rkranias

hey Ian!

Now that my Mossie is complete I'm actually finding some bench time this summer. Kids are now old enough to be shipped to overnight camps and day camps. That means several things: 1) Conversations with my wife in complete sentences. 2) Several "date nights". 3) Bench time. Noting, priority is #1 and #2. Before I button up the fuselage I want to enhance the Formation Lights. Abandoning the kit lights and will upgrade with MV lenses. I'm adding Formation Lights using MV Lenses #203 Blue Lens 2.2mm dia. Prior to filling the formation light opening. First, I filled the existing holes with putty. Sanded and primed to clean any imperfections. Using a #44 Drill the holes were carefully opened.

thanks Rob!

Paints, Washes, Pigments & Things Mr Paint 120 PRU Blue was used overall using black basing/marbling technique. Mr Paint 77 NATO Black was used for the propellers and Mr Paint 225 WWI Camo used for prop hubs. Give a subtle black contrast. MIG washes 1612 Green Brown applied to engine panel lines while 1603 Dark Sea Blue for remainder of panel lines. Using a short stiff brush and stipple application I applied MIG 034 Russian Earth pigment on the tires. MIG 025 Standard Rust applied to base of exhausts. Exhaust stains achieved by applying pigments using stipple in this order: 023 Black Smoke, then over the Black Smoke apply 026 Concrete keeping inside the Black Smoke pigment, then over the Concrete pigment apply 039 Industrial City Dirt DO NOT BRUSH! Stipple application will give the necessary breaks in the exhaust pattern.* Practice and have a reference photo handy. *This process worked for me and I will continue to experiment with desire to improve my skill sets.

This was to be a OOB build to settle my angst with some resin projects that were killing my mojo. As usual I cannot leave things alone. This is a great little kit with typical Tamiya engineering and fit. I did struggle with the landing gear assembly and the 3 piece canopy gave me fits. That said, I ended up using a vacuform canopy and scratch building the cockpit inner frame with .30mm styrene rod. Then the brake lines. Then the cockpit and bomb bay plumbing. Then the various PE enhancement. Then MV Lenses for recognition lights. I need help. Here is the WIP. Paint/Varnish/Wash/Pigment Mr Paint 120 PRU Blue Mr Paint 77 NATO Black (prop blades) Mr Paint 255 WWI Night Camo (prop hubs) Vallejo 306 Dark Rubber (tires) Vallejo Matt Varnish Tamiya XF-71 (interior) Alclad 101 Aluminum (wheel well doors & wheel hubs) MIG Panel Line 1603 Dark Sea Blue MIG Dark Wash MIG Russian Dirt, Rust, Smoke, Industrial, Concrete Pigments Aftermarket Goodies Rob-Taurus 48069 Vacuform Canopy/Nose UltraCast 48104 Exhaust UltraCast 48045 Tail Wheel UltraCast 48247 Standard Wheels Block Tread Eduard PE 49242 Mosquito B.Mk.IV/PR.Mk.IV MV Lenses 502 2.2mm dia Red, Green, Amber

great finish on one of my favorite WWII a/c!

I wanted to post this before 4 June. Weekend full of family 5k race, 4 soccer games and equine test with my kids. Sue and I were dividing and conquering chauffeur duties. Whew! I am privileged to know a man whose brother was pilot in VT-6. kit is Monogram 1:48 TBD-1. This sat in my Dad's smoke filled HAM radio shack for over 25 years. I cleaned and restored his model after he passed away. This experience got me back to the bench in 2011. A few before pics.

Watching this. you securing those bits and pieces of actual a/c...very cool. Jealous.

FINISHED Will post better pics (these are iPhone, hence no depth of field) soon in the Finished section. Thanks for following.

Thanks Rob. Every build these days is all about being resolute. ha, the HK 2 stage Mossie is in my sights. This time with USAAF markings. Cheers!

Cheers Kahuna!

The homestretch in sight. Almost ready to call this a wrap. A .35 drill and some EZ Line for the wip antenna secured with some Future. After the Future cured the EZ Line is trimmed. Vacu-Form nose glaze and intake screens installed. Bomb bay and landing gear doors installed. About those (Eduard) fenders... ...a figity pain. Like the look though. Exhaust stacks and stains applied. Pitot tube to be added, photo shoot...color this Mossie done!

great dio. weathering and finish is spot on.

lovely Wurger. great finish and resolute on the slightly faded camo colors. you pulled it off quite well.

this is a unique bird on so many levels.

you pulled off the turnbuckles quite nicely. beautifully nice finish

you put a headlock on this REV kit. good work.

great scheme and finish

nice save. you could put together a HAG Bf109 blindfolded, yes? love the finish and your always creative photography.

Brake lines. Using wire from an old electronic device I fashoned the brake lines using Tamiya's 1/32 instruction sheet as a reference. A little slice of Waspi Stretch Tubing for attach points. Identification lights are MV Products lenses. I carefully drilled out the engraved lights out of the fuselage with a #44 drill bit. Using epoxy I carefully paced the lenses in the drilled holes. A little squirrly to position. The results are worth the angst. So close to wrapping this project up. I want this off my bench.

Donation made. Thanks for making this opportunity available Malcchilds and James Hatch.

In lieu of sending a kit across the pond I'll make a donation. A great cause.

Bomb Bay with a little panel line wash added. Details to be added. Cameras, racks and wiring added. Tailplane blended. Blending complete decals begin to bring monotone scheme to life. Decals complete. On the the Panel Line Washes. PLW Green Brown used on engine cowlings while PLW Dark Sea Blue used for balance of a/c. Panel Line Wash done a filter of thinned black & brown is on deck.

Black from the attack. Black Base with some Gunze 1500 Black Primer applied. Breaking out my MRP PRU Blue I begin with marbling. Not many panel lines due to this a/c being mostly wood. Let the random abstract begin! Starboard wing complete. Port wing done. Stabilizer and... Bomb bay door with camera lens opening. Fuselage gets some love with a little blending. Oh, that canopy continues to give me the willys.

Thanks CP. Its been a fun ride so far. Want to wrap this up asap so I may start my WNW DH.9 and resume efforts on the A6M2b, P40B and Tempest V.