“Black Mosquito”
The model's official name is:
"De Havilland Mosquito NF. Mk II/F/B.Mk.VI/FB. Mk. XVIII."
I started to build this o.o.b. model back on August 31, 2015 and finish it on September 17, 2015. I forgot its' official name and to this day; (10-02-20) I still call it my "Black Mosquito."
On page six of the instruction's it shows a paint selection, so I chose the all black one, cause it's easier to paint a model all one color than go to a camouflage paint scheme. Remember: I had shaky hands and as time goes by they get worse.
The first few photos show no flashing on any of the parts so it seam's like I would have no problem's during assembly.
I started on the 2 engine's & wheel wells before they were attach to the wing and before the wing's were attached to the fuselage. I even made sure that the completed tire/rim combo fit on the landing gear strut's. The kit's cockpit was next so I just put it together and painted it along with the instrument panel. It seems like I installed the unpainted tail wheel before it was painted. I show the model's fuselage together with the wings attached and I have a nice photo showing some sanding on the fuselage joints.
It's done, including some panel line re-scribing so it is Tamiya Gloss Black Paint time.
Of course I check the model over from "A to Z" before I add the kit decals, cause once they are on, I'm unable to fix any of the flaws.
I always open up my airplane canopies so you can see into the cockpit, but I don't know why I didn't saw the windscreen and canopy apart on this model.
Enjoy, Rodney
10-02-20
This is a great model, Rodney and I love the black scheme a lot!
Nice and striking colour scheme for your Mosquito.
Maybe you didn't cut canopy open as it doesn't in real life? Crew use a hatch in the right hand side of bottom for entry.
You most likely are right about the canopy and I should have remember that when I built it. I like to open up my cockpits so other modelers besides myself can see what's inside. I think I will go and look on the net for a real one as I'm sure there will be a photo showing the opening.
And thanks for John comment below.
Rodney
From what I get from one of the photos in this thread https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/de-havilland-mosquito-canopy-framing.45447/ it may only have had one, and only used in emergency I guess. Not knowing though... Scroll down a bit and you will find a photo straight up from the floor showing a black frame with some kind of handle and wire mechanism. Doesn´t look like one could open and close at will but only as an escape hatch.
It looks great, Rodney.
The black scheme is looking great on this Mosquito.
A nice Ebony coloured wooden wonder it is !
Very nice work, Shaky hands and all
Time makes things better sometimes...
I have just surfed the internet and found a few photos of a Mosquito during WW-II.
It shows a door on the side of the fuselage with a ladder, so I assume that is how they got up into the plane.
I wonder now...how did they bail out of it when they had to leave the plane in flight?...Just open that door and fall out with their parashute on!
Not so much of just open the hatch in flight as a full suit and parachute pack will pretty much stop you from doing anything in a plane wobbling around while being shot at. You stiffed your upper lip as much you could, rode it in and got a medal posthumously.
Found a description of the escape drill in a Britmodeller thread, please scroll down a bit https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234987363-dh-mosquito-were-the-parachutes-left-in-the-plane/
Had a peek into a mock up of the Mosquito crew compartment and I must say it is CRAMPED. Imagine you have big boots, jackets, parachute packs etc and then you try do the emergency bit too...
Nice looking Mosquito, Rodney!
-d-
Thanks to everyone for some interesting news. I guess this could be applied to any subject that we talk about. The engineer's design and the factory workers built it as I use to go on week-ends to where they were building the F4U-1, 1A and up to the F2G Super Corsair in my home town of Akron, Ohio where Goodyear built their aircraft factory at our local airport.
Let's just have fun building our models and not worry if we got everything RIGHT!
Out of my 300+models I built I may have half-dozen of them close to being right on.!
Looks good - very menacing in all black!