**** DONE: GB-49 1/48 Mosquito B.XVI - Favourite A/C of WWII

[Airframes]

Username Airframes
Name Terry
Category Judge - non-competing.
Model DH Mosquito B.XVI
Scale 1/48th
Kit Tamiya DH Mosquito B.IV/PR.IV
Accessories "Brengun" resin 2-stage Merlin conversion set, bulged bomb bay and wing tanks from Airfix kit (need modifying), late-style bomber canopy from Airfix kit, home-made resin parts, some scratch-building, decals from kit and decals files.


DH. Mosquito B.XVI, Serial No. PF510, Code 6T-D, 608 Sqn, RAF, April 1945.

This is a commission build for my friend Max, who intends it as a surprise present for the son of the pilot, and will be a conversion from the Tamiya B.IV kit.
I could have used the Airfix B.XVI/PR.XVI kit, but after my last experience with that beast, when I made a PR.IX, I decided it would be much easier, and probably more accurate and quicker, to do a conversion, rather than struggle and spend loads of time correcting the strange Airfix offering !
Pics below show the kit box, the "Brengun" resin engines, and the spare Airfix parts, and more info will follow in the next post.

 

[Airframes]

Damn! I just spent ages typing the next bit, and had trouble loading pics (problem still not sorted my end), and had to re-start the PC. Came back, and the entire post had gone !
I'll do it again, in a separate post, later !

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Very cool Terry and great to see you back at the bench. What are the "home-made resin parts" that you'll be making?

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy.
The resin parts are already cast, and are the "Gee" receiver and indicator, and the RF unit. I made a few sets when I built the FB.VI a whole back.
I'll also need to make a Mk.XIV bomb sight and computer, so I might try to cast a couple in resin too, although I think it may be a bit tricky.

I'll post the info on the aircraft and crew tomorrow, along with a couple of pics - getting a bit late here to be messing about, if the pics refuse to ,load again !

 

[Airframes]

This Mosquito was flown a number of times by Flt/Lt Eric E .Fenning, and his navigator, P/O. Hargreaves, and their final Operational flight was undertaken in PF510, when they flew to Schleiszheim / Munich on the night of April 24th, 1945, returning to Downham Market, Norfolk, UK, after 4 hours 20 minutes flight time.
Eric Fenning joined the RAFVR as a Sergeant, in July 1937, and did his first "solo" flight on 30th September that year, after just 8 hours 25 minutes "dual" instruction. During his RAF career, he flew a number of different aircraft types, including Ansons, Whitleys, Lysanders and Wellingtons, and served on four other Squadrons, as well as some time instructing, before joining 608 Sqn in March, 1945.
He ended his RAF career with the rank of Flt/Lt ( equivalent to Captain in the British Army and USAAF ), with 2,070 hours and 40 minutes flying time recorded in his Log Books.

Part of the Light Night Striking Force, 608 Sqn operated both as independent bombers, and Pathfinder "markers", and had the distinction of being the Squadron to drop the very last bomb on Germany during World War II, something I re-discovered during my research for this build.
However, although I was aware of this, I missed the connection between this event and the actual aircraft to be depicted by the model, until, during e-mail exchanges between myself and Andy ( Crimea River ) some info was supplied by Andy, along with a photo ( second pic below ) which also revealed something I was previously unaware of.
Although 608 Sqn carried out the final raid on Germany, on the night of 2nd / 3rd May, 1945 , Main Force having been "stood down" two days earlier, it was the subject of this build, Serial No PF510, Code 6T-D which dropped the very last bomb, when, flown by a different crew, it unloaded its 4,000 lb "cookie" on Keil, shortly after midnight.
Photos of 608 Sqn Mossies are rare, but there is a series of photos taken by the Downham Market Station photographer, purportedly on 2nd May, 1945, when individual Squadron crews posed in front of a Mosquito B.XVI, with a suitably inscribed 4,000 lb "cookie" in the foreground. This Mosquito is not PF510, and may not even be from 608 Sqn, but perhaps from the other Sqn on the Station, and I suspect it was chosen as a "background" because of the markings on the nose, which show a large letter "V", along with an impressive "bomb log" and an inscription. (The letter "V" was used extensively at this period, shown on posters, daubed on walls, in newspapers etc, and indicated "V for Victory".).
The Mosquito in this series of photos may be 6T-V of 608 Sqn, but as the code letters are not clearly enough defined in the images seen so far, it has not yet been possible to positively identify the aircraft.
The second point of interest came with the photo Andy sent me, showing a line-up of brand new Mosquito B.XVI's, in the PF5XX serial range, built by Percival Aircraft at Luton.
A very nice shot, was my first thought, until I looked closer, and noticed the difference in the camouflage application. The demarcation between the upper surface and lower surface colours is lower down the fuselage than the "normal" pattern, and the upper surface colour extends part way down the sides of the engine cowlings, whereas the "normal" pattern had the demarcation at the joint of the upper and side cowling panels. I had noticed the cowling colour in the "Keil" photo, but hadn't taken much notice, thinking it was shadow and / or staining.
I also noticed the slight differences in the actual application of the pattern itself, between the various aircraft, as well as the darker colour (black ? ) on the tail wheel yoke, which is normally seen in silver paint.
These differences can be clearly seen in the photo below, and I must thank Andy for this, as it will allow me to present a more accurate finish on the model.

Now that I've finally had the Ritixumab infusion, after a year's delay due to Covid precautions,, I'm beginning to feel the benefit already, and I hope that, within the next few days, the effects will allow more articulation in my fingers, hands and wrists, when I can start work on the model.

Pic 1. One of the series of pics taken on May 2nd, 1945, mentioned in the text above. The aircraft is not PF510. (Credit as per image).
Pic 2. Line up of factory fresh, Percival-built B.XVI's in the PF5xx serial range, showing the different colour demarcation to normal, thought to be unique to Percival-built Mossies. Note also the slight differences in the actual pattern between the various aircraft. (Percival / MAP photo, public domain).

 

[Crimea_River]

Good stuff. I remember those Gee sets you made now. The Mk XIV sighting head will be tricky. I scratched one for my unfinished Wimpy and it was tough!

 

[Airframes]

Yep, I made one for that RAF Mitchell I did a few years back. The "swinging" sight arm will be the hardest part, so I think I'll just try to make it look something "approximate", and hope the distortion of the nose cone hides the faults !!
Trickiest part of the build may be getting the front fairing of the bulged bomb bay to the correct profile - the Airfix kit part ( and the OOP "Paragon" resin version ) is too "blunt". The larger Airfix drop tanks will also need to be "filled out" on the top, as again, the profile is wrong, but that shouldn't be too difficult, I hope !!

 

[Crimea_River]

Famous last words.

 

[Airframes]

I was thinking that too ..................

 

[MaxCamps]

I am really looking forward to following the progress Terry - another of your mind blowing efforts- the work of a genius!!!

 

[Airframes]

Nice of you to say so Max, but I'm no genius - genial, maybe, but not genius !!

 

[rochie]

Good stuff Dogsbody

 

[Airframes]

Cheers, Red Two !

 

[Crimea_River]

Actually, we've been wondering about Terry's genus.

 

[Airframes]

They're Levi's - Oh, I thought you said ....................................

 

[Airframes]

The medication has started to take effect, although rather slowly, compared to previous treatments - not quite up to getting around easily, although more mobile than I was, and the hands are still a little tender. Hopefully, things will improve vastly over the next week or so.
But, I've made a start, and I'm currently (slowly) removing the resin engine nacelles from their rather substantial casting blocks,. As these are the "deciding factor" for the model, they have to be "right", and match the modified kit nacelles, which need to be cut-back.
Consequently, the first stage of construction will be the wing / engines, in order to get everything aligned, filled and sanded if required, and primed to check joints and seams.
Once that's done, work can start on the fuselage and cockpit.
Not much to show just yet, but I hope to post some progress pics fairly soon.
The pics below show the casting blocks of the resin nacelles that need to be removed, and the kit parts, with the upper wing top cowling, and one of the nacelles. These parts need to be removed in the areas of the yellow cross hatch / forward of the arrows, and the cuts need to be absolutle accurate, in order to achieve a good match and joint.
Back soon, probably tomorrow, with a further up-date.

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Lots of cutty-cutty. Good to see you back at it Terry

 

[Airframes]

Thanks, Wojtek and Geo.
One of these days, I'll build a model more or less out of the box - yeah, right !!