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A pair of 1/72 'Mossies'!


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Having decided to build an Airfix Mosquito Nf.II over on the 'Interceptors' GB I thought why not build another which has almost a similar scheme, this being a conversion of a Tamiya B.Mk.IV into a B.Mk.XVI.

 

The Airfix kit went together Ok, I added a bit of interior using some bits from an Airfix Wellington I recently did.  I had a Pavla Vac-formed canopy which was a lot clearer than the thick Airfix one. The framing was done using painted Tamiya tape.  I used .009" thou guitar string for the receiver aerials. The decals are by Delta Decals, printed by Tally Ho!  They were very thin and opaque but went on well onto the 'Klear' gloss coat using the Mocro Set/Sol solutions, or so I thought. After doing the Matt coat the codes and serials silvered badly I ended up painting over it after rescuing them failed, the serials are hardly readable still!

 

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The Tamiya kit is the first aircraft of this manufacturer I think I have ever built, having made lots of their 1/35th scale vehicles back in the 70's!  It was superb to put together as all Tamiya kits are.  For the conversion I had put together 'Brengun' resin Two-stage Merlin's, Blackbird models  Bulged Bomb-bay and 100 Gallon tanks and their decals for a 109 Sqn B.Mk.XVI.  Of course Airfix had to announce their new kit last month so I decided to get on and get it done!

The new nascelles fitted very well, just don't cut the kit parts on the panel line as stated in the 'Brengun' instructions as you'll have a gap, as I found out! The bomb-bay didn't fit that well and needed a bit of filing of the part and the fuselage, I think it looks just a bit too bulged maybe?  The tanks fitted well without much trouble.The decals went on superbly, being thin and adhered well.

I know the canopy isn't correct, I tried to fashion some of the 'blown' type side windows but it didn't work very well. Hopefully Airfix have the correct side windows, unlike in their CAD drawings!

 

Comments and criticism welcome.

 

Davey.

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37 minutes ago, The Shearwater said:

You’ve done a great job of those- I’d always wondered if the Tamiya kit was any good, so thanks for the review too! 

 

Many thanks. It's a world apart from the Airfix kit mate, superb fit everywhere. Attaching the undercarriage is only tricky part. I didn't do anything about the too tall tail, it doesn't look too bad to me. I have a Hasegawa one to do and a Tamiya FB.VI/NF.II to do sometime as well.

 

Davey.

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Two excellent models. Had you not mentioned the too tall tail, I'd have never noticed. I might ought to buy a 1/48 Tamiya Mossie.  🤔

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25 minutes ago, SAT69 said:

Two excellent models. Had you not mentioned the too tall tail, I'd have never noticed. I might ought to buy a 1/48 Tamiya Mossie.  🤔

 

Thanks, much appreciated.

I had the 1/48th scale kit in the stash but sold it on when I decided to stick to 1/72nd only. It's a superb kid, has got the too tall tail as well but that's well documented.

 

Cheers,

Davey.

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Both of your Mossies are perfectly build. You enhanced the old Airfix Mosquito in a very effective way by adding a new canopy and the other details. So it looks really good alongside the Tamiya Mossie. 

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Thanks for all the kind comments folks. Despite its age the Airfix kit still builds into a nice model with just a little effort. The Tamiya kit is superb and I will build a couple more, I have the Nf.II/FB.Mk.VI boxing. They compare well together, I think Tamiya have the position of the wing root radiators better, compared to photos the Airfix ones seem a little too far back. I have yet to build the Hasegawa B.Mk.IV I have.

Funnily enough, in my copy of the 'Scale Modelling' magazine special on the Mosquito, if you overlay the Tamiya fuselage halves over the plans the tail is exactly right, the Airfix and Hasegawa (both exactly the same as each other) are too short! 🤔😁.  I'm not one of the 'rivet counting' brigade and while I do like to know if a kit is fairly accurate or not, it wouldn't stop me building anything that takes my fancy. It's the final overall effect that counts for me.

 

Davey.

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Interesting to see your comment on the Tamiya radiators, it is something that has been puzzling me for some time.  Its is fair to add that other Mosquito kits match the Airfix not the Tamiya in this region.  Nor it this the only area where the Tamiya wing differs from the others.  The other area of the kits to compare is the forward fuselage underneath and how it changes (flattens) to the back of the bomb bay.  I think the Airfix one looks the most convincing of the three. (Airfix/Tamiya/Hasegawa)

 

I have (over)heard it said that all the long-established drawings are wrong, and that Tamiya are claimed to have measured from an original.

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40 minutes ago, tonyot said:

Very nice mate,..... a lovely pair of Mossies,.... I especially like the bomber!

 

Cheers Tony, trust Airfix to bring this out, although I will do a couple of theirs as well eventually.

 

Davey.

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23 minutes ago, DaveyGair said:

 

Cheers Tony, trust Airfix to bring this out, although I will do a couple of theirs as well eventually.

 

Davey.

Sod`s law mate! At least there are plenty more Mossie to choose from! 

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1 hour ago, djos said:

Old school project, and looks beautiful

You got maximum from those mold, which, if i remember correctly, were quite nice.

regards Djordje

 

Thanks for all the kind comments, really appreciated.

 

Djordje, I built the Airfix kit a few times in my youth, '70's😁 one of my favourite kits. It is still a good kit, some flash now so try to obtain an early boxing but went together well.

 

Davey.

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Thanks Steve. The different demarcations are interesting as well as the tail colour.

Waiting to see how the new Airfix two-stager looks, they have the canopy wrong in the images they have shown, having the bulges instead of 'blown' side windows.

 

All the best.

Davey.

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A terrific pair of Mossies, especially the Airfix kit considering its age now.  That vacform canopy is a huge improvement.  I do like the scheme on these two as it seems to really bring out the sleekness of the design.  Quite rare for Fighter and Bomber Command to share the same scheme. 

 

I was going to put an order in for the Blackbird's two-stage Merlins but the Airfix announcement changed all that (all hail Airfix - I'll be getting at least four).   Now I'll save up for Blackbird's Lincoln conversion set instead. 

 

Who knows, if the People's Mosquito project goes to plan we might see this sight again if their aircraft drops in to East Kirkby for a visit. 

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