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1/72nd Hasegawa Mosquito PR.40 conversion, 1 PRU/ 87 Sqn RAAF, Northern Australia.


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Hiya Folks,

                As the Allies began to push the Japanese back across the Pacific from Australia and New Guinea the RAAF needed a suitable photo recce capability to cover the expanding theatre of action and although it had a couple of F-5 Lightning on charge, the other aircraft used in the role such as the Lancer, Buffalo and Wirraway had neither the speed, range or altitude capability and so it requested Mosquito`s. Supplies of the British built PR.XIV might take some time but the fighter bomber variant of the Mosquito, known as the FB.40 was being produced in Australia and some of these were converted into photo recce aircraft under the designation of PR.40,.... although the camera fit differed between aircraft. Most PR.40`s had an extra reinforcing strake added to the left side of the rear fuselage along with an oblique camera port but the first to be converted, which is the subject of this model, serialled A52-2 had a pair of oblique cameras fitted in the nose,.... where the cannons and machine guns had been removed and the existing camera bay in the rear fuselage was opened up and re configured. This aircraft did not have the extra strake on the rear fuselage seen on later PR.40`s. 

These `interim' aircraft were well used and carried out a large number of recce operations across the Pacific,......operating from Coomalie Creek near Darwin,  the squadron primarily conducted reconnaissance flights over the eastern islands of the Netherlands East Indies, with occasional missions over Java and other parts of South East Asia. . and when the purpose built PR.XIV became available with 1 PRU, which was re named as 87 Sqn RAAF in September 1944,..... the PR.40`s continued to operate alongside them. A52-2 was so well liked that it was named `Old Faithful'.  

For more info about 1 PRU/87 Sqn RAAF;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._87_Squadron_RAAF

 

Here is the WIP,.. which also include a Tamiya Mossie FB.VI;

And here is the model,.... brush painted using Polly Scale PRU Blue,..... as Aussie Mossies had 6 exhaust stacks outboard and 5 inboard,.... as opposed to the 5 on either side seen on British built Mossies,..... two sets of left over Eduard Spitfire exhausts were modified and the outboard nacelle slot was extended;

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And both Aussie Mossies together!;

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Cheers

          Tony

Edited by tonyot
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15 minutes ago, Mig88 said:

Very nicely done indeed! Interesting info too, thanks.

 

Miguel

Thanks Miguel,.... glad it was of interest mate. 

Edited by tonyot
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21 minutes ago, stevehnz said:

Looks good Tony, lovely finish on the PRU Blue, & everything else. :)

Steve.

Thanks Steve,.... glad you like it mate.

Cheers

         Tony 

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9 hours ago, Team Aer Lingus said:

Another beauty Tony that blue really suits the Mossie well done and more interesting  info on top of a great build 

 

thanks for sharing

 

E.

Thanks mate,....glad you like it and cheers for saying so.

 

26 minutes ago, Hairtrigger said:

Great piece of modelling Tony....  

Thanks mate. 

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17 hours ago, 112 Squadron said:

A beautiful pair of Mossies! 👏

Thanks mate. 

 

15 hours ago, kapam said:

Very nice!  

An excellent job. :thumbsup:

Would you now have a preference for the Hasegawa or do you prefer the Tamiya kit?

Thanks very much,,..... oh definitely Tamiya,.... although the Hasegawa kit does gain point by having bomb bay detail.

 

10 hours ago, Wulfman said:

A marvellous Mossie, excellent build !

 

Wulfman

Thanks Wolfman.

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6 minutes ago, thorfinn said:

"Aussie Mossie" is my new favorite phrase!

Superb work, greatly enjoyed the build!

I`m a poet,.... and I didn`t know it,.... LOL! Cheers mate.

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32 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

Ob mate, this is a cracker, I did love a PRU blue Mossie and your Aussie Mossie is gorgeous Tony, another unusual machine due to the conversion,  great work and the pair look fantastic together too.

Chris

Thanks Chris,....glad you like them both mate,.... they have filled a couple of holes in my RAAF collection....... but plenty more to go at yet! 

 

22 minutes ago, John Masters said:

Nice pair Tony! 😉

Thanks John,......  

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My favourite aircraft of all time ,when you think what it was made of ,mostly wood and resin ,Its amazing what such an advantage it gave to the british war effort ,it could do any job it was given ,and do that job with no problems .I have lost count of how many kits of it i have built from 1960s to now ,in all scales and conversions .You have nailed it looks great, well done .

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6 hours ago, woody37 said:

Gorgeous mate. Looking forwards to the new Airfix one coming out!

Thanks Neil,.... yeah me too,... I`ve got quite a few subjects already lined up and sent some ideas out for decals too. 

 

4 hours ago, Homer said:

My favourite aircraft of all time ,when you think what it was made of ,mostly wood and resin ,Its amazing what such an advantage it gave to the british war effort ,it could do any job it was given ,and do that job with no problems .I have lost count of how many kits of it i have built from 1960s to now ,in all scales and conversions .You have nailed it looks great, well done .

Thanks Homer,..... yeah a suberb aeroplane for sure. 

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10 minutes ago, RidgeRunner said:

Very nice :). There’s something about a Mossie in Aussie marks :)

Martinp

 

Cheers Martin,...... yeah I have to agree there mate.  

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