SoftScience Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 (edited) This thread will document the construction of my 1:48 Tamiya Mosquito B. IV. I will build this aircraft as a member of the Pathfinder Force, from no. 109 squadron. Pathfinder mosquitoes utilized specialized electronics, like the Oboe transponder in order to navigate to target areas where they would precisely (in 1940s terms) drop their fire bombs and flares, lighting up target areas, and marking them for the main bomber stream that would follow. The particular aircraft I'm going to build is this. The project will be right out of the box. I have always loved the Mosquito. My favorite being the NF II version. However, I chose the pathfinder for this build, as I think it better commemorates the immense contributions made by the RAF, and the scientists and engineers it employed, to electronic warfare, avionics technology. Edited April 2, 2018 by SoftScience 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franky boy Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Great choice. Looking forward to following. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Good choice, and a bit of a change from the fighter role Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Like a mosquito, never Built one sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 Construction started tonight with the clear parts getting a bath in Future/Klear, and the wheels and bombs being stuck together. Nothing worth photographing, yet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 It isn't much to look at, but it's progress. I sanded down the central ridges of the tyres to make them look a bit worn. Note that I left the H-shaped cross-section to the tail wheel. Thisis correct! Don't fill it! I also wanted to add some cast texture to the bombs. It doesn't show very well in the photos. I added a coat of Mr. Surfacer and then rolled them on a Brillo pad. I gave them a very light dry brushing. Still need to add the red bands (did this designate incindiary munitions??) And paint the tail fuses. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 You might want to take a look at this thread before you do anything else ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 6, 2018 Author Share Posted April 6, 2018 Thanks for the link, Robert. I'll have to read it in detail, but from skimming it, I see now that the red bands were pretty standard. Of course, Tamiya does NOT provide them as a decal. Which means doing it by hand, which means UUUGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I absolutely suck at painting bands on conical shapes. Maybe I'll have a closed bomb bay... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 4 hours ago, SoftScience said: Which means doing it by hand Don't worry about the odd little wobble - I think, from skim reading, the article mentioned the bands were painted by hand too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 6, 2018 Author Share Posted April 6, 2018 I'd be thrilled if I could achieve just the odd LITTLE wobble. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 There's some evidence to suggest the nose windows were blacked out on this airframe: 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 8, 2018 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 (edited) Finally a little bit of progress. Wheels are ready, as are the bombs, in all their wobbly red line glory. This is just my way of simulating the well documented drinking problem of the 109 squadron armorers. Yeah, that's it... I began masking the canopy and have painted the internal frames. Those were a royal pain in the butt. Tamiya gives you some decals, but I just could not get them to follow the curvature of the inner canopy. Those of you who use decal strips for your canopy frames, I don't know how you do it without going batty. Edited April 18, 2018 by SoftScience 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 18, 2018 Author Share Posted April 18, 2018 More hate modeling. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 23, 2018 Author Share Posted April 23, 2018 With all the various bits painted and masked or whatever, it is time to begin the airframe. Nacelles and wings, first. I kind of wish I was doing this in 1:72 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 I find small detail so much easier in 1/72. I just don't bother. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mancunian airman Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 Been looking in on your Mossie . . . such a graceful looking aeroplane, one that I love. progress is being made and I am sure its going to be 'bang on' Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 I seem to remember that IWM Duxford has a couple of RAF marker bombs, and that they are black, with a red nose stripe and white stencilling (regarding the marking colour, capacity, etc). I also think the RAF Museum at Hendon has some examples, too. i might have some photos but can't access them - the laptop is away at the repairers so I'm forced to use this iPad! I should check. Hope this helps, Jonny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Good to see you doing some progress on this. I like the use of a brillo pad on Mr Surfacer. Interesting technique. Colin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted May 5, 2018 Author Share Posted May 5, 2018 Finally, some progress. Nothing fancy here. There is only so much to see through a closed canopy. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted May 6, 2018 Author Share Posted May 6, 2018 A quickening pace! Still nothing fancy. I even used the tacky decal seatbelts. Once again though, it should look alright through the canopy. Oops. Better paint the edge of that instrument panel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted May 7, 2018 Author Share Posted May 7, 2018 and we've got a mosquito-ie looking thing! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted May 7, 2018 Share Posted May 7, 2018 Coming on nicely. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Great looking Mosquito! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted May 14, 2018 Author Share Posted May 14, 2018 Thought I was ready for paint, but a spray of cockpit green to hit the frames revealed some uneven fit around the nose cone. This might be a but messy to fix. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted May 20, 2018 Author Share Posted May 20, 2018 It's finally happening! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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