Bridlington & Wolds Scale Model Club Forum
Models => Modelling Projects => Topic started by: cph64 on June 24, 2020, 03:20:27 PM
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Whilst waiting for Me 262 to set it was time to start researching the next project. This is the old PM Model kit of the Ta 154 Moskito, the proposed equivalent of the D.H. Mosquito. I also have this kit, along with the Fw 190A-8, in the Airfix Mistel boxing. I knew when i got this kit that the interior was sparse, to say the least, so ordered the Airwaves etch set, but even this asks for some parts to be made from plastic card.
The markings are for TQ+XE, the much photographed Ta 154A-0, but I'm going to convert it into a late war A-4 ground attack a/c fitted with wing mounted FuG 218 radar instead of the nose mounted FuG 220 array, using Airframe Detail No.6 by Richard Franks as a source of detail.
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This should keep you busy.
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Looks like there is plenty to do there Chris. Another interesting model.
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Chris, did this ever get airborne, or is it Luft 46?
Should keep you out of mischief!
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Yes this one did fly, I must be slipping up, lol!!! V 1-10 & 14, 22 &23 flew, 11-13 static tests, 16-19 not completed, 15,20,21 proof of concept a/c. A-0 series 7 flew, 21 fate unknown or if built. A-1 series 7 flew & 2 converted to A-4, A-2 single seat day fighter series only 6 which flew and lastly A-4 series 5 converted from A-1s but unknown if completed leaving W/Nr.320017 which first flew on 1st August 1944, ultimate fate unknown and the one I'll be modelling.
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The first photo shows the hole drilled in the spine to the right of the cockpit which is the correct location for the 'Morane' mast of the Fug 16ZY equipment, with the kit hole to the left filled. Also drilled are the holes for the FuG 218 antennae, the location of the forward holes was easy enough to work out it was the rear ones that took some time. The slots for the flaps not fitted to the A4 have been filled in and from the photo the correct shape of the wingtips can be seen so these have to be altered and then angled upwards slightly.
The 2nd photo shows the amount of plastic to be removed from the front of the cockpit prior to the etched brass being fitted and also shows how the PM moulding is misaligned.
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A bit of fettling required there.
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Big hammer would fix it !!!!!!
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Spoken like a true engineer!!! I love the mechanical concept of 'force fit', it applies to some of my builds at times. Did you notice my zombie fingers MSea? Thought I'd try a cross-over photo, lol!!!
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Fuselage and wings joined with the latter having the holes drilled for the radar antennae, unneeded panel lines filled, control surfaces scribed deeper and prep work done for turning up the wing tips, The intakes on the engines have also been opened.
Photo 2 shows the etch main and radar consoles painted and placed on backing card ready for cutting out and fitting.
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Following on from the 2nd photo yesterday I have been struggling to keep the black backing card on one of the pieces, so I asked Tracy if she had any black card. She gave me some black plastic/vinyl labelling which came from The Works and is sticky on one side. See 1st photo. This may help those of us who need to back control panels etc. in the future. She doesn't know if it comes in other colours.
The 2nd photo shows the wingtips after being sawn and bent into shape. The gap underneath was filled with Evergreen strip and has since been filled with Perfect Plastic putty. I spent most of the day sanding the top of the fuselage and the bottom of the wing to get a good fit. Building straight from the box would have left steps above and big holes underneath.
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Hi Chris,
Nice work, and nice to see Tracy taking notice of your skills, helping out with the Black/Vinyl labelling tape.
You see, you did marry well!
A nice build of an often overlooked aeroplane.
Nice too see the detail on the upturned wingtips, it will make your model stand out.
Cheers,
Bigkev
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After fitting the pilot's etch brass front and side consoles together as per instructions I found they didn't fit anywhere near where they're supposed to so I dismantled them and back the side consoles with matchsticks, to give them a better chance of sticking to the cockpit sides. Photo to follow once the levers are in place (hopefully).
The rest of the session was making up the undercarriage and engine nacelles. The legs are too tight to fit the wheels after painting so they had to be fitted early. Due to the stance of the a/c this is a definite contender for a tail sitter so besides packing the nose and under the cockpit floor the engine nacelles were packed with white stuff (by Fashion on the album Fabrique, voted the best techno pop album of the 80's, more info there Kev!!!) and steel BBs. first photo. The fit to the wings is atrocious so will need a lot of filling and sanding.
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Cockpit completed using the Airwaves set not up to Haddock's standard but I'm getting better!!! The FuG 212 shroud is white metal and came from some spares somebody gave me, apologies I can't remember who, I had to shorten it and fit a blanking plate over the hole in the floor as the seat had to be moved back into it's proper position. The front cockpit shroud is a spare adapted from the Me 309 kit but needs further work after checking the canopy fit.
The tail plane is a one piece slid through which causes enough problems in itself re gluing in place and as per the rest of the kit it fits where it touches.
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Looking good Chris.
Andy.
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Cockpit completed using the Airwaves set not up to Haddock's standard but I'm getting better!!! The FuG 212 shroud is white metal and came from some spares somebody gave me, apologies I can't remember who, I had to shorten it and fit a blanking plate over the hole in the floor as the seat had to be moved back into it's proper position. The front cockpit shroud is a spare adapted from the Me 309 kit but needs further work after checking the canopy fit.
The tail plane is a one piece slid through which causes enough problems in itself re gluing in place and as per the rest of the kit it fits where it touches.
As long as you can make it touch where it needs, that's all that matters.
Bigkev
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With the cockpit combing altered to allow the canopy to be fitted I tried both the kit part and a Falcon vacform one. The Falcon canopy, though thinner and clearer, required the rear of the cockpit to be raised so I went with the kit one. I fixed it in place with 'Glue and Glaze' (the first time I've used this) and also partially filled the resulting step. After leaving this to set overnight I roughly hand painted the canopy frame so any white filler wouldn't show through into the cockpit. The sills were smoothed with water but the rear has now been left to set thoroughly.
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After having spent the morning at the Opticians in Bridlington, which gave me a chance to call at Croppers, Boyes and Mighty Lancer, where the latter was the only pace I could buy some Acrylic Varnish. Covid 19 must have used up all the supplies, no-one seems to have any Humbrol AV, except online and then it has to come by Courier, it was back to the Moskito.
There are no weapons in the kit so I used spares from the Me 309 to show the exposed parts, these have to be fared in fully yet. Behind the cockpit was partially sanded and then the wing/engine nacelles were fixed to the body, followed by yet more filler so there's still a lot of work to do in that area.
The main wheel oleos had a very loose fit so they had to be glued, then reinforced with superglue and the holes for the front leg were too big so these had to be filled and drilled with superglue being used again. The photo shows how shallow the front bay is. Now the bad news. Despite cramming every possible space with shot and blue tack it's still a tail-sitter!!! The real a/c had a nose up stance when fully laden so I'm going to have to work something out along the lines of the oil drum, seen in a photo, under the tail of an Me 323.
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Looking good though Chris.
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Will you do the same colour scheme that is on the box ????
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Hi MSea, I'm doing it based on the one mentioned in the reference book. RLM 74/75 (Graugrun/Grauviolett) solid upper with RLM 76 (Lichtblau) over-painted with RLM 22 (Schwarz - black) lower surfaces.
After looking closer at the photos in the book I realised why I had a 'tail-sitter'. The model's nose undercarriage is based on the V1 and V7 aircraft which had full extension of the leg in some photos so it was removed and shortened (twice to get the correct sit!!). As this had to set fully, glue followed by thin superglue, it was put aside for the rest of the afternoon until cured.
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It's looking really good, Chris. You've done a great job there!
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Hi Chris,
Once you had shortened the nosewheel leg, did it want to sit properly, or does it still need some sort of 'external' support.
Always liked the TA154, your build is coming along nicely, pitfalls and all.
Cheers,
Bigkev
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It depends which way the winds blowing Kev. Most times it behaves, but..... Hopefully once the props and spinners are in place they'll tip the balance.
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Primed and further filling carried out then the undersides were airbrushed NATO black, as RLM 22, to above the camo demarcation line. The tail was hand painted RLM 82 Hellgrun and the undercarriage and wells hand painted RLM 02 with the wheel centres gloss black and the tyres tyre black.
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Looking good Chris.
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With the underside painted it was time for the top in Humbrol RLM 75 and Xtracrylic RLM 74. The spinners and propeller are Xtracrylic RLM 70. The masking on the cockpit was removed and then it was time to fit the fiddly bits. The FuG 218 aerials were super-glued into the pre-drilled holes having been cut from the etched brass FuG 212 fittings. The lower ones are black, like the under surface but the upper ones are RLM 76 reflecting the original camouflage colour. The landing light was trimmed to fit with silver paint used to simulate the lenses and held in place with Glue and Glaze. The pitot tube is a spindly affair so was fitted last and it is meant to lean down at an angle.
The head-on shot shows the FuG 218 aerials as per the photo in the Technical reference I used and there are two photos of the raised wingtips. To get to this stage took a lot of time and effort with the PM Models kit but it has produced something that is not available in the mainstream world of kits, so I'm happy with the result (which is all that matters I suppose!!)
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Ex ellent model Cbris.
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Nice backdrop on the photos.
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Good model and good photo
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Nicely Done Chris.
represents the aircraft very well.
You deserve to be pleased with the outcome of the model.
And the photo's and backdrop very convincing.
Cheers,
Bigkev
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Thanks for the positive comments, she's now with the rest of the Nachtjagers..
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Excellent Chris.
Andy.
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Really good