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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

HK Models Mosquito B Mk. IV Series II (FPU) - (Diorama Finished)


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Identifying the FPU Mosquito, shown in Brian Harris's Video "Mosquitos Airborne".

 

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It is stated that it is filmed by Mosquito navigator Mr. Brian Harris (DFC) on 15. Aug 1944 at 627 Squadron.

 

It looks to be KB195 AZ-B of 627 Squadron. The mission depicted in the film is the attack on the Luftwaffe Night-fighter Aerodrome at Gilze en Rijen, Holland.

 

John Beeching's comment on the video:

 

"I was stationed on 627 Squadron at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire at war's end, from where we were going to Okinawa on the RAF 'Tiger Force' to mark targets in Japan, but, of course, we weren't needed. I flew AZ-N, AZ-O, AZ-P, AZ-R, AZ-T, AZ-Q, AZ-V, AZ-W and AZ-Y.  All of which I have recorded in my logbook here. There is a fair chance that one or two of these appear in this clip.  John Beeching"

 

The Book: "The Dam Busters: An Operational History of Barnes Wallis' Bombs" mentions this plane participating in the 617 Sqdn. Lancasters attack on the U-boat pens in Pallice on 9. august 1944.

 

"One 627 Sqdn. Mosquito as film aircraft, KB195 'B' Flt Lt I. H. Hanlon and Flt Lt Kenneth George Tice".

IWM: 5 films of attacks, filmed by this crew Hanlon/Tice

(08.06.1944 - U-boat pens at Lorient, France. 15.08.1944 - Luftwaffe Night-fighter Aerodrome at Gilze en Rijen, Holland. 10.07.1944 - The Kembs Dam, Germany. 14.08.1944 - Shipping at Brest harbour, France. 13.08.1944 - U-boat pens and shipping at Brest, France.)

 

Another FPU?

 

Same book: "One 627 Sqdn Mosquito to film the Poortershaven attack: KB362 'K' W/O R. W. Player and P/O C. B. Heath".

IWM: "Day attack by De Havilland Mosquito bombers of the RAF 627 Squadron against U-boat pens at Poortershaven, Holland. Filmed by on board cameras. Camera plane piloted by Warrant Officer Player". (19 films by on board cameras, same crew Player (Pilot) and Heath (Cameraman).

 

(11.12.1944 - Urft Dam, Germany.  Railway viaducts at Bielefeld. 24.02.1945 - Dortmund-Ems canal, Germany.  Cont...)

 

Wikipedia: Attack on Gestapo Headquartes in Oslo Norway: AZ-K/KB362 (Buckley (RNZAF)/Heath (RAF film crew))

 

To sum it up: If the FPU's were modified at the same time, it must have been some time before august 15. 1944!

 

FPU's identifed: DZ383 '?' (FPU), DZ414 'O' (FPU), DZ592 (-) (540 Squadron, Banff), KB195 'AZ-B' (627 Squadron, Woodhall Spa), KB362 'AZ-K' (627 Squadron, Woodhall Spa)...

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DZ592 is like DZ383, on their Air Ministry Form 78s, showing them as 540 Sqn but both a/c were officially used by the RAF FPU and had been converted for this operational use. 

DZ592 was the FPU a/c covering the Banff ( Mosquitoes ) and Dallachy ( Beaufighters) strike wings.

 

As far as I have found, after many years of research, DZ592 did not carry any code letters, numbers or symbols on its fuselage and was painted in the standard camouflage of the Banff strike wing for late 44/45. 

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Latest additions to the 'research' library:

 

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Crispin's Day by Leigh Howard, cameraman on DZ414 in the Amien's Jailbreak operation. "Men and Mosquitoes" DVD Documentaries.

 

"Luftangreb" by Jacob Munkholm Jensen, a book about the precision bombing of the Gestapo headquarters in Aarhus (Danish)

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You're absolutely right I missed this. I just went along with the Profimodeller assembly instructions on this, they put the back details on top?

(Hmm... never trust the instructions?)

 

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Now I can fix it before beginning the paint, thanks Cees!!

 

Kent

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks guy's - the build has been stalled some, by other projects, but I will get there. It's all in the 'pipeline'...

 

In between I've been working on a little addition to a future diorama.. A Royal Airforce Trolley Accumulator

This time It wasn't necessary to build all from scratch, because Iconicair has made a lovely resin kit for this..

 

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But somewhere I had seen photos where there seemed to be a generator or something on top. Like this one:

 

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A little digging, and I found out, that it was a so called JAP Engine Generator.

 

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I just had to build one for the RAF trolley... Using bits and pieces I managed to get a lookalike done...

 

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Parts painted RAF blue...

 

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Details of the JAP Engine Generator...

 

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Ready for assembly and weathering....

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I mounted the tyre on a handmade wooden drillbit (tight fit no glue) and made sure it rotated nice and straight in the electric drill.

Then I used my resin razor saw (not one with a soft blade) turning it perpendicular to the tyre, keeping it in a firm grip together with

the drill, making sure of no sudden movements! Then I let the drill turn slowly,  increasing the pressure until I get tracks for the

tooths of the saw and continue until I'm happy with the tread.

 

I'm sure it would be possible to work out some smart 'contraption' to fix the drill, saw and tyre, for a more precise handling.

 

But when its only two or four wheels, it is possible get an ok result - I also used the technique on the wheels for a 'scratched' M5 Bomb Trailer...

 

Kent...

 

7698-030717213251-11415352.jpeg

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

After some delay, while finishing the 'Old Ironsides III' project, I'd better get on with the FPU Mosquito build...

 

NOSE JOB:

 

I have also been stalled by the nose perspex issue of the HK Mosquito...

 

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By comparing the different models with the original nose perspex cone, it seems, that Revell got much closer to the real one...

 

What to do? Closing the eyes and pretend there is no issue? I cannot. Fortunately help was given from a little manufacturer

called 'Tasman Model Products' - They have produced a replacement cockpit glass, and nose perpex...

 

"Falcon crystal clear vacuum form canopies for use with 1:32nd scale Mosquito Mk.IV model kit. Replacement canopies for the Revell kits"

 

So I've finally taken the 'plunge' and cut of some more of the HK Models Mosquito nose...

 

And this is the result of the cutting and sanding...

 

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Who says, size doesn't matter?

 

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I think it's much closer to the real Mosquito B Mk. IV nose?

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  • 6 months later...

Time to reboot the Mosquito project, a fresh start in the new year...

 

It's almost a year since I last worked on the cockpit, and I really want to finish this project...

 

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Most of this will not be visible after assembly, but I enjoyed getting to know the parts of the inside of a mosquito...

 

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Final photo before assembly, not much will be visible...

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Your cockpit detail is simply stunning.  And regardless of what's visible/invisible - *you* know it's all there.

 

I believe that "hidden" work like this changes the way people respond to the piece, whether they know if it or not.    

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