GB-67 1/48 Mosquito P.R. Mk. XVI - Twin Engine in WWII

[Crimea_River]

Username: Crimea River
First name: Andy
Category: Advanced
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Tamiya
Model Type: Mosquito B.Mk. IV/PR.MK. IV
Aftermarket addons: Just Scratchin'

Oh, what the hell, I opened the box at least. At the moment I won't be working on this kit but I thought I'd post a pre-emptive thread here in case I get bored and decide to sit at the bench for a bit. Still doing lots of work sourcing parts for our own Mossie and household projects but as those things wind down, I may get back to modelling more regularly.

I want to do a PRU Blue aircraft, a first for me, so will likely settle for the kit option for P.R. Mk. IV DZ393. According to a post on the

Spitfire AA810 - Restoring Sandy's Spitfire

FB Page, "DZ383...was delivered to 540 Sqn in November 1942. Suffering an accident in July 1943, post repair the aircraft was allocated to the RAF Film Production Unit and was repainted into green/grey camouflage for operations.

Famously it filmed Operation Carthage; the attack against the Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen during which it was damaged by ground fire."

 

[Wurger]

 

[Jock Tamson]

Nice this was the other option from my stash. Good to see a Mossie in the mix.

 

[Airframes]

Nice one Andy !

Your subject is the aircraft flown on the Shell House raid by my late friend, Bob Kirkpatrick (RCAF).
He returned to an un-announced landing at Rackheath, a USAAF B-24 base, just on the NE outskirts of Norwich, Norfolk. One engine was out due to flak damage, and the hydraulics damaged, so no flaps or brakes !
Note that this airframe had extra windows fitted, either side of, and behind the nose blister, at roughly floor level, for use with the FPU.
I've attempted to roughly show where these were on the photo you posted, and I think I have some photos of the aircraft during its FPU service.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

That's a good one Andy, looking forward to it.

 

[fubar57]

Me too.

 

[Airframes]

As an addendum to my previous post, here's Bob, discussing the flight paths with Derek Carter, at Derek's home in Copenhagen, just after the 50th anniversary celebrations in March, 1995.

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks all.

Terry I assume you mean that the extra glazing was added after this aircraft's accident and subsequent delivery to the Film Production Unit where Bob would have flown it. I still mean to do a PRU blue scheme, per the photo above along with several others of the same aircraft prior to the added glazing.

That said, as I have 2 other Mossies already built with single stage Merlins, I'm now considering getting a resin conversion set to convert this to a later 2 stage Merlin PR type. If so, all the above will be moot.

EDIT: Just ordered the Brengun resin 2-Stage Merlin Conversion Set so I'll be looking for another subject. Title page will be fixed once I know what I'll be doing.

 

[Airframes]

Yes Andy, extra windows fitted when with FPU.

Here's the Tamiya kit converted to B.XVI with the Bren Gun (might be CMK-- can't remember !) 2-stage nacelles.
If doing a XVI, you'd need to fit bulged side windows and mine came from the spares box from the Airfix kit, but they can be fabricated by carefully cutting a section from the bottom of a plastic soda bottle, the type that has those "nobbles" on the bottom, as they're almost a perfect shape.

For a PR.IX, the kit canopy can be used, or better still, the excellent Rob Taurus vac-form canopy, as used on my Airfix B.XVI kit, with extensively re-profiled kit engine nacelles.

 

[SaparotRob]

Yes Andy, extra windows fitted when with FPU.

Here's the Tamiya kit converted to B.XVI with the Bren Gun (might be CMK-- can't remember !) 2-stage nacelles.
If doing a XVI, you'd need to fit bulged side windows and mine came from the spares box from the Airfix kit, but they can be fabricated by carefully cutting a section from the bottom of a plastic soda bottle, the type that has those "nobbles" on the bottom, as they're almost a perfect shape.

For a PR.IX, the kit canopy can be used, or better still, the excellent Rob Taurus vac-form canopy, as used on my Airfix B.XVI kit, with extensively re-profiled kit engine nacelles.


View attachment 842603View attachment 842604

Beautiful 'Skeeter.

 

[Crimea_River]

One of the interesting options for me could be a 60 Sqdn SAAF P.R. Mk. XVI. Red and white striped tail, yellow spinners, and AEAF stripe remnants to break all that blue. Minimal squadron markings that are easily masked and painted.

 

[fubar57]

I like that

 

[Crimea_River]

Right up your alley

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Now this would be good one Andy, that back end paintwork would be something to gnash your teeth over!

 

[F-104nut]

OH sweet subjet Andy this is goin to be cool to see built !!!

 

[Wayne Little]

Hope you can make plenty of time Andy...

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks guys, hope so too.

Brengun resin 2-stage Merlins arrived in the mail yesterday. I'll post photos when I can.

 

[Crimea_River]

OK, I broke open the box of resin bits and played with them a bit at the bench this aft. First off, I'll apologize for the pics as I got a new phone the other day and am not used to the camera settings yet. It's not picking up the shop lighting well. Anyway, the box:

The contents:

The resin parts are nicely moulded with hollowed exhaust stubs and intake/exit louvers.

The very thin PE fret contains two carb intake screens as well as the grilles that would be needed for late model 2-stage Mossies fitted with the tropical intake filters. I'm likely not going to need these for my subject, once decided on.

Dry fit of the two nacelle blocks - very good.

This is a close-up of the Tamiya cowl that will be replaced, followed by an overlay of the new upper cowl. Note the difference in length to accommodate the second supercharger wheel. The one drawback of the resin bits I note is that they lack the fine details for the Dzus fasteners and spring clips that Tamiya faithfully reproduced.

The Tamiya nacelles will need to be cut up so I made sure to write the part numbers on them before removing them from the sprue. I marked the first one, D3, on the part that will be sawn off......duh!

Trial fit shows all will be good:

....except for the fact that there's going to be a gaping hole where the firewall should be, so that will be something I'll need to fix.

So, welcome to the build thread, which hopefully will see regularish updates.

 

[fubar57]

Resin looks nice and patient recovering after surgery

 

[rochie]

Good to see you building Andy