1/48 Tamiya Mosquito BXVI Conversion

[Notdoneyet]

Inspired by Jen's Mossie build I decided to pick up my conversion of the Tamiya BVI to a BXVI that has been gathering dust for 6 months as a respite from shovelling snow.

I've completed the cockpit with some Eduard PE - I wish that I hadn't removed the kit moulded flare racks and flares and replaced them with the (very nice) PE racks but very tedious to make (from 20 equal lengths of plastic rod) flares. I used the kit pilot's seat but added a plastic card and Milliput cushion and made the navigator's seat look a little more realistic with the judicious use of a file and some liquid poly.

I also added a scratch bulit Gee display and frame behind the pilot's seat, added some depth to the top and side of the radios with some plastic card and added the three engine torque control tubes on the bulkhead behind the navigator's seat from plastic rod and card.

I also added some wiring (from thin solder) on the starboard sidewall.

I need to do a little tidy up on the wings/nacelles and take some pics which I will post in the next installment.

As always, comments and criticism is most welcome.

Cheers,

Ian

[dylan the rabbit]

Very tasty..

[periklis_sale]

WOW!!!!

Thats an amazing cockpit mate!!!!

[Notdoneyet]

Thanks for the comments guys!!

A fair amount of material needs to be removed from the Paragon 2 stage Merlins after the pour stubs are removed to ensure a good fit into the butchered Tamiya nacelles. Thanks to Mr Dremmel this was relatively painless

Once fitted to the nacelles the engine/nacelle assembly fits well to the wing and a little filling, sanding and rescribing results in this :-

I added front and rear bulkheads to the nacelles and detailed the rear ones with a scribed access hatch and the door closing springs from guitar string.

So the wings and tailplanes are now ready to be mated to the fuselage and after fitting some glass it will be time to start spraying.

Cheers,

Ian

Edited December 21, 2007 by Notdoneyet

[Wolfpack]

Looks good so far. Don't forget the heat shields behind the exhausts, it's shown as a scribed panel if memory serves and should be slightly proud of the nacelle.

W

[Gary West]

Mossies here, Mossies there, bloody Mossies everywhere....lately.

[Neil]

Coming along nicely Ian, particularly impressed with the cockpit using the dials and such.

Don't forget the heat shields behind the exhausts, it's shown as a scribed panel if memory serves and should be slightly proud of the nacelle.

You could be thinking of the single-stage Merlin nacelles regarding the heat shield? (Slightly below and behind the exhaust stacks?).

[Notdoneyet]

Thanks for the comments guys, most appreciated.

Looks good so far. Don't forget the heat shields behind the exhausts, it's shown as a scribed panel if memory serves and should be slightly proud of the nacelle.

W

Wolfpack - I've checked all of my BXVI references and can see no heat shield on the nacelles, so I believe Neil is correct when he says they were fitted to single stage Merlin engined Mossies.

I've made a little more progress in between gorging myself on turkey ...... (the bird not the country!! )

I added the bulged bomb bay using a chopped up spare part from an Airfix kit I won on e-bay :-

I also added the blown side windows from the Airfix kit to the Tamiya canopy. This involved a little reshaping of the Airfix parts (always tricky on clear parts!!) but I am pleased how it came out. The internal canopy framing was added using clear decal film sprayed interior grey/green then coated with liquid decal film and cut into thin strips. Once applied they were given a coat of Future (Klear) to seal them in - a lot easier than masking the interior and spraying the interior framing.

So now she is looking more like a Mossie and is ready for some primer and paint which hopefully will be applied a little later today.

Thanks for looking and any comments you may have.

Ian

[bexwh773]

Thanks for looking and any comments you may have.

Ian

COmments.............. hmm, all I can think of is it looks the dogs danglies, very impressive Mossie Ian

The scary thing is now Ive seen the latest batches of Proppy Thingys from all you lot, Im getting the urge to build a few of mine before the BoB GB next year. How will I cope? Petrol Engined Proppy Thingys, no parrafin converters AHRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

Bex

[AnonymousDFB1]

I've got a 1:48 mossie in the stash, I hope it turns out half as good as yours. so far

[markc]

Fantastic looking Mossie coming on great. Again I'm impressed with the speed that some of you guys can build and with no compromise in quality

Next year I must really get a move on

Cheers

MarkC

[Smiffy]

Looking good.

The cockpit looks fantastic.

Do you know what markings you're doing her in yet?.

Mossies here, Mossies there, bloody Mossies everywhere....lately.

Keep 'em coming, that's what I say (makes a change from loads of 109s/190s/F-16s etc....).

[Gwart]

Its looking great so far,ditto on the markings you going to do?.

I'm doing something similar with a 72nd Mossie and some Paragon bits for the SEAC GB (PR version though),so i'm very interested in the conversion work so far.

[Notdoneyet]

Thanks for the comments!!

markc : You obviously posted your speed comment in the wrong thread I started this build in May (where's the snail emoticon when you need it!!) although it did spend 7 months on the back burner waiting for me to summon up the enthusiasm to complete the cockpit.

Smiffy/Gwart : I'm going to finish her in the markings of 109 Sqn in the Light Bomber Force scheme of Ocean Grey/Green and Black.

Here's the result of my first attempt at a freehand camo :-

It came out ok I think - I'll leave it overnight and mask up for the application of the black underside (Jen stole my "Black belly" line on her Mossie build so I won't use it again here )

Cheers,

Ian

[HOUSTON]

NEAT!!!

Idont mind being bitten by this Mossie....

[desmojen]

It came out ok I think - I'll leave it overnight and mask up for the application of the black underside (Jen stole my "Black belly" line on her Mossie build so I won't use it again here )

Cheers,

Ian

It's a good line though, I don't reckon they'll notice if you use it again

Jen.

[Notdoneyet]

It's a good line though, I don't reckon they'll notice if you use it again

Jen.

Well Jen as you insist ...............

Woooah Black Belly bam-a-lam

I preshaded the undersurfaces and tail with black and then sprayed Tamiya NATO Black for the main colour. I'm pleased with the result which has given the depth to the black areas that I was looking for.

A few little bits to tidy up and then it will be on to finishing the "fiddly bits" that I love so much .....

Thanks for looking and a very to fellow Britmodellers born on Jan 1st.

Ian

Edited January 1, 2008 by Notdoneyet

[desmojen]

Preshading black, who'da thunk it

I thought that the black belly (bam ba lam) might make it look horrible. I was surprised that it still looks stylish and sleek, perhaps more so than the grey ones.

Nice job NDY, be finished today?

Jen.

[Skii]

this is looking superb, and you've really given the plain black underside some definition and character.

excellent stuff

[Guest les]

Looking good keep up the good work

[Notdoneyet]

Thanks as always for the comments.

Jen : Yup, I think the black belly (bam - a - lam) scheme works very well and is a bit different to the more run of the mill grey/grey/green schemes.

So in my breaks between shovelling snow I have made some progress. I decided to postpone work on the dreaded "fiddly bits" and went ahead with the decalling and flat coat.

Apologies for the quality of the photos - my 8 year old digicam is on its last legs and isn't metering flash shots too well (That's photos taken with the flash - I wasn't standing on my head while juggling 3 chainsaws when I took the photos )

I gave the roundals and fin flashes a misted coat or two of very pale grey to tome them down and to try and get the red to tone with the more brick red of the codes and serials. I also misted very light grey randomly over the camo to give a more "lived in" appearance.

Bizarrely the port side codes and serial decals were slightly out of register, leaving the cursed white border around one side of the letters. Luckily I ran out of beer & wine last night so this morning my hand was steady enough to freehand paint NATO black over the offending white bits.

And finally the black belly (bam - a - lam) sans masking of the bomb bay and wheel wells.

So next up will be the fiddly bits that I hate so much ....

As ever, all comments appreciated and gratefully received.

Cheers,

Ian

Edited January 4, 2008 by Notdoneyet

[David_in_Fremont]

And finally the black belly (bam - a - lam) sans masking of the bomb bay and wheel wells.

I love that song....

[Notdoneyet]

Small update following the completion of most of the "fiddly bits".

All doors and undercarriage are now complete. I tried the "salt method" for the first time for the chipping on the props and spinners - it works really well.

"Bomber style" wheel guards were added to the thinned down and reshaped kit parts from wire and the door closing wire rollers were added from styrene rod and punched discs. Brake lines added from thin wire.

I was pleased how the exhausts turned out after a coat of flat black, followed by a dusting of light grey. I then sprayed some Tamiya copper over the top and bottom of the inner parts of the stacks and finally sprayed Alclad Burnt Metal over the ends of each stub.

This is what they look like in situ :-

Next will be to add the "fiddly bits" to the airframe and add the "cookie" and she'll be finished. Photos of that to follow at the weekend probably.

As ever all comments gratefully received and much appreciated.

Cheers,

Ian

[AnonymousDFB1]

She's really looking good Ian

[perry]

Amazing work, well done!