Eagle Editions always seem to have their fingers on the
pulse. When the two new Mossie kits in 32nd came out they were not
far behind in their releases of two new decal sets for the HK and Tamiya
Mosquito kits. There are of course copies of this released in 72nd
and 48th scales but today we look at the 32nd scale sets
for you…
Review: EagleCals #169 Mosquito FB.Mk.VI in 32nd scale.
Sets contain:
Fold out colour booklet
Two decal sheets in A5 printed by Cartograf
Prices:
1/72nd Mosquito B.Mk.VI: $12.50
1/48th Mosquito B.Mk.VI: $16.50
1/32nd Mosquito B.Mk.VI: $21.50
+ P&P from Eagle
editions directly.
On this decal sheet from Eagle editions we have four schemes
in 32nd scale ( here are of course both 48th and 72nd
scale versions available separately) but today we are looking at these aircraft
in the larger 32nd scale from eagle Editions.
The 1/32nd scale Mosquito is now available from
three companies. While we cannot forget that Revell recently re-released their older
tool bomber kit it is the almost simultaneous release of both the Hong Kong
Models bomber (and due to be a fighter down the track and Tamiya fighter bomber
version that has caused more than a little excitation of recent times.
The fact that both Tamiya and HK models had released the
Mosquito in 32nd scale made me choose the larger scale to review.
The scope for detailing these machines in larger scale called for good decals
to suit. As we have used them before on models I thought this would be a good
choice to put on a $300 Dollar kit. You know it makes sense.
This decal sheet comes in a Zip-loc bag with a small A5
colour printed instruction sheet that folds out into an A4 and then an even
larger booklet with even more information on the four schemes provided.
Let’s look at each of the parts of this release including a
bit of the groundwork which enabled these decals to come into being:
The colour
instruction booklet:
The folded A5 sheets that makes the instruction booklet
opens up to reveal an A4 sheet of the four aircraft profiles. Included is an A4
sized sheet of stencil placement, this gives us a view of the aircraft from all
around with simple numbers telling you where to place your aircraft stencils on
your kit.
Another part of this instruction sheet is another A4 sized sheet
of aircraft history. This short history tells us the particulars of the time,
pilot, colours, unit and placement for the national insignia of your particular
aircraft.
A coloured camouflage pattern instruction for each of the
aircraft from the under and upper surfaces is also included. This includes not
only the patterns but also the wing/invasion stripe widths in all three scales
which says to me that this sheet applies for all three scales in this release.
The Profiles:
This time the four aircraft profiles are ably drawn by Steve
Disley. They are well drawn with the light and dark of the aircraft’s surfaces
captured nicely. There is reference of the decal placement on these also. You are
given little cut-aways of the nose of the aircraft hidden by the engine nacelles
as well which helps with the nose art placement. Nicely drawn and helpful to
have here.
The Decals:
It’s this that we are really concerned with isn’t it?
Printed by Cartograf in Italy, these two decal sheets would be familiar to
anyone used to EagleCals sheets. One set of national markings and stencils is provided
on one of the sheets. There are no whites on this sheet but the other colours
look pretty good to me.
The other sheet features another set of national markings,
that of the SEAC aircraft. So with a second set of stencils you could
conceivably share this decal sheet with a buddy if one of you wants to make the
UX-P of No.82 Sqn from the Summer of 1945.
A thick decal with not an excess of carrier film. These are
printed finely down to the smallest detail as we can see by the picture below.
The Research:
The information on it is pretty relevant to painting and finishing
your Mossie. Again Eagle Editions has turned to Mark Proulx for the research of
this sheet, and having checked his research before and I’m more than happy to
say that this sheet meets his own dedicated standards. He gives his sources
where he found his own reference for the modeller in the books to check. Having
access to the books I found the pictures of the aircraft on those pages.
The research on each of the aircraft is brief but the help
it will give you when painting and decaling your bird is invaluable.
The aircraft:
When I say four schemes I must mention that there are only
three actual aircraft captured here on this sheet.
“UX-P” was an 82nd squadron RAF Mosquito
FB.Vl. (Serial number was HR551)
Captured here on this decal sheet in 1945 in Cholavarum close
to Madras in India. It wears SEAC two-tone blue markings over an all painted
aluminium finish. It is good that the ID marks are mentioned here as Dark Blue.
Many think they were black but they are indeed blue as stated here.
It’s a fairly standard glossy aluminium finish on this one
but those types of Mossies are rare. These Mossies were repainted in aluminium
dope to prevent heat fatigue to the glue holding the airframe together. It reduced
the interior wing temperature by 15 degrees during the daytime.
“SB-V” serial no MM403
from 464 Squadron. September 1944 (Dark Green and Ocean Grey over Medium
Sea Grey)
Two sets of codes are included on this sheet for MM403, “SB-V”
of No.464 Squadron. One set makes the post invasion Mosquito with the half
codes of “SB” with painted over underneath portion, while the other set
includes whole “SB” codes.
“MM403” was famous as one of the aircraft that took part in
the Amiens prison raid (later known as 'Operation Jericho’) on February 18th
1944. To build an Amiens prison raid aircraft the complete markings are also supplied
you only need to omit the D-Day stripes, as the raid was before D-day.
Armourers prepare to load four 500-lb MC bombs into the
bomb-bay of De Havilland Mosquito FB Mark VI, MM403 'SB-V', of No. 464 Squadron
RAAF at Hunsdon, Hertfordshire.
“SM-W”, Serial No HP913,
No.305 Squadron, November 1944 out of Lasham, England, autumn 1944. Seen
here with a Dark Green/ Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey camouflage, it is one
of the two kites here from the 305th “Polish” squadron in WWII
On the stacked nose you can see here how the decal makers
have found the 70 bomb mission markings and reproduced them on the decals for
the port side nose. The aircraft also sported the tail invasion stripes.
The aircraft was lost in the night of 25/26 November 1944,
was. After shootings over the Ruhr and the failure of the electrical system. What
is not often stated was that electrical system involved the lighting, and this
was why the crew could not read their maps and P/O Thomas Wilczewski and F /
Sgt Zygmunt Haas turned south after running out of fuel jumped by parachute
over Champagne. Already in US hands they were returned to their unit.
“SM-C” – Serial No NS927
of “Polish” No.305 Squadron, autumn 1944. Finished in a camo of Dark Green
and Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey. The aircraft was named “Janka Kituś” on
the starboard side of the nose and this is included in the decal.
Flown by F/O J. Wielgosz with his navigator Sgt. M Perycz,
this Mossie is almost as well-known as it’s sheet- mate. The invasion stripes
on the undersides of the aircraft and not the top. As we have mentioned earlier
this aircraft has the half and full “SM” decals for use in this particular
aircraft.
Well after looking at the research, the contents and decals I
can say that I am not disappointed. I had been a bit dismayed at other people’s
research of these aircraft (especially in reviews) but I see here Mr Proulx has
done his job well as have Eagle editions and the printers.
A great decal sheet for your next mozzie (or next two)
project.
Adam Norenberg
These decal sets are
now available in 72nd, 48th and 32nd scales.
