Mossie FIGHTER

[Tophe]

Uh, sorry... maybe my English is not good enough, but I have not understood the basic principle. If my imagination is right, your project JHM is WONDERFUL but maybe it is completely different (and a little worse for me):
Your pictures seem to depict a 1/48 SINGLE-ENGINED Mosquito with P-51D canopy, but I am not sure having seen no propeller nor exhaust pipes to confirm my guess. The title (and text) says this will be a fighter but the Bf-110 and P-61 were fighters while still 2-engined.
Please confirm, dear JHM, will this be a single-engined plane? (I would clap my hands) or a twin-engined plane? (I would cry, not seduced yet). Thanks.

[Ed S]

Great idea and I'm sure the execution will be excellent as well.  This is exactly the opposite of what I did in the Spitfire GB, where I took a 1/48 single engine fighter and made it into a 1/72 twin engine bomber.    Too bad you didn't think of this earlier.  We could have swapped the Merlin engines. 

PS.  I think I still have the 1/48 Spitfire MkXIV 5-bladed prop if you would like it.

Ed

[nev]

The Baz-man is back!

[sotoolslinger]

Man that is going to be one sexy fighter I'd fly it around my house

[kitnut617]

Hey, who was it that said when you get back into it, you really get back into it ---  brilliant Barry, I'm watching this one closely.

[Sauragnmon]

Damn, that one does look interesting, Barry.  Seriously, that's a lot of work you're putting in, she'll pay off nicely.  I'm guessing you're putting the engine in the nose?  Or what're you doing to make this thing go?  You've already carved out the original engine mounts, and you have Radiators, so this isn't going to be a jet job...

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Popcorn smilie anybody ?

Ian

[John Howling Mouse]

Thanks guys!  It's good to be back and it's great to be able to share something almost-new with you all but, I must confess: I actually have three completed projects to show you folks----I'm still working on a new diorama base for my next photos which is holding those up.

Mossie/Tophe: yep, it's a single engine prop airplane.  If you look close at the first mock-ups, you can just make out the 3-bladed spinner cone I swapped from somewhere.  I was thinking of having Mustang exhausts but cutting down one pipe (I don't know what they're called) on each side to indicate a smaller engine.

The idea is that this is the Sunbeam Tiger of fighter planes: quick/nimble like the Zero but even smaller and lighter.  I even considered building it as some sort of fast recon aircraft without any armament but there's not much room for cameras, even the aft fuselage is very narrow.

As for markings, all I know is that someone's got to promise to put a contract out on me (Ron, I'm looking at you) if I start painting it in bare metal finish!!!  I've ended up going from no BMF models to almost all BMF in the past couple of years.  Maybe a nice grey and green camo like on Spitfires?  Or non-specular greyish blue?  One of my favorite schemes is the British Suez markings on Wyverns----would that work?  I'll end up using fictional national markings (big surprise) from the "SHIGO AIR FORCE" (I've recently come up with a new insignia----Greg, stop reading my mind!).

Ed, I'd gladly take you up on the 5-bladed prop (for another project).  Please PM me and let me know what I can do for you in return.

Thanks again, Whiffers.   

[sotoolslinger]

Bare Metal Finish = slap Baz in back of head .......duly noted

[Mossie]

Baz, you can pretty much fill your boots when it comes to Suez markings.  RAF, RN, Aeronavale & IAF all wore the stripes during the Crisis.  RAF & RN tended to have wide (2ft IIRC) stripes, IAF narrow & Aeronavale between the two.  Some were applied neatly, some very roughly.  RAF aircraft in particular had a variaty of markings as they ran out of yellow in Cyprus, some have part of the yellow missing, some were painted with cream.  So lots of variations on the same markings, with several different camo styles & I'm sure you can come up with your own too!

I can dig out some references if you're interested.

[John Howling Mouse]

Baz, you can pretty much fill your boots when it comes to Suez markings.  RAF, RN, Aeronavale & IAF all wore the stripes during the Crisis.  RAF & RN tended to have wide (2ft IIRC) stripes, IAF narrow & Aeronavale between the two.  Some were applied neatly, some very roughly.  RAF aircraft in particular had a variaty of markings as they ran out of yellow in Cyprus, some have part of the yellow missing, some were painted with cream.  So lots of variations on the same markings, with several different camo styles & I'm sure you can come up with your own too!

I can dig out some references if you're interested.

If you have any examples of what you think might work on this little fighter, please PM me----thanks!   

[Brian da Basher]

Ohhh man is this ever tasty, Mr Howling Mouse! It's great to see you back at work again and this whiff is absolutely delightful!

Brian da Basher

[Mossie]

Baz, if you're thinking stripey, how about a target tug?  Not far off Suez stripes, although you could use any colour.  Here's two stripey C-36's, a target tug & one in funky Swiss neutrality markings:

http://hsfeatures.com/features04/ekw36tm_1.htm

[John Howling Mouse]

Some progress has been made, believe it or not. 

Here are the wingspars that will hold the wings to the fuselage (there is otherwise almost no contact area between them and the cockpit is in the way of simple rods that I would have preferred to use instead):



The wingspars in situ:



The fuselage has been brought together and I shaped a piece of Forex for the top of the nose (won't be doing that again!).  The scratchbuilt tail is on as well as the stabilizers modified from the wings of another Mossie kit.





You can see the prop in this picture.  Can't remember where the blade came from but I think the nosecone is actually from the Mosquito kit:



And the wings are finally on!

[kitnut617]

Whoa!!