Airfix Focke Wulf FW190 A8 1/72

[yak face]

Heres the Airfix fw190 that I did the in box review on a while back . I picked this to be a quick simple mojo booster in between the endless stencils on the Su 22 . Quick - hopefully , simple - not really . In the review I stated it would be ok for beginners and experienced modellers alike - scratch that , I wouldnt recommend it for a beginner or a younger modeller as it has a few fit issues and some awkward removal from the sprue and clean ups . I started with the cockpit , which is quite fiddly and small . Its having a closed canopy so I didnt take a lot of time , just gave it a brushed coat of rlm 66 and picked a few details out on the sidewalls . The kit decal was used for the IP and the harness was knocked up from some painted strips of surgical tape .

I wanted to get the upper and lower wings together too but as can be seen in the instructions , Airfix would have you putting the machine guns and cannons in between the halves , which definitely wouldnt have survived the rest of the build ! A solution was to cut off the mounting blocks on the MGs and stick these in leaving a recess that I can attach the guns to later and cutting off the flange at the base of the cannons . The flanges were drilled out ( 0.8mm) , fixed to the wheel well back wall and I can add the cannons later from brass tube.
thats all for today , cheers tony

 

[Jim R]

Hi Tony
I built this a few months ago. A great kit and shows that you can have a lot of fun for not a lot of money.

Airfix would have you putting the machine guns and cannons in between the halves , which definitely wouldnt have survived the rest of the build !

Wish I'd thought of your idea - I broke mine a couple of times
Jim

 

[adt70hk]

Tony

Will follow this with interest.....I have one of the other variants of this kit!

ATB.

Andrew

 

[papa 695]

Great start Tony.

 

[Gern]

There's lots of kits which would have you fitting fiddly delicate parts early in the build. Even kits which have them already moulded in place. Seems your solution could easily be adapted at the design stage which would save a lot of heartache for us.

I bet if the mould designers had to build the kits from their moulds, we'd see a lot fewer of those problems.

 

[Mini Me]

There's lots of kits which would have you fitting fiddly delicate parts early in the build. Even kits which have them already moulded in place. Seems your solution could easily be adapted at the design stage which would save a lot of heartache for us.

I bet if the mould designers had to build the kits from their moulds, we'd see a lot fewer of those problems.

We mechanics used to say the same thing about our "engineering"
dept. at United Airlines! They didn't listen either.

 

[yak face]

Got the fuselage together and started fitting the engine covers and nose ring. The fit needs a bit of fettling and the nose ring / engine has very awkward sprue attachments to deal with , not ideal for a beginner which is supposedly where these starter sets are aimed!
The wings are now together and fitted . After a consultation with Alan G regarding the differences between the A8 and F8 ( the kit is an A , the one I want to do using the Revell decals is a F) , the outer cannons holes were filled and the bulges/ shell ejection chutes under the wings sanded off . The pilots headrest and support have been fitted and once ive added the gunsight from acetate ( the kit one was short moulded) the canopies can be masked and fitted and the airframe is ready for a prime.

 

[AlanG]

Looking good Tony. Glad i didn't overload you with info though lol

 

[yak face]

Looking good Tony. Glad i didn't overload you with info though lol

No , it was great alan , you can never have too much info . While not a rivet counter as such I do like to be accurate . Cheers tony

 

[yak face]

Canopy masked and fitted and airframe primed today . Ive also painted the underside wingtips and the fuselage band in white , these will be masked off before the rlm 76 goes on. The kit actually supplies a decal for the fuselage band but as i had to do the wingtips anyway I thought i might as well spray it . ive also been painting a few of the small bits still to be added .

 

[Mark1]

So far so good

 

[adt70hk]

Coming on nicely Tony!

 

[Mini Me]

Awright Tony......

 

[colin m]

Sometimes a nice little 1:72 is just what's needed. All looking very nice, but I see what you mean about supposedly being a starter kit.

 

[yak face]

Underside now painted ( rlm 76 ) next up desert yellow( rlm 79 )

 

[papa 695]

Looking very nice Tony.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Tony
Coming on really well and looks as if you're finding no real issues.
Jim

 

[yak face]

RLM79 now on and masking taken off. The white band under the fuselage was partially unmasked before the rlm 79 was sprayed , on the actual aircraft the band was sprayed over on the top side . The green mottles were also sprayed in the field and in places oversprayed the balkenkreuz on fuselage and wings not to mention the swastika on the tail ( which isnt supplied on either the airfix or revell decal sheets anyway ) . To achieve this I’m going to have to gloss the airframe at this stage and apply the decals before the mottle .

 

[adt70hk]

Coming on nicely Tony. I've got the same issue with mine in that they the bottom of the cross with black. I was wondering how to do it and you've confirmed my thinking. Thanks

ATB.

Andrew

 

[Mini Me]

I see what you mean Tony......the mottling does sort of encroach onto the balkenkruze.