De Havilland Mosquito

[kitnut617]

I'm sure there was mention of the type or a variant with either a single Centaurus or Sabre. Pretty sure it's before thinking crystalized around the Merlins.

Nothing is mentioned in the Sharp/Bowyer book Lee,  the official requirement was always for a twin engined bomber (but with defensive turrets).  I've had a look at the Putman book too, and there's nothing listed as such, even in the last chapter which lists project numbers that were thought about but not proceded with.

[Doc Yo]

 Just read this review over at MODELING MADNESS:

http://modelingmadness.com/scotts/books/m3/shipbuster.htm


A new book on the Mk XVIII, an operational history no less.

[kitnut617]

I've been giving a Sabre Mosquito conversion some thought, the Sharp/Bowyers books just says it was to be a scaled up Mosquito, Jon posted a profile of it in another thread (see below) which appeared in Air-Britain which I remember seeing in one of the magazines they put out (can't find it at the moment) but there's no dimensions given to see how much bigger it might have been.  I was thinking of using a 1/48 Mossie and doing a scale-o-rama but I've a suspicion that 1/48 would be too big.  The only concrete dimensional evidence that has surfaced is that the props would have been 15 feet in diameter, if we use that as a benchmark and compare the prop diameters of this to a regular Mossie which had a prop diameter of 12'-6", this would work out that the scaled up Mossie was only 1.2 times bigger, this would mean I need a 1/60th Mosquito. 

Does anyone know if there has ever been an odd scaled kit of the Mosquito which is close to this scale.

Edit: of course I could always print this profile off and then do some scaling using the props in the profile as the benchmark and see if 1/60 actually does fit the bill --- Duh!

Edit II:  Well I got one of my 1/72 Mossie kits out and did some measuring, then using the props in the profile as 15 feet, backtracked the scaling.  Well are you ready for this --------  the profile measures out at -----  1.26 bigger than a regular Mossie.  So my estimate was about right, I need a 1/60th Mosquito to do a scale-o-rama and make a 1/72 sabre Mosquito.

[jcf]

... or going off on a tangent here you could convert a 1/72 Mosquito into a 1/87(HO) Sabre-Mossie and make a diorama with some model railroad
accessory vehicles and figures.   

87/72=1.20833

Cheers

[sequoiaranger]

>the scaled up Mossie was only 1.2 times bigger, this would mean I need a 1/60th Mosquito.<

It might be more work than you want, but in looking at the fuselage, the Heinkel He-111 "B" version looks to be a good base candidate for an enlarged Mossie. That is, you would have to hack a lot of plastic off, but it might be the right size. You might need TWO He-111's in order to keep the cross-section round, and that means mega cutting and pasting of the fuselages around the wing portion, but...! If you put the 1/72 Mossie nose on the forward end of a He-111 fuselage you would have THAT part done, but the wings....? You might try a 1/72 Hampden that has a similar wing planview (but is a larger size) cut down a bit.

I did a whif of a four-engined Mossie heavy bomber with a 1/48 fuselage mated to 1/72 Lancaster wings, but it is giant compared to a 1/72 Mossie. The tailplanes of the 1/48 are also "too big" for a SLIGHTLY enlarged Mossie.

Don't let "a lot of work" deter you from using your imagination for creation. Whiffing ain't for wusses!!

PS--Just now, I am thinking I **MAY** have a pair of Frog 1/96 Hampden wings left over from a long-ago project. I am leaving shortly for a four-day holiday, and won't have time to look for it today, but....it has potential--He-111 fuselage, Hampden wings....Hmmmm! I will look when I get back!

[kitnut617]

... or going off on a tangent here you could convert a 1/72 Mosquito into a 1/87(HO) Sabre-Mossie and make a diorama with some model railroad
accessory vehicles and figures.   

87/72=1.20833

Cheers

Oooo! hmmm! let me think about that --- na, na, na,  won't do --- I build 1/72      good idea though 

[kitnut617]

It might be more work than you want, but in looking at the fuselage, the Heinkel He-111 "B" version looks to be a good base candidate for an enlarged Mossie. That is, you would have to hack a lot of plastic off, but it might be the right size. You might need TWO He-111's in order to keep the cross-section round, and that means mega cutting and pasting of the fuselages around the wing portion, but...! If you put the 1/72 Mossie nose on the forward end of a He-111 fuselage you would have THAT part done, but the wings....? You might try a 1/72 Hampden that has a similar wing planview (but is a larger size) cut down a bit.

'nother good idea, I'll give that some thought too   

[sequoiaranger]

>the scaled up Mossie was only 1.2 times bigger<

Hampden wing: 69 feet
Mossie wing: 54 feet

ratio:  1.27 (!!!)

There ya go! No need for 1/96---it's right there in 1/72! Plus, the radial nacelles of the Hampden should be just about the right diameter for the "enlarged" Sabre engine!

[kitnut617]

>the scaled up Mossie was only 1.2 times bigger<

Hampden wing: 69 feet
Mossie wing: 54 feet

ratio:  1.27 (!!!)

There ya go! No need for 1/96---it's right there in 1/72! Plus, the radial nacelles of the Hampden should be just about the right diameter for the "enlarged" Sabre engine!

  (in my best A Team voice)  'I love it when a plan comes together'     

[kitnut617]

I'm sure there was mention of the type or a variant with either a single Centaurus or Sabre. Pretty sure it's before thinking crystalized around the Merlins.

Nothing is mentioned in the Sharp/Bowyer book Lee,  the official requirement was always for a twin engined bomber (but with defensive turrets).  I've had a look at the Putman book too, and there's nothing listed as such, even in the last chapter which lists project numbers that were thought about but not proceded with.

I know I've read it in one of the books, I just can't remember which one.

Are you into Flight Sims Lee?  The Latest Combat Aircraft magazine has an advert for three Mosquito Flight Sims which you add to the regular program.  Check out www.justflight.com

[kitnut617]

So I reduced the image of the Sabre Mossie down until I was able to get 15 feet on the props in 1/72, 1.2 bigger doesn't sound like very much but it does end up quite a bit bigger as you can see in these photos.  You can see in the close up the canopy is still a regular Mosquito canopy.

[sequoiaranger]

From the looks of your scaleorama (I like to call them "pantographed", but the term commonly used here is "scaleorama") the tailfin is too small in 1/72 unless you add a whole lot to the "bottom". You might try a 1/48 scale Mossie HORIZONTAL tailplane to mimic it.

So it looks like you are on your way to a new whif of Mossie proportions.  Good luck!

[kitnut617]

You know sequoiaranger, I might just get a 1/48 Mossie kit to see how much could be used on this project, I think you could use quite a bit of the rear fuselage.

[kitnut617]

wasnt the Sabre engined Mosquito just a standard airframe with the Sabre engine fitted? the drawings iv seen on the project seem to show same in wing arrangement and span
cheers, Joe

In the book Mosquito by Sharp & Bowyer, it says it was a 'scale-up' Mosquito which was to have 15 foot dia contra-props.  From what I understand the idea was to carry 4000lb as far as Berlin from the UK, in the end they ended up fitting bulged bomb bay doors to a regular Mossie plus the two stage Merlins. But if I can find any other concrete evidence to the contrary ----
On the ATF forum, there's a fellow there who volunteers at the DH Museum and he's asking around there some of my questions for me.  I hope to find something fairly soon.  Also got an enquiry with Phil Butler (who's helped me quite a few time with questions)

Cheers,
Robert

[Daryl J.]

Any word on the release date of the new-tool Revell kit?



Daryl J., who's been out of the loop