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

[Airframes]

Thanks very much chaps, it's appreciated.
Plodding on with preparing the interior, and should have some pics probably tomorrow.

 

[dneid]

I am really looking forward to this build, Terry. I have several 1/48 Tamiya Mossies in the stash and one of the 1/32 Tamiyas as well. The 1/32 really scares as I know I will just have to go nuts on details and scratch building. I just LOVE the Mossie. Always have. When I was a lad, my dad used to always ask "Why so many Mosquitos?". My answer was "Can one ever have too many Mossies?".

 

[Airframes]

Sorry for the ;lack of progress pics chaps - been struggling the last couple of days, with rather tender hands and wrists, although things are looking better as of today.
I have managed to clean-up those internal areas which needed sorting before adding scratch-built parts, and should be back in operation soon.
Meanwhile, having eventually found the references for the Mk.XIV bomb sight computer ( mis-filed on my PC ! ), which give the dimensions, I'm currently working on this, along with the planning for the other "additions", and hope to have some pics within the next couple of days.
Thanks again for your continued interest.

 

[Crimea_River]

I could have saved you some trouble.

I also have pictures of the sighting head from various angles if you need them.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy - that looks like the page from the same manual I eventually re-found on my PC.
I think I'm probably OK for pics of the sight head, including pics of one I nearly bought, very cheap, some years ago at an "aero jumble". Only reason I didn't get it, was the seller had gone off somewhere, and didn't return before I departed the airfield !

 

[Bustedwing]

WOW ! Great looking work , love Mosquitos, my uncle flew them.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks.
Still plodding on with the scratch-building, but should have some pics soon.

 

[Crimea_River]

Promises, promises.....

 

[Airframes]

well ..... er..... ahem !

 

[Wayne Little]

Cough...cough....

 

[Airframes]

Well, I've finally got some progress pics - but it's been one step forward, and two back, as explained below.

There were some small gaps, and one slight "step" in the wing tip joints, so these were filled with stretched sprue and sanded flush.
The drain and inspection valves in the wing tanks have been added, using plastic rod, and the wings are now done for now.
The main cockpit sections have been assembled, in order to check spacing and location for the added detail.
As mentioned earlier in the thread, I've been working on scratch-building the bomb sight computer, and made one using plastic card - which was then seriously damaged when I accidentally dripped some liquid cement on to it !!!
So, a second computer was started, this time making the "box" from rectangle tube and plastic card, to scale dimensions. But before adding the detail, I decided to double-check the location and fit, and this is where the problems started.
Although to scale, the "box" looked a tad to big to me, compared to the location area in the port side nose, so the cockpit assembly was loosely placed in position, along with the fairing for the rudder pedals, when it was immediately obvious that the computer would not fit !
So, it's back to scratch-building, this time making the computer "box" slightly under scale, but hopefully visually acceptable, and then move on to the Mk.XIV sight head.
The pics below show the progress, and lack of progress, to date.
My hands and wrists have had enough for now, so it'll probably be tomorrow before I tackle the "new" computer.

Pic 1. Wing tip joints filled with stretched sprue and sanded, and the drain and inspection valves added to the drop tanks.
Pic 2. The main cockpit parts, and bomb bay roof, assembled, with the slots for the kit radio equipment filled with plastic card, and the control rod tubes added from plastic rod.
Pic 3. The bomb sight computer "box", not yet detailed, loosely placed in the approximate location. As can be seen, it looks rather too big.
Pic 4. With the floor and the rudder pedal fairing in place, it's obvious that the computer will not fit, therefore a slightly under scale replacement will be made - oh, deep joy, more aching wrists !!!

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Why not just cut the box you made Terry, rather making a new one? One thing that messes us up using scale dimensions for things like this as that the plastic used for the model itself is much too thick to be realistic for scale. This reduces the surface area on the interior and I suspect that this, plus the fact that the rudder pedal doghouse looks a tad too big, is giving you the problem. I would consider cheating and cutting the rear edge of the computer on angle to mate against the doghouse.

I've not seen a picture of the unit installed in a Mosquito so am unable to judge what it should look like.

 

[Airframes]

Yes, I agree that the kit scaling isn't helping, and the pedal box is certainly on the large side., and I think protruded too far into the nose compartment. This can't be cut back, as it supports the pedals and the instrument panel.
Cutting down the computer box would then make it out of proportion, so it'll be better to make a new one.

 

[Crimea_River]

I was thinking to cut it back because there's no way you'll see the back if it through the opposite window or the nose in my opinion.

 

[rochie]

Nice work Dogsbody

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Karl.
I agree Andy, not that much will be seen, but I still want it to be proportionally correct, at least visually, if not to scale.
I'll just reduce the width and height a tad, and build it from plastic sheet and strip.

 

[Gnomey]

Lovely work so far Terry!

 

[MaxCamps]

As always fascinating brilliant stuff Terry! You make me feel totally inadequate when I contemplate the modelling Lockdown challenge I have been given!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks, Hugh and Max.

After lots of checking space in the nose and re-measuring, a new bomb sight computer has now been made, using plastic card, rod, and stretched sprue. It's under scale, but even this will be a tight fit, due to the layout and "bulk" of the kit parts. Consequently, the frame that should surround the computer "box" has been simplified, and omitted altogether on the left (rear ) side, in order to allow the part to fit without interfering with the rudder pedal box and the nose blister. Likewise, only the very minimum of wiring will be added to the completed part, once installed and the bomb sight itself made and fitted.
Pics below show the computer, which has now had the basic (black) colour painted, and will have the button colours and indicator "windows" and stencils etc added once the paint is dry. Other pic shows what the real thing looked like.
Meanwhile, I'm continuing with the interior, fitting the various parts, and preparing for painting the cockpit and nose, and once this is done, I should be able to up the pace a bit, All being well, I should have some more progress pics sometime tomorrow.