Scale Plastic & Rail

Mosquito Instrument Panel Decals (for 1/24 Airfix Mosquito)

Mosquito Instrument Panel Decals (for 1/24 Airfix Mosquito)
Catalogue # AS24MOSA
Available from Airscale for £4.55

On the heels of the recent Airscale Instrument Decals sets, we now bring you the very latest from this exiting range, namely those for the behemoth that is the 1/24 Airfix Mosquito.

Peter originally sent me a set of these a while ago, but being the perfectionist, he wasn't too happy with them, so he reworked them and now we are lucky enough to be able to bring them to you.

In the same format as the previous sets, a single decal sheet is presented, printed in perfect register by Fantasy Printshop, and this is accompanied by a thin acetate sheet from which you fashion the instrument glass layer.

Now Airscale have gone a stage further than Airfix, who didn't actually present us with every instrument decal required to finish their kit. Now we can complete this aspect, both completely, and as important, as accurately.

Some surgery is required to the kit parts in order to be able to successfully use this upgrade set. The kit itself comes with its instruments and glass moulded on a clear part, and applied from behind the panel. The instruments themselves protrude into the openings on the rather thick instrument panel. To be able to use this set, you must remove the IP levers housing box from the rear of the kit panel, and suitably thin this panel out to a more scale thickness. With this done, the glazing sheet can be applied to the rear instrument panel face.

Some plasticard now needs to be used to recreate the shape of the original clear instruments part, and using the same plasticard, a new levers housing box needs to be made. This is actually quite easy, and nothing to be concerned over. With this made, the instrument decal can be applied to this, and then affixed to the rear of the instrument panel. The same technique needs to be applied for side console fuel gauges. PVA is suggested for affixing all components. ANother solution would be to use low-fume CA, as not to cloud the instrument faces.

A fully illustrated sheet does graphically depict the work which needs to be carried out, and the sequences are numbered.

So what do we think?

This is both a comprehensive and intelligently designed upgrade set for the Mosquito, and beautifully printed. For the price, you really have no reason NOT to buy these. I shall be using these on a forthcoming build of the Mosquito, so watch this space. Very highly recommended.

Overall: 10/10

My sincere thanks to Peter Castle of Airscale for supplying us with the review sample seen here. To purchase this item directly, go to www.airscale.co.uk and tell them where you saw the review.