Just saw a program on the Military channel about the Mosquito. Of course, now I want to build one, or three.
Airfix has a 1/72 kit that can be made into three variants, which is just what I am looking for as I want to build several (the anti-submarine variant with the freaking big cannon is one).
The kit is not too expensive, under $10. So, does anyone have an opinion on the quality of the Airfix kit?
It is very old. I believe from the seventies. Does not have the detailing that the Tamiya or Hasegawa kits have but it is much cheaper.
Thanks. I’m not so much concerned with the level of detail. It is 1/72, under $10, so I wouldn’t expect a lot of fine detail (which at my skill level would be wasted for the most part). I am more concerned with the parts (do they fit together ok?, that sort of thing).
I’ve had kits that the parts looked like the mold was held together with rubber bands (loose ones) and I couldn’t tell where the wing ended and the sprue began.
The Airfix Mossie is not bad for an early 70’s(?) kit, though the moulds have seen better days.
If you want to build the cannon armed version, it requires some minor, but careful surgery to remove the “other” nose. A recessed (on the inside) cut-off line is provided, but take care to avoid gaps and alignment problems.
There’s little in the way of surface detail, as the Mossie was mostly glued/laminated wood construction. The underwing bombs are little more than blobs, you’d be better off using the wing tanks.
The answer to your question is the same for any model kit…it depends on the effort you put into it. Even Vacuformed kits and build into spectacular models if the skill of the builder is adequate and enough time is invested. No kit will build itself so dig in and good luck. Show us pics along the way.
Basic shape is good, detail is lacking (though you can always put the crew figures in to disguise this) and decals will need replacing. It’s certainly a better kit than the Hasegawa effort, if you can deal with fairly minor fit issues. For a very long time, it was the best 1/72 Mossie available, and today is only bettered by the Tamiya kits.
To be honest, though, in the UK at least, the far superior Tamiya kit is less than twice the price (£11.99 vs. £6.99) and by the time you’ve bought some decals and even the tiniest bit of aftermarket for the Airfix kit, this difference is largely eroded. If you want to make several, and concentrate on the paint/ decal job, the Airfix kit is probably the one to go for.
Cheers,
Chris.
As said by others, the Airfix kit is a nice kit, shapes and size is ok, raised detail but because the mossie is a wooden aircraft there is not a lot of it. And I think it’s the only kit with the Tse-Tse gun.
Thanks everyone for the input.
I’ll have to re-evaluate the Tamiya kit when I put together my shopping list.
HobbyBuy had couple different hasegawa 1/72 Mosquitoes half price last week, $10-12
never built one, I recon they are better than the old Airfixes? Just assuming here
Hi padakr , I’m not sure if these two pic’s are of much use , other than showing what you get in the Airfix box . I bought the Mosquito kits earlier this year as part of my own Israeli IDF/AF build I’m starting in 2009 . I thought the Airfix kits look pretty good for $14 [AUS] , I have read that the landing gear may be a little tricky ? . The Nightfighter version come’s with seperate props and nose cone .
The Hasegawa kit was a lot more expensive $30 [on special] but has a lot more detail .
I think it was on www.modelingmadness.com where there are some Airfix Mosquito build reviews.
HTH , Kind regards John
I’ve built one of the Tamyia Mosquitos (the B.IV) and 3 Airfixes (FB.VI, NFII and NF XIX). Tamiya is the best kit, with typically good Tamiya detail and fit, but the Airfixes are acceptable.
The Airfix kits require some flash clean up and the use of some clamps and rubber bands during construction. Interior detail is sparse, but they come with aircrew figures to fill up the space.
I am an “arm’s length” modeler (I hang my completed projects from the ceiling, at arm’s length from anyone who looks at them) and at arm’s length, the only visible quality difference is in the canopy, which in the Airfix kits is too thick, with heavy framing.
Ed
Thanks again everyone.
Helo 53: Great pics. It does give me a sense of the quality of the kit. Which is about right for the price it looks like.
All in all, I think I’ll go the with the Airfix kit.
I bought three kits for XMAS. Haven’t done much but opened the boxes. They may float to the top of the pile once I complete my Corsair and Stryker.
The mosquito is indeed one of my favortie planes of all times…
There were one incident in Trondheim, where one RAF Mosquito was shot down and crashed in a German occupied building… My grandpa was the first to get to the crashscene, the head of the pilot was hanging forward, only held in place by a tiny piece of flesh… My grandpa took his glove. Where it is now, noone knows… but grandpa told my dad which again told me, inside the glove, it said “Scott”… Oh god as I’ve been digging to find out more about this “Scott”, who died in Trondheim, WWII… blah… [V]
Having built one, I found it to be ok, fit was fine the only thing that I would pick is the canopy, it was so thick, you probably won’t need to add anything to the cockpit because you won’t see it. I just added a few boxes and seat belts. There might be an aftermarket canopy out there somewhere. Good overall model with lots of room for scratchbuilding if desired.
Cheers Leo
Squadron has a vacform canopy for this kit: http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=SQ9156
Santa brought me a camera, so here are my Tamiya Mosquito BIV and Airfix Mosquito NF XIX to show that the Airfix kit’s shape is pretty good. Ed
Nice pictures of the Mossies. Now that you have a camera let see whats hanging from the rest of your ceiling.
I think the ATC must have had a nervous meltdown trying to control that airspace. [(-D]
OK… Here’s the answer to that age old question, “Where do you put them?” These are all 1/72 scale.
Ed
