Airfix De Havilland Mosquito Mk. XVI /PR.XVI – page2

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History

The Mosquito hardly needs an introduction being one of the best known aircraft of the Second World War. Designed and first flown in 1940 it went into squadron service in July 1941. Conceived as a high speed unarmed bomber it eventually served as a fighter, bomber, night fighter, photo recon and night intruder amongst others. Over 7700 were built.

The XVI version was powered by two Merlin 70 engines giving a top speed of 408mph (657kph) a range of 1370 miles (2200k) at 37000 feet (11277m).

The Mosquito was able to reach Berlin with a significant bomb load.
Mosquito squadrons were famous for their low level sorties such as breaching the walls of Amiens prison allowing French resistance prisoners to escape and bombing Berlin just as Goring was about to make a radio address.

The kit…

First introduced in 1980 as the FB VI this modified kit came along about 20 years later. The kit comprises of 135 parts including the new engine nacelles and fuselage to accommodate the BVI version with the Merlin 70 engines and the glass nose.

There’s the inevitable comparison with the Tamiya kit which is a little unfair seeing as how that kit is a good 20 years the junior to the Airfix model, as the Airfix kit was to the Monogram kit before that.
The Tamiya kit is without doubt the better detailed model having a good level of detail not only in the cockpit but also the bomb bay and wheel wells. That coupled to the now almost legendary ‘shake n bake’ engineering makes it a winner but the Airfix kit is by no means ‘unbuildable’ and still makes up into a pleasing replica.
If you want to, there’s also a fair amount of aftermarket resin and photo etch available for both kits.

Onto the build…