HK's Latest Mossie out mid May :D

[Elger]

because of the news of HK Models' new Mosquito release and this discussion I developed Mosquito fever again and bought a HK Models IV kit because I couldn't stop obsessing about it.

 

I had been hesitant because despite seeing some amazing builds of the kit it seemed off to me as well. The leading edge wing slope has been discussed, and various people have replaced the canopy with a vac item to try to fix the perceived issues.

 

I wanted to see the kit for myself to see what the problem is. I just got the kit today and I've been playing around with it a bit. The wing slope thing is an issue, but I think I may have figured out why the nose looks off. Despite the various discussions about it, I think that the main canopy is actually okay. I think the problem comes from an issue with the front side windows. Has this been pointed out before?

 

I don't want to be drawing red lines on photographs, but if you look at photographs of bomber Mosquitos, especially ones under restauration, you'll notice that the upper and lower sides of the front side windows are parallel, and run parallel with the main lines of the fuselage (almost horizontal - perhaps pointing up a little even).

 

(from http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/project_calgarymosquito.html)

 

HK Models does have the upper and lower sides running parallel to each other, but they're angled pointing down by several degrees. The windows should be almost rectangular, but HK Models represents them as tilted parallelograms.

 

(from http://www.ipmspraha.cz/?page_id=1773)

 

Not a perfect, but a relatively easy solution that seems to be an option is to change the openings in the fuselage on either side a little (top and bottom), and then swap the transparant parts around (left goes right, right goes left).

 

I'm not sure, because I haven't done this yet obviously, but could this dramatically improve the look of the kit?

Edited April 26, 2017 by Elger

[Hubert Boillot]

Good point Elger.

But the restauration pic shows also that the line of the nose ahead of the windscreen has a slightly curved slope, when HK's one is definitely more rotound, making the shape of the whole nose a bit bloated. Plus the Tasman replacement vac for the nose bubble is far larger than the HK kit's part. In his build, kkarlsen here showed that he sawed off a part of the nose, to fit the Tasman vac part.

So, in summary, besides the upper curve of the radiators fairing (and possibly the shape of the upper cowlings and spinners ) , the shape of the nose is off in side view, and most likely plan view as well, and the side windows wrongly positioned. Some major surgery needed there, altenatively fit the Revell nose, which will also require surgery in all likelihood, or "leave it as is", possibly just changing the position of the side windows. When I have received my Revell Mossie, I'll try to show a side-by-side.

Hubert

Edited April 27, 2017 by MostlyRacers

[MikeMaben]

There are all kinds of theories about Tamiya but there's a distinct feeling that 1/32 is being left to lay fallow for a few years.

 

Can't imagine why they would. They may back off this year because

of global economic uncertainty but I'm sure they have things in the works

for when things pick up sufficiently again. My 'guess' is that next years

crop should be bloody ripping old chaps...

   

[Tony T]

 

So, if you go for a painted-over nasal option then everything's pretty much tickety boo ?!?

 

I am so hoping HKM do an NF.30 but guess we're more likely to see (are we?) an NF.XVII/XIX conversion set for the Tamiya FB.VI.

 

We have to play such a long waiting game sometimes. Hope you're right Mike re: Tamiya.

 

Tony

[Elger]

So, if you go for a painted-over nasal option then everything's pretty much tickety boo ?!?

 

 

 

actually I think it is - I noticed that in work in progress reports of builds of the model that it looks acceptable until the builder removes the masking tape from the nose section - then the windows appear and it goes from looking okay to odd.

 

So maybe aim for an OBOE aircraft? DK333 seems to have had these windows painted over.

[Tony T]

 

Am thinking that if a PR.XVI is no longer easily doable given the problem nose, then an NF.XV would be nice...

 

(Photo by a small scale modeller who built the above, reproduced here under fair use for educational purposes.)

 

Needs a thimble nose, radar scope for the NAV/RAD, (rotatable) four-bladed props, wing tip extensions and the belly cannon pack.

 

Very, very surprised that the AM resin world has been so inactive the past two years given two, now three new 1/32 Mossie kits to play with. Even the Swedes have ignored an NF.XIX option for the Tamiya FB.VI. Did the Airfix 1/24 FB.VI kill the 1/32 market ?

 

Tony