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As my F-51D project winds down, I've started preparing for the next one.   I'm pretty much addicted to Tamiya's 32nd series and having completed their F4U-1D and Mustang, I decided to take a shot at their Mosquito FB.VI next.   Thanks to an awesome wife who got me this rather expensive kit for Christmas, I'll be starting this build shortly.  I spent a great deal of time thinking about what subject to build.   There are many interesting and historically noteworthy subjects out there so it took me quite a while to selection one.  I was assisted in my decision when I read this book:

 

41FWTHQAA9L._SX325_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

 

Truly a fascinating and somewhat overlooked part of WW2.   These crews took heavy losses flying (very) low level anti-shipping missions over Norway. It kind of fits my general criteria for somewhat more off-beat subjects.    In addition, many of these Mosquitoes were repainted in the field in the Special Duties Scheme - A, which (on paper) is Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky lower surfaces.   

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Personally, I really like this option, it's a nice break from the run of the mill Green / Grey "Night fighter" Scheme that 90% of RAF Mosquitoes were finished in.   These aircraft got worked pretty hard so I'll also have some nice opportunities for weathering.  

 

So that's where things stand right now.   I'll be posting more info later and once I've got my F-51 100% will jump into this project full speed (which for me probably means I'll be finishing this build around Christmas).    As always, any comments, suggestions, etc are always welcome.

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It's going to be a Coastal  Command Mossie in the field applied Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky.   More than likely a 333 (Norwegian) Squadron aircraft.   333 Squadron often flew as "outriders" to scout and protect the main strike force.   As such they apparently didn't have rockets installed, which is good because no one offers the Coastal Command-specific RP setup.   Only items these aircraft had mounted were 100-gal slipper tanks. See the link below for my options.  Kind of leaning towards "F-3".

 

https://www.ultracast.ca/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AOD32033

 

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s704314100658416967_p30_i6_w640.png

 

Another potential option is "VV-A", seen below on the decal sheet and further below after making an emergency landing in Sweden after being shot up on a mission.  It appears that VV-A also was not fitted with RP's, just the 100-gal slipper tanks.

 

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We'll see how it goes.   Also, please note that,  as with my F-51D project, I have no doubt that within a month or so of completing this build, Tamiya will be announcing a new Coastal Command Mosquito.

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11 minutes ago, Jamie Cheslo said:

Very cool! Are you doing your build online? Or will you post pics of the finished product? I am really interested in seeing such a unique Mosquito.

 

It’ll be online, updates posted here. Just be forewarned- I build slowly!  

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So...  after doing some more reading, I'm gravitating towards KK-Q (see below).  This Mossie was originally assigned to No. 235 squadron as LA-A.  When 235 started to convert to rocket equipped aircraft, LA-A was transferred over to 333 Squadron.   It's original fuselage codes were then over-painted but remained visible, as you can see in the profile below.   In addition, you can also see where the under-fuselage invasion stripes were also over-painted (it seems that Coastal Command retain these stripes longer than the rest of the RAF, where they served as an IFF means).   I'm a fan of slightly odd-ball schemes and also, all the over painted areas breaks up what would otherwise be a somewhat monotone paint job.  The only issue I have is that it's not 100% certain if the lower surfaces were repainted in Sky or left in the original Medium Sea Grey.    I need to do a bit of research on this.  This leads to another problem.  For a late-war aircraft, good quality pictures of Strike Wing Mossies are surprisingly few.   If anyone knows where I can find some good pictures (ideally of KK-Q but I'll settle for other Banff Mossies), please point me in the right direction. 

 

Despite some neat schemes from other Banff units, I’m still partial to the rocket-less 333 Squadron, the “outrider” mission is kind of cool.  It’s interesting that these Norwegians were flying missions over their home territory and often targeting Norwegian ships and installations.   During one mission briefing for a mass strike on a harbor, one of 333’s pilots took the stage and pointed out a particular house in the recon picture.   He asked if the assembled crews could avoid targeting it because it was his parent’s house!    

 

 

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Edited by 11bee
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Still plugging away on getting all the parts and paints in.   Just received the AMS Resin 100-gal slipper tanks.  These are a characteristic of Strike Wing Mosquitoes.  My initial search showed them to be out of stock everywhere I looked and I was almost at the point of looking for a different subject to build.  Thankfully, a kind gent pointed me over to BNA Modelworld  (https://www.bnamodelworld.com/) in Australia.   Great service and quick mailing.  I had the tanks within a week of ordering.  If anyone is thinking about building a Coastal Command Mossie, get over to their site quickly.  I think they only had a few left and as noted, these are critical parts!   As far as the tanks themselves, they are of high quality (which is to be expected with AMS).

 1808-1.jpg

 

This is turning into quite the international build.  Tanks from Australia, decals from Canada, the kit from Japan and the paints (if they finally get stocked in the US) from the UK.  

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Well, to start things off - here's the obligatory box shot, in retrospect, I'm sorry I covered the box top.  The artwork is some of the best I've ever seen.   

IMG_0828

The BarracudaCast resin radios are gorgeous but it turns out that for a late Mossie, they were relocated to the aft fuselage to make room for Gee navigation equipment so I many not end up using them.  Still need to research this a bit more.   On the subject of Gee equipment, the owner of Barracuda said he'd planned on releasing a resin Gee setup but hasn't responded to my email on a time frame.  If anyone has any info on this, please let me know.  Only other bit of aftermarket I'll be using are the Barracuda resin ammo chutes (the Tamiya ones are pretty basic and also don't show the cartridges present in the feed chutes), the Barracuda & Aviaelogy decals and I've got a harness set inbound from Eduard.  I find that that the stainless steel Tamiya PE harness are just too stiff and you can't get them to look like soft fabric. 

 

Lastly for tonight - as noted, my subject (at this time) is KK-Q, a later war Mossie from 333 Squadron.  A kind gent over on Britmodeler posted the only pic I've seen of this aircraft and a really wonderful profile.  He allowed me to repost these on my build log.  Both are courtesy of Bengt-Arnie Stangvik.

First the original KK-Q

2.-Mosquito-FB-Mk.-VI-HR129-KK-Q-E_Thuen

Note the large 100 gal slipper tanks.

And here is his wonderful profile:

Profil-4.-de-Havilland-Mosquito-FB-Mk.-V

Note the overpainted codes from 235 Squadron and the overpainted aft fuselage which previously had invasion stripes.  Also note that the serial number was simply masked off and EDSG was painted around it.   This profile differs in some details from the Avialolgy illustration but I've got plenty of time to research things before the painting stage.    

 

That's it for now, thank you for looking!

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So I'm finally off and running (walking?).   The Tamiya Mossie is absolutely amazing.  You really need to spend a great deal of time reviewing the instructions and planning your approach to building and painting.   First off will be the cockpit which is an absolute masterpiece.  I'm guessing close to a hundred pieces make up this area.   At first, I wasn't thrilled about building this aircraft because it has a fixed canopy and a lot of the cockpit detail would be hidden.  In all actuality, there will be more visible on the Mossie than the previous single-seaters I've built.  The kit canopy is huge and is amazingly clear.   Plus I'm planning on leaving the side entrance door open.  Pretty much everything will be visible.   To enhance that, I'm still planning on removing the upper escape hatch but more on that later...

 

Period photo's show an extremely "busy" cockpit with lots of small fittings, wires, etc.  Tamiya did a nice job but obviously they couldn't capture everything.  Between the cockpit, the amazing bomb bay and the engines, I'm going to have lots of fun.    

 

Anyway, to start things off, I'm going with the pilot's seat.  Here is how it looks through the access hatch:

hatch

 

I assembled the basic seat and then added a few extra touches:

IMG_0835

The seat support tube was drilled out, as was the relief tube and I added the drain tube to the "portal".   Can't have our plastic pilot piddling all over his cockpit, can we?  I wasn't going to bother but since you will be able see the underside of the pilot's seat through the door (as in the view of the real thing above), I decided it was worth it. d

 

I also added a canopy locking lever (Tamiya had this molded to the side of the seat) and it's associated cable that runs to the harnesses connection behind the pilot's armor plate. 

IMG_0834

 

Don't worry about the ejector pin marks, typical Tamiya, everything gets covered with other bits.   After looking at these pictures, I think I'm going to re-do the bands that secure the cable to the armrest support.  

 

Anyway, that's it for now guys.   Thanks for looking and STAY SAFE!

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Moving at a blistering pace (by my standards).  First up - I added the crash axe to the rear of the pilot's back armor.   The Tamiya part had the handle protruding out of a solid block of plastic.  I carefully carved away some material so it looks more like a sheet metal holder for the axe-head.   Note the harness cable running up to the top of the pilot's armor plate.  I can't find any good pics of this, not sure if the cable ties in there or at a lower point.   I can change this later on if more info becomes available. I'll also address that extra dried glue at the top prior to painting.  

IMG_0838

 

Next up, I folded the pilot's right arm rest.   Found out these were hinged (thanks Anthony!) and I'm guessing the right one at least would have been left up while on the ground so the pilot could squeeze into his seat.   Even with the arm rest folded, getting in and out of this aircraft must have been pretty tough.   It's incredibly tight in that cockpit with the pilot nearly on top of his Navigator.  Can't imagine what it would have been like bailing out.  Unfortunately, from what I've read, most crews ended up going in with their aircraft once hit.  

IMG_0843

I'll fix the break in the harness locking cable shortly.

 

Next up is the "drift sight".  This curious bit of equipment was mounted in front of the NAV's seat and was used to take readings on points on the ground and calculate wind drift (no idea how it works, if anyone does, please chime in with the details).   To operate it, the NAV would have to unbuckle, get on his knees in front of his seat and kneel over the sight.   He would then slide the head of it through a hinged port in the fuselage side, directly in front of the crew access door and take his readings.   Here's a cockpit layout that shows the drift sight in it's stowed position.  

AECZ0001006a.jpg&key=a9b7ee844e55c895d9fd

 

Here is a shot of a Mosquito drift sight currently in a museum.   Thanks to Pete M over on Britmodeler for this great picture:

9316RJI

 

The kit part covers the basic details but I figured I'd add a few touchups.  See below:

IMG_0845

It doesn't show very well but I soaked the eyepiece in liquid glue for a minute and stippled the part with a brush to try to replicate the rough foam texture of this part. Will it be visible on the finished kit?  Who knows...

 

That's it for now, thanks for looking! 

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Big update!!  I completed the drift sight.     

 

Added scratches and a bit of really bad detail on the dial with a very sharp No. 2 pencil.  I figured being low in the cockpit, the mounting bracket would have gotten scratched up quite a bit.

IMG_0849

 

IMG_0848

 

The close up pictures make it look pretty crude but keep in mind, the completed assembly would fit on a US dime! 

 

I'm pretty happy with it.

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 So I'm diving into the cockpit area a bit.  First a word on the real thing - to say that the cockpit is "busy" is a huge understatement.   It seems like the crew was included as an afterthought.   The Nav is literally shoehorned into a corner of the cockpit, partially behind the pilot.  Many of the switches and equipment he was required to operate required the poor guy to be a contortionist.  As an example, some critical fuel controls are mounted adjacent to his left hip, under the "Gee" receiver!  Good luck managing those controls in an emergency (for that matter, good luck bailing out of this thing in an emergency)!   Also, in typical British fashion, controls and instruments are mounted randomly all around the crew.  It's quite interesting to compare the British approach to the more methodical German and American strategies.   Here are a couple of pics to illustrate:

 

Here's a good picture of the Navigator's work station.

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And another that shows the foward cockpit in better detail (note that these pics are of a differnent Mosquito version so some details will be different).  Also note that these pictures and some others I'll be posting down the road came from a kind gent who runs a FB page in New Zealand dedicated to an ongoing Mosquito restoration.   It's worth checking out and if you have the means, making a donation to help their efforts.   https://www.facebook.com/NZMosquito/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARCZ0jYw6JOV6sV9N636nutZIhNFB5Vnla8IehfVplUfAwbJcjm-JYIBy9HR7RbD5xApqGsS-jXfCNgP&hc_ref=ARScp2DSHd4BRuN5WUfuqe_SHnkfIs761jOqU3vaIbQ3z0urxjVk042oQx1w9Wqy0Dk&ref=nf_target

91926273_2177636405959133_1683873814234005504_o

 

I'll be back later with an update on my build.   Thanks for looking! 

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So on to some modeling updates.   First off is the main cockpit floor assembly.  The floor itself was plywood, with a brown primer to protect against fuel and hydraulic leaks from all the lines and fittings present in this area.   To simulate wear and tear on the floor, I went with the "hairspray" technique.   Still have a great deal of additional detail painting and weathering to do, keep that in mind.    You can also make out the "sanitary container" under the pilot's seat area.  Unlike the US who simply piped the pilot's relief tube to a port in the bottom of the fuselage, the Brits were considerate enough to have a container for this.  No peeing over Nazi Germany for Mosquito pilots!   Lastly, note the floor boards.   I've seen a good number of models that replicate these as hardwood.  From what I've read, they were actually made of a phenolic resin material called Bakelite (this is the same stuff used to make the seats on certain Spitfire variants). It was a pretty tough material, so I'll just add a few scuff marks / dirt and that will be it.  Noted a bit of touchup painting needed in this area, I'll get that done prior to the next update. 

 

IMG_0851

 

Next up is the Nav's back armor.   I replaced the solid handle on the upper section but that was it for extra details.  Note the awkward position of the fuel shutoff valves I mentioned in the post above.  So much for ergonomics!   I'll be adding some decals from the Barracuda cockpit set to this area as well.  The upper part is clear, Tamiya thoughtfully provides masks for both sides of the Nav's  "porthole".  

Edited by 11bee
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 Sorry, having some problems posting on ARC lately.  

 

Next up is the Nav's back armor.   I replaced the solid handle on the upper section but that was it for extra details.  Note the awkward position of the fuel shutoff valves I mentioned in the post above.  So much for ergonomics!   I'll be adding some decals from the Barracuda cockpit set to this area as well.  The upper part is clear, Tamiya thoughtfully provides masks for both sides of the Nav's  "porthole".  

IMG_0852

 

And a final picture with the pilot's armor and bulkhead just dry fitted into place. 

IMG_0854

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Making a bit of progress with the seats.  They were painted a dark Hunter Green, per the originals.  I then added the harnesses.   Tamiya has "decent" PE harnesses but honestly, their stuff is pretty thick and rigid.   I could have gone with a cloth harness set but the thought of trying to assemble 20 microscopic PE buckles and clasps just didn't work for me.   I opted for Eduard's "Steel" set. Not sure why they call it Steel the material is very thin and easy to work with.   Price was reasonable, all in all, highly recommended.  

 

I always try to position the harness in a natural way.  Most times, they aren't neatly folded straight up and down, as you see on some models.  Adds a bit of life to the cockpit if you ask me.  I also added the fire extinguisher and flare cartridges. 

 

Anyway, a few pics of my progress (again note that the assemblies are only press fitted:

 

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For reference, here's a shot of an aircraft undergoing restoration.  The extinguisher is the real thing, obviousy a bit more weathered than one mounted on a 1945-vintage Mossie.   Also note the flare cartridges are empty, fired examples.

garden 004_zps4tzatsjn

 

That's it for now, as always, thanks for looking!

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Hello 11bee

 

That's a very good job you are doing, the attention you are putting to detail surely is paying off; I do really like the wearing effect on the floor.

 

On a side note, may I suggest you try to make the pictures clearer? I'm sure there are more details in your work that we are missing because of that. It is not a critique, just a suggestion.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Carlos

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6 hours ago, cruiz said:

Hello 11bee

 

That's a very good job you are doing, the attention you are putting to detail surely is paying off; I do really like the wearing effect on the floor.

 

On a side note, may I suggest you try to make the pictures clearer? I'm sure there are more details in your work that we are missing because of that. It is not a critique, just a suggestion.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Carlos

 

Hola Carlos!

 

Thanks for the compliments.   I'm doing my best with the pictures (which doesn't say much), I have a very old camera and can only take pictures in natural sunlight.   At some point I need to invest in a good lamp and a better camera.

 

Regards,

 

John

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More cockpit work...  Added a few details to the "shelf" aft of the pilot's seat.   These include wires running from the small oil dilution panel that was positioned right next to the Nav's seat and a cockpit heating control.  This was made from a length of plastic rod and some small bits of scrap plastic and PE.   See below:

IMG_0870

 

Here's another view of the deck, note I added the pilot's harness locking cable.

IMG_0869

 

I added a couple of Barracuda placards to the fuel control panel located conveniently behind the Nav's left elbow (pretty hard to see in these pics):

IMG_0871

 

And just a couple of views of the cockpit with the Nav's seat dry fitted.  I also added the first aid kit under the pilot's seat.and those weird yellow circles that the Brits insisted on painting on all their aircraft armor plating (kit decals).   

IMG_0872

 

IMG_0873

 

 

That's it for now, thanks for looking!

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