DeHavilland Mosquito Mk.VI 1/48th Tamiya

Started by Chuck A. Villanueva · 31 · 3 years ago
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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 3 years, 7 months ago:

    Will do this particular Tam Mosquito to contribute for this Night Fighter GB.

    Can't wait to get started.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 7 months ago:

    This is such an amazing entry, my friend @uscusn!
    Cannot wait to see a masterpiece emerging from your bench!

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    Thanks Spiros, this will be my very first venture in building a Tamiya Mosquito, looking forward to the project.

    So lets what is in the box.

    Molded in Tamiya's Light grey styrene. The standard typical well detailed and easy to follow instruction booklet. Color call outs in Tamiya paints and mixes.

    Next I have the 3 optional paint schemes that are shown on the separate paint and decal markings insert.

    Then the standard RAF scheme pattern for this version of the Mosquito insert.

    A history and data insert, all written in Japanese. pamphlet.

    The decal sheet for the 3 options. The quality of the decals are getting better on the newer production kits.

    Eduards zoom set and masks to enhance the cockpit. And easy to apply masks for the canopy.

    First sprue tree "A", has the main fueslage, fuel tank/weapons bay roof, bulkheads, most of the interior components.

    Fuel tank/weapons bay roof panel.

    The front bulkhead, electronics.

    RH fuselage half, details are sparse at this point. the pilots seat.

    The vertical tail has the rudder molded in place. Too bad if you want to pose it deflected either way that you would need to cut it off to pose it.

    Next sprue, "B" is the wing panels and horizontal stabs.

    The details on the upper wings are very good, engraved panel lines, with some fasteners well done.

    As like the the vertical tail, the the horizontal stabs are molded with the elevators in the neutral position.

    22 additional images. Click to enlarge.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 6 months ago:

    Thanks for the thorough presentation, my friend @uscusn!
    I have exactly the same kit to build, leaning towards the bomber variant.
    Nice AMs!

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    Spiros this is my first foray into the Tam Mosquito, with only the Monogram kit built as a youngster back in the age with brushes and tube glue. This will be fun.

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    Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    @uscusn - if this is your first foray into the Tamiya Mosquito, here's my notes on the FB VI from a review I did back in 2019:

    Following Tamiya’s easy instructions will result in an excellent model. I began by detail painting all the parts for the cockpit, bomb bay and landing gear before removing them from the sprues. The landing gear is fairly intricate, so I assembled the main gear first and set them aside. I then assembled the wings and horizontal stabilizers and set them aside.

    The cockpit is detailed enough, given that it will be seen through a relatively-thick clear canopy. Having learned about the structure of the canopy, I painted the internal framing inside the canopy with a 0000 brush and a steady hand. When finished, this looked like if was “inside” the canopy as on the real thing. The wings and tail were attached, and the model was ready to paint.

    That note about the landing gear is important - the assembly is complex (but not too complicated) and you need to assemble it into the nacelle before proceeding to paint the exterior. Study the instructions because the first time you do this gear, it's easy to make a mistake. It's really the only difficult part of the whole process.

    Have fun! Those look like great decals.

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    Next as per my usual technique of pre painting the parts before starting actual assy. Something I have always done for some reason even as a teen. Rather out of the norm start for this kit is not the usual in the cockpit, but the with nacelles and landing gear first before actual assembly in the cockpit.
    So using Vallejo metallics I start with the landing gear struts and wheel hubs.


    Next the detail bits on the gear, fenders, actuators and tail wheel assy.

    More strut actuators, inside the main gear bay side walls.

    Inside the doors as well.

    Next up to start assembly of each nacelle. More to follow.

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    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    Nice preperation, Chuck.
    Looking forward to the assembly.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    Nice parts prep indeed, Chuck!

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    Thanks John and Spiros, my typical start on any aircraft. Unlike armor projects at least for me you can just start assembling. I pre paint all the interior components prior to actual assembly.

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    Normally starting assembly would initiate in the cockpit. But for the Mossie Tamiya has me start with the nacelles first.

    Right off the bat, I assemble both nacelles. A bit of wash to enhance the ringers within the wheelbays.

    Assembled nacelle.

    Next up the exhaust manifolds. Now normally these are one of the last details I install torwards the end of the build. But with the shrouds going over these, I will install them now.

    Then the shrouds are attached.

    With that the first step is done,

    More to follow.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    Coming gradually together and looking great indeed, my friend @uscusn!

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    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    Fist steps nicely done and more to come, Chuck @uscusn

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    Erik Gjørup said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    And now it only needs the rest. With the usual pre-paint and all the trademarks of your builds this is bound to be very informative and a great how-to. Keep it comin' @uscusn.

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 3 years, 5 months ago:

    Good morning Spiros, so far it has been an uneventful and joyful start.

    John, an unusual start which normally begins in the cockpit.

    Thanks Erik, looking forward to this build, a bit more details for a change, though the kit is a late 90's era Tamiya, this time around they were listening to the criticism of their previous multi engine kits, such as the Dinah, Betty and Beaufighter, excellent but lacking details in the interior. Big improvement on the Mossie. Still the Mossie is still lacking the ability to position the flying surfaces, such as the flaps, elevators, rudder and ailerons are still molded into the wings and stabilators and vertical tail.

    So with that step 2 has me start on assembling the wings/

    1st the wheel bay roof section is built into the lower wing and this painted RAF Interior Grey/Green.

    Next is to install the landing lamp lenses under each wing panel. 1st a Chrome marking pen is used on the inner lens before attaching to the wing.

    Next the intake panel is then attached to the lower wing under each radiator inlet.

    The landing lamps look ok with the chrome applied.

    Step 3 is to assemble the wings.

    Tamiya is using the same technique as they did with the Betty by having a pin that pushes into each lower wing to hold it to the fuselage without permanently gluing.

    The top wing panel has the typical excellent Tamiya details.

    Next to install the nacelles under each wing.

    Fit is excellent, most of the cleanup will be to the nacelles, the wings just a swipe to clean the leading and trailing edges.

    Next we can finally start on the cockpit..

    more to follow.