HK's 1/32 PRU Mossie

[javlin]

I p/u this one up about six months ago I guess and started on her in the last week.The last HK kit took me years it was the B-25 great kit and kit I do not see this being as such a build.The only AM thus far has been Eduards PE copit kit to which I have the IP for the most part complete.I have a question to which Andy may be able to answer was their a tower by the radio operator/navigator I guess that housed a piece of equipment? The pic I resent with the blue background is not my work but using as a reference point.I have what seems a decent book coming just on the bomber/pru crates about 200pgs later this month. Kevin

 

[Crimea_River]

.......I have a question to which Andy may be able to answer was their a tower by the radio operator/navigator I guess that housed a piece of equipment? The pic I resent with the blue background is not my work but using as a reference point.I have what seems a decent book coming just on the bomber/pru crates about 200pgs later this month. Kevin

Yeah, that area saw lots of different configurations depending on what version of Mosquito we're dealing with and when it was flying. It's a bit of a can of worms that would involve some research and even then, we might have to guess what was there. The setup in your pic is the way they supported the standard British Transmitter/Receiver in early Mossies. The smaller box on the stand in that pic is the R-1155 Receiver and the larger one behind the Observer's seat is the T-1154 Transmitter. If you are building that US model pictured, which is a later PRXVI then its possible, if not likely, that this equipment would have been shifted around and other stuff crammed into that area. Let me dig around a bit to see if I can find some better info but don't hold your breath.

 

[F-104nut]

Javlin swet start on that Wooden Wonder. Loving all that scratch build on the interior

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Hi Kevin. I'm a little wiser but not much. Your bird pictured (NS519) was built as a PR.XVI in Hatfield UK and would have originally carried British radios. When it was sent over to the 653rd Light Weather Squadron, the USAAF would have ripped out the British radios and replaced them with American ones presumably to early/mid 1944 standard. NS519 suffered a minor mishap in December 1944 and I don't know if it was able to continue operation to war's end.

The bird in your colour picture is actually a B.35 (s/n RS709) restored to look like NS519 and is now located at the USAF Museum in Dayton. Depending on how faithful the restoration was, it may or may not be helpful in terms of displaying the correct wireless equipment.

The undated pic below (source UPL 6942 | American Air Museum in Britain ) is your actual NS519 and shows an early radio mast not seen on the restored bird above since these were long deleted by the time they built B.35s. The radio mast is only a clue as to what was once carried and these were often left in place even when no longer needed. I suspect there is no aerial wire between the mast and fin.

Bottom line is, it's likely that your bird would not have carried the British standard radio set up but I really don't know how the USAAF would have installed their equipment. If you want to be as accurate as possible, you would need to figure out what the standard USAAF equipment would have been at the time and then guess (or research as much as possible) how the US would have installed it in the Mosquito along with all the other meteorological equipment they would have carried for these particular missions.

I have a bit of info on how North American radios were installed into Canadian-built B. Mk. XX's that I can dig into if you want but I suspect it wouldn't be correct either. Sorry I couldn't help more.

 

[Airframes]

hi Kevin. In your PM to me, I'd understood that you were trying to identify a part that fits alongside the instrument panel, and not the radio package. Sorry if I misunderstood.

 

[javlin]

hi Kevin. In your PM to me, I'd understood that you were trying to identify a part that fits alongside the instrument panel, and not the radio package. Sorry if I misunderstood.

I was Terry Andy is just letting me know that the radio equipment is most likely different for the crate I am doing.Andy thanks for the heads up I then shall wait and see if the book fills in any of the blanks. Kevin

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[javlin]

First of all the Nationality of the crate will be Brit the radio compartment and some of the IP are totally different I will have pics of the crate I intend to do at a later date it's colorful red/white striped tail .Andy or Terry
have any ideas on the cable/wire in these crates?I have four books now and it's all black/white I am thinking white and yellow just a guess.I have a bit more to do on the stand for the transmitter and some more wires coming out of the side of the transmitter behind the seat and PRU seats were cut in half.I added a switch panel down the lower L/side of the seat with two PE toggles and some punch stock which the PE came from the B-25 kit looks the part.I figures out the that piece on the side of the IP leg it goes flat no map shoot had to look at Kermit Weeks PRU video same riveting and all.

Kevin

Also Andy or Terry what about the seat color and did the pilots seat armrest have any cushions?

 

[fubar57]

Good start

 

[Crimea_River]

Wires are all black except I have seen the ones coming out of the big box on the starboard side sometimes in pale yellow.. Pilot's seat has no cushion in the pan as he sat on his parachute. The pilot may have added a back cushion as personal preference but usually nothing there. Yes, pilot's seat arm rests had cushions. These, along with the navigator's seat should be dark green.

Also, the fire extinguisher should be a dark brass/copper colour, not red.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Wayne Little]

Nice work man.....

 

[Gnomey]

Lovely work so far!

 

[javlin]

Alright Andy after days of thinking and looking at that seat I just could let it stay that way.So, I cut the back of the seat off with a saw and ground that down and did the same with the base.Andy the picture toy present the radio ops seat is that buckle at the top in the right position? I was thinking attached to the back some?Thks

 

[Crimea_River]

It's not really a buckle Kevin but the point where the two straps come together at the attachment point and , yes, it's at the top of the armour plate.

 

[javlin]

What are the angle braces for to keep the backrest from rocking?I see they have attachment points to the wall.Thanks for the schematic.That harness looks alot different than what is in the other pic which is what I have.The one in the schematic looks like the bottm two are attached to the plate and pluged into the a quich release buckle?which is pulled over the head and locked into play.

You opened a can of worms what is #12?

 

[Crimea_River]

The braces support the armour plate and attach to the vertical wall behind it, which is actually the forward wing spar. Don't worry about the seatbelts shown as this diagram is from a post-war Swedish J.30 Mosquito. Here's a pic of the belts in an NF.II.

Part 12 is just called out as a "clip" but may be for the oxygen hose. Again, it may be peculiar to the Swedish machine.

 

[Wurger]

 

[javlin]

The cockpit is basically finished I did make the frames for the back of the seat on the radio operator.I just took some .020" square stryene put needle nose to the stryene and channel locks to the needle nose and got a flat spot then cut the angles to the back of the seat worked well.I am not reaL fond of the pilots belts but think the radio seat looks a little more animated.The bomb sight was the last thing I did tonight it was testing the patience. The whole copit tub slides on rails into the forward fuse area snug as a bug.

Kevin