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

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Many thanks, Hugh, Max and Steph.
Not much more to show just yet - still tinkering with clean-up and other small fiddly bits, but I should have some more pics soon, probably tomorrow.
 
Thanks Wayne.

Got the canopy cleaned and sorted, and a little re-touching done where needed. Still working on the fiddly bits of the main gear legs, adding the extra bits to the door guard guides etc..
I'll post some up-date pics when I've got this stage done, rather than post bits and pieces and, so far, I'm on track to have the model ( and the display base ) completed in time for when Karl and I meet up with Max at Sywell, for his "Buchon" flight on 20th May.
Meanwhile, whilst checking a few details, I've discovered a couple of other things about the B.XVI that I hadn't really noticed before, which I'll show when i get to the relevant stage.
 
Thanks, Grant and Wojtek.

A short up-date, with the extra door guide arms added, along with the cable guide rollers, and the mudguard brackets thinned out and the lightening holes drilled.

Pic 1. Mudguard mounting brackets thinned and drilled.
Pic 2. One of the main gear legs as provided in the Tamiya kit, with the earlier style door guides, but lacking the guide rollers for the door cables.
Pic 3. Extra door guide "rods" as used on the B.XVI, added using stretched sprue.
Pic 4. The main undercart components, with all of the extra door guides added, and the guide rollers added from white plastic rod. The tyres have had "flats" filed onto the bottom.

Once all this lot has fully set, brake lines will be added, using lead wire, and then the units painted and assembled.
I noticed that Tamiya got it slightly wrong regarding the retraction rams, having them positioned on the inner leg on each side, when they should be on the right ( starboard ) side on both legs. I started to modify these to fit them in the correct locations, but one of them "pinged" into hyper space somewhere, never to be found ( until the day after the model is completed ! ). However, as the model will be fixed to the base, these will never be seen with the gear fitted and the doors in place, it's no major loss, so I'll omit them, rather than scratch-build one ram. Likewise with the oil tanks, which are fitted right at the top of the main struts, buried deep, high inside the wheel wells.
I'm not that keen on the assembly method for the main gear, as the wheels have to be "trapped" on the integral axle when the main legs are joined.
I would prefer to remove the plastic axle, and drill out the moulding for the axle mounts, and insert brass tube or rod, after assembling the gear components However, as I don't have any brass in the required diameter, and can't afford the time waiting for an on-line order delivery, I'll have to stick with the kit method.
I'm aiming to have the model completed by, or over, the weekend at the latest, and then get the display base done, ready for the delivery of the model on Wednesday next week.

Thanks again to all for the continued interest in this project, and i should be back, probably late tomorrow, with a further up-date.


Mosquito B.XVI build. 002.JPG
Mosquito B.XVI build. 003.JPG
Mosquito B.XVI build. 005.JPG
Mosquito B.XVI build. 006.JPG
 
Good stuff Terry. I agree with you on the assembly method for the u/c and ended up doing exactly what you said - drilling out the axles and running brass rod through after everything was assembled and painted. I too noticed that the handed gear retraction mechanisms were wrong and ended up fixing one side and removing/replacing the associated moulded in hydraulics.

Looking forward to hearing of your B.XVI "discoveries".
 
Thanks, Glenn and Andy.

I reckon the main gear must be the most fiddly bit of the whole kit !
I spent over half an hour, just getting one set of legs together, although to be fair, I was trying not to dislodge the delicate, extra door guide rods, and the lead-wire brake hoses. A real pain trying to align six points of contact, and keep the axle located in the holes on the "blank" leg, without the wheel falling off the axle on the other leg !
I also had to use spots of CA on the insides of the main joints, as they kept springing apart and then, when set, the joints were reinforced with cement.
Had enough for tonight, so I'll do the other assembly tomorrow, and post some pics then.
 

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