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Mossie B35 conversion - Tamiya 1/48th plus Paragon


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Right I'm in!!

This has been going on for several years. I bought the original 2 stage conversion engine set by Paragon for this model - and it was designed for the Airfix kit - so has taken a fair bit of work to fair in to the Tamiya Nacelles. Neil B was kind enough to send me some separate exhausts from his later set. So the original cast in place exhausts had to be ground out and the openings re faired in.

B35nacelle.jpg

Heres the colour scheme - Aeromaster decals purchased years ago for the model

B35colourscheme.jpg

Jonners

Edited by Jon Kunac-Tabinor
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Jon,

You can't beat a black belly (Bam-a-lam - just for Jen :winkgrin: ) Mossie. Looking forward to this - I built a two-stage, bulged bomb bay BXVI from the Tamiya kit and Neil's nacelles a while ago (build thread is here) - hope you find this useful.

Cheers,

Ian

Cheers Ian! - that seems to link to your superb Hornet build - but I found the BXVI build too.

The bulged canopy side windows are my biggest problem with this model - I need to find some without having to buy an Airfix kit just for them .

I have a Falcon RAF set which has an FB VI canopy with bulged side windows - but they don't seem as bulged to my eye!! so now I'm pondering ion whether I can use them or not?

Nice BXVI too!!

The MSG over Black ( B.A.L.!! :) ) is just plain cool on Mossies i reckon - it was a no brainer choice for me once i had decided on a B35

Cheers

Jonners

Jonners

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Jon,

Too much cutting & pasting - I've fixed the link - thanks!!

Neil does a superb bulged PR canopy but I think it has the top blister too - (pops downstairs to check) - yes it does. However, you are in luck - in rummaging through the Mosquito (infested?) part of my stash I found another 1/48 Airfix BXVI - you are welcome to the bulged canopy pieces from that if you would like.

Cheers,

Ian

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Well a weekend of really really kicking myself up the bottom has had an effect! I can't sit down. :)

But you can still model standing up - so heres what s been done.

Cockpit - detail painted, weathered and finished: Eduard late war RAF belts added - I'm guessing they were these on aB35 rather than the earlier Sutton harness type?...

B35fullpit1.jpg

B35fuselagesidewalls.jpg

N.B. extra cabling to the fuselage sides had already been added while back - so just required painting

B35instrumentpanel.jpg

N.B> Mike Grant decals added to instruments - the ones that are still empty - I couldn't find any ones the right size for - so they stay as are.

B35stbwithfloor.jpg

Undercart: painted,detailed and mudguards had lightening holes drilled in their upper formers - still need to be painted properly though. There's some extra frame work to add to the UC gards to make them proper bomber versions. May do this - may just live with whats what.

B35wheel.jpg

And the UC doors got some initial work too:

B35geardoors1.jpg

You'll notice I haven't bothered to remove ejector pin marks from these parts - cant be bothered in this case - most will be hidden or barely visible.

Similarly - cockpit detail is probably not very B35 accurate - thats was one of the things that kept stalling me - I'm pretty sure the electronics fit on the B35 in the aft cockpit was different from whats in the box - but could never find enough pics to alter it. So I added some cables and thats it: Done.

Next - main construction - this is going to look like a Mossie very soon...

Cheers Jonners

PS If i get this one done sooner rather than later - I'll hitch the Fine Molds Ki10 perry onto this thread as part of the GB!!

PPS Ian - I'll PM you on the Airfix side window bulges - cheers matey!

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  • 2 weeks later...

well - it had to happen: went to mate canopy with some vacformed bulged side windows - and the non-fogging supperglue fogged!!! Tried a restorative dip in Future - canopy went grainy ( first time that has ever happened!!)

I've managed to strip the future off and remove some of the fogging, but I'm now thinking of using a vacform PR34 canopy and removing the canopy top blister panel with a flat panel.

Bit of a sod - cus i really want the canopy sorted, internal frames painted and rest masked off and added before the painting starts.

bottom.

Jonners

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We're back in business boys and girls!

I've cleaned the Future off the main canopy and managed to remove the tiny bits of fogging from the CA. Re-Futured canopy and all is well.

Now for plan B for the bulged side windows:

Using the kit parts, I've built them up to a full bulged shaped with white milliput - shaped and smoothed with plenty of water. Once they are dry I will polish them and then use them to plunge mold some new parts with clear plastic sheet. With luck, as they are based on the kit parts, once trimmed they SHOULD fit!!!!!

Ha who needs Telford! :whistle:

Jonners

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Jon,

Glad you saved the canopy :thumbsup: I used Microscale Crystal Clear to fix the bulged sides on my BXVI, it also fills any gaps in the glazing due to mismatches in the size of the bulges and the Tamiya canopy. Once painted with the canopy framing its an invisible fix.

HTH,

Ian

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Well it only bleedin' worked didn't it!!!!!!

crash moulded bulged side pieces this morning, trimmed and glued to canopy. Painted internal frames lines and attached (thats a very succinct summation of about 3 hours work btw!)

I make no apologies for the fact the bulges probably aren't 100% accurate, or that left mirrors right. Just the fact it worked and the builds back on track is enough for me on this occasion.

Anyway - see what you think...

moscanopy1.jpg

moscanopy2.jpg

Jonners von bulge

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  • 4 weeks later...

You know i think this will get finished in time. I've finally done some painting. Aeromaster MSG brushed on for the top colour, then Citadel Chaos black thinned with Tamiya thinners brushed on for the black belly...

Citadel brushes on really well when thinned with tamiya thinners i find, it dries fast and can be recoated very quickly. In these pics the UC is just push fitted, as are the props. I'm going to use decal to do the yellow prop tips.

Next stage is Futuring ( finally run out of tamiya gloss spray !) and then decals for 139 Sqn. I think the model will be kept fairly clean as befits a post war machine.

Cheers

Jonners

B35paint2.jpg

B35paint1.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

After a couple of days hard slog - its finished!. I'll post main pics on ready for inspection, but here's the proof.

Great idea for a group build this one - not only has the Mossie been finished, but I also manged to get the Ki-10 Perry done too.

Well done to DS and Desmo for the idea :thumbsup:

Jonners

b35fin6.jpg

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