1:32 Hong Kong Models DH Mosquito B Mk IV

[colin m]

Just as I created this thread, I realised, this is third new manufacturer in a row for me. Copper State Models - very good, Fly - alright, and now HKM.
I started this Mosquito a week or two ago, however, two new roofs and a 200l aquarium make over has slowed my progress down a touch, this really has been a 'background' build, grabbing a few minutes as and when available.
The box.


So, here's where I am. Sprues, yes ok I could have tried harder to show them, but there's loads - you get the idea.


Yes, that fuselage is moulded in one piece, split in half to allow the cockpit to slide in.


The rear section of fuselage.


They've also done something similar with the main wings, it's a once piece unit.


Like most builds, we start with the cockpit.


A bit further


And nearly there. At this stage the pit has been weathered with oils, so I'll be giving it a few days to dry before the mat coat and further weathering. Despite being 1:32, there's still plenty of scope for extra detailing. However, not today, I'll just be building OOB. The IP are all separate decals - not as bad as it sounds, at least there was no alignment issues.


And here is where I am. Post side gear pieces on the left, tail wheel at the back, and I'm about to start to liberate the many pieces required to make the stbd side up. That horizontal stabiliser is another one piece unit, All flaps / ailerons are separate to be added later. Unfortunately, HKM want the wheel installed early on in construction, which will make painting the under carriage a bit tricky. I might have to steal the kitchen cling film again.


Generally, parts are nice. They come off the sprues without breaking, even some very small/thin undercarriage parts have all survived. There's a slight moulding line to be removed, but it's really fine so hasn't taken long to sort that out.
Right, with storm 'whatever her name is' here, I might actually get a day at the bench - no promises though.......

[yak face]

Looks like a great kit Colin , the pit is looking mighty fine, cheers tony

[peterairfix]

I will watch with interest as it's the only kit I have seen with the fuselage in on piece saves on a bit of work,nice start on the pit.

[Jim R]

Hi Colin
A well known aircraft from a maker I've not heard of. Looks a nice kit with some unusual ideas. The one piece wings may solve the age old problem of having to fill between wing and fuselage. I like the idea of instrument decals being individual. Getting one large decal in the correct position and snuggled down over raised detail can be very frustrating.
Work so far looks all neat and sorted :thumb2:
Jim

[BarryW]

This is a great kit with some novel engineering but it works.

You cannot see a lot in the cockpit and I found the kit detail quite adequate. I did mine with the bulged bomb bay option with a ‘cookie’ bomb.

two things are tricky, the decals are poor and I would recommend getting masks thEn there is getting the black underside (if that’s the version you are doing) to look interesting.

[AlanG]

Excellent start Colin. Yet another kit i wish i could get lol

[papa 695]

A great start Colin, the kit details look very impressive.

[stillp]

They've also done something similar with the main wings, it's a once piece unit.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1114758[/ATTACH]

I beleive that's how the real ones were made.
Pete

[rtfoe]

Hi Colin, that's a lovely kit from HKM. Neil the owner is a nice guy and has seen my P-38's a few years back and said he'd like to do one someday in that large scale with a smile on his face. He probably knows the industry and since then Tamiya has come out with a 1/48. Don't know if he'll do it now.

I wish he had done the hard nosed Mossie with the flat faced front canopy. I prefer that to the bomber version. The Airfix kit is just too big at 1/24.

Cheers,
Richard

[colin m]

the fuselage in on piece saves on a bit of work

It does indeed. There is still a very fine moulding line to remove but that is nothing compared to dealing with a real seam.

kit with some unusual ideas

In the kit, there's a few examples were another manufacturer would have used two parts, tail rudder etc, but not HKM. they are all nearly one piece units - nearly, I'll explain later.

two things are tricky, the decals are poor and I would recommend getting masks thEn there is getting the black underside (if that’s the version you are doing)

Decals don't scare me, I dealt with Tamiya 1:32 ! As for the scheme, ever since I was a lad, a Mosquito has always been green / grey over grey for me. That's what I'll be doing this time, which forces me to build the version with the bulged bomb bay. Not the version I would prefer, I was hoping to keep the sleek lines.

I beleive that's how the real ones were made

Well, are HKM trying to emulate the real thing ? Good effort if they are.

that's a lovely kit from HKM

It certainly seems to be. Of course you have to pay for such engineering, but there you go.

Yet another kit i wish i could get lol

Now there's a story. For my 50th, two years ago, I gave the wife a list of three kits and said 'just get one' All were expensive, so, one for my 50th was fine (I wasn't having a party or anything like that)
The list was Tamiya 1:32 Corsair, Wingnutwings 1:32 Bristol F.2b and finally, the HKM 1:32 Mosquito. On my birthday, I opened the big box and found the Corsair, I was over the moon. BUT, sometime later I was given another box to open - 1:32 F.2b was sat there looking at me ! And as for the third box, again sometime later, well you can guess.

[colin m]

A day off work today and after a morning of 'general duties' I got some more bench time. All this lot will add up to left and right landing gear and a tail wheel chucked in some where as well.


And after a lot of assembly and spraying we get two of these.




Which then fits snugly into the wheel well. This is very well engineered, you need to be Mr octopus man to put this together, but it fits, and very well.

No weathering as yet, that will come later. I am mindful, that you won't see much of this little lot when the model is sat on its wheels so I probably won't spend too much time making thins a bit dirty. I even forgot to dry brush the interior of the wheel well !

[AlanG]

Love it Colin. First time i've watched a HKM Mossie being built. They are fantastic kits

[papa 695]

Looking very sweet Colin.

[Steven000]

Nice progress! Looks very good :thumb2:
Steven

[Guest]

That looks like a cracking kit and you're doing a superb job on it.