Well, what can I say? Big Mosquito is big.

You may have noticed that there have been no updates to my P-39 thread in a long time. Fear not - they will resume. For now, I have taken on the responsibility of building this beautiful kit on commission and as such it will be my only project until it's finished. I've decided to post progress as a blog out of interests sake, to share in your knowledge and so my client can see progress and to keep me working away.


I started with a whack of research. I'm surprised how hard it has been to find Mosquito colour schemes. The ones in our usual references are either of different variants or they're not of enough importance to deviate from the kit markings.

After research I set about filling as many of the ejector pin markings as I could - mostly those that could be seen once assembled (you'll see some in photos still). I have never seen so many EP markings in my life, I ended up attaching disks of sandpaper to various diameter dowels and putting those in a cordless drill, once sanded smooth with various grades, the parts were primed with Alclad Primer/Filler - similar to Mr. Surfacer, but readily available here in Canada.


I have since done my base coat of black for shading and then my interior Green. I have a lot of time in already, progress doesn't look like much, but will speed up quickly in the next few days as parts start to be glued into the fuselage.

It should be noted that the fit is finicky, alignment is tricky with the complete absence of alignment pins and tabs like we've become used to.


For the interior painting, I've used a technique called Zenithal Lighting - I've used it with great results in the past,http://www.hyperscale.com/2012/galleries/sbd532mo_1.htm = but never knew its name. You paint the parts a dark colour, then spray the interior colour in the direction that light shines, leaving natural shadows. Think of it as pre-shading for the interior and you'd be right on.

Pics;



Shoddy photo of the pilots backrest cushion, but you get the idea of the technique, the khaki was sprayed directly downwards. This sill still be washed and drybrushed



Roof of the gun compartment in the nose



Airbrushed always looks better



Mask removed, shown with backrest



Surprisingly good fit, the floors and bulkheads were glued together using a square though - no alignment pegs or tabs, edge on edge.



Same shading technique used on the fuse halves





I HATE brush painting, and since my last masking tutorial was so popular, here's a quick little SbS. The pilots seat has padded armrests.



I used a caliper to measure the length and width of the armrests, I marked this on my favourite masking medium - Post Its - and cut the shape out. I could then push the whole armrest through the hole and safely airbrush. spray across the post it for the sides, front and rear. Neater than hand brushing, looks better and even with 'masking' it's faster.



Mask was originally tighter. This one could still be used though - pull it in the direction opposite the airbush and you'll be fine.





Feedback welcome! More updates as we go through the week!

Nice work so far Matt, I will be following on this journey for sure!

Funnily enough, I was just reading your P-39 thread last night and wondering when the next instalment was coming. I guess I'll be waiting a while

Cheers, D

Thanks Damian.

Yes sadly the P-39 project is on hold. The aftermarket resin set from CMK just isn't fitting as I would like and it put me off a bit (since I already hacked the nose off) so I'm trying to figure out how to make it work. I'll likely finish off my MDC Typhoon after this build and then knock out my 1/32 N1k2-J - it's always exciting when your favourite subject is finally released!

Matt, looking forward to following along your 1/24 scale Mosquito build. Just the detail of that scale makes it more then worth while.

Joel

Thanks Joel. Speaking of which, having seen this years announced releases from Airfix, I'm going to buy up all of the worlds stock of Hawker Typhoons in 1/24th scale for that very reason.

[/quote]Thanks Joel. Speaking of which, having seen this years announced releases from Airfix, I'm going to buy up all of the worlds stock of Hawker Typhoons in 1/24th scale for that very reason.[/quote]

Get in line Matt lol! I have my name on the waiting list for that beauty as well.

Hi Matt,
I'm looking forward to seeing this develop

Yes the 1/24 scale Typhoon is an absolute stunner, it will certainly raise the bar, and probably put it out of reach for some manufacturers. I saw it in person at Telford and it is even better than it looks on photos, the detail is mind blowing to say the least.

Most guys like myself barely have room for 1/48 scale, let alone 1/32 scale aircraft. And now 1/24 scale. I just can't imagine the size of the Mosquito. Must be close to the size of the 1/32 B-17.

And just how do you and Glen plan on affording all those 1/24 scale Typhoons?

Joel

Nice, Matt! This is the first one of these I've seen worked up, and I'll be happily reading along- cheers!

I'll be watching. Love the Mossie!

Thanks for joining in and following along fellas.

I would try and tell you how big the kit is, but even the photos I saw of the model compared to something like a 48th scale mustang didn't convey the sense of size or prepare me for what I found when I opened the box. To be honest, this is why I chose to do this as a commission build - it's a model I wanted to build, but I have nowhere to put it other than the dining room table, and we can all imagine how that would go over.


Just a very brief update for the sake of keeping things going - and a bit of a review and how to while I'm at it.

I've spend hours assembling the RB Productions 1/24th scale Sutton harnesses. I've completed one and I'm now on the second. The review is this; compared to the HGW items (RB makes smaller scale belts and I used an HGW item in my Mustang build featured here on Aeroscale) I can't say if I prefer one over the other - they're very different approaches and build very differently. I prefer the photoetch of the RB parts, and the belt material in the RB production kits are pre-cut. The material for the HGW harnesses fall a little nicer and sit a little more naturally on their own, but you have to cut them from a solid sheet of material. A minor inconvenience but it also makes them slightly more difficult to feed them through the p/e buckles. In the end I would likely choose the Radu products in the future, they're both a lot of work but the RB Productions pieces are easier to assemble

Here's one (dodgy) photo of the second harness as it sits right this second. I use dots of blu-tac to position the belts, I often use the same technique for photoetch. (note the Y shaped harnesses actually come in separate pieces for L and R sides in the RB part, whereas in the HGW set it comes as one solid Y shaped piece, but you have to cut them out, which can be tricky where it curves as you can't use a ruler) and then I use Micro Kristal Klear to glue the pieces together. Kristal Klear is tacky enough right off the bat that it will hold the pieces while it cures. You cannot use CA glue on the belts because it will stain and stiffen the material - I verified this on a scrap piece provided.



Editorial afterthought - the brass grommets in the RB Production belts which go into the holes you see in this photo make it a hands down win for the RB pieces, they're stunning when completed.

Once these harnesses are done, then it's time to paint the odds and sods of the cockpit and start gluing stuff together.

The 1/24 scale Mossie is big so to speak. But I have an R/C version with a 120" wing span hanging from the ceiling in my house as it is now. Sure hope those straps are sturdy! Beautiful work on the belts Matt!

Can someone help me out?

What are parts 11L (sep 15) and 26L (step 27)? I cant find anything about them in my references. I think that 11L might be the sanitary tank but Airfix suggests khaki as the paint code. I have no idea what 26L is.

Hi Matt,
I've had a quick look at the 2 items that you mention and to be honest I really don't know what they are but I am intrigued and I plan on doing an internet search to see if what I think that they are is correct:
I think that part 11L is a fuse box, it would be accessible by the navigator and I think that part 26L could be storage for the navigators maps, certainly for storing somthing; it is just a shaped space, so I can't think what else that it could be used for. I have always wondered what it is

According to the Pilot's Notes manual for the FB 6, the only thing stowed under the pilot's seat was the first aid kit. Would they be colored khaki as suggested? Still searching the reference material for that item in front of the Nav's feet.

Glenn did some excellent legwork. 11L is definitely a first aid kit - or a storage box for one. I think the other part could be a map case, but are there any photos of it anywhere? It just seems to be an odd shape and size for a map case.

Okay folks - let's put this part to bed permanently.

Thanks very much to Glenn who apparently has an indefatigable library of Mosquito references we were able to sort this all out.

11L is a container of sorts that holds a standard issue RAF first aid kit. The sanitary jug would actually sit behind it and under the seat so Airfix have chosen not to include it. A perfectly acceptable choice.

Here is part 11L

Bottom left of the image. The scallops on the front are "Torch holders" which I believe in the earlier built examples are on the bulkhead behind the navigator's legs




In a bomber at the top of the access port in the floor


The kit part


The aforementioned sanitary tank with the first aid kit removed.


The other part in question took some sorting. The colour call-out is strange (Khaki) Made more frustrating because Airfix uses Humbrol colours but there's no damn colour chart in the instructions - who made this decision? I have to look up every single colour as I don't like Humbrol paints and I dont use them.

Turns out it's a desk type structure on the floor that houses a drawer that pulls out. It holds the navigator's maps and is held in by a leather strap (the drawer.)

Bottom right of the image, below the perforated metal shelf that holds the drift meter


It's out of focus here, but you can see the drawer slid out a few inches.




I hope this helps someone building this kit in the future. Thanks Glenn for your help.

Now I'm off to scratch build a drawer and use a spare piece of the harness to make the leather strap. These always start out as OOB builds you know. I hope to have the fuselage glued together by the end of the weekend, depending on how long the weathering takes. I'll be sure to post photos.


p.s. - Chuk, want to build me a drawer? ;-)

BUILD UPDATE

Making some progress, not quite as much as I'd hoped but a step forward is a step forward.

Firstly, the chart case with newly made chart table



After a repaint to match references and with the cloth strap and metal button installed as per reference photo above



Completed two piece shoulder harness for pilot



I know most people here like to undercoat colour cockpit parts with white paint to make them a little more vibrant. I don't. I find white paint as much of a PITA as the colours themselves - so try this next time; undercoat with silver. It paints nicer, covers 100% in one coat, it's light enough to make the colours vibrant and it's very easy to control the paint when applying.



finished product (without wash or drybrush yet)





Completed control yoke with wrapped handle (floral wire painted buff)



Odds and sods



Dryfit without rudder pedals




More to come - have to gloss, decal, wash, flat coat and drybrush.

Matt, the map case came out perfect, as did your belts and harness. The start of the cockpit, especially the IP just blew me away.
Joel

Matt, you are indeed an artist and craftsman!! Absolutely stunning work. The amount of detail is eye-watering! My hat is off to you.

Thanks guys. I'm at that odd point where I have to get all of the parts to the same stage so that I can move forward altogether.

My workbench is down for a few days while my basement gets a much needed facelift. So for the next few nights I will be sitting in front of the TV with a table assembling the engines - one of the few components I usually assemble prior to applying any paint.

Finally an update - sorry for the delay guys, it's been hectic here.

First - the aforementioned Merlins - just in longblock form for painting purposes. Were a bit of a pain in the ass to assemble.



Here's the update on the interior - it's all done and glued together!

It took me a long time to find this photo, it was in the Walkaround book I had lost - I needed to see how the harness attached to the seat. The hole is there, but I wasn't sure because it was offset


Turns out that is the correct hole



I scratched the mount with styrene rod and a spare piece of photo etch



The Navigators harness in place



Pilots harness complete



All the interior parts after a wash, decal, drybrush and flat coat. I used the Alclad clear flat - it WILL dry inside your brush as you spray, but I'm always done before it becomes an issue, then I tear it down and clean it as per my article here











Roof of the bomb bay glued in place



Cockpit all glued together







Overall Impression - The fit is mediocre. Not nearly as good as I was expecting from a current generation kit. Not horrible, but some of the simplest things present the most time consuming problems.


Also of note - something I discovered long ago - Tamiya's Nato Black (XF-69) is a perfect scale black. The nice part about using a stock paint is that the colour will be consistent as you progress through your build. Nato black is the perfect colour - dark enough to dry brush, light enough to show a wash. All of my black parts are painted in this colour.

Matt,
The detail in 1/24 scale is just bind boggling. Those seats with the seatbelts and harness is amazing. Even the instrument panel affords you plenty of opportunities to detail even with a brush.
Keep those progress pictures coming.
Joel

That cockpit is a model in itself! Nice work.

Matt,
Cockpit is looking museum quality! Pure artwork. As a side note. Where did you get the small drill bit set in the blue case? I can think of hundreds of times I could have made use of such a set. Hook a friend up with the manufacturer data please.