Torpedo!

[The Wooksta!]

Me two torpedo carrying insects are finally here!

First, the Mosquito FB6



The RAF wanted a variant of the Mosquito capable of carrying a torpedo in the interim before the Brigand came into service, despite the Mosquito having less range.  As it happened, the war ended and so did the requirement. The Brigands entered service but then the RAF got out of the maritime strike game and they all got rebuilt as bombers.

Hasegawa Mosquito FB6 that was gifted to me as a complete build.  I removed the nose guns and replaced them with an ASH radar nose and then sprayed her as a Banff strike wing aircraft.  The torpedo came from the new tool Airfix Beaufighter - originally I was going to use a Hasegawa one from their Beau - and the large 200 gal underwing tanks are from Paragon.  They don't fit particularly well given that they are intended for the Tamiya Mosquito which is a far superior kit to the Hasegawa one.  The latter's wing leading edge seems too thick and blunt, amongst other shortcomings.  The MBT decal (Kits at War Mosquito/Beaufighter set) is two part and didn't settle well, hence some silvering. 

It's been sitting on The Shelf of DOOM!!! for a good six years, so it was high time I got it done and out of the way.


And now, a relative of a more whiffy kind.  The Sea Hornet TF23, 809 Sqn, HMS Eagle, circa 1949.



Skybirds 86 Hornet F3 kit, again with an Airfix torpedo and Magna underwing tanks.  This had come originally with no white metal and cost me a fiver.  It actually DID have white metal in with the kit.  For a Brigand...

Again, this had been sitting on The Shelf of DOOM!!! for a similar length of time, but had only progressed as far as primer.  Out with the Xtracrylics, quick spray and we're good to go.  Only real bugbears were the u/c doors which didn't want to fit properly unless the front actuators were removed and the canopy, which needed a quick trim along the starboard base and then it was an almost perfect fit, apart from a little gap under the front shield.  Decals are a mixture of Airfix roundels and Skybirds Sea Hornet NF21 codes - I just used a spare set.  No tail code as 809's NF21's on Eagle didn't have them - checked the photos!  Went with black spinners to be awkwards and added the sharkmouth for colour, nicked from a spare set of Eduard Spitfire VIII decals.

Well happy with the latter, the former less so but relieved to have another two finished and out of the way.

Not a torpedo fighter, but maritime strike related, is this Buckmaster T.1, which is a work in progress.



Magna kit, similar build vintage as the first two.  Needs the canopy framing redone, due to issues with the masking coming off.  The real issue that's held it up is the u/c, which is a relative nightmare to assemble and the kit wheels are best described as buttons carved by a blind man from soap.  I did assembled and cast a set of Valom wheels, but these are way too thin.  I may just nick another set from a Valom kit and widen them with some plastic card.  Watch this space...

Photos: Rob Sullivan

[zenrat]

Nice.

[Captain Canada]

Nice work Lee ! Hard to pick a winner out of those three, all of them look great. Always been a fan of these types, their role, and the colour scheme.

[NARSES2]

Nice pair mate 

Buckmaster looks interesting