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

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Hippocroccofrogs don't have hair - they have scales , and they use a blowlamp to dry those !!!

I can't really apply heat directly ( I had considered it ) , as this could cause the card to lift and / or buckle. This drying problem has never happened before, as it normally dries fully within a maximum of 8 hours - maybe it's peculiar to the card used.
I've informed Max and, as his Buchon flight date has been re-arranged for 23rd June, I've asked if he'd prefer to receive delivery then, rather than me having to rush things at the last minute, probably working though the night, in order to be able to leave home at 11.30 hours tomorrow.
Awaiting his thoughts, and meanwhile checking the base regularly, as there may be a chance I can still get it done. If not, then at least I know I can get it properly completed, and photos taken, on return from Sywell and Norfolk.
I'm very annoyed that I lost two weeks of "work time" on this, due to the arthritis "flare up", a the whole thing could have been finished at least a week ago.
As soon as I know what's what, I'll post a further up-date. Meanwhile, I'll continue staring at, and swearing at, the ****ing display base !!!!
 
OK, just heard from Max, and delivery of the completed model and display base will be postponed until we meet again at Sywell on 23rd June.
This will allow me to do a much better job on finishing the display base, and I'll get back to it when I return from Sywell and Norfolk, over the weekend, and post the "Finished " pics etc when it's all done.
 
You're right there Wayne !

Got the card on the base sorted, and marked out ready to scribe the separate "concrete" panels. I'll do the first stage of painting later tonight, if my hands and wrist relax a bit - still a bit stiff at the moment - and should have the various tones, dirt and staining done, probably by Tuesday, when the model can then be attached to the base.
Pics as soon as there's something to show ..................
 
A quick up-date, with the first stages of the base done, representing part of a concrete "frying pan" dispersal at Downham Market.

Card was glued down, and then trimmed around the edges to leave a border ( bare in the photos ), which will eventually be painted black.
Once the card had eventually set, the separate "concrete" slabs were marked out, and then scored with a scalpel to present a "3D" effect.
A base coat of light, sandy brown was laid down, by brush, and then a darker, patchy wash applied to give some depth.
Once this has fully dried, the surface will be "misted" with a mix of browns and greys, using the airbrush, some staining and dirt added, and the "tar" joint filling represented either by thinned paint, or maybe black pencil, lightly applied to avoid being too stark.
Grass and earth will be added to those small corner areas simulating the curve of the dispersal pan, and I hope to have this completed probably by tomorrow night.
Apologies for the poor pics - couldn't get the required lighting angles.


Mosquito B.XVI build. 002.JPG
Mosquito B.XVI build. 006.JPG
 
Thanks chaps.
Just a couple of small bits to do on the display bsse, and I should have the whole thing finished in the next couple of days.
 
The display base is done, with some further shading, stains and wheel tracks, the "grass" at the curves, and the black border painted.
Just a couple of small details to do on the model itself, and I should be able to set-up for the "Finished" photos, probably sometime tomorrow.


Mosquito B.XVI build. 001.JPG
Mosquito B.XVI build. 002.JPG
 
Looks fantastic Terry! Is that pattern typical of RAF airfields? (square and rectangular alternating) I'm used to seeing squares as these were easier to form and pour.
 
Thanks !

Andy, square, or rectangular, were probably the norm, but it would depend on the actual area of the concrete being laid and, to an extent, the shape of the hard areas; for example, a "frying pan" dispersal, or a "loop"( or "spectacle") dispersal.
The format could also probably be dictated by the methods used by individual contractors who actually built the airfields, the main two being McAlpine and Laing, and also the region or area where the fields were built, and the source of the raw material.
As an engineer, you will know, far more than I would, that the ground that a structure is built upon, can dictate the type and composition of the materials used, and, to some extent, the way / shape these are laid down, which is also noticed in the differing colours of such hard-standings, depending on where in the UK they were built at that time, and where the sand, stone, cement etc came from.
A "straight" paved area, such as the main "roads" of a "loop"(or "spectacle") dispersal, or a larger "apron", would more often be uniform, with either square or rectangular "slabs", again depending on the construction method, often down to the size of the shuttering used when pouring the concrete.
Also, bearing in mind that these airfields were only designed for use "for the duration" ( of the war ). to use a term then in use,, if it was good enough, then it would be good enough.
However, the "powers that be" who oversaw such things, at least had the foresight to design the "pans" in such a way that the slabs should be offset, where required, rather than a geometric perfect layout, in order to allow for any movement and / or "crumbling" between the joints of each slab, thereby minimising the overall "decay" of relatively hastily-built hard areas.
If, for example, a large "apron" type of area had to be laid, such as the post-war example at Duxford, then yes, this would mainly be square or rectangular slabs overall, apart from areas that required smaller slabs, such as curves or angles into taxi ways etc.
Whereas, a "round" area, such as a "frying pan" dispersal, would need to have some sections shorter than the "average" slab dimensions, in order to create the circle, but still maintain the required strength and overall integrity of the "pan", hence the mix of square and rectangular slabs.

Having said all that, as my display base is only representing part of a circular "frying pan" dispersal, and not showing the outside curves, I thought it would be more appropriate to portray the slabs as they look on the base, rather than have the whole thing looking to "regular" and "model like" and, all being well, this should, I hope, be more apparent once the Mosquito in in place on the display base.
 

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