Mossie Fighter ?!

[John Howling Mouse]

Take a twin-engine 1:72 Airfix© Mosquito and imagine it as a 1:48 single-engine/single-seat fighter (or sport-plane) instead.

Here, I have taped some stuff up to see how the concept feels.  One of the prop-cones is taped to the nose and I've got a Matchbox© Mosquito wing under the tail as I consider lopping off the tip of that wing for matching empennage.



Another view:



Tricky to picture it as a regular low-wing monoplane fighter with those twin engine mounts and the full Matchbox© wing in the way, so let's knock them all down to size, too.  While we're at it, that tailfin just has to go.

[John Howling Mouse]

Only problem is that cutting off the engine mounts, that portion of the wing's leading edge ends up as a big block of, well, nothing.  Yuck.



So, it's time to cut that right out, too.  Will be replaced with properly shaped plug later.

I hope.

[John Howling Mouse]

First mock-up: more masking tape than styrene (or putty) at this point but I like the promising shape overall.







The only view I'm not 100% happy with is the top view, looking straight down.
I'm hoping it's something that will grow on me.

[Brian da Basher]

Oh man Man-Ho that is one incredible project you've got going there! In a way, it looks like the byproduct of an unholy union between the Morsair and that Mustang trainer you have in progress. I can't wait to see more!

Brian da Basher

[Eddie M.]

I'm diggin' it! Don't change a thing, honest. B) To me , it's lines just scream speed!
It looks like it's leaning into the wind. Great vision there JHM!
   Eddie

[gooberliberation]

Another future masterpiece! Plugging aside, are you going to try to keep the radiators in the wings?

[John Howling Mouse]

Another future masterpiece! Plugging aside, are you going to try to keep the radiators in the wings?

I considered that but was figuring on doing it as a turboprop.
Would a turboprop still have potential need for any kind of wing-mounted intakes?  (shows what I know about airplanes or engineering, eh?).   :dum:  

[Gary]

Nope, unless you somehow decided that this was to be the air intake point for the turbine.
I am not sure you'd need an oil cooler or any other reason for intakes at the wings.


Super sweet build BTW. You got's a major imagination dude.

[BlackOps]

I would have never guessed that started as a Mosquito! Very cool


Jeff G.

[B777LR]

The top wing part had an part of the engine nacelle, which looked a bit like a jet engine. Perhaps you could add jets from a 1/48 Me-262?

[John Howling Mouse]

Cuttin' out wheelwells:





Glued in some styrene blockage for the wing's leading edge plugs to rest against:

[John Howling Mouse]

There could always be a second model???

I forgot to load up more recent pic, aperture for canopy has also been cut:

[elmayerle]

Another future masterpiece! Plugging aside, are you going to try to keep the radiators in the wings?

I considered that but was figuring on doing it as a turboprop.
Would a turboprop still have potential need for any kind of wing-mounted intakes?  (shows what I know about airplanes or engineering, eh?).   :dum:

Well, it depends on your turboprop and how it's installed.  A PT6 could use an intake back there but even then you'd get flow losses in routing it to the engine inlet.  You might could use smaller intakes for oil cooler(s) on one side and for something to do with cabin pressurization on the other, but that's about it for using the wing inlets.

[John Howling Mouse]

Tailfin halves have been shaped and are now glued together:

[John Howling Mouse]

Tailfin's done, rivets and all!   Oh yeah, modified P-51 cockpit in the background will fit in the new fuselage nicely, too.



Angled view.  It's hard to see all the contouring in these pics but it's there, believe me.  You could cut yourself on the trailing edge of the tailfin