82 Squadron Mosquito

[Greebo]

This is my skin of a silver painted SEAC Mosquito from 82 Squadron. This squadron operated Mosquitoes from July 1944 against Japanese ground targets. The silver paint was introduced on all SEAC Mosquitoes in January 1945 and reduced internal wing temperatures by about 15 degrees centigrade. This was an attempt to cure the structural issues that were causing Mosquitoes to break up in mid air. This was probably as much to do with poor quality control in some factories as the Far East heat however.

Most of the tricks I use to do metal skins like panel colour variations and rivet effects don't apply to the silver painted Mossie. I have added some reflection shading, but that's about it. I may make it a touch more reflective yet. Not sure if the red "no step" areas on the radiator panels were repainted on the silver Mossies either. They weren't present on the RAAF's silver Mossies, but I can't find a photo showing that area on an RAF aircraft.

[fudgums]

 

[Mus51]

Keep 'Em coming Greebs 

[Plazus]

She's a beauty! I love the red spinners too!

[Guppy35]

You sure on the yellow surround to the fuselage roundel Greebo?  Wondering if that's just remnants of darker silver paint where they overpainted it.

Great work as usual sir.

[Krusty]

I don't recall ever seeing a yellow outline on RAAF roundels, m'self. Then again not my main subject.

I've got a question about the panel line right about where the hinge for the flaps is. It circles the fuselage/tail until it hits the bomb bay doors.

Would this be there? I once saw a documentary on making Mossies. I've forgotten some of it, but I thought the entire left and right sides were made in 1 piece, then mated together left and right, and that suggest there wouldn't be a seam like this.

Also, you're missing the detail (whatever it is) that extends backwards on the photo with the flaps down. It's a raised brace or something that stretches backwards from the wing into the starboard side fuselage roundel/codes.

There's also this tape or repair patch making a line from the starboard rudder down to the joint on the starboard stabilizer, but not present on the portside in the in-flight picture.

Looks good, but I find a little bit of irony in the fact we finally lose the flame dampers and we get skins for the flame-damped model! 

[lyric1]

It looks great Based off some of the RAAF pics I have of silver Mossies I think you might want to make it a little more reflective. Also Krusty & Guppy35 there is other mossies with the yellow ring.

[Krusty]

Lyric, and idea what that pipe/tube/brace/strut on the right side fuselage is?

Almost reminds me of a data bus on late-era A-7 Corsairs, or on AIM-7 and AIM-120 missiles, but it predates the need for a data bus by a number of years

[SgtPappy]

That's a structural brace. Funny thing is, it wasn't applied to the other side.

Sea Mosquitoes, however, had them on both sides.

[Krusty]

That's a structural brace. Funny thing is, it wasn't applied to the other side.

Sea Mosquitoes, however, had them on both sides.

Thanks!

[Guppy35]

It looks great Based off some of the RAAF pics I have of silver Mossies I think you might want to make it a little more reflective. Also Krusty & Guppy35 there is other mossies with the yellow ring.

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

The profile and image is of an SAAF bird in Italy.   Greebo's bird is a CBI bird.  As far as I can determine the yellow surround disappeared about the same time as the red in the roundels.  Anything is possible when it comes to markings, just not sure

[Greebo]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

The brace on the right side of the rear fuselage was added to all Mosquitoes after one of the prototypes broke in half at that point after landing on a rough field. The large hatch just below the brace created a stress point in the structure and the brace spread this load out along the length of the fuselage.

The RAAF's silver Mossies were very shiny, but then they were only in action for the last month or so of the war. After being painted silver the 82 squadron aircraft saw action from January 45 until VJ Day in a jungle enviroment and would have got a lot grubbier. Having said that, I probably will make it a touch shinier.

The silver RAAF Mossies did not have a yellow surround, but there are quite a lot of photos of silver RAF Mosquitoes from several squadrons that do show a surround. It was by no means standard, but was not uncommon either.

The link below has a decal sheet with this scheme:

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ESP72075

[lyric1]

Thanks for the feedback guys.


The silver RAAF Mossies did not have a yellow surround, but there are quite a lot of photos of silver RAF Mosquitoes from several squadrons that do show a surround. It was by no means standard, but was not uncommon either.

Could have swore I had that plane marked correctly I knew it was not RAAF. Oh well no matter.

[Guppy35]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

The brace on the right side of the rear fuselage was added to all Mosquitoes after one of the prototypes broke in half at that point after landing on a rough field. The large hatch just below the brace created a stress point in the structure and the brace spread this load out along the length of the fuselage.

The RAAF's silver Mossies were very shiny, but then they were only in action for the last month or so of the war. After being painted silver the 82 squadron aircraft saw action from January 45 until VJ Day in a jungle enviroment and would have got a lot grubbier. Having said that, I probably will make it a touch shinier.

The silver RAAF Mossies did not have a yellow surround, but there are quite a lot of photos of silver RAF Mosquitoes from several squadrons that do show a surround. It was by no means standard, but was not uncommon either.

The link below has a decal sheet with this scheme:

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ESP72075

For my own curiousity I'm gonna have to do some more digging on that one

Now if we can just get the Beaufighter and some SEAC camo

[jocko-]

My $.02:

I've never seen photos of a (an official) SEAC roundel with a yellow outer ring. This does NOT mean it didn't happen, just that I've never seen one.

I have seen type iii (C1 if you prefer) national markings with the red center painted over in white, leaving a blue and white roundel with a yellow outline. This was done as a quick fix in theater to avoid confusion with the Japanese Hinomaru. There are lots of pics of Mohawks and Hurris sporting these 'in theater' markings. Official SEAC markings came later. My point is, if the markings were painted in the official SEAC colours of Blue and Light Blue they probably would have rid the aircraft of the yellow outer ring when repainting the roundels.