Purchased in early January 2011. This is one of only two 1/24th scale kits in a predominantly 1/48th scale kit collection. The reason this was chosen was to make a museum-piece for the High Wycombe Museum. The town was responsible for making the parts of over 7000 Mosquitos during the war. So this is something a little special. I had my eye on the Airfix release for a while but waited for a bargain. Boy did I get one. I found this example marked down by £30 down to £99 in Hobbycraft in Reading Berkshire, UK. This price was also available via their online store and several other online retailers in January 2011. I had searched online a few months before and couldn't get anything much below £127 a pop. Hannants were still selling it for a wopping £140 at this time (although they seem to be throwing in their Xtradecal sheet). The box on my example had a minor tear but was complete.

      The Airfix 1/24th scale de Havilland Mosquito NF.II/FB.VI kit has a superb decal printed by Cartograf with five alternatives; FB.VI No 487 Sqn 140 Wing EG-F Operation Jericho No 143 Sqn, Baniff Strike Wing NE-A No 1 Sqn, RAAF, 1945 NA-A or NA-Y NF.II No 157 Sqn, RS-B Kit Specification-- Length: 545mm Width: 688mm Pieces: 617. Aftermarket extras for the Airfix 1/24th scale Mosquito now includes:

• Airscale de Havilland Mosquito FB Mk.VI Full Instrument Panel (decal)

• Kits at War decals - Mosquito FB.VI HR399 OB-R 45 Sqn SEAC 1945 Dk Green/Dk Earth/Azure Blue; Belgian Air Force Mosquito T.III MA2 B2-B Target Towing Flight Koksijde 1047 overall high speed silver.

• Master - turned brass British Mk 2 Browning .303 caliber (7,7mm) (4pcs). Fits the Airfix de Havilland Mosquito.

• Master - turned brass Hispano Mk II 20mm cannon (4pcs) - de Havilland Mosquito with photoetch.

• Xtradecal X24001 four alternative markings: X24001 de Havilland Mosquito FB.VI (4) NS850 TH-M 418 (City of Edmonton) Sqn 'Black Rufe' Night Fighter scheme; MM403 SB-V 464 Sqn RAAF with partial D-Day stripes Day Fighter scheme; HR118 3/W 235 Sqn full D-Day stripes Special Coastal Duties schem A; HR462 OB-J 45 Sqn India 1945 Temperate Land scheme.

• Mastercasters resin - de Havilland Mosquito 2 main wheels with tread.

• Mastercasters resin - de Havilland Mosquito Wheels (covered).

• Mastercasters resin - de Havilland Mosquito Wheels (Diamond Tread).

• Mastercasters resin - de Havilland Mosquito Hollow End Exhausts (Day Fighter).

• Mastercasters resin - de Havilland Mosquito Hollow End Exhausts (Night Fighter).

• Mastercasters - de Havilland Mosquito intake grill mesh covers and fasteners (designed to be used with the Airfix kit).

• Paragon Designs - de Havilland Mosquito early style '5-Spoke' wheels, with revised tread, sidewall and hub detail.

• Paragon Designs - de Havilland Mosquito plain hub wheels, with revised tread, sidewall and hub detail.

• Paragon Designs - de Havilland Mosquito 50 Gallon drop tanks. Revised size and shape compared to kit drop tanks detail.

• Paragon Designs - de Havilland Mosquito 100 gallon drop tanks detail.

• Paragon Designs - de Havilland Mosquito fuselage underside I.D. lights x 3.

• Paragon Designs - de Havilland Mosquito fully detailed undercarriage doors and hinges, with cable-rollers for the undercarriage legs and upper undercarriage leg recesses detail.

• Paragon Designs - de Havilland Mosquito revised exhaust stacks, with inner shrouds & spark plug/fuel pump cooling intakes detail.

• Paragon Designs - de Havilland Mosquito 0.303" ammunition chutes detail.

• Scale Aircraft Conversions white metal undercarriage (number 24002) available from here. The UK retailer is A2ZeeModel at www.a2zeemodels.co.uk

• Alley Cat Conversion set - Mosquito FB Mk XVIII 'Tse-Tse' includes resin parts and photo-etched parts - a comprehensive conversion including all the parts required including the armour plating. Parts are cast so that the .303 guns in the kit can still be fitted and displayed open. Masks are supplied (by Montex) to enable one of five aircraft to be modelled, masks are supplied for the canopy (internal and external). Some of the kit decals are required to complete the markings. The UK retailer is A2ZeeModel at www.a2zeemodels.co.uk see more here.

• Alley Cat Conversion set - Mosquito TR Mk.33 Sea Mosquito Conversion Set with resin parts and photo-etch. This is a really comprehensive conversion, with many optional items that can be fitted. Included is the unique nose radar and all the internal radar equipment, wing folds for both wings, new elevators, a Torpedo, RATOG packs, arrestor hook, new spinners and additional propellers to enable 4 bladed propellers to be assembled, new undercarriage struts (wire strengthened) and smaller radial ribbed tyres and other detail parts to make this unique version. Masks are supplied (by Montex) to enable one of two aircraft to be modelled, masks are supplied for the canopy (internal and external). Some of the kit decals are required to complete the markings. The UK retailer is A2ZeeModel at www.a2zeemodels.co.uk see more here.

• Alley Cat Conversion set - Mosquito J.30 Swedish Conversion Set with resin parts. Includes the new radar nose section, radar equipment for inside the cockpit, wing landing light, and new spinners and additional propeller blades to make 4 bladed propellers. Masks are supplied (by Montex) to enable one of three aircraft to be modelled, masks are supplied for the canopy (internal and external). The UK retailer is A2ZeeModel at www.a2zeemodels.co.uk see more here.

• Alley Cat Conversion set - Mosquito FB Mk. XVII / XIX includes resin parts of the new radar nose and the internal radar equipment as required. Masks are supplied (by Montex) to enable one of three aircraft to be modelled, masks are supplied for the canopy (internal and external). Kit decals are required to complete the markings. The UK retailer is A2ZeeModel at www.a2zeemodels.co.uk see more here.

• Alley Cat Conversion set - Mosquito FB Mk. XII / XIII with resin parts included for the new radar nose and the internal radar equipment as required. Masks are supplied (by Montex) to enable one of three aircraft to be modelled, masks are supplied for the canopy (internal and external). Kit decals are required to complete the markings. There is a decal for the nose art. The UK retailer is A2ZeeModel at www.a2zeemodels.co.uk see more here.

• Alley Cat Conversion set - Mosquito FB Mk. VI (ASH Radar)with 8 resin parts. Masks are supplied (by Montex) to enable one of three aircraft to be modelled, masks are supplied for the canopy (internal and external). Kit decals are required to complete the markings. There is a decal for the nose art as shown, all of the Norwegian national markings are supplied as masks. The UK retailer is A2ZeeModel at www.a2zeemodels.co.uk see more here.