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Mosquito Cockpit Detail Set

Verlinden

Catalogue No.: 1460
Scale: 1/48
Media: Resin, Etched Copper, Wire
Review Type: First Look
Rating: Recommended

Reviewed by Brett Green

 

S u m m a r y

Contents:
 48 resin parts; 1 x etched copper fret, 1 x length of copper wire
Price: US$13.95
Advantages: Great donor kit; nice detail; crisp resin casting; sensible construction method; paint colour callouts on instructions; replacement intake guards included too!
Disadvantages: Some modification of kit parts required (no big deal though)
Recommendation: A big improvement on the kit cockpit. This accessory is well worthy of the lovely Tamiya Mosquito

 

 

B a c k g r o u n d

 

Tamiya's 1/48 scale Mosquito FB.VI is an exceptional kit even considering the high standards of this dominant Japanese manufacturer.

So does Verlinden's new detail set add value to the kit cockpit? The answer is definitely "yes".

Verlinden's set number 1460 contains 48 parts cast in light green/grey resin and a photo etched copper sheet. A length of copper wire is also included. All the resin parts are cast crisply and with no imperfections. Many of the smaller parts are cast onto thin resin sheets. This will help keep track of the parts, but it will take a little longer to clean-up the excess.

Replacement parts such as instrument panels, seat cushions, radios, crew access door and armour plating are an improvement on the kit parts; while the addition of brass harnesses, instrument coaming, cables, supporting braces and even a stowed crew ladder will enliven the Mossie's front office.

Verlinden's set is not a full replacement cockpit. Instead it adds detail to the kit floor and sidewalls. As a result, the floor and sidewall detail must be scraped off in preparation for the replacement resin and brass parts. This is not a problem though - there are a number of visible sinkmarks on both sidewalls of the Tamiya kit fuselage sanding off the details is probably the only way to fill them! This method of assembly also bypasses the fit problems (and scale sidewall thickness) issues sometimes encountered with replacement "tub" style inserts.

The results should look pretty impressive. There are fifteen parts added to the port sidewall alone! Other details I particularly like are the crew access door and the inclusion of corrected intake guards for the engine nacelles.

The instructions cover all the assembly and kit modifications in fourteen illustrated steps but I think a bit more detail on the preparation of the stepped kit cockpit floor would have been nice. Take note that although the oxygen container, flares and parachute should be removed from the floor, the boot for the control column and the mounts for the pilot's seat must remain.

Painting colours are called out every step of the way - a rare treat from an after-market manufacturer. Nice touch.

This is a very worthwhile product for anyone building a Mosquito FB.VI or NF.II.

Recommended.

 

 

Verlinden Productions have a comprehensive website with photos of virtually all their current range and future releases. Worth a visit for aircraft, armour and figure modellers.

Thanks to Wim Verlinden from Verlinden Productions for the review sample.

Review Copyright © 1999 by Brett Green
Page Created 29 July, 1999
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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