Crimea_River
Marshal
Looks fantastic Terry. We have an original axe at the museum and it's as you have done it.
<-- Mosquito FB.VI - Twin Engined Aircraft of WWII
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- #82
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks Andy, and good to know I got the axe right !
So far, I'm quite pleased the way tarting up an old kit has gone, although I feel as if I've cheated slightly, by using the pre-printed PE stuff.
I'm hoping that the masters, and the casts for the 'Gee' and associated equipment turn out all right, as it's a long time since I did any resin casting.
I'm planning on possibly using a Rob Taurus vac-formed canopy, if it will fit OK, as the kit canopy is rather thick, causing a lot of distortion. The vac-formed canopy is designed for the Tamiya kit, so I'll need to check and re-check that it will fit properly before committing myself on this.
I've also decided to place the model in a small vignette, with the crew ready to board, and the 'Trolley Ac' plugged in.
The contrast between the aircraft colour scheme, and the 'aluminium' doped wing tanks, and the darker blue of the RAAF uniforms should make nice change, against a couple of ground crew in RAF uniforms. Just need to make on of the figures used a touch on the tall side !!
I'm hopping back and forth between this build, and the NF.XII, which is now ready for the matt clear coat, but I intend to start a third Mosquito build in this GB, with a PR.IX example, which I'm hoping will be a simple and straightforward conversion - basically, canopy and props, with a few small details.
So far, I'm quite pleased the way tarting up an old kit has gone, although I feel as if I've cheated slightly, by using the pre-printed PE stuff.
I'm hoping that the masters, and the casts for the 'Gee' and associated equipment turn out all right, as it's a long time since I did any resin casting.
I'm planning on possibly using a Rob Taurus vac-formed canopy, if it will fit OK, as the kit canopy is rather thick, causing a lot of distortion. The vac-formed canopy is designed for the Tamiya kit, so I'll need to check and re-check that it will fit properly before committing myself on this.
I've also decided to place the model in a small vignette, with the crew ready to board, and the 'Trolley Ac' plugged in.
The contrast between the aircraft colour scheme, and the 'aluminium' doped wing tanks, and the darker blue of the RAAF uniforms should make nice change, against a couple of ground crew in RAF uniforms. Just need to make on of the figures used a touch on the tall side !!
I'm hopping back and forth between this build, and the NF.XII, which is now ready for the matt clear coat, but I intend to start a third Mosquito build in this GB, with a PR.IX example, which I'm hoping will be a simple and straightforward conversion - basically, canopy and props, with a few small details.
fubar57
General
Great looking innards Terry
Great stuff Terry.
- Thread starter
- #85
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks very much, Geo and Wayne.
I spent a couple of hours, at least, trying to replicate the bezel on the cathode ray tube of the 'Gee' indicator unit. A hole was drilled in the 'face' of the unit, which would then be cemented on to a backing piece, forming the front of the indicator 'box'. The bezel would then be fitted to the aperture, creating the look of the screen, set back slightly from the front panel, and then the other switches and knobs would be added, using slices of plastic rod of various sizes.
I was using very fine stretched sprue, wrapped around a paint brush shank to form a ring for the bezel, and joined using CA adhesive..
The rings worked OK, after a few attempts, but, being so fine, every time I tried to attach one to the front panel, it deformed slightly, ruining the shape of the ring.
So, after a pause for another large mug of coffee, I sat there, pondering (ponder, ponder), and my gaze just happened to fall on the box for the Tamiya Lancaster kit, scheduled for another build in the not too distant future.
Bells rang, lights flashed, and I swear a choir of angles let rip with that 'Hebrew Slaves' piece from some opera or other !
The Lancaster kit, despite its many faults, includes a basic representation of a 'Gee' indicator unit which, from memory, was reasonably accurate, and 'passable' as far as the front panel is concerned, even if the 'case' is a bit basic and not quit accurate.
So, a search through the parts, and the two pieces forming the Lancaster kit's 'Gee' unit were quickly located, removed from the sprue, and cleaned up.
The intention now was to use the front panel, cemented to a new 'case', to male a 'master' for casting in resin and, given the castings work OK, then the Lanc can have a new 'Gee' unit too, when the time comes.
The first stage was to make the 'cases' for the 'Gee' indicator unit, and the Receiver and R/F units, and 'Evergreen' rectangular section tube, and 'L' angle strip were used as the basis for the oblong 'boxes'.
I would have preferred to use the rectangular tube for both the Indicator unit, and the other two, slightly smaller 'boxes', but the nearest sizes available for the latter were either too big, or too small, so they will have to be made by joining two lengths of 'L' angle, to form a box which, although not quite the exact size required, is near enough not to be noticeable.
First, the rectangular tube was marked out for length, and two parallel lines were drawn on the wider sections, which will form the sides of the casing. These lines are marking the axis for a line of 'cooling' holes, which were then countersunk, using a small bit in a pin vice, before cutting the tube - it's a darned site easier to hold and drill a long length of tube, than it is to try to hold and drill a piece only 10 mm long !
Once the 'holes' were drilled, part way into the plastic, the tube was cut to the required length, and the cut edges lightly sanded.
The front panel from the Lancaster 'Gee' indicator was then cemented to the front, ensuring that the top edge was as close as possible to the top edge of the tube, with the 'excess' part of the tube at the bottom. The tube is very slightly too long on the vertical axis, leaving around 0.5 mm showing beneath the face of the 'Gee' indicator, but this will be hidden by the mounting bracket, when the unit is finally fitted into the Mosquito cockpit.
With the Tamiya Lancaster part fitted, the assembly was set aside to fully set, before it can be carefully sanded around the edges, to ensure a neat, and 'square' appearance.
Attention now turned to the two other 'boxes', and these were fabricated by joining two pieces of the 'L' section, one over the other, to form a box.
Once these, and the 'Gee' unit have set, they will be cleaned up, and a rear panel fitted to the 'Gee' unit, and front and rear panels fitted to the two boxes, using plastic card. The various cable connectors and switches will then be added to the Receiver and R/F unit 'boxes', using sliced plastic rod and stretched sprue and, when set, any glue residue will be cleaned off, and the parts prepared for casting in resin.
The 'masters' will be attached, face up, to a piece of thick card, held in place by PVA, and then sprayed with a couple of coats of Mould Release Agent.
A suitable mould container has been made from a cut-down, clear plastic shot glass, and this will be placed over the top of the 'masters', obviously with an open side up, taped in place, and the bottom edge sealed with 'Plasticine' to contain any leakage of the RTV moulding rubber.
The 'mould' will then be carefully filled with RTV silicone moulding rubber, with the setting catalyst added as per the instructions, which will be 'drizzled' over the 'masters. to minimise and hopefully avoid any air bubbles, and left to cure.
Once cured, the clear plastic shot glass will be peeled off, and the 'masters' carefully removed from the silicone mould.
Next step is to mix the casting resin, pour it into the mould, and wait for it to cure, when, hopefully, I'll have some resin copies of the 'Gee' unit equipment.
Given that the parts form OK, then I should be able to get at least another two or three castings from this mould, which is enough to cover my requirements for the next lot of Mosquito models, and the Lancaster (the latter will also need a H2s unit !).
Hopefully, this will work OK, so if anyone needs a 'Gee' unit in 1/48th scale, let me know, and I'll see if I can squeeze one out - as the Bishop said to the actress !
PIC 1. Drilling the 'cooling holes' part way into the pre-measured and marked plastic tube.
PIC 2.. The basis for the 'Gee' indicator, and the two, as yet 'bare', boxes for the R/F unit and Receiver.
PICS 3 and 4. The face of the Tamiya 'Gee' unit, compared to the real thing. Note that the face of the indicator unit could be black, or light grey. Mine will be grey, to add some contrast to the unit, and in order to make it more visible inside the Mossie cockpit.
I'm hoping to get the work completed on the 'masters' today, and possibly get the casting done tonight.
As soon a there's something to show, I'll post another up-date.
I spent a couple of hours, at least, trying to replicate the bezel on the cathode ray tube of the 'Gee' indicator unit. A hole was drilled in the 'face' of the unit, which would then be cemented on to a backing piece, forming the front of the indicator 'box'. The bezel would then be fitted to the aperture, creating the look of the screen, set back slightly from the front panel, and then the other switches and knobs would be added, using slices of plastic rod of various sizes.
I was using very fine stretched sprue, wrapped around a paint brush shank to form a ring for the bezel, and joined using CA adhesive..
The rings worked OK, after a few attempts, but, being so fine, every time I tried to attach one to the front panel, it deformed slightly, ruining the shape of the ring.
So, after a pause for another large mug of coffee, I sat there, pondering (ponder, ponder), and my gaze just happened to fall on the box for the Tamiya Lancaster kit, scheduled for another build in the not too distant future.
Bells rang, lights flashed, and I swear a choir of angles let rip with that 'Hebrew Slaves' piece from some opera or other !
The Lancaster kit, despite its many faults, includes a basic representation of a 'Gee' indicator unit which, from memory, was reasonably accurate, and 'passable' as far as the front panel is concerned, even if the 'case' is a bit basic and not quit accurate.
So, a search through the parts, and the two pieces forming the Lancaster kit's 'Gee' unit were quickly located, removed from the sprue, and cleaned up.
The intention now was to use the front panel, cemented to a new 'case', to male a 'master' for casting in resin and, given the castings work OK, then the Lanc can have a new 'Gee' unit too, when the time comes.
The first stage was to make the 'cases' for the 'Gee' indicator unit, and the Receiver and R/F units, and 'Evergreen' rectangular section tube, and 'L' angle strip were used as the basis for the oblong 'boxes'.
I would have preferred to use the rectangular tube for both the Indicator unit, and the other two, slightly smaller 'boxes', but the nearest sizes available for the latter were either too big, or too small, so they will have to be made by joining two lengths of 'L' angle, to form a box which, although not quite the exact size required, is near enough not to be noticeable.
First, the rectangular tube was marked out for length, and two parallel lines were drawn on the wider sections, which will form the sides of the casing. These lines are marking the axis for a line of 'cooling' holes, which were then countersunk, using a small bit in a pin vice, before cutting the tube - it's a darned site easier to hold and drill a long length of tube, than it is to try to hold and drill a piece only 10 mm long !
Once the 'holes' were drilled, part way into the plastic, the tube was cut to the required length, and the cut edges lightly sanded.
The front panel from the Lancaster 'Gee' indicator was then cemented to the front, ensuring that the top edge was as close as possible to the top edge of the tube, with the 'excess' part of the tube at the bottom. The tube is very slightly too long on the vertical axis, leaving around 0.5 mm showing beneath the face of the 'Gee' indicator, but this will be hidden by the mounting bracket, when the unit is finally fitted into the Mosquito cockpit.
With the Tamiya Lancaster part fitted, the assembly was set aside to fully set, before it can be carefully sanded around the edges, to ensure a neat, and 'square' appearance.
Attention now turned to the two other 'boxes', and these were fabricated by joining two pieces of the 'L' section, one over the other, to form a box.
Once these, and the 'Gee' unit have set, they will be cleaned up, and a rear panel fitted to the 'Gee' unit, and front and rear panels fitted to the two boxes, using plastic card. The various cable connectors and switches will then be added to the Receiver and R/F unit 'boxes', using sliced plastic rod and stretched sprue and, when set, any glue residue will be cleaned off, and the parts prepared for casting in resin.
The 'masters' will be attached, face up, to a piece of thick card, held in place by PVA, and then sprayed with a couple of coats of Mould Release Agent.
A suitable mould container has been made from a cut-down, clear plastic shot glass, and this will be placed over the top of the 'masters', obviously with an open side up, taped in place, and the bottom edge sealed with 'Plasticine' to contain any leakage of the RTV moulding rubber.
The 'mould' will then be carefully filled with RTV silicone moulding rubber, with the setting catalyst added as per the instructions, which will be 'drizzled' over the 'masters. to minimise and hopefully avoid any air bubbles, and left to cure.
Once cured, the clear plastic shot glass will be peeled off, and the 'masters' carefully removed from the silicone mould.
Next step is to mix the casting resin, pour it into the mould, and wait for it to cure, when, hopefully, I'll have some resin copies of the 'Gee' unit equipment.
Given that the parts form OK, then I should be able to get at least another two or three castings from this mould, which is enough to cover my requirements for the next lot of Mosquito models, and the Lancaster (the latter will also need a H2s unit !).
Hopefully, this will work OK, so if anyone needs a 'Gee' unit in 1/48th scale, let me know, and I'll see if I can squeeze one out - as the Bishop said to the actress !
PIC 1. Drilling the 'cooling holes' part way into the pre-measured and marked plastic tube.
PIC 2.. The basis for the 'Gee' indicator, and the two, as yet 'bare', boxes for the R/F unit and Receiver.
PICS 3 and 4. The face of the Tamiya 'Gee' unit, compared to the real thing. Note that the face of the indicator unit could be black, or light grey. Mine will be grey, to add some contrast to the unit, and in order to make it more visible inside the Mossie cockpit.
I'm hoping to get the work completed on the 'masters' today, and possibly get the casting done tonight.
As soon a there's something to show, I'll post another up-date.
fubar57
General
That's some nice work
- Thread starter
- #88
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks, Wojtek and Geo.
Thank the Lord High Priest of Bacon that test fitting is Standard Practice !
I made the 'Gee' indicator 'box' to scale size, working from drawings and published dimensions and, as I suspected, it worked out slightly shorter than the relatively crude (and only three-sided) box supplied in the Tamiya Lancaster kit, which I'd always thought looked too long.
Before proceeding with the clean-up, ready for casting, I tried the scratch-built item for fit and, allowing for some of the over-scale parts and the spacing in the Airfix cockpit, the unit fitted on the spar alongside and facing the Navigator's seat, and behind the Pilot's seat, angled upwards at approximately 45 degrees. The Pilot's seat was fitted for this exercise.
However, I needed to be certain that, once fitted in place properly, it wouldn't foul the cockpit wall, or get pushed off to one side, when the fuselage was joined.
So, another test fit, this time with the cockpit assembly slotted into the port fuselage half - and the 'Gee' box didn't fit properly, at the required angle, as the rear end protruded beyond the line of the 'shelf', and fouled on the cockpit side wall !
The only solution was to cheat, and shorten the length of the 'box' - after all, the space is so tight, that the rear end of the 'box' can't be seen when in place, so the actual length really isn't a concern.
So out with the razor saw, and some careful sawing removed a couple of mm from the rear of the 'box', and further test-fitting showed that it would now fit, at the desired angle, and not foul the wall or the rear of the Pilot's seat.
(The shorter length won't be a problem when one of the cast 'Gee' boxes is eventually fitted into the Lancaster model, as it will be on a swivel bracket, and angled over the Nav table, at about 45 degrees, towards the front of the aircraft, as opposed to the 'kit version', which is 'fixed' against the bulkhead in the equivalent of the stowed position, and lacking the swivel bracket.)
The pics show the original scratch-built box with the Tamiya Lancaster kit version, and the same box after removing a couple of millimeters from the rear end.
Back to work now on the other two boxes and, with a bit of luck, I might get them done, and ready for casting, some time tonight.
Thank the Lord High Priest of Bacon that test fitting is Standard Practice !
I made the 'Gee' indicator 'box' to scale size, working from drawings and published dimensions and, as I suspected, it worked out slightly shorter than the relatively crude (and only three-sided) box supplied in the Tamiya Lancaster kit, which I'd always thought looked too long.
Before proceeding with the clean-up, ready for casting, I tried the scratch-built item for fit and, allowing for some of the over-scale parts and the spacing in the Airfix cockpit, the unit fitted on the spar alongside and facing the Navigator's seat, and behind the Pilot's seat, angled upwards at approximately 45 degrees. The Pilot's seat was fitted for this exercise.
However, I needed to be certain that, once fitted in place properly, it wouldn't foul the cockpit wall, or get pushed off to one side, when the fuselage was joined.
So, another test fit, this time with the cockpit assembly slotted into the port fuselage half - and the 'Gee' box didn't fit properly, at the required angle, as the rear end protruded beyond the line of the 'shelf', and fouled on the cockpit side wall !
The only solution was to cheat, and shorten the length of the 'box' - after all, the space is so tight, that the rear end of the 'box' can't be seen when in place, so the actual length really isn't a concern.
So out with the razor saw, and some careful sawing removed a couple of mm from the rear of the 'box', and further test-fitting showed that it would now fit, at the desired angle, and not foul the wall or the rear of the Pilot's seat.
(The shorter length won't be a problem when one of the cast 'Gee' boxes is eventually fitted into the Lancaster model, as it will be on a swivel bracket, and angled over the Nav table, at about 45 degrees, towards the front of the aircraft, as opposed to the 'kit version', which is 'fixed' against the bulkhead in the equivalent of the stowed position, and lacking the swivel bracket.)
The pics show the original scratch-built box with the Tamiya Lancaster kit version, and the same box after removing a couple of millimeters from the rear end.
Back to work now on the other two boxes and, with a bit of luck, I might get them done, and ready for casting, some time tonight.
Robert Porter
Senior Master Sergeant
Very nicely done! Looking great!
Crimea_River
Marshal
Some very nice work here Terry and the descriptions very thorough.
BTW, here's a pic of the axe we had at the museum for a while. It's the actual axe that Andew Mynarski tried to use to save his tail gunner, the action for which he received a poshumous VC.
BTW, here's a pic of the axe we had at the museum for a while. It's the actual axe that Andew Mynarski tried to use to save his tail gunner, the action for which he received a poshumous VC.
- Thread starter
- #92
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks chaps, and thanks for the pic of the very famous axe, Andy.
Mynarski's statue stands outside the George Hotel at Teesside Airport - the hotel was once the Mess, and the airport used to be known as Middleton St. George, where Mynarski was based. It's three flaps of a Pigeon's wings from where Karl lives.
I've got a little bit more done to the 'boxes', but had to pack it in, as my hands and wrists are very painful and tender, particularly the right one, I guess due to the hours of gripping, holding and cutting at daft angles.
I'm hoping to have an un-interupted day tomorrow, so, given my hands have recovered, I might be able to get the boxes finished, and the casting done.
Mynarski's statue stands outside the George Hotel at Teesside Airport - the hotel was once the Mess, and the airport used to be known as Middleton St. George, where Mynarski was based. It's three flaps of a Pigeon's wings from where Karl lives.
I've got a little bit more done to the 'boxes', but had to pack it in, as my hands and wrists are very painful and tender, particularly the right one, I guess due to the hours of gripping, holding and cutting at daft angles.
I'm hoping to have an un-interupted day tomorrow, so, given my hands have recovered, I might be able to get the boxes finished, and the casting done.
- Thread starter
- #95
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks Wojtek and Karl.
Haven't got any more done I'm afraid - hands still stiff and painful. Hopefully tomorrow, as I have to wait in for a delivery anyway.
Haven't got any more done I'm afraid - hands still stiff and painful. Hopefully tomorrow, as I have to wait in for a delivery anyway.
Looks great so far Terry!
- Thread starter
- #97
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Stiffness in the hands has eased-off a bit, so I managed to get the masters finished for the 'Gee' Indicator, Receiver and R/F unit.
Given that I'm OK tomorrow, I'll have the first attempt at casting them in resin - I need three sets for Mosquito models, and an extra 'Gee' Indicator unit to replace the one from the Lancaster kit.
Given that I'm OK tomorrow, I'll have the first attempt at casting them in resin - I need three sets for Mosquito models, and an extra 'Gee' Indicator unit to replace the one from the Lancaster kit.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Good Lord man! You can go into business selling those if it works out.
- Thread starter
- #99
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks very much Andy.
Some of the raised switches, and the cable connectors, still need trimming and shaping, which will be done when they've fully set.
If I thought it was cost effective (given that they cast OK), I would consider marketing them. but it's a limited market, with relatively high work load per set, to get involved with selling them. They're not quite 100% accurate, size wise, but close enough.
However, should you, or other members need any, I'll gladly supply some, FOC.
Some of the raised switches, and the cable connectors, still need trimming and shaping, which will be done when they've fully set.
If I thought it was cost effective (given that they cast OK), I would consider marketing them. but it's a limited market, with relatively high work load per set, to get involved with selling them. They're not quite 100% accurate, size wise, but close enough.
However, should you, or other members need any, I'll gladly supply some, FOC.
Damn..! Good work there Terry.
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