Mosquito Bomber Color Questions

[Tokyo Raider]

Hi Guys, I am getting started on a Tamiya Mk IV Bomber Mosquito...  I was reading the Tamiya color instructions and wanted to confirm the color of the inside of the main gear bays.  Tamiya calls these out at natural metal.  So my question is are these not RAF interior green?  Also what color should the inside of the landing gear doors and bomb bay doors be?  The Aircraft I am doing has been painted underside in Black (if that matters).

 

Thanks for your help...  I assume the inside of the cockpit is correctly RAF interior green...

 

-Bob

[elger]

Most evidence suggests the inside of the landing gear bays was painted silver/aluminium as well as British interior green. The top part and roof was interior green, and the lower half (with the ribs) was painted silver (or aluminium). The gear bay doors would have been painted silver (or aluminium) on the inside as well. Firewall may have been green or silver, can't remember off the top of my head. Inside the bomb bay and the bomb bay doors on the inside interior green, probably. Inside of cockpit is indeed also interior green.

[72modeler]

TR,

 

I'm not an authority, but from what I've read, the bulkheads and roof of the wheel bays were grey-green, with the  walls of the wheel bays and inner surfaces of the doors in aluminum paint, or the entire wheel bay could be in grey-green with aluminum painted gear doors. What I'm not  sure about is if  the under surfaces were painted night (smooth night?) were the wheel bay and inner surfaces of the fairing doors also painted the same color? There are numerous walk arounds of bomber/PR Mossies out there, but you know how using restored aircraft can be a minefield! I have attached a link to a very comprehensive build of a 1/32 BMk IV that might be useful for detailing, that also includes detail photos of a restored BMk 35, but this scale is 'way out of my wheelhouse, so I can't speak for its accuracy. Hope this helps! I'm sure one of our resident Mossie Maniacs can be of greater assistance!

Mike

 

https://www.scalespot.com/onthebench/hkmossie/build.htm

Edited February 27, 2021 by 72modeler
added text

[dov]

Any such question is natural. Interesting.

Just to grasp:

As a modeler and aircraft enthusiast, I asked all this questions years ago. To give you an idea: The matter is not a quick answer. For each aircraft typ. It is manifold.

To understand the production of the aircraft by itself. Under more strict rules. In every country. The acceptation for an aircraft by air force officials was very tight and precise.

Modification to an other version or update: In a more quick way, not so tight rules as production.

Service at maintenance units: quality was depending on the schedule. If operations ahead, all aircrafts were maintained more quickly.

Servicing at operational units, also depending on the site and timeframe.

As you see, there are more than one aspect to understand.

And today’s understanding of any type of aircraft at a museum? This is an other world for itself.

The understanding of any modeler of the aircraft he / she wants to build, is an other horizon.

Try to get your own picture. To understand that never all rules you read are obtained to 100%. Make your own conclusion. This makes your model individual!

Happy modelling

[Crimea River]

Elger pretty much has it. Wood parts were grey/green and metal parts could have been either grey/green or silver/aluminum. The metal parts in the areas mentioned are the nacelles, firewalls, undercarriage doors, and bulkhead at back of wheel well. Everything else was wood, including the bomb bay doors. This site has some good walkaround pics, albeit on a restored bird: https://warbirdswalkaround.wixsite.com/warbirds/tv959

 

BTW, if you are going for high accuracy Tamiya's wheel well details are handed whereas on the real aircraft, they are not. Here's what I ended up with on my Tamiya FB VI after mods:

 

 

 

[72modeler]

49 minutes ago, Crimea River said:

Tamiya's wheel well details are handed whereas on the real aircraft, they are not.

I was not aware of that fact! Do their 1/72 Mossies have the same issue? BTW- nice wheel bay detailing!

Mike

[Crimea River]

72nd scale? [shudders] Never touch it, sorry!

[Dave Swindell]

2 hours ago, 72modeler said:

I was not aware of that fact! Do their 1/72 Mossies have the same issue? BTW- nice wheel bay detailing!

Mike

Unfortunately yes, but it can be corrected.

 

[Tokyo Raider]

Hi CR...  thanks for the replies guys.  I started the tamiya mossie yesterday...  i am building this one oob, but i do have resin bits saved for a future mkvi.

 

I painted the nacelle as you say yesterday, and have bulkheads silver, doors silver and roof in raf interior green.

 

Fuel cell painting will be challenging, it will be a tough masking job...  very fun kit sofar!

[Chris Jephcott]

Hi all,

 

Reading this with interest, but I’ve got “White” as the colour for the roof of the undercarriage bay - in the same way that I have it as “White” for the room of the bomb bay featuring into the wings. 
 

Mosquito FB VI Wheel Bay

 

Mosquito FB VI Wheel Bay rear

 

This is from the DH Museum FB VI, and I have asked a good friend who works there about it - and apparently this was quite widespread. I have no idea how many aircraft had this, or why, but white primer is apparently a DH thing.

 

Any thoughts? 
 

Chris 

Edited March 14, 2022 by Chris Jephcott

[dogsbody]

Not claiming total accuracy, but this is the Mosquito at the Alberta Aviation Museum, in Edmonton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

[Crimea River]

Our B/P.R.35 RS700 had the wood parts of the wheel wells painted grey-green and there was white in the bomb bay portions of the wing. The interior, invisible structure of the wings and stabilizers have some sort of light grey paint.

 

 

[stever219]

22 hours ago, Chris Jephcott said:

Hi all,

 

Reading this with interest, but I’ve got “White” as the colour for the roof of the undercarriage bay - in the same way that I have it as “White” for the room of the bomb bay featuring into the wings. 
 

Mosquito FB VI Wheel Bay

 

Mosquito FB VI Wheel Bay rear

 

This is from the DH Museum FB VI, and I have asked a good friend who works there about it - and apparently this was quite widespread. I have no idea how many aircraft had this, or why, but white primer is apparently a DH thing.

 

Any thoughts? 
 

Chris 

White is probably more likely on late war/production but from my limited experience isn't a racing certainty: TA634 at Salisbury Hall has white on the wooden parts of the wheel bays but grey-green in the bomb bay and aluminunimum on the insides of the nacelle walls.  From memory TJ138 at RAFM Hendon has grey-green on pretty much every visible internal surface, as does W4050 at Salisbury Hall..  The centre section removed from TA122 has white on the concealed woodwork.