Ian M's PR Mosquito XVI Airfix, 1/48

[Si Benson]

Hi Ian,
Looking good, glad you got the wing join sorted:smiling4:
Interesting to see how you get on with preshade, I tried it for the first time recently and got a pleasing result.

[scottie3158]

Ian,
Apologies very late to this, You are making a great job of my favourite aircraft.

[Ian M]

Cheers Guys!
The odd thing about this particular build is that it is the third, maybe the fourth Airfix Mossie I have built and this one is buy far the worse for fit. The others as far as I recall all fitted rather well. Not Tamiya type well, but well enough.
If I can get myself down to the hobby room, I will get something photo worthy done.
As an aside; You can make a 34/34a/35 from the Tamiya kit. You just need to spend as much if not more than the kits price on aftermarket resin bits. Some more expensive than others.
So Mr Tamiya. If you are reading this. Can you get to work on a two stage engine version and a heap of options. We need more choices!!!

[BarryW]

Some interesting challenges on this Ian but you are doing a superb job..... I hope Mr Tamiya is listening to you, for their 1/32 in particular!!!

[adt70hk]

Hi Ian

That's looking rather good already and well done for dealing with the challenges!!!

I imagine it won't be a small plane at 1/48? What's the wingspan going to be.

[adt70hk]

Hi Ian

That's looking rather good already and well done for dealing with the challenges!!!

I imagine it won't be a small plane at 1/48? What's the wingspan going to be.

[colin m]

I can see you're having a bit of fun Ian, but it looks 100% Mosquito.

[Ian M]

Some interesting challenges on this Ian but you are doing a superb job..... I hope Mr Tamiya is listening to you, for their 1/32 in particular!!!

I hope they are too but in the perfect world they would do both the 1/48 and the 1/32.. :-)

Hi Ian
That's looking rather good already and well done for dealing with the challenges!!!
I imagine it won't be a small plane at 1/48? What's the wingspan going to be.

Cheers Andrew. The wingspan is about 35 cm.

I can see you're having a bit of fun Ian, but it looks 100% Mosquito.

Thanks Colin. The old airfix kit does look rather good and as I wrote earlier, its not normally a pain and fits quite well.

Right then Day 10 of the most painful attack of sciatica I have had in ages. Bombed out on pain killers and just for fun I now have a cold as well. Oh the joy! A sneeze sends a jolt right through my back and down to the tips of my toes! I can just about manage the walk through the house to the hobby room. The vast distance of all of 30 paces!
Enough whining. The model.





Got the pre-shade down and after a bit of a fight with the airbrush, got the worst of the blotches and blobs lightend down with some light grey.
A cup of coffee and a smoke then it was time for the top side to get some colour!!!

Xtracrylix Medium Sea Grey. Two light coat and you can still see the shading. It's a bit more pronounced in real life but can be seen in the photo.
I s'pose this now needs time to cure befor I mask it to do the PRU Blue. Iv'e just had a look in the pot and should have enough.... Famous last words.
Once I have waddled back down to the cave, I will hopefully be able to fine the codes and serials and markings for later...

[Ian M]

Now in colour!
Spent a while playing with masking tape today.

I made a creative choice where the trailing edge of the wing and the fuselage meet. (I was to lazy to start the PC to find the profile pic).

Got the PRU blue down. Xtracryix I love you. O.o

I know now that the demarcation on the fuselage should have been a bit higher up and a straight shot to just below the canopy. But this curve down to the wing root works for me!
(I might sort it out when the rest of the paint has cured though...).

What says the mob?

A few touch-ups here and there and we should be good.

Oh another good thing you can use frisk film for. I had markings for everything except the underwing serial numbers. Had the Letters but not the numbers. A quick play with a pencil and paper and I could trace the number off with a scalpel onto the frisk film. You will see how that turned out later.....

[Guest]

Looking good, I like the curve.

Frisk (or frisket) film is used a lot in custom paintwork and airbrushing but I haven't seen it used much in modelling. I sometimes use it for masking around stickers or graphics on vehicles that we don't want to remove and refit. If I spray the colour lightly up to it then remove before clearcoating the edge is almost invisible.

[Ian M]

Looking good, I like the curve.

Frisk (or frisket) film is used a lot in custom paintwork and airbrushing but I haven't seen it used much in modelling. I sometimes use it for masking around stickers or graphics on vehicles that we don't want to remove and refit. If I spray the colour lightly up to it then remove before clearcoating the edge is almost invisible.

You must have a good supply of it then lol.
I like it for many reasons. Its low tac, easy to cut and can be pulled off and stuck down a few times. Useful for multi-colour work.
It can be a pain if it stretches, but it's stretch does make it handy for doing curves..... I really should use it more.

[rtfoe]

Nice build and paint job Ian, Just wanted to ask since I'm late in and the masking of the canopy makes it hard to see but does this version have the inner frame?

Cheers,
Richard

[Jim R]

Hi Ian
Just had a catch up. It is looking good. Neat masking all round - canopy and body. Nice job with the preshade. I have tried it a few times but usually obliterate it with my heavy handed colour coat.
Jim

[Ian M]

Nice build and paint job Ian, Just wanted to ask since I'm late in and the masking of the canopy makes it hard to see but does this version have the inner frame?

Cheers,
Richard

Yes it has, watch this space....

Hi Ian
Just had a catch up. It is looking good. Neat masking all round - canopy and body. Nice job with the preshade. I have tried it a few times but usually obliterate it with my heavy handed colour coat.
Jim

I find the Xtracrylix paints one of the better to use over a pre-shade, Vallejo air is almost the same. The trick is to go light and stop when you think, 'just a bit more'. Make a cuppa and let it dry a bit. It makes it easy to see if it was enough.

[Ian M]

Well that turned out OK. Now the big question. To weather it a bit or not. As we all know the Mossie was pretty devoid of the hundreds of panels as on a metal aircraft. There are some but mostly hatches and the odd rivet here and there.....
Exhaust staining... Yes that should be there..... I must see how I am feeling as the day goes by.

Cheers.