Eduard Brassin Mossie Engine into a Spit - Thinking out loud?

[Aviacom]

I’m wondering if, now this may be completely ridiculous, but, if it’s possible to ‘show horn’ the Eduard Brassin Mossie engine (Left Engine) into either of the 32nd Tamiya Spitfire kits to ‘up the ante’ on the detail, or even either of the new tool Revell 32nd Spitfires??

 

Let the ‘don’t be so stupid’, ‘what is he thinking’, ‘how bloody ridiculous’ begin!!

Edited January 12, 2021 by Aviacom

[Oldbaldguy]

Like the man said, with enough time and money you can do anything.

[gwana]

The same engine sprues are used in both Tamiya kits, so if it fits in the Mosquito, it should fit in the Spitfire.

 

That said, the biggest problem with the Eduard engines is that they're detailed - but they're the wrong engines for most WWII aircraft - including the Tamiya kit they're meant for. The engines they depict are the Merlin XX, which were mostly in the Lancaster, possibly some early prototype Mosquitoes, and the MkII Spit IIRC. The Mosquito used the Merlin 25 mostly, which is visibly different than the XX offered by the Eduard kit. It's a quibble, but it's like getting a modern Camaro model with a 1990's LT1 engine in it. Sure, it's a V-12, but it's the wrong block, wrong supercharger, wrong magnetos, wrong ignition system, and the wrong cooling system. But it sure looks nice! I have the set, and I'm working on making them into 25's for my Mossie.

 

Tamiya's Merlin seems to be purposefully vague - it's missing most of the details that define the variants. They just supply a few different superchargers.

 

 

 

[Stokey Pete]

I’d say that unless you’re planning to enter a competition, or to show it where expert eyes will pick up on the finer details, then put one in. They look lovely, will enhance your model with more intricate detailing, and will give you many hours of joy/hair pulling while you build and install it. 
 That’s just me though, I’m most definitely on the side of “if it looks good, I’m happy to ignore technical inaccuracy” of the fence. I wouldn’t know the difference between one version of a Merlin, and the next. 

 

[jenshb]

The  Spitfire VIII and IX kit uses a two-stage compressor, whereas the Mosquito has a single-stage compressor, so even if the kit block is the same, you will need to use the two stage (with intercooler) parts from the Spitfire kit.

[gwana]

Just speaking to the engine kit itself I'll say this: Given the chance to do it again, I'd probably just download the Eduard instructions and use them to superdetail the Tamiya engine. Much of the Eduard detail is extra plumbing that they expect you to supply via lead wire. The engine block, oil pan, valve covers, etc were not all that much better than Tamiya's plastic parts - in fact the Tamiya intake manifold is superior so I used it on the Eduard engines. All the major stuff is already there on Tamiya's engine, it just needs to be connected with hoses and wires.

[thierry laurent]

I got them for a cheap price because if they are not incredibly better than the Tamiya Merlins they are far more detailed than the HK Lancaster ones!