Valerons Airfix 1/72 Mosquito B.XVI

[Valeron]

This will be what I'm building for the Mossie group build. I picked it up from the shop at the RAF Museum in Hendon a month or so ago.

It'll only be my 3rd model since getting into modelling and joining the forum in January.

I'll be brush painting using Vallejo model colour paints which I've used on the previous two 1/72 Airfix aircraft I've made.

I have a few weeks left to prepare and source paints but I've decided to go with the colour scheme shown below. I've been reading that when painting a black aircraft it is actually best to paint off black, like Nato Black or a lightened up Matt Black as this allows better effects with panel line washes later. Anyway I need to look into this further before the GB starts in a few weeks but if anyone has any advice on this, this would be appreciated.

Mike

[Tim Marlow]

Nice choice. If you are going for the night black option there a discussion here. Looks like it was a very dark blue black, not just a soot matt black, depending upon period…

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/51600-nightfighter-night-colour/

[adt70hk]

This will be what I'm building for the Mossie group build. I picked it up from the shop at the RAF Museum in Hendon a month or so ago.

It'll only be my 3rd model since getting into modelling and joining the forum in January.

I'll be brush painting using Vallejo model colour paints which I've used on the previous two 1/72 Airfix aircraft I've made.

I have a few weeks left to prepare and source paints but I've decided to go with the colour scheme shown below. I've been reading that when painting a black aircraft it is actually best to paint off black, like Nato Black or a lightened up Matt Black as this allows better effects with panel line washes later. Anyway I need to look into this further before the GB starts in a few weeks but if anyone has any advice on this, this would be appreciated.

Mike

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Nice choice. If you are going for the night black option there a discussion here. Looks like it was a very dark blue black, not just a soot matt black, depending upon period…

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/51600-nightfighter-night-colour/

Nice choice Mike. I secretly have this in the stash but tell be doing something different for the GB.

Tim, thanks for the link. I knew 'pure' black would be too much at this scale, even if only due scale effect but interesting to hear it was mixed with blue..... Most helpful!

ATB.

Andrew

[Jim R]

Hi Mike
Good choice and great to see you join in the GB. I will be building the same kit but as a post war Israeli Air Force plane.

not just a soot matt black

I would definitely finish with a satin varnish. Very dark colours on planes look odd when totally matt. Just my opinion.
Jim

[Tim Marlow]

Personally, I think aircraft in general look odd if they are totally matt Jim. It kills the lines of the airframe. Most pilots at the time didn’t actually like dead matt aircraft, the friction takes the edge off the performance. I‘ve read this in several BoB pilot reminiscences. One went as far as highlighting a pilot who liked a matt finish as unusual. Apparently that guy didn’t like his aircraft finish “flashing” in the sun as he turned in the combat zone, but the rest asked for the planes to be polished to get the maximum speed out of them..

[Valeron]

I've been reading in various places about finishing aircraft in a Satin finish so I might try it out on this model.

[colin m]

Black and white are two very extreme colours I think, look a bit out of place on a model.
Years ago, I built a 1:32 SOE Lysander - black all over, obviously too black. It was recommended that I add a bit of red to the black just to alter the shade, this apparently was a normal trick. So I did mix a bit of red into the black. Nothing much seemed to happen, so I added more, then, just a touch more. And maybe even a bit more, the paint still looked black to me. What a surprise when I started spraying the model and the paint that landed on the model was purple. So yes, do mix it up a bit, but just a bit.

[Tim Marlow]

Black and white are two very extreme colours I think, look a bit out of place on a model.
Years ago, I built a 1:32 SOE Lysander - black all over, obviously too black. It was recommended that I add a bit of red to the black just to alter the shade, this apparently was a normal trick. So I did mix a bit of red into the black. Nothing much seemed to happen, so I added more, then, just a touch more. And maybe even a bit more, the paint still looked black to me. What a surprise when I started spraying the model and the paint that landed on the model was purple. So yes, do mix it up a bit, but just a bit.

That was a blue based black then Colin LOL…..

[colin m]

That was a blue based black then Colin LOL…..

Well yes, it was after my purple moment, I discovered black can be based on many colours. Every day a school day.

[Tim Marlow]

Have a look at this Colin, it will blow your mind….it’s like a black hole in a bottle…

[Ian M]

Depending on the date of the airframe the actual bird had a few options.
Either it was literally painted with lamp black. An evil mix of paint binders and soot. It was very matt and reflected next to no light. On the minus side it rubbed of very easy, crew, both air and ground got covered in the soot and the idea was soon dropped.
Some at base level where "just paint the ruddy thing black" kind of things. possibly a result of the dislike of the lamp black.
Night black. BS462 an S type paint as in Smooth (like the sky type S, not shiny not matt but smooth) A special mix of carbon black and cobalt blue that gave it a very dark blue/grey look..
Generally there is NO black paint, apart from Vanta black (c). Buy all the different black hobby-paints you want and thin them right out until the colour pigments split out. Most common are red, green or blue as a base. They are just so dark that they appear black.

[Valeron]

My first GB has started and plastic has been cut. Not much to show so far and sorry for my filthy mat. I only bought it in February and look at the state of it already.

Anyone cockpit parts have been assembled and will be primed tomorrow before painting and attaching together.

There was very little tidy up required on the kit and it seems good. I've done lots of dry fitting on the parts below and am confident that they will go together once painted.

[Jim R]

Hi Mike
First day and you've made good progress. I've left the cockpit and have started on the undercarriage. Not as flimsy as it looks. Glad your dry fits of the cockpit parts seem good - encouraging. I may have a look at it tomorrow.
Jim

[adt70hk]

Nice start!

[papa 695]

Cracking start Mike.