I am looking for some help here. Assome may now i have a long project to build aircraft based in Norfolk, England. One of the airfields i don’t have aircraft for is little Snoring. In the latter half of the war this was home to Mosquito’s of 515 Sqn. There are a couple of decals sets for aircraft of this squadron’s Mk VI Mosquito, buit, they all have the ASH radar fitted in the nose. And of course, there are no kits or conversions in this scale for this option. There are conversions in 48th and 24th, but not 72nd.
Why do decal companies do that by the way, give you decals for a subject thats not on the market.
So, any suggestions on how to gun a Mk VI nose with guns.
At first glance the radar ‘thimble’ seems like it might be modded from a torpedo or bomb section of appropriate scale/size. Then, of course, putty…lots of putty…
Do you know anyone with a 3D printer? Is there a service or university nearby with a 3D printer? I think you’d be able to use the 1/48 scale aftermarket part for a template for the computer model. I’d imagine such a small part wouldn’t take long to print, but you’d want a small resolution. Also, you’d likely have to sand off some of the surface texture common with 3D printing.
I think Greg has a great idea. A spare bit of a bomb and a couple pieces of scrap styrene would easily replicate that with some filler to blend it together.
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I was thinking about getting the 48th part as a guide, so which ever way i go i think i will do that. I’ll get the Tamiya kit and decals anyway, as it won’t get build for some time and who knows, someone may come out with an AM set, but in the meantime i will look into both options.
I am so close to having kits for all 37 airfields, i know there are 3 other i can get, and this one would only leave me with 5, so i am looking at all options.
Its been on going for years. I am close to at least having the kits, the main issue is markings, so i will be resorting to putting together my own, which is an option for Little Snoring as i have pics of one aircraft without the radar, but thats somthing a bit different so would like to do that.
Another option to create your radar thimble is rod styrene or sprue. Find an appropriate diameter piece, sand a length to the proper profile, then cut off a proper length, then glue it in place. That looks to be a simple conversion.
In 1/48, that radar thimble looks to be the same size as the type used on the P-38M which a few kits offer as a build option…
I know Special Hobby do a 72nd Fulmer with an ASH radar slung underneath. I was looking for a resin AM replacment part as they would be ideal, but no luck there either. Once i work out the diameter, then i can go from there.
Yes, from a quick web search, it appears that radar was a common type used. If you cut off the gun nose between the inner and outer pairs of guns, then put fairings over the outboard gun mounts, you’re half way there.
If you know someone with a vaccume forming machine you could find a ball bearing the right size and attach it to a hollow rod. Then cut off a plastic funnel the right size and fit the rod in the hole. Use that as the pattern for the vaccume machine.
Carlos, that was the bit thats had me most stumpped as its a slightly different shape to the nose with guns fitted. Thats sound slike a good idea. I can do what i think are air intakes no problem. Cheers.
seasick, nice idea as well. I’ll ask at the modelclub, i am sure someone can help out on that.
I’m not sure I understand the decal problem, so I will only address the nose problem. First of all, the photo is not showing up very well. Any chance you could rescan and post a larger image? From what I see from the photo, it looks like the radome may not be concentric with the nose. Can you estimate the diameter of the radome in the scale you are trying to build? As I understand it, you are trying to build in 1:72. If that is the case, the diameter of the radome should not exceed 3/8 inch. In that case, a wooden dowel or styrene rod can be chucked in a 3/8 electric drill, and turned to the necessary diameter and shape with a file. Hold drill in vise. There are several ways to mount it to the nose of the fuselage.
Don, i did find a better image, but i can’t load it from work. I meant to do it from home last night but forgot, i’ll post it tonight.
That size sounds about right, though the shape of the nose would need altering as its not just acase of making a hole and putting the radar through, the shape is slightly different. You will see what i mean when i post the bigger pic.
The issue with the decals for this subject is that there are decals for it, but no kit or aftermarket part. Decal companies seem to be doing this quite often.
For the dome part, this is a good plunge mold project. Make a master out of a sanded dowel a couple of inches long… Don’t underestimate the minor detail that will come through, so make it nice and smooth on the end with CA or whatever. Chuck the dowel in a clamp or vise.
Get a thin piece of styrene. Hold it briefly and I mean briefly over a candle, go to the dowel and pull it down over the end. It’ll take some tries to get the amount of time over the flame right, but you can crank 'em out by the dozen.
I like to use the clear plastic top of the tub that cut/ washed lettuce comes in.
Paragon made one, their part 72072. I don’t see any right now on eBay.
I think the decal companies are trying to coerce other companies to bring out conversions for subjects they would like to see built, but they cannot practically build themselves. Would you tackle this variant if there were no decals for it?
As for that nose I’d do the actual radar radome by turning (lathe) from aluminium or brass rod. I respectfully disagree with GMorrison here. The nose section that isn’t round - now that could use some plunge moulding, but you would need a wooden master for it, so maybe it would make more sense to just use that wooden shape for the nose and just laminate it in - and drill a nice hole in it, to accept the turned radome.
In any case I wish you good luck with your project and have a nice day
Pawel, i think your right about the edcal companies, unfortunatly it does not seem to work that often. If there were no decals, but there was a conversion, i popbably would do this one as its different. I know not all the Mk VI’s with 515 Sqn had this rradar fitted, so my other option is to build a standard Mk VI and add my own markings. That would be the easiest route.
Thanks for the input again, a lot of great ideas floating around here. Even if i get the kit and decals now, it will be a while before i build it. By which time someone will have either released an AM part or i could have had a number of goes at making my own and hopefully get it right.
