Tom and Gerry's Mossie, "The Aristocrat" ***Finished***

[AndrewR]

I'll be building the Mosquito flown by Flight Lieutenant Gerry Fawkes, with Flight Lieutenant Tom Bennett as navigator. They flew together in 49 Sqn, then converted to the Mosquito and were posted to 617 Squadron as part of Leonard Cheshire's precision marking force.

Tom Bennett passed away recently - the last of the British wartime 617 flying crew to do so, so this is a Memorial Build for him and for Gerry Fawkes

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituar ... nnett.html;

See this link for pictures and more information

http://www.ww2f.com/topic/17638-pics617 ... osquitoes/;

The kit is the venerable Airfix FB.VI, but in the MPC boxing, in a very fetching white plastic.



To enhance the cockpit, there is a little Eduard Photoetch sheet, intended for the Tamiya kit. This will give me the instrument panel detail, and also a few exterior details missing from the Airfix kit. I'll still have to scratchbuild most of the interior structure and seats.

Unusually for me, I won't be putting pilot figures in the cockpit, so there is also a nice vac-form canopy to replace the rather thick kit canopy. So my scratchbuilding had better look good I will be shamelessly nicking inspired by Dirk's build here:

http://gregers.fr.yuku.com/topic/12024/ ... XyW1LWThEI;

and MartinR's build here

http://www.uamf.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=181&t=1311;

I also acquired a set of resin wheels, which are much nicer than the ones in the kit.

Pictures of these aircraft are hard to come by, but it appears that this one was finished in the "Intruder" scheme of Medium Sea Grey, with Dark Green. The aircraft probably had D-Day stripes in June 1944, which I will paint on. It's uncertain whether it had Squadron codes on it, but given that 627 Sqn. Mosquitoes, did have red codes, that's what I will go for, as NT205 AJ-L. I have some vinyl paint masks, so I may try spraying the codes on. I'll also have to do some custom decals for "The Aristocrat" logo on the side and the serial numbers.

cheers

Andrew

[rob_van_riel]

Pictures of these aircraft are hard to come by, but it appears that this one was finished in the "Intruder" scheme of Medium Sea Grey, with Dark Green. The aircraft probably had D-Day stripes in June 1944, which I will paint on. It's uncertain whether it had Squadron codes on it, but given that 627 Sqn. Mosquitoes, did have red codes, that's what I will go for, as NT205 AJ-L.

This is what the Xtradecal instructions for NT202/AJ-N say, so you're probably close. PM me if you want me to send you scan for further reference.

[Martin R]

Andrew,

I'll watch your build with interest. Also, it'll make a nice addition to your collection, sitting alongside the Hornet.

Re the Airfix kit, gotchas:

Engine nacelles - the halves are 'handed'. Make sure you're gluing the right bits together;

Undercarriage assemblies - drill the locating holes in the undercarriage legs out a bit and make sure the x-shaped bracing piece is well seated. Leave the whole assembly to dry thoroughly before mounting in the nacelles. Once dry, dry fit carefully in the nacelle halves. You may have to drill out the locating holes in the nacelles a bit (particularly the rear ones) as well (don't worry too much if you go through the nacelle sides - with the undercarriage locating pegs in place to seat the filler, the resulting hole can be filled quite easily;

Wings - locating lug is a very tight fit - and may interfere with any cockpit interior structure you add;

Tailplanes - don't mount well on the fuselage sides - some filler is likely to be required;

Seams - the one on the underside of the engine cowling between the undercarriage legs is difficult to reach and clean up.

Notwithstanding the above, it's a nice kit to build!

Have fun.

regards,

Martin

[aeroplanegripper]

Nice subject there Andrew, looking forward to seeing how she shapes up. Got to love the Mossie.

[AndrewR]

@Rob: PM sent! I think the Xtradecal researcher followed the same trail of evidence that I did, so at least we are consistent. The evidence is far from conclusive, but plausible.

@Martin. Thanks for the tips. I remember the nacelles problem when Graham built one of these.

@Mark. Yes, the Mossie is a beautiful piece of design work, and the kit is certainly a CBK. I'm hoping for an Airfix retool in 2015, I'd like to see a retooled Beaufighter in 2014. I think we have a fair chance, given that Airfix are working their way steadily through iconic British aircraft subjects.

Cheers

Andrew

[AndrewR]

I've washed the kit, so it's now whiter than white with a ring of confidence.

I've also found that one of the exhaust stubs is missing from the sprue. I'll make a new one from bits of brass rod.

The Eduard photoetch will give me a nice instrument panel, seatbelts, pilot seat armrests, plus a few external details such as radiator grills. Not bad for £2.25.

I'm hoping to start this evening, although youngest son is not cooperating in going to sleep in a timely fashion

Edit: two hours later, and he's just gone to sleep.
We think it might be something he ate which triggered the hyperactivity.
I may have to postpone the start of building until tomorrow!

[AndrewR]

A bit of work scratchbuilding the cockpit. Not accurate, but "busy".



Plastic rod, plastic card and balsa wood pieces (hey, it's the Wooden Wonder!) . Some photoetch also goes on there eventually.



There will be some black radio boxes to fit in there too.



cheers

Andrew

[ShaunW]

Accuracy, schmaccuracy - I agree it looks usefully busy, should fool all but the worst JMN

[AndrewR]

Accuracy, schmaccuracy - I agree it looks usefully busy, should fool all but the worst JMN

I like to keep the build moving forward. Too much faffing around with the cockpit would probably stall me!

I picked up some thin brass sheet at my alternate model shop today. That's for the indercarriage doors because the plastic ones scale to about 75 mm thick!

Cheers

Andrew

[AndrewR]

Forty minutes or so spent "detailing" the cockpit side walls, using jewellery wire, plastic rod and plastic sheet of various thicknesses. I've tried to give the impression of the interior, with the various shapes, wiring, boxes etc.



I have to build up the instrument panel next, using the Eduard photoetch, and then the cockpit can be primed and painted.

cheers

Andrew

[AndrewR]

And some primer on the insides of the cockpit. I've mixed light grey and bronze green primers together. It's a bit darker than I want for the final effect, but the top coat will be lighter.



More later!

cheers

Andrew

[AndrewR]

A bit of light grey green sprayed on. A homemade mix of 1:1 VA Pale Green and Medium Sea Grey.

It got a bit too grey at the end Hopefully I'll get some detail painting done tomorrow.

Cheers

Andrew

[Martin R]

Nice 'pit, Andrew.

Looking forward to seeing it painted.

regards,

Martin

[AndrewR]

I've just realized that I forgot the armrests on the pilot's seat.

[AndrewR]

The interior has had boxes and details picked out in various shades of dark grey.



The axe on the emergency door does looks a little like the Grim Reaper's Scythe





The seatbelts have been painted VA Buff and VA Steel (they look a bit yellowish in the photo). Almost ready for final assembly of the interior




cheers

Andrew