Tamiya 1/48 FB VI - Banff Wing

[Doug M]

First post in this Group Build, and first Group Build. I had the Tamiya Mossie in the shed for a couple of years. I'm just researching at the moment. So far the build looks like this - 

 

 

 

I still haven't finalised a subject...   leaning toward a Banff Strike Wing 235 Squadron plane, now diving into reference material as I couldn't find decent images on line. In an ideal world, I want the EDSG upper colour, with half invasion stripes...   still looking.

[The wooksta V2.0]

How about these two?

 

 

HR118    FBVI    235/333    Crashlanded after engine fire Lossiemouth 22.2.45

 

 

LR347    FBVI    248/8OTU    SOC 7.8.46
 

Article here:

https://www.key.aero/article/mosquito-summer

 

I'd suggest HR113 LA-V of 235 Sqn, but I can't find an online image of the aircraft bar a decal sheet profile.  It's a Kits at War sheet that's now long gone, but one of the others* in the GB is using the same sheet so a quiet word may get you the decals if they're spare.

 

 

Hope that's of some help.

 

*Edit. It's Frankie Boy.

 

 

Edited April 25 by The wooksta V2.0
Added contrafibularities

[Doug M]

Brilliant - thanks for that - I've dropped James a PM, fingers crossed. I hadn't spotted the 235 decals on his build thread. 🤞

[The wooksta V2.0]

To be fair, I just recognised the sheet and went from there.  I did have it some years back, but 48th isn't my scale and the 72nd sheet has more scope.

[Doug M]

I'm going to clear the old Tamiya Raiden off the table before I kick off the build.

 

I'm now just terrified of working with the Resin components, as I haven't used them before. Time to go hunt down some internet advice.

[The wooksta V2.0]

I've found my 72nd copy of that sheet and HR118 W-3 is on it, but not on the distructions.  Which is nice.  Although I'll cheat and do it before it got the stripes.

[Rabbit Leader]

Great to see a first time GB entrant taking part. Your pile of goodies look awesome, so pick a scheme and make a start! 
 

Cheers and all the best.. Dave

[Doug M]

Well @frankie boy has very generously offered to solve my decals problem, so it's going to be W-3 of 235 Sqd Banff Wing. It looks to have an interesting EDSG over sky, with coloured spinners, (red?) And an unusual set of invasion stripes that extend up the front of the tail. I also don't see any rocket rails in the photograph I have from p203 of the illustrated Mosquito book, which is the same one The wooksta posted above.

 

Given the climate and flying conditions, plus the photographs of others, I would expect an opportunity for some weathering!

 

Looking forward to the build, with trepidation admittedly... 😀

[PeterB]

16 hours ago, Doug M said:

I'm going to clear the old Tamiya Raiden off the table before I kick off the build.

 

I'm now just terrified of working with the Resin components, as I haven't used them before. Time to go hunt down some internet advice.

Hi Doug,

 

When I started my first GB back in 2019 I found that this forum is a bit like a modelling club - plenty of information and help available so just ask if you have a problem. As you will no doubt have noticed, some of us tend to wander off the topic a fair bit at times , again just like a club, so don't be surprised when that happens, and just ignore me us if you want. Also, for some reason, pics of pets and food tend to crop up from time to time but are not mandatory!😆

 

You mention not having used resin AM before, and I must admit I tend to avoid it myself, though when I have used it there have been few problems, the main one being getting them off the "sprues" and cleaning them up without breaking them as the smaller parts can be fragile, and some are not perhaps that well engineered in terms of removal. Resin cockpits, even when designed for a particular kit, often need a bit of careful surgery to make them fit as they seem to be a bit too big - perhaps they expand a bit during the drying/hardening process. One thing they all tend to need is cleaning to remove the "release agent" before painting - I put them in a jar of water to which I have added a denture cleaning tablet which I guess is a mild bleach and leave them overnight. Besides resin, I am not a great fan of PE though that is probably down to problems bending it due to my age and clumsiness. One trick I have learned is that they often benefit from annealing but don't get them too hot as they will melt - careful heating over a candle flame seems to work best, though you then have to clean off the soot. That makes things like seat belts bend a lot easier, though of course if they are of the pre-painted variety you won't be able to anneal them unless you want to then repaint them yourself.

 

Normally I use CA for both resin and PE but sometimes white PVA glue can be used as it gives you more time to work.

 

Anyway, good luck with the build.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

[The wooksta V2.0]

Resin shrinks, rather than expand, during the curing process.  I was advised years back by someone in the trade that masters are best primed before making a mould, as that extra layer takes care of the shrinkage.  I have noticed that some resin casts are slightly smaller than the masters and that can be amplified depending on the resin used.

 

I've never needed to wash a resin - there's no release agent as such. Any issues with paint coverage is usually down to the resin not quite curing properly.

[PeterB]

19 minutes ago, The wooksta V2.0 said:

Resin shrinks, rather than expand, during the curing process.  I was advised years back by someone in the trade that masters are best primed before making a mould, as that extra layer takes care of the shrinkage.  I have noticed that some resin casts are slightly smaller than the masters and that can be amplified depending on the resin used.

 

I've never needed to wash a resin - there's no release agent as such. Any issues with paint coverage is usually down to the resin not quite curing properly.

Interesting.

 

My own experience with resin cockpits and that of several other modellers has been that some are too big so I guess either they miscalculated in the first place, or maybe allowed for shrinkage which did not happen? As to the release agent, I suspect that was down to me oiling the container and "masters" when I started casting my own parts so that I could then remove them from the moulding agent later, so I later needed to degrease the parts I cast , and got into the habit, though I seem to remember that the Millicast tanks I bought did suggest that they needed cleaning before painting due to the "release agent", but I could be wrong. They were using short run silicone moulds I believe so maybe that is different to most AM parts.

 

Pete

Edited April 26 by PeterB

[The wooksta V2.0]

I changed to making my own mould boxes with plastic card for casting some years back, largely to save on the waste of rubber.  I had used Lego before that but found I needed to caulk the moulds to stop any leakage through the gaps.

 

[PeterB]

18 minutes ago, The wooksta V2.0 said:

I changed to making my own mould boxes with plastic card for casting some years back, largely to save on the waste of rubber.  I had used Lego before that but found I needed to caulk the moulds to stop any leakage through the gaps.

 

I use a re-useable gel type substance called composi-mold.

 

Sorry Doug - we are already in danger of going off topic - ignore us! We will leave your thread in peace now.

 

Pete

[Doug M]

Thanks all. Really helpful discussion on resin. I was out at the Scottish Modellers Show in Perth today, and picked up a fair bit of aftermarket stuff.  Will see how I go with the AM stuff on W-3. 

 

And I have no problem with off-topic excursions... 😀

[Johnson]

Welcome Doug, a great kit to start with and nice goodies. Looking forward to your build!

 

Resin. The only thing I can add to the above is that it's generally advised not to breathe in the dust if cutting resin with a micro saw, or sanding. Maybe use a mask?

 

I use a variety of adhesives like those listed above. One not mentioned is epoxy glue like 5 minute Araldite which can be useful, especially with resin and PE.

 

Charlie

[Doug M]

Thanks Charlie, yes, it is one of the things I was aware of with Resin, I operate a resin 3d printer so I am super conscious about this stuff.  I have even contemplated learning some CAD so I could start printing extra bits for model builds. 

 

But for the moment, I have a Raiden to finish, so I can move the Mossie onto the workbench.

[Doug M]

Just checking my sanity, but looking at the image of W-3 above, I am seeing invasion stripes. (Which I have to assume are on the upper surfaces as well)  - but not seeing any underwing armament, rails or pylons?? (though it's possible that one forward pylon is visible...  see below.)

 

is it possibly a camera plane? As far as references go, there's a reference to it being in the 'Mosquito Aces of World War 2' Osprey, which I don't have a copy of. I'm reluctant to buy it if all it has is the same photo, which is also on p203 of 'Mosquito, an Illustrated History'. Anyone have a copy of this book they can check for me?

 

  

[PeterB]

1 hour ago, Doug M said:

Just checking my sanity, but looking at the image of W-3 above, I am seeing invasion stripes. (Which I have to assume are on the upper surfaces as well)  - but not seeing any underwing armament, rails or pylons?? (though it's possible that one forward pylon is visible...  see below.)

 

is it possibly a camera plane? As far as references go, there's a reference to it being in the 'Mosquito Aces of World War 2' Osprey, which I don't have a copy of. I'm reluctant to buy it if all it has is the same photo, which is also on p203 of 'Mosquito, an Illustrated History'. Anyone have a copy of this book they can check for me?

 

  

Same pic. The caption says it is HR118 3-W flown by Flying Officer Noel Russell on 18/7/44 whilst escorting frigates. At the time it was said to based at Portreath in Cornwall rather than Banff, and it does appear to have no tanks/rockets/bombs under the wing, though I think I can see "stubs" where the rocket rails would probably go. Presumably it was providing air cover so would need no anti-shipping weapons.

 

Pete

Edited April 27 by PeterB

[The wooksta V2.0]

Too soon for rockets - that's November '44 - I think it's the drop tank mount.  It's in the right place and looks to be the right shape.

[Doug M]

Thanks for that. Time to go look for images of the drop tank mount before I go drilling holes in the lower wing...

[PeterB]

15 hours ago, The wooksta V2.0 said:

Too soon for rockets - that's November '44 - I think it's the drop tank mount.  It's in the right place and looks to be the right shape.

I had not realised that the rockets were so late in arriving on Mossies - actually one of my books says September 28th 1944 for first use but still later than the pic, so I guess it must  be stubs for long range tanks as you say.

 

Pete

[Doug M]

I agree. And my google-fu must be weak, because I can't find any images of the mounts to fabricate them, anyone able to help? 

[Doug M]

Ok, so I think I was supposed to do this ages ago, but in case anyone here has never seen the sprues from a 1/48 Tamiya Mosquito FB VI 

 

 

Arrghhhh - those sink marks in the nacelles... 

 

 

 

Still there!!!   argghhh!!!

 

 

Paint colour tests - using Vallejo 'Luftwaffe Uniform' - this is inside under artificial light.

 

 

Outside, Northern Light not too far from Banff

 

 

Winning!!! - Master barrels added to the original Tamiya part..   0.4 drill...   ouch!

 

 

Finally, the first paint on the cleaned up Resin components.

 

 

[Dave Swindell]

16 hours ago, Doug M said:

Thanks for that. Time to go look for images of the drop tank mount before I go drilling holes in the lower wing...

 

[Doug M]

Brilliant.. thanks so much for that....  and the drop tank positioning will give me the lateral positions on the wings...