AMT(Frog) 1/72 Mosquito Mk.IV

The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito is a British multi-role combat aircraft with a two-man crew which served during and after the Second World War. It was one of few operational front-line aircraft of the era constructed almost entirely of wood and was nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder". The Mosquito was also known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews. Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, the Mosquito was adapted to roles including low to medium-altitude daytime tactical bomber, high-altitude night bomber, pathfinder, day or night fighter, fighter-bomber, intruder, maritime strike aircraft, and fast photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It was also used by the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) as a fast transport to carry small high-value cargoes to, and from, neutral countries, through enemy-controlled airspace. A single passenger could be carried in the aircraft's bomb bay, which would be adapted for the purpose.

While this sounds like a lot, it is a rather redundant description typical of enthusiast-written Wiki pages. Basically, it was developed as a bomber, used as a photo recon plane before it entered bomber squadron service and, armed with a nose full of guns, operated in the various heavy fighter-ground attack role. 

Back in the days when a dollar was a lot, AMT imported a number of kits from other model companies such as Hasegawa and Frog. This is a Frog rebox that differs only in the instructions.

Typical of Frog kits of the time, detail is simplified and any panel lines (remember this is a wooden plane) are raised. The kit can be built either as a Mk.IV bomber or Mk.VI fighter/fighter-bomber. The box art is the wrong type using the later two stage Merlins whereas the kit has the original engine nacelles.

There are no boxed in wheel wells, the cockpit is basic as you can get with a pair of seat shapes, crew members, instrument panel and control wheel. Landing gear are built up and trapped between upper and lower wing halves along with the built up prop. I have my doubts as to the accuracy of the prop blades for either of the kit variants.

To mount the rocket rails for the FB.VI version, you'll need to open holes. There are no auxiliary bomb racks provided for the B.IV, but then not all used them. The kit shows either a glass nose for the bomber version or a gun nose for the fighter-bomber. Thoug not shown all that well, one will have to cut away the kit nose to use the gun nose. There are separate bomb bay covers (with a slot for the stand that is not included) for whichever version you are using. You get a single piece flat screen fighter canopy and for the bomber the clear bits are divided into left and right halves. I am guessing that this alone will have had most modelers opting for the FB.VI.

Instructions are a copy of the Frog drawings on one side of the sheet with the history and written assembly instructions on the other. Painting information consists of a list of what items are painted what color. The two markings options are shown on the back of the box. No unit information is provided but the B.IV is with 105 Squadron, while the USAAF FB.VI option is unknown. Drawings for both markings options are the bomber version. I doubt if the decals are still good, but there are plenty of aftermarket options.

Frankly this is not a kit that most modelers would seek out unless they want to recall what it was like to build kits in the 70s. While the finished model will look like what it is supposed to be, there are other, more modern options that will provide more detail.

December 2016