Mosquito Questions

[Navy Bird]

Hi mates,

I've been having a go at my stash, and I've discovered the 1:72 Hasegawa Mosquito FB Mk VI kit. I also found a nice CMK resin weapons bay that says it's for a Mosquito "Mk IV/VI" so I figure, OK that matches. Then I find a beautiful CMK cockpit set for the B Mk IV, and a nicely detailed CMK engine set (for one nacelle) also for the B Mk IV.

(Of course, I can't for the life of me remember when or where I bought this stuff...)

So the questions are can the cockpit and engine set be used with the FB Mk VI? I know that I would have to block off the starboard walkway that went into the B Mk IV's nose, but can I get away with the rest of it? Both the Mk IV and Mk VI had Merlin engines, although probably different variants, I suppose. How different could they look? Different exhaust, maybe?

Any other externally noticeable differences between the two marks?

Cheers,

Bill

[Robert A]

Hi Bill,

For the FBVI, I think it would be okay to use the engine set, as in 1/72nd any differences would be negligible, the weapons/bombay could be useable if it has the cannons in the forward section and 2 bomb carriers in the rear section or you could use it and just have the rear bomb bay doors open. Unfortunately the cockpit isn't really useable as it stands, some work would need to be done as theya re quite diferent (apart from the obvious glass nose of the BIV), the control column and other major bits are different.

Hope this is some help,

Bob

[Navy Bird]

Thanks for that, Bob. I figured that there wouldn't be much difference in the engines, and I can always get different exhausts (the Squadron In Action book shows that they are different). The resin bomb bay is exactly as you describe, so it sounds like no problem there. I'll work on getting some photos of the Mk VI cockpit and see what needs to be changed from the Mk IV. Of course, even with the canopy "open" it will be a bit difficult to actually see all the detail in the cockpit, so I probably don't have to get too carried away.

Cheers,

Bill

[Robert A]

Hi Bill,

You could probably get away with the cockpit set if you changed the control from a bomber style wheel to the fighter stick type and by putting a bulkhead set back slightly in the opening where the nav/bomber aimer would normally get through of the nose of the BIV.

As others may point out I'm aware that there are many differences between the variant cockpits but as you say in 72nd scale and through the kit canopy, these probably won't be too noticeable.

The plus side is that it save syou pennies.

Bob

[Work In Progress]

The engines themselves are the same. Be wary of the Squadron In Action book: they are not great on UK aircraft. Exhausts come in various different types on early Mosquitos. Some fighter types at some times had shrouded exhausts, so did some bombers, sometimes they were changed for unshrouded types. There are significant differences in the cockpits. Apart from the access arrangements the FB.VI uses a fighter-type control column, the B.IV uses an airliner-type control yoke for aileron control, atop a column that only moves for and aft for elevator control. The FB.VI has a gunsight, the B.IV doesn't.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Work In Progress

[therollercoaster]

Last but not least there is the canopy itself, the bomber canopy windscreen was two panels in a 'V', the fighter had a flat screen.