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davecov

Progress of Colin's build will be reported here.

Dave
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ColinM · Posted: Wed 23 Apr 2008 16:56 pm Post subject:

The kits arrived today.

The plan is to build one of these:

And then one of these:

And then stick them together in the style of a Mistel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistel

Here is what a Mistel looks like (borrowed from the interweb)

Colin

ColinM · Posted: Thu 24 Apr 2008 21:19 pm Post subject:

I started on the Mosquito yesterday and was very tempted to build it straight, I had forgotten what a fine aircraft it is, I will have to build another one soon.

Mistels seem to have been produced in two main variants. The first could be called proof of concept where two aircraft are bolted together with few other changes other than to see if it will fly and for training the pilots. The second is where the bomber aircraft is modified to carry the payload.

I decided to go for the latter. I will post progress photos after it is finished, at the moment it doesn't look very inviting.

So far I have put together the fuselage and started to blank off the cockpit area as the canopy will not be part of the finished aircraft. I inverted the cockpit floor and dashboard to reduce the amount of filler. I am using Humbrol filler for the first time in anger and it is horrible. It looks dry and set but has the consistency of soft putty, hopefully it will dry hard soon so I can sand it properly. Is there another product that is easier to use? Fine Polyfilla would be easier to work...

I have glued the wings and tail in readiness.

I painted the undercarriage parts on the sprue and have assembled them and fitted them to the engine nacelles. The parts seem weak and the construction overly complex, I think I should have glued first and painted later, might have got a stronger finish. I will finish the fuselage before I put everything together.

The early German versions of the Mistel were based on a JU88 and ME109 or FW190. The bomber carried a shaped explosive charge fitted to the nose. I don't know what a British one would have looked like so I am improvising. I have a leftover rocket from the Harrier GB for the pointy bit and some other bits that look like a minature Mercury command module. It will look better than it sounds (I hope).

I haven't worked out how to join the two aircraft together yet. I have some spare bits of sprue that I can probably do something with. The command aircraft will be a Hurricane. I have a new kit ready for this but I may cheat and cannibalise an existing one to try out and save some time.

More later when (if) the filler has gone off!

Colin

hewman100 · Posted: Fri 25 Apr 2008 09:53 am Post subject:

Humbrol filler is very finicky (?).

If applied too thickly it does tend to become a bit like an armadillo!(Crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle

)

Heinkel51 · Posted: Fri 25 Apr 2008 10:34 am Post subject:

From experience Humbrol putty needs to be applied in thin layers. I now use green Stuff from Squadron or Tamiya Basic Type Putty or for small gaps dissolve some plastic card in liquid cement and apply with a brush.

Regards the struts for the Mistel, any substantial sized ones will probably be need to be aerofoil shape. From studying photos of various ' Mistels' attachment locations for struts seem to be near strong points such as the wing rib next to the base of the undercart for the command aircraft and then wing root or on the spar and ribs near the engine bearers. Length appears to be no more than required to give the prop clearence.

Admire you gumption to have a shot at this.

ColinM · Posted: Fri 25 Apr 2008 12:11 pm Post subject:

The filler has hardened better now but sunk so I have had to put more on. I think my problem was due to putting a second layer on top of the first layer before it had really cured.

I agree about the profile of the struts, something similar to what would be found between a biplanes wings?

If anyone has any spare gumption, please send it my way!

Thanks

Colin

hewman100 · Posted: Sat 26 Apr 2008 09:44 am Post subject:

They'd be the sort of thing you're after. Here's some at Hannants (other model retailers are available), that i've found useful in the past.

http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=CONSTR

ColinM · Posted: Sat 26 Apr 2008 11:18 am Post subject:

Excellent!

Thank you very much.

Colin

ColinM · Posted: Sat 26 Apr 2008 20:01 pm Post subject:

I was going to wait until the project was finished before posting pictures but I suspect this could take a while and I may need some moral support!

I was tempted to build ithe Mosquito OOB hence the paint inside the fuselage. In early Early Mistel training aircraft the bomber was unmodified (other than having a fighter upstairs).

I soon decided to do a proper job and thought about how to cover the cockpit. In the end I inverted the kit cockpit floor and instrument panel and topped it with an offcut of sprue to minimise the need for filler.

Here is the fuselage joined. I later fitted the nose for strength although it will not be seen in the finished model.

This is the foundation of the shaped charge that will go on the nose. The pointy bit is a rocket from a Harrier, the bit it is fitted through is a needle cover from an insulin pen.

Here is the fuselage after the second layer of filler has been rubbed down. There are going to be a few more layers before this is finished. I am using Humbrol filler for the first time, I wasn't happy to start with but am now getting to understand it.

While waiting for the filler to set I started on the undercarriage. I think I made a mistake by painting the parts then glueing, it would have been stronger if I had glued it first.

The construction of the undercarriage seems overly complex and not very strong but hopefully it will look OK when finished.

Here is the fuselage with charge fitted. I have since put a lot of filler on it to hopefully make it look part of the aircraft rather than an appendage.

More tomorrow when the filler has set and been rubbed down.

Thanks for your interest

Colin

Ratch · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 08:24 am Post subject:

WOW

that's an impressive job you've done so far

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dancho · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 11:03 am Post subject:

Freaky deaky! I'm assuming that such a engine of destruction would be painted black--no?
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“Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to, and above all, have fun.”
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ColinM · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 11:52 am Post subject:

Most of the German examples I have seen suggest that both aircraft were painted in the usual camouflage designs of the day. Certainly they wouldn't want to be shot down on the way to the target, and the fighter was expected to make it home again.

That said, DaveCov suggested bright yellow for the fighter aircraft.

If we assume that I am buidling a prototype it would not be unusual for it to have a high contrast scheme, even a simple black/white checkerboard pattern, so that it would be easy to see what was going on in film footage of testing.

I am not much good at painting green/grey/brown patterns so any suggestions welcome!

Colin

ColinM · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 12:58 pm Post subject:

After a fill and rub down the fuseleage is taking shape. Still needs a final light fill to get rid of some hollows.

The engines have met the wings

Everything needs to set before I do much more to the mosquito.

The Hurricane is easy by comparison, and it is wheels up.

Just need to decide on a colour scheme.

Any thoughts?

Colin

Robcomet · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 13:13 pm Post subject:

I would say that I would choose something like the chequerboard scheme. If you are designing this as a prototype, it would make more sense and look more fetching to the eye!

Rob
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dancho · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 13:48 pm Post subject:

Well, it reminded me of the dam buster-- so I thought "black." Maybe no national markings on the Mosquito-- so if it failed to work properly and glided to the ground, the RAF could say "it wasn't us!"

By the way, are you familiar with the actual allied flying bombs? The B-24's? Joe Kennedy Jr. was killed during one of the missions.
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“Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to, and above all, have fun.”
- Al Superczynski (1947 - 2007)

ColinM · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 16:39 pm Post subject:

Imperial War Museum have a Mosquito Target Tug in a nice yellow/black/silver colour scheme.

http://www.mossie.org/TA719.htm

Colin

ColinM · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 16:46 pm Post subject:

Ratch · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 17:03 pm Post subject:

The 'wasp-stripe' under surfaces indicate the aircraft is un-armed

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ColinM · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 17:55 pm Post subject:

But I like the colour!

Colin

ColinM · Posted: Sun 27 Apr 2008 18:03 pm Post subject:

The wings are on now.

The propellors do just miss the extended nose, it hadn't occurred to me to check before.

Here are both together

I have ordered some aerofoils as recommended by hewman100, may take a few days for them to arrive.

Need to think about how and where to join everything. Thanks to all for their comments so far.

Colin