Jump to content

Any post War Mosquito Experts?


scottyphbeta

Recommended Posts

Any Mosquito experts out there?

I'm trying to build a couple of Mosquitos, post 1950 to fit my collection.

I have the Freightdog decals for a NF36 with a bull nose and the PR34.

The decals say use the Tamiya Mk XIII/XVII and B Mk IV kits with Freightdog conversions.

Looking at the pictures it looks like I need the slipper tanks and possibly the tropical intakes?

Is this correct? Is there anything else needed? Would appreciate if anyone confirm/advise please?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know much about Mosquitos but I have a slight interest in the Night Fighters variants as a lead in to the jet era.

The images I've seen of NF.36s show them as rarely carrying the underwing tanks, as night interceptors I would guess that they only required the extra fuel for transits. 

They do seem to have larger intakes, but don't what variant that they are similar to or different from.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The PR. 34 and NF. 36 both had two-stage Merlins which neither Tamiya kit features.  I don't recall having seen the Freightdog conversion being advertised for some time (I hope it is still available) so you might be forced to (drastically) re-engineer those in the Airfix B/PR. 16 kit which leave quite a lot to be desired.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, stever219 said:

The PR. 34 and NF. 36 both had two-stage Merlins which neither Tamiya kit features.  I don't recall having seen the Freightdog conversion being advertised for some time (I hope it is still available) so you might be forced to (drastically) re-engineer those in the Airfix B/PR. 16 kit which leave quite a lot to be desired.

Isn't that a 1/48th kit?  The original poster never said, but he may be talking 72nd scale. 

Later,

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it's 1/72nd, Brengun do a conversion set for twin stage Mossies, the NF.36's used a clear perspex radome, the tricky bit is nobody seems to do the exhaust shrouds for the later nightfighters.

 

The Brengun conversion would be required to give you a PR.34, I can't remember, does the PR.34 have the swollen belly?  In which case you'll need that.

 

If you can find the rarer than hen's teeth Paragon twin-stage Mossie conversion then you're onto a winner.

 

I'm going to put a call out to @The Wooksta!, he's a man who knows a thing or three about these Mossies!

 

Special Hobby are supposed to be bringing us a twin stage Mossie but their gestation time is very long, perhaps Airfix will delight us in 2021?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ahh!  Right up one of my particular fields of expertise this is...

 

Firstly, both variants are two stage Merlins. Go exclusively for the Brengun two stage Merlins as they are the best currently available.  There are the Blackbird ones, which are a complete engine/nacelle and direct replacements for the engines in the Tamiya kit, but I have a set and frankly, they're rubbish - the engines themselves are basically the original Paragon ones (geared to go with the Hasegawa kit and with a square panel aft of the exhausts that's none existent on two stage engines)  grafted to a Tamiya nacelle and moulded, but without Paragon's nightmarish pouring stub removed, which means fitting the u/c is impossible without resorting to power tools to remove a good chunk of resin inside.  In addition, one of them is missaligned at the master stage, which means as moulded it has a banana shape.

 

That's yer engines.

 

PR34  Freightdog do the larger tailplanes and the bulged bay for the 4000lb Cookie armed Mossies, so you'll need that plus the larger 200 gal fuel tanks.  Freightdog may do that.  Although they may not be on the website, give Colin an email and he may be able to find some.  You'll need to sort out the camera ports, but a drill, a file and some Krystal Kleer will do the trick.

 

You will be stumped with the canopy, as you need a PR16 one with the bulged/blown side panels and an astrodome on top.  Aeroclub and Paragon did them, but try getting hold of them now.  Falcon do one as part of a larger set, but this is for the B.16 and whilst it has the larger side panels it doesn't have the astrodome. 

 

The late style exhausts for the NF30 onwards.  Magna did something vaguely resembling them, but were decidedly rough and again, now OOP.  You could try stealing them from a Special Hobby Sea Hornet NF21, Or perhaps do something illicit with said parts with regard to moulding rubber and casting resin.

 

Hope that's of some help.

 

Ooh!  Nearly forgot, you'll need to ad the leading edge light in the port wing.  No one does this or always forgets in in conversions.  Simply cut a section out if the leading edge - you'll need a set of 72nd scale plans for late Mosquites to go off, but I'm unsure of any available offhand - and fit a section of clear sprue cut to size and sanded bak to the wing profile.

Edited by The Wooksta!
Joyless modelling nazism
  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, e8n2 said:

Isn't that a 1/48th kit?  The original poster never said, but he may be talking 72nd scale. 

Later,

Dave

D’oh!  So used to building in 1/48th now I’d forgotten about Tamiya’s 1/72th Mossies.  Please excuse me while I get back under my rock🐍.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, The Wooksta! said:

Ahh!  Right up one of my particular fields of expertise this is...

 

Firstly, both variants are two stage Merlins. Go exclusively for the Brengun two stage Merlins as they are the best currently available.  There are the Blackbird ones, which are a complete engine/nacelle and direct replacements for the engines in the Tamiya kit, but I have a set and frankly, they're rubbish - the engines themselves are basically the original Paragon ones (geared to go with the Hasegawa kit and with a square panel aft of the exhausts that's none existent on two stage engines)  grafted to a Tamiya nacelle and moulded, but without Paragon's nightmarish pouring stub removed, which means fitting the u/c is impossible without resorting to power tools to remove a good chunk of resin inside.  In addition, one of them is missaligned at the master stage, which means as moulded it has a banana shape.

 

That's yer engines.

 

PR34  Freightdog do the larger tailplanes and the bulged bay for the 4000lb Cookie armed Mossies, so you'll need that plus the larger 200 gal fuel tanks.  Freightdog may do that.  Although they may not be on the website, give Colin an email and he may be able to find some.  You'll need to sort out the camera ports, but a drill, a file and some Krystal Kleer will do the trick.

 

You will be stumped with the canopy, as you need a PR16 one with the bulged/blown side panels and an astrodome on top.  Aeroclub and Paragon did them, but try getting hold of them now.  Falcon do one as part of a larger set, but this is for the B.16 and whilst it has the larger side panels it doesn't have the astrodome. 

 

The late style exhausts for the NF30 onwards.  Magna did something vaguely resembling them, but were decidedly rough and again, now OOP.  You could try stealing them from a Special Hobby Sea Hornet NF21, Or perhaps do something illicit with said parts with regard to moulding rubber and casting resin.

 

Hope that's of some help.

 

Ooh!  Nearly forgot, you'll need to ad the leading edge light in the port wing.  No one does this or always forgets in in conversions.  Simply cut a section out if the leading edge - you'll need a set of 72nd scale plans for late Mosquites to go off, but I'm unsure of any available offhand - and fit a section of clear sprue cut to size and sanded bak to the wing profile.

Thanks, not as quick a job as I was hoping then?

Next question if you could?.... What is the best kit and the extra's needed for a conversion to a TT35 as was based at Exeter?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Same as the PR34 but with a Rushton winch underneath - AFAIK, only Aeroclub did those in 72nd.  There's some mods needed to the rear of the bulged bay, but I've yet to see a photo of that area.

 

May be easier to get a Corgi diecast for that, it's actually pretty decent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, The Wooksta! said:

Same as the PR34 but with a Rushton winch underneath - AFAIK, only Aeroclub did those in 72nd.  There's some mods needed to the rear of the bulged bay, but I've yet to see a photo of that area.

 

May be easier to get a Corgi diecast for that, it's actually pretty decent.

The Mossie at Cosford seems to be a TT35 although painted as a bomber. I've put photos of the rear of the bomb bay below as well as the prominent astrodome - sorry about the camera shake on that one but you can see the shape.

 

Don't seem to be able to put the photos - something has changed and when I try to insert image from URL it doesn't happen so here are links

 

http://hrmtech.com/SIG/images/Mos1.jpg

 

http://hrmtech.com/SIG/images/Mos2.jpg

 

http://hrmtech.com/SIG/images/Mos3.jpg

 

http://hrmtech.com/SIG/images/Mos4.jpg

 

You, @The Wooksta! and anyone else are welcome to download the photos, they are my photos and it's my website and anyone can have them for non-commercial use.

Edited by rossm
Had to replace hyperlinks
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, Ross, most appreciated.

 

IIRC, isn't the one at Cosford one of the survivors of the filming of 633 Squadron, or am I getting it confused?

 

It's the latter.  The TT35 atSalisbury Hall did fly dur the filming of MOsquito Squadron thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/24/2020 at 5:08 PM, The Wooksta! said:

You will be stumped with the canopy, as you need a PR16 one with the bulged/blown side panels and an astrodome on top.  Aeroclub and Paragon did them, but try getting hold of them now.  Falcon do one as part of a larger set, but this is for the B.16 and whilst it has the larger side panels it doesn't have the astrodome. 

 

On 7/25/2020 at 12:17 AM, scottyphbeta said:

Thanks, not as quick a job as I was hoping then?

Next question if you could?.... What is the best kit and the extra's needed for a conversion to a TT35 as was based at Exeter?

 

 

Hi @scottyphbeta Pretty sure I have one of the correct Aeroclub canopies that you need. I did have a project to build a B.35 in 1/72 that I was collecting parts for, but since my switch to 1/48 it's been shelved in favour of converting an Airfix PR.XVI to one.

 

I'll PM you this evening if I find it.

 

Cheers,

  WV908

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...