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1/72 Tamiya Mosquitoes - NF.II and PR.IV


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Sorry I'm late :blush:

 

I'll be building both versions of Tamiya's Mosquito, the fighter/fighter-bomber version as an NF.II nightfighter and the bomber/PR version as the photo-reconnaissance PR.IV. Here are the box and sprue pics; the fighter/fighter-bomber kit:

 

DSCN5948.jpg

 

These sprues are the same for both kits:

 

DSCN5951.jpg

 

... as are the sprues on the right in the picture below, those on the left are dedicated for the fighter/fighter-bomber:

 

DSCN5953.jpg

 

The instructions and transfers - I will be using the kit's markings for W4087 RSoB of 157 Squadron:

 

DSCN5956.jpg

 

Here is the box for the bomber/PR version:

 

DSCN5963.jpg

 

The two main sprues are the same as for the earlier kit; as are the two sprues on the left below (except that I stole the 25lb solid semi-armour piercing rockets from these for an Airfix Beaufighter); the sprues on the right are the dedicated bomber/PR parts:

 

DSCN5958.jpg

 

The instructions and transfers - I will be using the kit's markings for DZ383 of 540 Squadron. I'm trying so far as possible to build OOB without any aftermarket material but I had already bought these to use on the kits so I would be a fool not to:

 

DSCN5961.jpg

 

So I think I'm about ready to go; I do need to score some PRU Blue - I expect it will be a couple of weeks at least before that becomes a matter of any urgency... but I'd better put my order in now so I don't forget. Hopefully I can make a start on assembly tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

 

 

 

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I'll be tagging along, I have several of thes in the stash and need to see how they're done. On the subject of PRU Blue, I quite like the Humbrol one but I've no idea how accurate it is.

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Good to have you along gentlemen; Grey Beema - my first Mossie was the Dogfight Double set too :) 

 

Simon - I've ordered some Colourcoats yesterday but thanks for the thought.

 

I think I might have got an insight into how I used to finish a kit bought on Saturday morning by Saturday afternoon... by not painting it. I started with assembling the engines and wings as per the instructions, (although I have left off the exhausts and their shrouds in order to make painting easier later) and fitting the engines:

 

DSCN5966.jpg

 

I 'painted' the back of the landing light lens with one of those Molotow liquid chrome pens mentioned on Britmodeller recently (the top wing in the picture below is the 'after', the lower one the 'before':

 

DSCN5969.jpg

 

In no time at all the wings were almost completed - there are two different types of wingtip provided in the kit. I actually remembered to drill the holes for the dipoles in the fighter wing before I stuck them together *smug*:

 

DSCN5971.jpg

 

Next section of the instructions deals with the undercarriage, so four wheels were made up - again, the kit provides two different types of hub-cap but both versions I am building use the earlier type so I don't have to keep them separate to avoid mix-ups later on - the picture shows the front and rear sides of the wheel-hubs:

 

DSCN5973.jpg

 

Then I began assembly of the undercarriage units themselves:

 

DSCN5974.jpg

 

... and in no time at all:

 

DSCN5977.jpg

 

Incidentally Tamiya advise that the little tank (hydraulic reservoir? Oil tank?) at the top of the gear legs should be painted a reddish-brown mix and I was a little confused as to why that might be, as it would seem to be a simulation of the self-sealing cover used on petrol tanks but I don't think would work with either hydraulic fluid or oil. I had a quick squint on the internet and it does seem to confirm that those tanks were painted Aluminium along with the rest of the landing-gear unit, so that's what I will go with.

 

Finally I assembled the cockpit parts for the figher ready for some Interior Grey-Green:

 

DSCN5978.jpg

 

... and did the same for the PR version - again, I remembered to drill out the camera window on the port side. I'm getting quite good at this following-the-instructions lark :lol::

 

DSCN5981.jpg

 

So that's where I am now. Hopefully I can get the interior green sprayed tonight as the working week is most likely going to put a severe brake on my activities.

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

 

 

 

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26 minutes ago, Stew Dapple said:

I've ordered some Colourcoats yesterday but thanks for the thought.

 

I thought that would be your preferred option.

Nice work on the Mossies as well, they do go together really well.

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You're steaming ahead with these Stew.

I've been doing a bit of research recently for my own build, don't know how accurate you want to be with your builds, here's a couple of pointers, take them or leave them as you please.

Both aircraft you have selected were built without the strake above the rear fuselage hatch on the starboard side as moulded in the kit. The NFII W4087 would not have had it in the kit scheme, the PRIV DZ383 would have been retrofitted with the strake early in 1943.

The radio fit for the NFII as per kit is wrong, the radios were in the rear of the fuselage for this mark, being replaced by radar receiver & transmitter boxes. I've yet to determine the exact layout.

The radio fit for the PRIV as per kit may be OK for early 43, but later was replaced by Gee with the radios again moving into the rear fuselage.

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Thanks gents, and thanks for the info Dave - I might have a go at removing the rear fuselage strake from the nightfighter and leave it for the PR Mossie... the radio/radar boxes I will probably leave as once it is all closed up, since I don't know what the black boxes are they will be as suitable as any other 'gubbins'. I see you are really going to town on your Mossie! :)

 

I did get the interior grey-green sprayed last night, so I can pick out the internal details at my leisure in the evenings this week.

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

 

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20 hours ago, Dave Swindell said:

I think that's the way I'd go for a quick build, Stew; but as you've seen, I don't do quick builds!

 

Thanks Dave - fortunately you don't have to hurry for this Group Build :D 

 

9 hours ago, DAG058 said:

Welcome Stew and very nice progress.

 

Thanks mate :) - I'm finding these kits very well thought-out and engineered so far, it saves a lot of grief :D

 

As per Dave's advice I removed the rear-fuselage strake on the starboard side for the nightfighter version:

 

DSCN5983.jpg

 

Smooth with a capital 'SMOO'. I did leave a faint divot-hole behind in one place but my camera, ever the gentleman, declined to record this. Apart from that I started on picking out some of the cockpit sidewall details in black. 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

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3 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

Thanks Dave - fortunately you don't have to hurry for this Group Build :D 

I do - I've got about 2 months left to complete it before work rudely interferes with modelling time!

3 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

As per Dave's advice I removed the rear-fuselage strake on the starboard side for the nightfighter version:

Nice job with that Stew.

31 minutes ago, TEMPESTMK5 said:

Yes good job I keep that info in the case I would like to build a Nightfighter Mossie one day ..

It's not just night fighters.

Strakes - not on mosquitoes prior to 1943, retrofitted early to mid 43.

Radios as per tamiya fighter/bomber/pr kits - not NFII, not after 1943, maybe not late 1942/1943, not Canadian/Australian built.

Actual fit in the cockpit varied and is not well documented, but nightfighters had radar gear and fighters/bombers had nav gear (Gee etc).

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1 hour ago, Dave Swindell said:

I do - I've got about 2 months left to complete it before work rudely interferes with modelling time!

Nice job with that Stew.

It's not just night fighters.

Strakes - not on mosquitoes prior to 1943, retrofitted early to mid 43.

Radios as per tamiya fighter/bomber/pr kits - not NFII, not after 1943, maybe not late 1942/1943, not Canadian/Australian built.

Actual fit in the cockpit varied and is not well documented, but nightfighters had radar gear and fighters/bombers had nav gear (Gee etc).

Hi Dave

Thank you very much

Best Regards

Patrice

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On 3/7/2017 at 7:22 AM, CedB said:

Good job removing that strake Stew and so close to the (undamaged) inspection panel - good job!

 

Thanks Ced - luckily for me the panel hatch is engraved so I just had to make sure I didn't go nuts with the Micromesh and it took care of itself :D 

 

On 3/7/2017 at 5:39 PM, rob85 said:

Nice work so far stew, looking forward to how it turns out.

 

i have the airfix one to builds at some point!

 

Rob

 

Thanks Rob - I have to say this kit has effectively spoiled me for the Airfix one, unless Airfix are planning on bringing out a new one in the next couple of years... :) 

 

My PRU Blue arrived - thanks Gill :) - here is is with the other colours that will make up the bulk of the painting; ACRN14 PRU Blue, ACRN17 Night and ACRN28 Interior Grey-Green (already done with that - see below):

 

DSCN5990.jpg

 

As always please don't use my picture as a guide to the correct colour, my thermonuclear desk lamp and camera will conspire against you. 

 

I got the interiors painted up:

 

DSCN5984.jpg

 

I used the kit transfers for the seatbelts, as much as anything to see if they looked as shonky as I imagined they would. They do, I won't be doing that again :) 

 

Here are the fighter parts ready to join up:

 

DSCN5987.jpg

 

... and the bomber/PR parrs:

 

DSCN5989.jpg

 

The kits are very nicely detailed inside and for the scale I would think this would be enough for most people. The bomber kit includes the little racks of pyrotechnics moulded to the sidewall detail - I didn't paint these, partly because I didn't know what colours they would be, and partly because I imagine the PR version would not actually carry these, the idea of 'easy in, easy out' being somewhat contradicted by the dropping of multicoloured flares in the presence of the enemy. The IP and seatbelt transfers I was less impressed with but either or both would be easy enough to replace with aftermarket parts if it bothered you too much.

 

Next I'll be joining up the fuselages...

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

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Very nice work on the cockpit Stew.  It will be interesting to see how those seat belts look when everything is closed up and the canopy is in place :popcorn:

 

Cliff

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4 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

 

I used the kit transfers for the seatbelts, as much as anything to see if they looked as shonky as I imagined they would. They do, I won't be doing that again :) 

Here's a tip for using kit decal seatbelts - paint a piece of thick aluminium foil (pie dish/tray bake) both sides same colour as the decal, apply decal and cut out. Looks much better than the decals applied directly to the seats.

4 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

The bomber kit includes the little racks of pyrotechnics moulded to the sidewall detail - I didn't paint these, partly because I didn't know what colours they would be, and partly because I imagine the PR version would not actually carry these, the idea of 'easy in, easy out' being somewhat contradicted by the dropping of multicoloured flares in the presence of the enemy.

sig.jpg

As per top row. These were signalling cartridges for the flare gun, flare colour as per stripe. I'd have thought mainly for use around the home airfield, colours of the day etc, definately carried by PR Mossies. Fighter Mossies carried them on the bulkhead below the nav's seat.

The flares PR Mossies used over the target were somewhat less subtle and carried in the bomb bay, used for night time photography

Mosquito_photo-reconnaissance_photoflash

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Lovely internals Stew, nice detailing.

I'm with you on this - the therapeutic fiddling, tiny brushes and that satisfied sigh as you take the photos before you close it all in the fuselage, never to be seen again :) 

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