Another Airfix 1/24 FW-190

[Max N]

Hi Everyone

I've been reading the board for a few months, so I thought I would say hello properly by starting a WIP thread for my FW-190 build.

A little bit of background - I used to build models as a kid, strictly OOB, no references, tube of glue, one of my mum's nail files, whatever paint was called up in the instructions. I started a few Tamiya F1 cars in my twenties, but didn't finish them.

About a year ago, I bought the airfix red arrow starter set for my lad, and got him a membership in the Airfix club. The club magazine duly arrived, complete with info about the big new Mosquito kit.

Well, I could see that the kit was something special, and suddenly I wanted to get back into modelling again. I got the mossie for Xmas, but I know if I built it now I wouldn't do it justice, so I popped into the LHS and picked up the FW-190 kit as something to practice on. So right now I just have precisely one kit in my stash.

The plan was that the FW would be strictly OOB, just to experiment with all the new techniques (well, new to me anyway) like weathering, airbrushing, using Klear. I started with the cockpit and made a right mess of it. In the meantime I read some of the threads on here, particularly Kostucha (Mark) and vvwse4 (Rick), and they were a great inspiration to try to raise things up a notch.

So I'd like to take this opportunity to say thanks to those two and everyone else on this board - this is a really cool place :-)

Also thanks to junkers88a1, who found some great shots of the ammo boxes for me, and gave me a gentle prod to post some progress pics on this build, way back in January. Thanks man, and sorry it took me so long to follow up :-)

One last thing, I'm not really an accuracy nut. So if anyone sees stuff where I've used the wrong colour or something, you can point it out if you want, but chances are I just did it the way I wanted to do it. Maybe as I get more involved in the hobby I'll start to chase accuracy, maybe not. The main thing for me is to just have fun.

OK, so what you see here is actually my third attempt at the cockpit. The first two times I used a darker (more accurate) grey, but when I did a trial fit it was just impossible to see anything down inside the fuselage. So I ended up going for a lighter grey. I also ended up getting the Eduard PE instruments and sanding the kit parts smooth. I think the Eduard instruments are neat, but are they too small? They look about 1/32 rather than 1/24, there is just way too much space between the instruments. I used the MDC belts. I definitely could have done a better job painting them, but they were about the first bit I did. The pedals are the kit parts, but I sanded them from behind until the recesses became holes. They actually look pretty good in the flesh, this is one of the bits I'm pleased with. I added an oxygen regulator on the rear bulkhead, and a hose coming forward - not strictly accurate, the regulator should be recessed into the bulkhead and the hose should pass invisibly beneath the seat I think. But that side of the 'pit was looking really bare, so.....

At some point I'll be adding the wiring for the machine guns. I'm debating whether to give the whole thing a coat of clear at this stage and add some weathering.

The plan is to have all the cowlings completely removed, as if the aircraft was under-going some major work on the engine or something.

[PhilB]

Lovely cockpit Max!

Looking forward to seeing the rest of the build.

 

Phil

[Max N]

Cheers Phil, thanks for the encouragement :-)

Not much to show tonight. The kit is a real mixed bag. Some bits have quite nice detail but will never be seen. Other bits which will be visible are quite poor. An example is the tail wheel, here's what's left of the kit part:

I attempted to scratch build something a bit more accurate:

[vvwse4]

Hi Max,

 

Good to see you have a go at this one. Don't bother too much about mistakes, in my FW190 there are a million of them. It is just for the fun of it ok? So far looking good.

 

Rick.

[big matt]

Nice work so far Max! Pit and tail wheel look great.

[Allok]

You're certainly off to a great start Max.

Love those ammo boxes.

and also...

[Max N]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys :-)

I have bought a DIY dry transfer sheet, so I will experiment with making some stencils. Hopefully post some pics tomorrow night.

[maverick728470]

Max,

If u keep up that kind of work as to the pit and tail wheel.Were all in alot of trouble for someone being a newbie.Welcome.Larry

[Guest Rigor]

[Max N]

I'm going to try to make this placard for the oil filter:

[Max N]

Hmmm, not going too well at the moment.

So far I have perfected a very, very complicated way of printing what looks like a small black square....

[Kostucha]

Your work around the cockpit is amazing! The oxygen regulator and hose are something else, as well as a very clean and straight forward instrument panel. The tail wheel work as well is stunning. You'll have a lot of fun in the wheel well areas. I'd either go with Jerry Rutmans wheel wells, or bring out the old evergreen plastic - there is only one wall in the landing gear provided with the kit, leaving a LOT of open space, as well as fairly blan details.

 

The other thing too, have you noticed warping in your wings at all? This brings a bit of frustration with the building - let me know if you do have a problem, I'll scan and send you the diagram I used to get the right dihedral angle for the wings.

 

All in all though, lovely work so far Max! I'll be enjoying this build quite a bit!

 

 

Mark.

[Max N]

Hey Mark

Sorry for the delay in replying. Work got really crazy this week, so no modelling time. I just read about the mishap in your FW190 thread, I'm feeling for you!

Thanks for the encouraging words about my build. The face of the oxygen regulator is from the Eduard 109 placard set, the body is scratch built. The hose is guitar string. The map pocket and throttle were scratch built after seeing yours.

My kit parts look pretty straight. I have tried a dry-fit and it looks like the fuselage will go together with some gentle pressure, while the wings just snap together really nicely. The only area that looks like it will need much filler is underneath at the trailing edge of the wing centre, where it meets the fuselage.

Do you happen to know if Jerry still sells the wheel wells? I can't see them on his website. I agree that the wheel wells in the kit are too basic.

Also the exhausts are very disappointing. Do you have any ideas on how to make some better ones? They are a pretty tricky shape.

[Marek]

Hi Max N!

Great start you have there. Keep up the great work and welkom to the forum.

[Max N]

Well, its been a long time but I am a very slow worker. Anyway I will post a few pictures of some of the stuff I have been doing.

I was trying to make some data placards using dry transfer, so I'll start with those

Here is the scratch built oil filter and some attempts at the placard:

I basically printed a reversed version of the placard onto some dry transfer paper, then rubbed them onto some aluminium from a pepsi can. This next shot is actually some main landing gear placards but it shows the idea

Here is the end result