Tony's Airfix Tsetse 1/72

[yak face]

I’m in ! After telling myself I couldnt due to lack of time and mojo , I just couldn't let this one pass me by. Nabbed me a nice airfix 1/72 , nice and simple so shouldnt be too involved . :thumb2:. Sprue shots when it arrives . Cheers tony

[yak face]

Great news Tony.

Cheers Ian , it was killing me watching all the builds starting and not having anything in the stash . Finally got an Airfix mkII / VI /XVIII in 1/72 for 8.20 all in :thumb2: Ive wanted to do the mkXVIII ‘ Tse Tse ‘ for a while now and this kit is one of the few that offers that variant ( basically just a new under nose section for the Molins 6 pounder anti tank gun)

[yak face]

After saying I wasnt able to participate in this one due to time constraints , I just couldnt let it pass me by!
After a long search on ebay I finally got the kit I wanted. Its the old Airfix Mosquito mk II, IV, XVIII in 1/72. First tooled in 1972 , its a product of its time with raised panel lines and rivets ( what few there are ) and a very basic cockpit . The interesting thing about this is the various marks that can be built from the kit , the one I was interested in being the XVIII Tsetse anti shipping variant.
The Tsetse ( named after the notorious african biting fly ) was intended for anti shipping/ u boat strike and to this end 18 FB mkIVs had a six pounder (57mm) Molins anti tank gun fitted in the lower nose position . The four browning mgs in the nose were retained for sighting . It had varied success before gradually being sidelined in favour of just using rockets , which could be carried by a standard mkIV and were just as effective if not more .
Heres the box art , which depicts the Tsetse in action , and the sprue shots . Cheers tony

[adt70hk]

Very different Tony.

I don't where I read it but I'm sure I came across a piece on this.....certainly 'something' carrying this weapon though....where the recoil was such that upon firing, the plane would momentarily 'hang' in the air as the recoil very briefly overcame the forward momentum.

Even if it's not true, it's a very big gun to be flying around with and the kick must have very impressive!

Looking forward to seeing this come together.

Andrew

[Jim R]

Hi Tony
Definitely something different. Funnily enough I was reading about this only the other day. Interested to see what you make of this.
Jim

[Ian M]

Nice one Tony.
I am hoping that Someone figures out that a 1/48 tset se would not be that hard to tool up.

[stillp]

Interesting, I'v e always liked the Tsetse and I wasn't sure why they didn't make more of them. Looks as if you've got even less cockpit detail than mine, and is the pilot Douglas Bader?
Pete

[adt70hk]

... is the pilot Douglas Bader?
Pete

Good spot!!

[yak face]

Interesting, I'v e always liked the Tsetse and I wasn't sure why they didn't make more of them. Looks as if you've got even less cockpit detail than mine, and is the pilot Douglas Bader?
Pete

Apparently they had to have their legs amputated at the knee to give clearance for the molins anti tank gun breech, the navigator had to work the rudder pedals .

[yak face]

Made a start today. Originally I intended to just do this out of the box and rely on the thick heavily framed canopy to conceal the lack of internal detail but upon inspection the cockpit is quite visible through the canopy . So I decided to at least make some basic additions . The sidewalls have had plastic card added to cover the stub of the wing joint and the rear deck , area behind the pilots seat and the rear bulkhead have been fabricated from plastic card . The seats have been thinned , the navigators chopped down and armrests added to the pilots . Its now had a coat of black primer . I’ll be adding a few bits to the sidewalls and scratching the radio sets for the rear deck.
The wings have been glued together and fitted to each fuselage half and ive taken off the nose with the razor saw , ready for the mkXVIII one . The only difference between the mkVI and the mk XVIII noses is the deletion of the cannons and extra strengthening / armour plates round the muzzle of the molins gun.

[Jim R]

You've hardly started Tony and already a vast improvement. Keep up the good work.

[yak face]

You've hardly started Tony and already a vast improvement. Keep up the good work.

Cheers jim , It was either that or try and disguise the shortcomings with the pilots , and I want to save him for a quicksand dio :smiling5:

[Allen Dewire]

Really nice scratchy Tony and I can see the reason why. The canopy my be thick, but one can see right through it easily. And besides, we know you couldn't just let this build be OOTB!!! It's not in your blood Sir.................

Prost
Allen

[adt70hk]

A VERY nice start Tony!!!

ATB.

Andrew

[Mark1]

Looking much better in the pit already.