayed with Xtracrylix XA1008 PRU Blue.

 

..and then I forgot to take more photos until the build was finished!  :wall: 

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