1:72 Airfix Mosquito #03019

[Properjob56]

I'm talking 1/72 and kit #03019.  I'm trying to make a start at clearing the stash and this kit came up on the production line. Straightforward I thought. 1970's Airfix. Accurate outline, fit a bit mediocre but nothing a bit of filler can't sort out. Cursory look at reviews on this site and others flagged up the undercarraige was a bit fiddly, the guns fragile and, aside from 1 review, no other issues came up. So we start: 

Cockpit rudimentary but otherwise as expected. Sure enough, 1 gun barrel disappeared so Mastercast replacement ordered from the big H. Surprised to find a Mk.XVIII  is an option but then looked at the gun Airfix provide and it bears little resemblance to any gun I've ever seen. Resolve to leave til end and maybe see if Mastercast have a replacement. In the meantime fuselage & wings glued, puttied and sanded. Paint goes on. Rudimentary decals put on and  glossed over and we're ready for the nacelles with the fiddly undercarraige. Well its not fiddly, its impossible. You cannot build this kit OOB. To get that undercarraige done you have to butcher the nacelles to allow the struts to fit and the cross struts to be applied. Add to that said struts are very small and fragile and before long no matter how careful I tried to be they snapped. I knew that trying to model it with gear up, kits from this era required a lot of filler so thinking that I wouldn't really see it when on display, superglue was deployed and the assembly was left overnight.

Starting this morning I put the nacelles up to the wing for attachment. Plenty of serious polystyrene glue applied. Neither would fit, not even close. Huge gaps between wing and nacelle wall. Even then a bit (well a lot) of filling and sanding and all would be well I thought but I still couldn't get the nacelle to line up properly. Took a closer look. One of the nacelles is dimensionally different to the other. Its shorter at the wing attachment such that it looks to be the same nacelle but a different scale! The nacelles themselves are full of oversize rivets and are so poor that I wonder whether a different moulder was given the job who was barely on talking terms with accuracy, competence and scale affinity let alone the rest of the team responsible for the kit. Even the instruction sheet when it came to the nacelles had the part numbers wrong. I said at the top that this is unbuildable. Its not but it does require a lot more work than  I am prepared to give it. Life's too short and if I have an urge to build a Mosquito I'll buy a Tamiya.

This is the first kit for a veeeeery long time I've ditched without completing and I am so cross that I needed to rant! So apologies to all but I'm glad I got that off my chest

[Mike]

Firstly, to the forums

 

After a moment thinking I might have to move the toopic to Work in Progress (WIP) I've adjusted the title to reflect the subject matter, rather than just your username.  It'll get more appropriate traffic as a result, rather than just people wondering what it's about and either clicking from curiosity, or ignoring it because they can't be bothered

[Dave Swindell]

1 hour ago, Properjob56 said:

One of the nacelles is dimensionally different to the other.

Sounds to me like you've glued the two inboard nacelle halves (38 & 59) together for one nacelle, and the two outboard halves (37 & 60) for the other.

Due to the wing shape either side of the nacelles, the outboard front sides should be longer than the inboard front sides.

The undercarriage is designed to be built first and inserted into the two nacelle halves before they're glued together, if you've got the wrong nacelle halves the fit won't be good.

The Tamiya undercarriage is more complex and has tighter tolerances than the Airfix one, it's no easier to assemble, especially if you're trying to fit the completed undercarriage into the assembled wing/nacelle.

Remember the Airfix kit tooling originates from 1972, the Tamiya one from 1999 - there was a major change in modellers expectations of a kit and toolmaking design in the years between these kits.

[Work In Progress]

41 minutes ago, Dave Swindell said:

Sounds to me like you've glued the two inboard nacelle halves (38 & 59) together for one nacelle, and the two outboard halves (37 & 60) for the other.

Due to the wing shape either side of the nacelles, the outboard front sides should be longer than the inboard front sides.

The undercarriage is designed to be built first and inserted into the two nacelle halves before they're glued together, if you've got the wrong nacelle halves the fit won't be good.

 

This is what has happened. User error, not kit error. Did it myself with the predecessopr to this kit, the original Airfix Mosquito, in about 1971. 

[72modeler]

Pj56,

 

If you want to do the XVIII Tse-tse, Paragon Design did a resin conversion in 1/72, but OOP and probably hard to find; I see on the Big H website that Blackbird Models also has one listed as a future release. Hasegawa also did a limited edition FBVI as an XVIII with resin/metal bits, but crazy expensive and the Tamiya FBVI/B Mk IV kits are much better. I have the Paragon set and it is very nice! If you end up doing the XVIII, Mushroom Model Publications did an outstanding monograph on it, with detail photos, scale drawings, and the histories of the ones built- OOP but well worth looking for. The XVIII was one nasty Mossie!

Mike

 

http://mmpbooks.biz/ksiazki/44

[Dave Swindell]

6 minutes ago, 72modeler said:

Mushroom Model Publications did an outstanding monograph on it,

Seconded

[Properjob56]

Thanks to all for your interest and suggestions. The red mist has cleared somewhat and you are prob right that its user error tho as I said another reviewer had the same problem/error. I cant bear to look today but shall retrieve from the bin tomorrow to see if anything can be salvaged.

I was aware of the Hasagawa as I nearly bought it when there was only 1 left on Hannants website but I had a sudden attack of sensibleness and let it go. Ill be lucky to find a Paragon set nowadays and so may well wait for the Blackbird set.

[Graham Boak]

I've made three of the 1/72 Airfix Mosquitos (this edition) so far, plus a few more on the go.  I have both Hasegawa and Tamiya kits but have finished neither, being disappointed with them both.  I don't think that either matches the shapes of the aircraft as well as the Airfix one does.  The Hasegawa (no x-pieces on the undercarriage, wrong curves to the forward fuselage) is perhaps slightly poorer than the Tamiya (wrong height fin, very odd proportions of the wing, slightly thin rear fuselage, longer radiators).  The Tamiya is perhaps the only one (of every Mosquito kit) to get the shape of the aircraft right but my money isn't on it.  Do Hasegawa and Tamiya fit together better than Airfix -  maybe: but there's not that much in it and I prefer a more accurate shape.  It is not as though the Airfix kit fits together badly - undercarriage aside!  Though perhaps the tooling may have suffered over the years?  

 

I don't recall the asymmetric nacelles being any problem on the original Airfix Mosquito, of which I made three a long time ago, and I do recall being a little surprised at the odd assembly with the later kit when it came out.

 

If I had to get another single-stage Mosquito (which I don't, but roll on the promised two-stagers) I'd get the Airfix again.  It does need a replacement canopy (too long, too thick) and the wheels are a little undersized, but after market parts were available - may not be now. I'd also have to look again at the aft part of the bombbay, which may well be better represented on the two Japanese kits.  Nothing's perfect...

 

 

[FinnAndersen]

2 hours ago, Properjob56 said:

...

This is the first kit for a veeeeery long time I've ditched without completing and I am so cross that I needed to rant! So apologies to all but I'm glad I got that off my chest

That sounds like a very good record. I ditch models all the time, err, with regular intervals.

 

One thing that I have concluded from this sorry experience, is to avoid the old kits and try to build only newer ones. Some time ago I started on two kits I expected to be quick hasselfree builds. One was the Tamiya FW190A3, the other was the CMR Spiteful. Oh boy, was I wrong. The FW190 almost assembled itself, but the Spiteful... Jeezz, it still not done.

 

Life is too short for troublesome or legacy kits. I wonder what people with extensive stashes will do when they realise what they are up against. 

 

Cheers

Finn

[Graham Boak]

I don't find the older (legacy?) kits more difficult to build than the much more complex modern kits with dozens of small pieces, detailed interiors that can't be seen, tiny etched brass parts, hundreds of small transfers...  It is not as though all the modern kits are problem free - just try getting the fuselage or wing parts to go together without fettling interior bulkheads, wheel well walls and the like.  Yes, you may need a bit more filler on the older kits and to be fair, there were some stinkers among the older kits too, but that doesn't include the second Airfix Mosquito.  Condemning them all out of hand compared with the new is making a very dodgy and unsupportable generalisation.

 

OK, anyone with a stash of troublesome kits is in for a lot of work - does this include all short runs, resins and vacforms?  But "legacy" kits are, in general, not going to be a great problem.  Getting the kit shape right is not something that comes automatically with every new kit - better an old kit that actually looks right than a misshapen modern one.

[Vulcanicity]

I'm building the Tamiya Mosquito currently and can vouch for a similar difficulty in fitting the undercarriage into the assembled nacelles once the latter are fitted to the wing - it was impossible to work in without removing the forward pair of mountings for the gear doors. I would argue it's still streets ahead of the Airfix though - I have added quite a bit of extra detail and it still fits pretty well.

[Seahawk]

1 hour ago, Properjob56 said:

I was aware of the Hasagawa as I nearly bought it when there was only 1 left on Hannants website but I had a sudden attack of sensibleness and let it go.

The Hasegawa Mosquito came out at about the same time as the Tamiya one and suffered in the comparison.  Minimalist cockpit detail and very simplified undercarriage (they couldn't even be bothered to try moulding the brush guards ahead of the wheels which Airfix had gamely tackled 20-odd years earlier).  There was a strong feeling that, apart from the surface detail, it didn't show the advance it should have done over the Airfix kit but Hasegawa were still content to charge inflated prices for them - in short they were riding on their reputation and " 'aving a laff" at the expense of the modelling community.  I got a couple cheap once (the BOAC boxing which obviously hadn't been selling) but realised my mistake and managed to exchange them for something I might build.

 

I've got some old Hi-Tech resin cockpit interiors and Falcon canopies for the Airfix kit: it might be fun sometime to build one up and fool people it was a much newer kit from a much more prestigious manufacturer.

[alt-92]

Older or 'legacy' kits are more a labour of love sometimes. Something you don't rush, but work on and off on.
Filler, sanding, refilling, more sanding, finding out the decals are shot, looking around for spares or aftermarket sets that might come in handy whenever the mood strikes..

- yes it is the 03019 - I know how that feels

Edited December 10, 2019 by alt-92
whoops

[FinnAndersen]

35 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

I don't find the older (legacy?) kits more difficult to build than the much more complex modern kits with dozens of small pieces...

I won't disagree. In another recent RFI thread I presented a pair of Spitfires, a Hasegawa IX and the newer Eduard and your argument is spot on. Trouble is to tell them apart from 4 feet away, but my next Spitfire will be another Eduard, it wins close up every time.

 

Seems that the skills I have got from doing the previous generation kits come in handily when doing the newer kits. At any rate I'm actually finishing kits after I realised this.

 

So if the build is whats makes you tick, then go ahead and build the old ones. If you want something for the display cabinet, then go for the newer kits.

 

 

[Work In Progress]

5 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

If I had to get another single-stage Mosquito (which I don't, but roll on the promised two-stagers) I'd get the Airfix again.  It does need a replacement canopy (too long, too thick) and the wheels are a little undersized, but after market parts were available - may not be now. I'd also have to look again at the aft part of the bombbay, which may well be better represented on the two Japanese kits.  Nothing's perfect...

 

Largely my view too, I pick them up from time to time cheap at shows and am happy to have them. The fact that it's an almost entirely smooth aeroplane renders the usual panel line question pretty redundant, though they benefit from a bit of re-scribing around the cowling panels. Falcon / Squadron canopy.  The leading edge radiator housings benefit from a light flatting with 1200 wet and dry before painting to knock back the prominence of the radiator cover fasteners a bit. Agree that the wheels aren't great but there are some nice Armory wheels here which I have not used personally, but might be worth a look for those wanting the blocked tread pattern https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ARAW72406

 

I  tend to think they can come out a bit lacking in dihedral and this is where some careful sanding of the wing roots may help . The wings are generally a very tight fit o the fuselage and a bit of easing helps. 

 

The undercarriage assembly does require a degree of deviousness and/or slight modification. This is an absolutely great thread by @old thumper with some excellent pics of how to build one (actually two! ) of these kits without after-market parts and come out with a very nice pair of finished models. It includes some well illustrated undercarriage discussion.

 

Some worthwhile discussion of the various 1/72 kits can be found here:

 

 

Edited December 10, 2019 by Work In Progress

[Properjob56]

Now this is why Britmodeler is such a great site with loads of interesting and useful contributions notwithstanding that my original post was just venting frustration at the capriciousness of the modelling gods. Thanks one and all and I will certainly take a look at the old thumper thread.

I looked at the nacelles this am and of course as I had put turbo charged polystyrene cement to try and force them to stay together now they wont come apart. So I'll keep a lookout for one going cheap to have another go....

I did look at the superhobby site where kit instructions are set out and the Tamiya undercarraige seemed from them to be an easier fit. Apparently not. Thanks to Vulcanicity for the heads up.

Finally, in contrast to my tale of woe and the Mosquito, in case anyone thinks I'm a grump, I should just say the kit I had finished immediately beforehand was the 1950's vintage Airfix Typhoon and that was a blast! No cockpit and everything that hung off it was poor eg prop, bombs, undercarraige etc but it was quick, easy, no rivets and most importantly looks the part even OOB (Well I did cheat on the bombs and used the ones from the brand new kit....and its decals....but aside from that definitely OOB).