Tamiya 1/32 Mosquito FB VI Question

[Grizly]

With respect to the aircraft's lower tail cone (behind the tail wheel), Tamiya provides two parts, C-26 which has a bulged opening and C-27 which doesn't. The instructions specify using C-26 which has the opening. Conversely, Airfix in their 1/24 kit represent that area without an opening. While the majority of images that I have found do not show said opening, I did find one of Mosquito HR405 which does (Model Data File, The De Havilland Mosquito A Comprehensive Guide For The Modeller. Page 31) and the Aviaeology instruction sheet illustration (I'm building SZ976 that flew with 418 Squadron in1945) also implies one should use C-26 (with opening). Anybody care to comment on that particular area of the 'wooden wonder'?

[Dave Swindell]

Sounds like you're describing the Monica tail radar warning receiver fairing.

Monica was introduced in mid 1942 and ordered to be removed  in mid 1944 after it was found German nightfighters could actually home in on it.

Although the radar was removed, the fairing was often left in situe on Mosquitos.

Aviaeology research is very good, but the profile illustrating SZ976 with the fairing may be the result of using a generic profile.

SZ976 was delivered between 4-1-1945 and 23-3-1945, at least 5 months after the discovery Monica could be used to home onto by the Germans, so I very much doubt that this was ever fitted.

Without a photo it would be dificult to be certain, photo's of other SZ series Mosquitos would help give an idea whether they were ever fitted with the fairing.

[Grizly]

From what I understand, the Monica fairing was indeed located aft of the tail wheel but in my references there is no indication of an opening such as provided by the Tamiya part.

[Dave Swindell]

Having looked at the Tamiya instructions and trawled through my Mosquito references, I'm quite confident that part C-26 represents the tailcone with Monica fairing but no Monica radar fitted.

This area is not well photographed, the one you picked is one of the few that does clearly show the area behind the fairing is actually dished in.

The Tamiya 1:72 kit has the fairing as just the front bulged part scabbed on over the standard shaped tail cone, I think this is a compromise to eliminate the need to mould 2 separate tailcones. If you look at this in profile you therefore see the standard tailcone outline behind the bulged fairing.

However with the dished section behind the bulged section as moulded in the 1:32 kit, if you view in profile you get a small but noticable notch in the "fair" lower fuselage line thus:-

Once you note this you can spot it in any photo that shows the bulge and is taken at a low enough angle, eg ML926/G on p22 and HR632 on p32 of Model Data File, The De Havilland Mosquito A Comprehensive Guide For The Modeller.

The fairing with Monica fitted is drawn on p113, this matches published photos.

The Yagi aerial mounted on the extreme tail in the B Mk25 drawing on p68 is Boozer MkIII not Monica.

 

Monica was actually retained on some NF30 nightfighters after it was realised German nightfighters could home in on it, they would fly straight and level with it switched on, wait for a nightfighter to be detected, then switch off and pull round hard 360 degrees to get on the tail of the nightfighter and hopefully pick it up on their radar.

 

Whilst looking through my books I did note photos of TA series Mosquitos (delivered during the same period as SZ976) and TE series (delivered later in 1945) with Monica fairings fitted, so unless you can find a photo, it could be with or without, your call.

 

[Grizly]

Part C-26 it will be. Thank you both for your response and info. Greatly appreciated.