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Walt
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1/48th Tamiya Mosquito, Sea Mosquito Conversion

January 4, 2013 · in Aviation · · 6 · 2.7K

After seeing the video of the restored , KA114 posted by the editor, I thought I would post my Mosquito build here. I don't build much British, but I do love the Mosquito and think that it is one of the best looking aircraft ever produced. The British decided to try the Mosquito as a carrier based aircraft. To this end the added a stiffener on both sides of the fuselage, a tail hook and a wing fold mechanism.

To achieve this in kit form I started with the kit and the Verlinden conversion kit. I have been continually underwhelmed with Verlinden and this was no exception. The photoetch was terrible, and made a challenging conversion almost impossible. The nose piece fit well enough but the resin for the cockpit had soft details as has been my experience with most Verlinden resin.

Still, I am glad I built the kit and I can just about know for certain that two of these won't show up at a show.

Reader reactions:
5  Awesome

5 additional images. Click to enlarge.


6 responses

  1. Excellent build, Walt...love the display base.

    • Thanks Craig, I took this model to a show without a base. In a pinch my friends and I went to a local Michael's and I bought the wood for a buck, and the map of England. We got some stain and glue and went back to the hotel and that night while having a cigar and a beer I made the base and some of the other guys worked on their bases. A good time was had by all.

      It's just a rule, you never put your model down on a display or contest table without a base. It separates your model from the one next to it, it elevates it off the table, often it puts it in the settings it would have been in and it adds interest. Of course this self inflicted rule means I have a box of bases that I have to lug around, and kits that are mated to bases take up more storage, but I think its worth it.

  2. The only model I have seen done from this aftermarket conversion. Wow!

  3. Never seen before-I'll bet it was a challenge. Excellent build, Walt.

  4. Walt... Beautiful build of one of the prettier British designs.

  5. That's a superb conversion, love the subject matter, nice work!

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