1-72 Airfix Mosquito (two versions)

[old thumper]

I can't believe that I'm the only one so far building the second generation Airfix Mosquito kit (1970's vintage).

So to make up for being the soul builder of this kit I shall be building both it's Australian FB VI and night fighter versions, a built tetsi fly is already in my collection.

I have been wanting to build this kit into these two options since about 1980, better late than never.

 

Both will be built straight out the box with a minimum of fuss.

 

 

 

 

 

I much prefer the original box art, picked that kit up for a fiver.

 

 

Edited March 7, 2017 by old thumper

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good Morning Old Thumper

 I wish you a good build I must admit that I have the Airfix Mossie in my stash but I prefer to build a more recent model ..

 

Best regards

Patrice

[rob85]

18 hours ago, old thumper said:

I can't believe that I'm the only one so far building the second generation Airfix Mosquito kit (1970's vintage).

So to make up for being the soul builder of this kit I shall be building both it's Australian FB VI and night fighter versions, a built tetsi fly is already in my collection.

I have been wanting to build this kit into these two options since about 1980, better late than never.

 

Both will be built straight out the box with a minimum of fuss.

 

 

 

 

 

I much prefer the original box art, picked that kit up for a fiver.

 

 

Great kit OT, I have one to build with SEA marking. Looking forward to what you do with these two

 

Rob

[DAG058]

I'll be following these with interest. And I agree that old box art is better in my opinion! 

[AdrianMF]

Looking forward to this one too! The old box art may be great but I bet the new one has decals that are aligned...

 

Regards,

Adrian

[jean]

Hi Old Thumper,

 

in my book, possibly the definitive model of the Mk. VI, long before all the new fangled, computer-designed kits of today.

Have a lot of fun.

 

JR

[old thumper]

Thanks all, I will try to get on with building these asap. Other things keeping popping up that stop progress, today it was newts in the garden.

[Max Headroom]

I'll sit in on this if you don't mind.

 

I had a crack at this in the French Fancy Group Build and got 99% of the way there.

 

Here is my build thread if it's of any help to you 

 

 

Trevor

[Stew Dapple]

Hope you have a good build of these two OT

 

I prefer the old box-art too, no disrespect to the new one, but Roy Cross had a knack for box-art with a lot going on in it, and he seemed especially good at depicting aircraft over water - this and the Sunderland were probably my two favourites and I think the sea in the Mosquito box art is just perfect.

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[bbudde]

I'm in here of course...

...and nostalgic as usual:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y129/major-setback/dbs_Roy_Cross_Celebration_Of_Flight_15-1.jpg~original

 

Edited March 14, 2017 by bbudde

[Mikehool]

I have this one on my 'in the near future' list so will be following how it goes

[Dermo245]

Might join you with an Airfix build, Old Thumper!

 

Dermot

[stevehnz]

On 14/03/2017 at 4:38 AM, bbudde said:

I'm in here of course...

...and nostalgic as usual:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y129/major-setback/dbs_Roy_Cross_Celebration_Of_Flight_15-1.jpg~original

 

Just set this as my desk top.

Steve.

[old thumper]

23 hours ago, Dermo245 said:

Might join you with an Airfix build, Old Thumper!

 

Dermot

 

You are more than welcome to. I must get on with these builds.

[stevehnz]

I working around to doing one of these too, I'll get going after Easter.

Steve.

[old thumper]

15 hours ago, stevehnz said:

I working around to doing one of these too, I'll get going after Easter.

Steve.

 

I think they are good old kits, surprised we don't see more of them.

[stevehnz]

I've long been under the impression they're basically accurate, go together OK & don't need too much work to make a decent model. Let's see how true that is.

Steve.

[old thumper]

2 hours ago, stevehnz said:

I've long been under the impression they're basically accurate, go together OK & don't need too much work to make a decent model. Let's see how true that is.

Steve.

 

I have heard people say the same thing. I built one a few years back so should remember but don't, oddly I remember more about the one I built 37 years ago when I was 12. I think the nose may be a bit of dodgy fit but the rest of the kit is fine.

[stever219]

26 minutes ago, old thumper said:

 

I have heard people say the same thing. I built one a few years back so should remember but don't, oddly I remember more about the one I built 37 years ago when I was 12. I think the nose may be a bit of dodgy fit but the rest of the kit is fine.

 

The top of the nose is a bit flat in section but the plastic's thick enough to put some curve into it, but then you'll need a new windscreen......

 

The main undercarriage can be "challenging" to install, possibly due to the wheels being a bit on the wide side.

 

Apart from these minor issues it's a good kit, even at 40-plus years old.  Like others here I prefer the original Roy Cross artwork, much more inspiring and less-PC than its rather insipid successor.

[Bonhoff]

Seem to remember a similar issue with the undercarriage on my Airfix Mossie. My solution was to drill out the pins and make a axle to fit the wheel afterwards.

[Max Headroom]

On mine, the legs were a bit warped.

 

In the end I built it legs up.

 

Trevor

[bbudde]

On 16.4.2017 at 1:28 AM, old thumper said:

 

I have heard people say the same thing. I built one a few years back so should remember but don't, oddly I remember more about the one I built 37 years ago when I was 12. I think the nose may be a bit of dodgy fit but the rest of the kit is fine.

Oh, it just looks like a Mosquito in the end of course.  Generally perfect in scale (for a 40 years old one until now). And you grew up with them. So, the "dodgy nose"  seems to be the correct one to the maybe more correct Tamiya or original one. But in the end it looks like similar to the Tamiya or original, so who cares. It just looks like a really good Mosquito, if the paint job is good/well. Cheers Benedikt

[old thumper]

A quick update on progress made.

 

Both sets of props cleaned up and sprayed. Not so sure if I like the shape of the NF MkII props, but they will do. 

The FB VI props look a lot better, the spinners and nose were sprayed with alclad II chrome onto glass black primer. I will likely go back and respray the nose and spinners, but will need to see how they look on the rest of the model first.

 

 

 

 

Started to dry fit and glue the cockpit and fuselage halfs today.

All looks good but will need to add a shelf for the radio behind the seating. While I don't really see a need to spend time on cockpits I still have my standards and don't like leaving such a large open void to the rear of the cockpit. The radio supplied with the kit looks as though it should be behind the pilot rather than the navigator. A second radio will need to be added to the shelf which I shall scratch build a little later.

The old kit (pictured to the right) is a much better fit than the newer release being less warped and with less flash, this really brings home how moulds start to wear out. The newer kit is still pretty good however.

 

 

 

   

Edited April 23, 2017 by old thumper

[old thumper]

Well I have filled the nasty open space at the back of the cockpit with a plastic card bulkhead and shelf, fabricated a radio, begun painting the canopy, painted the figures and interior, and have closed the fuselage halfs. All very basic stuff just to make good what little can be seen through the canopy, the control panel was painted black and then the raised detail was rubbed down to expose the base colour.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2017 by old thumper

[Max Headroom]

Looking good! 

 

Have you found much difference in the quality of the 'old' and 'recent' mouldings?

 

Trevor