D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

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Spaceowl
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D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Spaceowl »

D.H. Mosquito FB.VI, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen' Rabat-Sale Airfield, Algeria, 1947

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The replacement for the French FW-190 clone, the NC.900, and the fast-diminishing number of Yak-3s, the Mossies were taken directly from RAF stocks and served for three years in the desert in Algeria, while Normandie-Niemen changed role from pure fighter/interceptor to night fighter and ground attack. They were slated to move to Indochina in 1949, but the Mosquito's tendency to delaminate in hot moist climates had already been noted and the move was made with brand new P-63s instead. Like much of the AdlA at that time, The NN had to put up with used aircraft, but the Mossie seems to have been popular with its crews and did yeoman service until the Kingcobras took over.

This was a very easy build of a truly outstanding kit, the Tamiya 1/72 Mosquito which seems to have been scaled down directly from the equally superlative 1/48 version. I was slightly (read utterly) let down by the Carpena/Colorado decal sheet, which suffered a high rate of loss due to shattering when dipped in water. A tip: if you are forced to use decals by these bums, give them a spray of gloss varnish first. How they have kept in business for so long baffles me - this is the third sheet I've lost to shattering from this firm. Your experience may differ; perhaps I've been unlucky. Fortunately, I was able to cobble together replacements from the spares box which almost matched, but did silver rather badly after the microset/sol had dried.

That aside, this makes the fifth and biggest of the Normandie-Niemen project so far. Coming up next is the last prop, the P-47D Thunderbolt. After that it's on to the jets.
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by celt »

The mossie is a beautiful aircraft and your model captures this well.Well tidy mun.
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by ShaunW »

I've watched this build on your WW thread, Spaceowl and I've heard great things about this kit - for a 1/72nd Mosquito it would be top of my shopping list although the same probably can't be said for Carpena/Colarado as a source of alternate markings! You've made a really great job of this. How did you go about painting the tricolour spinners as a matter of interest - masking tape and patience? :grin:
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Lone Modeller »

Very nice to see a Mossie in different colours. Thanks too for the background material - always interesting to learn about these aircraft in different theatres of operations.
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

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Lone Modeller wrote:Very nice to see a Mossie in different colours.
Absolutely :razz:
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by FAAMAN »

Very nicely done Mozzy :beer:

Tamiya is far too expensive. Airfix for my Mozzies ;-) ;-)
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Stamford »

I´ve got this one in the stash so it´s nice to see it endorsed! Nice work on the prop hubs - that must have been nasty masking.
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by PropWash »

Beautifully done SpaceOwl. I really like the French 'Normandie-Niemen' aircraft and have never seen in Mossie in the livery.
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Spaceowl »

Stamford wrote:I´ve got this one in the stash so it´s nice to see it endorsed! Nice work on the prop hubs - that must have been nasty masking.
Actually, the curves were too radical to get a decent mask, and in the end, I spun the hubs in my Dremel and marked them with a soft pencil, then painted them freehand, hence the demarcation being a bit ragged in places (sorry :oops: ). It's the curse of Normandie-Niemen.
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Spaceowl »

PropWash wrote:Beautifully done SpaceOwl. I really like the French 'Normandie-Niemen' aircraft and have never seen in Mossie in the livery.
I've found precisely ONE actual photo of a Normandie-Niemen Mossie. Damn it, had these people no idea of posterity? :-D
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by iggie »

The whole thing looks superb; nice job with the spinners!
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Spaceowl »

Thanks for all the kind feedback, chaps. I don't think I say that enough.
Overhead a rainbow appears...in black and white.

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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Old_Tonto »

That is none to shabby mate. Nice idea using the Dremel.
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Re: D.H. Mosquito, 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by skypirate »

That is a lovely model in interesting markings! I was not aware that the Mossie served in French colours.

Cheers,

David
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