Thanks very much chaps !
The cockpit walls are now complete, and the main instrument panel is 95% done - it just needs some basic representation of the rudder pedals (they'll only just be seen as vague shapes), and the addition of scratch-built levers for the undercart, bomb doors and flaps, which will be fitted when the panel is ready to be mounted on the cockpit floor.
Although the brutal close-up photos show some messy areas, where CA glue has 'caked', these have now been cleaned-up, and overall, I'm fairly pleased with the cockpit area so far. In fact, with all the added detail (more still to come), I'm considering using a vac-formed canopy, the version by Rob Taurus, which looks very good indeed. Although designed for the Tamiya kit, I think it would fit the Airfix kit with little, if any modification, and will allow the internal detail to be seen more easily. The kit canopy, although accurate and quite clear, is rather thick, which causes some distortion.
PICS 1 and 2. The starboard cockpit wall, with the Eduard pre-printed PE parts added to the fuel gauges panel and, below that, the Eduard parts for the oxygen regulator. The top view shows the original Airfix detail, with the signal and nav lamp switches along the top edge of the panel and, at right, the I.F.F. destruct switch guards, and the twin, red fire extinguisher buttons.
PICS 3 and 4. The kit's moulded throttle quadrant was retained, and carefully painted. Next to this is the compass, made from plastic tube, rod and strip, with the Eduard compass rose fitted to the top and glazed with Humbrol Clear.
Eduard parts were used for the tail trim indicator, the lighting panel with its flexible lamp, the compass deviation correction card and other placards, and the radio channel selector box. The white throttle and boost settings placard is just a piece of Tamiya tape, painted white, and with red dots representing the wording.
I might yet fit an oxygen hose, using a length from one of the flexible, 'ribbed' hoses from MDC, but, as with the tail trim wheel (not provided in the kit or Eduard parts), I doubt if it will be seen.
PIC 5. The instrument panel had the oil pressure and temperature gauges (bottom left) re-touched around the bezels / frames, as the colour here was a bit 'thin', and the panels were given a coat of matt clear, with the instruments 'glazed' with Humbrol Clear.
The central pedestal and the small panel at top right are the original Airfix parts, and the bomb selector switches, and the booster coil switches and red prop feathering buttons, were carefully painted and highlighted. Below and left of the prop feathering buttons is the Beam Approach Indicator, added to the moulded instrument bezel using a decal from the 'Airscale' RAF instrument decals sheet.
I tried to use the decal left over from the Tamiya FB.VI kit used in my other build, but as soon as it made contact with the panel, it folded up and wrinkled itself into a ball !
The decal used is actually an artificial horizon, mounted upside down to try replicate the angled 'arms' of the Left / Right track indicators, as the 'Airscale' sheet does not include a Beam Approach Indicator decal !
It's not brilliant, but looks reasonable enough, and better than I'd be able to do by hand, either by painting or 'scratching' the detail through the matt black paint to reveal white painted underneath.
The three vertical slots in the center of the panel, to the left of the small red placard, are the locations for the undercart lever, bomb door lever, and the flaps lever, in that order. These levers will be made from stretched sprue, with blobs of PVA for the knobs, painted in the relevant colours, and will be attached once the panel is ready to be mounted, immediately before closing the fuselage.
It will be interesting to see if I can still do this, as the dexterity in my hands has greatly diminished since I last added this detail to an Airfix Mosquito, some 25 years ago ! (That particular model, a conversion to a B.XVI, is in line for a 'refurb', and will be re-painted as a Pathfinder Mossie).
Next step is to assemble and paint the Pilot's seat, adding the Eduard seat harness, and also paint the Navigator's back armour, adding the harness, and make and add the folded head armour, an item never included in Mosquito kits in this scale.
The seats won't be attached yet, as some work has to be done around the rear 'shelf' and the spar, in preparation for the 'Gee' equipment which, as previously mentioned, I hope to cast in resin, from 'masters' which will be scratch-built, a job I hope to get done over the weekend.
Thanks again for looking in, and I'll be back soon with another up-date.