**** DONE: GB-59 1/72 D.H. Mosquito PR. XVI - WW2 PTO V

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Props, spinners and exhaust stacks. Painted and ready to go. None of this has been glued yet. The wings slide into place. The landing gear, same. The engine nacelles as well. no glue. So I have to say I'm impressed with how precise this kit is. Fit's like a finger in a b-- !


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I used to work for a guy named Bert Madden building floats. He was in his 80s and that was his favourite expression. His other one was " it's like trying to wipe your ____with a hoola hoop" He was also good friends with Franz Stigler and that's how I got to know Franz.
 
Well I have to say, this is a fabulous kit but the instructions ? The canopy, two options, one with the blister one without. Now the side panels, H10 and H11 according to the instructions are flat yet the parts on the tree have large blisters on them. One would assume they would go with H5 ? However, there are two other side panels H14 and H15 not mentioned anywhere in the instructions. They have blisters on them as well albeit quite a bit smaller. The one picture I have found shows they had no blisters on the canopies above or on the side panels ! It looks like they slide back under the canopy. I might try and make something to replicate this or maybe just leave the side panels off all together.

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IMHO the Airfix instruction is fine. The H10 and H11 parts aren't flat but slightly bulged actually. These two additional side glasses with the tear-drop blisters are the option because these could be found on other Mosquito kites, not necessarily of the RAAF. The Airfix didn't show it in the assembling manual in the way it is done usually. I mean by printing the sketch of the sprues with markings all parts needed for assembling of the particular Mosquito. But they added the information there. Unfortunately it has been done in the way it might be omitted if the instruction wasn't perused.

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the pic source: the net.

Reagarding the A52-2 "Old Faitful" ... indeed she had neither the top blister nor the side ones. Just the slightly bulged side glasses. The same you may find in shots of the A52-4, A52-6, A52-9 for instance. But the A52-600/622 seem to had the top blister additionally.

A52-600 ...
a52-600.jpg


A52-610 ...
a52-610.jpg

the pic source: the net.
 
Yep, the PR.XVI had the bulged side windows, replacing the earlier "blister" type as used on the PR.IX and earlier Marks. as the PR.XVI had a presurised cockpit and, as with all other models, the only opening windows were the "quarter lights", which hinged inwards for clear vision, if needed, on landing.
The "blister" on top of the canopy was sometimes fitted to late PR.XVI's, but it normally ahd the "flat" escape panel in the roof, the blister eing standard on the PR.35.
 
Great information ! It would appear my lighting is bad or my eyesight or both. Looking at the instruction sheet it does show a slight bulge in the panels, it's very subtle but there. My bad ! I'm not sure if it's me or not but finding incandescent light bulbs is getting harder and harder. I don't like the light the curly florescent bulbs make and the LED ones bug my eyes !
 
Oops and a fumble. No going back. I wanted to use the shallow side panels with the small blisters but somehow I managed to use the panels with the large blisters....not only that but I glued the canopy to the fuselage before I even noticed what I had done ! Am I losing my mind ? The War dept has a theory on this !

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