Coastal Command OTU Mossie

[franky boy]

Hi everyone 

 

I’d like to join in the fun with another Tamiya FB VI in 1/48 scale. This one an aircraft from 132 Coastal Strike OTU based at East Fortune in 1945. 
 

The aircraft in question is NT206 9Y-AX. This should make a reasonably eye catching model with the squadron codes being yellow with a black outline and red spinners. The guns in the nose were also removed and I’m guessing the resulting holes taped over. Kits at War decals profile below. 

 

IMG_2413 by James Halls, on Flickr

I managed to find one slightly grainy photo of NT206 in Chaz Bowyers Mosquito squadrons of the raf book which show the aircraft to be in a reason ‘used’ state 

 

As said above this is the Tamiya kit which we all know but the obligatory pictures below. 
 

IMG_2408 by James Halls, on Flickr
 

IMG_2409 by James Halls, on Flickr
 

Thanks for looking. 
 

James

[Johnson]

Welcome to the party James and thanks for joining in!

 

A great choice and and as you say, an eye-catching scheme. Always good to have a photo of the real thing.

 

Charlie

[modelling minion]

Good to see an aircraft from an OTU being represented, excellent choice James.👍

[franky boy]

Thanks Craig. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into this one. It’s been on the ‘to build’ list for a while. 
 

James 

[Roland Pulfrew]

A great choice James, it’s a good kit, welcome aboard. Should look quite different with the 4- digit sqn codes, not one I’ve seen. 

[81-er]

This should be a good one to follow  The 4 letter codes are new to me as well, they'll definitely make it something a bit different to the norm

 

James

[franky boy]

On 3/24/2025 at 9:28 AM, 81-er said:

This should be a good one to follow  The 4 letter codes are new to me as well, they'll definitely make it something a bit different to the norm

 

James

Thanks James. Something a little bit different and in bright yellow should be interesting. 
 

James

[franky boy]

Hi everyone 

 

I finally got around to starting my FB VI build this week. 
 

I started with the wings and engines as the instructions suggest. First job was to fill and sand the vertical joints on the bulk heads at either end of the engine nacelles. On the rear ones it’s a bit of a pain getting down into the very bottom of the join where it comes to a point but I got to somewhere that was acceptable in the end. The insides of the nacelles then had a coat of aluminium. I used one of the new AK marker pens for this as an experiment and while it’s not quite as good as an airbrushed coat it did work ok. This then had a wash applied and a flat coat. 
 

IMG_2416 by James Halls, on Flickr

 

The underside of the wing part of the UC bay had a coat of interior green and some pipe work picked out in silver and black. I’m not sure this is accurate for the plumbing but thought it would add a bit of interest. This then had the same wash as the nacelles  a dry brush and a flat coat. On the colours for the insides of the nacelles Tamiya calls out silver although I’ve noticed in other builds people have painted theirs interior green? I’m not sure which is correct so stuck with the call outs in the instructions. The interior green colour on the left hand engine nacelle in the photo below is also an AK pen to see how it matched with the Tamiya shade. It was actually a reasonable match before weathering. 

 

IMG_2417 by James Halls, on Flickr

 

My kit was bought second hand from a seller on EBay probably about 4 years ago and judging by the state of the decals it’s an old kit. This was certainly true when it came to joining the wing halves together with a decent bit of warpage to deal with on the starboard lower wing. Some clamping sorted this out. 
 

IMG_2415 by James Halls, on Flickr

That’s all for now. The nacelles have just been glued to the wings and it’s onto the cockpit. 
 

Thanks for stopping by. 
 

James

[Rabbit Leader]

Nice progress James and the colours and picked out details look good. Shame about the wing warpage, hopefully some hot water can be used to slowly tease those wings back into shape. 
Cheers.. Dave 

[franky boy]

19 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Nice progress James and the colours and picked out details look good. Shame about the wing warpage, hopefully some hot water can be used to slowly tease those wings back into shape. 
Cheers.. Dave 

Thanks Dave

 

I glued and clamped it to the top wing section just after I’d taken the photo and that pulled it up into shape. So happy days. 
 

Thanks

 

James

[franky boy]

Hello chaps

 

I managed to get a decent amount of bench time over the past week and have the cockpit finished. Painted with Tamiya interior green a black/red brown wash and some dry brushing followed by a flat coat. The IP and seat belts are from an Eduard set for this kit. 
 

IMG_2422 by James Halls, on Flickr
 

IMG_2425 by James Halls, on Flickr
 

IMG_2421 by James Halls, on Flickr
 

IMG_2420 by James Halls, on Flickr
 

IMG_2419 by James Halls, on Flickr

 

I got the fuselage halves closed up after I’d taken these pictures and with the seams now almost finished it’s nearly time to move onto the vac form canopy and getting the wings on. 
 

Thanks for dropping by. Questions and comments welcome as always. 
 

James

[Rabbit Leader]

Lovely work James, Theres some cracking Mosquito cockpits getting done within this GB and yours is up there with the best of them. Great stuff. 
Cheers.. Dave. 

[Roland Pulfrew]

There is no doubt those seat belts really do enhance the look of the cockpit. Very nicely done and it’s reminded me I need to get on with my cockpit too. Yours is looking great.

[franky boy]

@Rabbit Leader @Roland Pulfrew

 

Thanks Dave and Roland. Things are moving on fairly quickly now so hopefully it won’t be long and she’ll be into primer. 
 

Thanks again

 

James

[modelling minion]

Very nice work on the interior James, it looks great.

[Doug M]

Hi James, build is looking good and I will be following with interest. I am hoping to do a 235 Sqd Banff Wing FBVI using the same kit. I've also dropped you a line about decals...  optimistically. 

[franky boy]

14 hours ago, Doug M said:

Hi James, build is looking good and I will be following with interest. I am hoping to do a 235 Sqd Banff Wing FBVI using the same kit. I've also dropped you a line about decals...  optimistically. 

Thanks Doug. Have just replied to your pm. 
 

James 

[franky boy]

Hello chaps

 

Things have moved on at a decent pace over the last week. The kit is behaving as a Tamiya kit should. We’re nearly ready for primer. This is the current state of play. 

Wings on and seams all done (until a coat of primer says otherwise). 
 

IMG_2430 by James Halls, on Flickr
 

IMG_2431 by James Halls, on Flickr

There were some small gaps at the wing roots to fill but nothing a bit of perfect plastic putty won’t take care off. 
 

IMG_2433 by James Halls, on Flickr

 

Onto the canopy next. I’m going to use a Rob Taurus vac form canopy as the kit one has come away from its sprue in the bag and the plastic has torn leaving a big white scar. It’s not moulded on a panel line so it can’t be filled and sanded. The vac form replacement looks very nice. 
 

IMG_2432 by James Halls, on Flickr

 

Thats all for now. Thanks for looking. 
 

James

[Doug M]

Hi James, I also have the Rob Taurus canopy. I've never worked with Vacform before, so if you felt like doing a step by step

[Rabbit Leader]

Looking really nice there James and all the best with that canopy. I don’t have the best track record with these canopies so can’t really offer any words of wisdom there. All the best mate. 
Cheers.. Dave 

[franky boy]

@Doug M @Rabbit Leader

 

Thanks chaps. I have no great love for vac form canopies but this one looks good. Years ago John Aero did a piece on all things vac form including canopies. The best piece of advice was to use nail scissors to cut out the canopy and never a scalpel. HTH Doug. 
 

Thanks

 

James
 

 

[Johnson]

All looking really good James, the cockpit looks superb. And nice when the model starts to look like a plane.

 

Rob Taurus canopies are very good. Interesting what you say about nail scissors vs. scalpel. I've done a few and always used a brand new No.10A scalpel. I mask above the cut and really take my time. But one slip... and disaster! I can see the attractions of scissors and may have to try it.

 

Charlie

[franky boy]

Thanks Charlie @Johnson

 

I hadn’t thought of using masking tape as a guide for cutting. Thats a good idea. 
 

James

[81-er]

I'm not sure how well it would work on the canopies, but RC cars often have vac formed Lexan bodies and the best way to deal with those is to score the outline with a scalpel and then bend the waste plastic back until it snaps off neatly.

 

James

[franky boy]

On 5/2/2025 at 9:40 AM, 81-er said:

I'm not sure how well it would work on the canopies, but RC cars often have vac formed Lexan bodies and the best way to deal with those is to score the outline with a scalpel and then bend the waste plastic back until it snaps off neatly.

 

James

Thanks James. I had a go at it last night. The plastics a bit too thin and bendy to snap. I ended up using nail scissors to get it cut reasonably close and then did as Charlie @Johnson suggested and ran masking tape along the edges. I then sanded back the edges to the tape and used a scalpel to get into a couple of tight corners. 
 

It’s a pretty decent fit actually and just needs a bit of fettling here and there. 
 

Thanks

 

James