VintageEagle

A Me 262? There were NMF Me 262s and also a 1/18 kit as a starting point 

Had a great day at Scale Model World yesterday and was very excited to get my hands on the new He-129 from Zoukei Mura, I have a few buids on the go at the moment but as ever couldn't help myself and got straight on with it, so first up the obligitary box shot.
 

 
First impressions on looking at the box full of tan are very favourible with lots of nice crisp detail and minimal ejector pin marks in all the wrong places! My only grumble and a big one to be honest is only one scheme is available from the box but what a nice scheme it is, however the kit also only comes with a Mk 101 cannon and a pretty basic bomb rack which I can only assume looking at the stand yesterday means they will be putting out three boxings of this kit. My plan is to build this one straight from the box with the exception of some HGW belts as absolutely nothing is supplied by ZM on this front at all and a different colour scheme. My plan is to build this Rumanian machine as I have suitable national decals to take from my AIMS Bf110 G-2 set which will work perfectly on this kit.
 

 
Back to the build and first up as ever was to get the cockpit sub assemblies built and ready for paint, a few ejector marks to deal with and the fit of parts is excellent.
 
 
 

 

 

 
With the cockpit ready for priming it was on the the main fuselage, ZM supply lots and lots of internal detail which will never be seen unless you are doing an all hatches open type build which I'm not so will be leaving out all of this detail as I think it will come in and be very useful on other builds in the future. 
 
Next I turned my attention to the fuselage, ZM have moulded this with all open hatches should you wish.
 

 
And with that is full internal bulkhead details, In the end I decided to add all bulkheads but no extra detail as this will be very useful on other builds in the future as nothing will be seen with all hatches closed.
 

 

 

 
And with that the fuselage was closed up and tail pane fitted!
 

 
So far so good and what a well thought out kit with excellent fit everywhere. Time to get some colour on that cockpit now.
 
Regards. Andy
 

evening ladies
 
 
 
Hi Jay - thanks for the tips - I have no real refs for what is going on and have just found page 290 of the manual seems to show some of the workings - I will just have to see what I do when I get there as I can't say I have anything as sophisticated as a plan
 
 
 
 
Thanks Andy - yes, it is going to be a bit odd painting all the tailfeathers black, and I will have to also paint the insignia & anti-glare panel... thats what I like about NM airframes - little paint
 
so, it's been raining all day here, so what better excuse that to spend the day at the bench
 
here is the task - something else I have been quietly dreading as it's so distinctive...
 

 
..the B/C doors are very different to the D, so this pic of Lopes Hope is super valuable reference..
 
I started by getting the PE templates I had made a while back along with lots of other bits & bobs after scaling the drawings - once I had these I made up laminates of sheet stock until I had the thickness right and dremmeled out the wheel disc and started to prepare the indentations...
 

 
..further refining the shapes and a quick test to see how the skin responds to the plastic core shapes..  seems ok so we press on...
 

 
..once the core is finished and has cutouts for the retraction arm etc added, it was lightly CA'd to a perspex sheet to start the skinning process...
 

 
..after one try where I split the sheet, I CA'd the core to the PE door template and then CA'd that to the perspex - after working it some details start to be added..
 

 
..the sheet was then removed from the core so the raised rivets can be added..
 

 
..the outer skins were made up..
 

 
,,and after making the covering strip & painting it, the doors were assembled & detailed with brackets etc..
 

 

 
..this side has a strut mount in a semi-circualr indent..
 

 
,,and this side has the retraction strut mount..
 

 
,and in place will look something like this..
 

 

 
..thats it for now, lets hope it rains again tomorrow
 
TTFN
Peter
 
 

hello again
 
so while I can't fit them yet, I wanted to get the flaps built up..
 
I used the same principle as the ailerons in that an inner core with raised rivets was made and then skinned with panels with normal rivets - you can see the raised rivets on the trailing edge in this shot...
 

 
..the first thing was to get the drawings into the overall 'folded out' shape along with the rivet markings - the raised ones are in threes along the trailing edge. there are also cutouts & shapes along the leading edge which curves under the wing trailing edge..
 

 
..I always work in pairs if twothings need doing, so I don't do one and get bored doing the other, so bothe were made and folded..
 

 
..the drawings actually had me confused as they show the lines of lateral rivets in paired rows, but all the pics I have show just one row so that was what I went with - here are an upper & lower pair for the panels with recessed rivets - the bottom one has just been done, the top one already burnished out to get rid of the 'pillowing' effect of the rivetting process..
 

 
..the structures were strengthened with thick card and an inner core made up to define the profile and stop sagging..
 

 
..details added and taped up ready to paint YZC where needed..
 

 
..then the rivetted panels were added - here tape acts as a hinge at the top, and is masking where the impact cement goes at the bottom..
 

 
..after painting the details showed quite well - I also noticed the curved edge that goes under the wing is normally seen quite glossy, I guess it doesn't get as much exposure as the rest of the structure, so I polished this area..
 

 

 
..I also worked up and fettled the wing & fuselage so they fit and painted the recess YZC
 

 

 
..the aileron detail can still be seen..
 

 
..not at the right angle or fixed yet, but you get the idea..
 

 

 
..and that is the flaps nearly done - I will finish the fittings when I fit them ..
 
..I have the 3D printed wheels & hubs I designed from Tim Perry now, so they are next to take a look at
 
TTFN
Peter
 
 

hello gentlemen,
thanks for your support! In the mean time Revell is sending me a new canopy so I guess I will be having it in a few days. That has not kept me away from progressing with my build.
Panels have been filled with white primer:

 

 

 
 

Beautiful! 

DONE!
 
I have posted pics of the finished model in the Ready For Inspection Forum here:
 
1/32 Kitty Hawk F-5E/N: "Kicked Up a Notch"
 
Thank you everyone for your continued interest in this build.   I really appreciate your comments and feedback over the past 9 months.
 
Cheers,
Chuck
 
 

 

 

 
 

September 24/19
 
 
This build is on the home stretch near completion!  Whenever I get to this stage, I’m torn between leaving the build I’ve worked so long on (8 mths. and counting) and just getting it over with.  Based upon experience, I now take my time with the ending, because that’s when mistakes are made that can deteriorate the overall project.  The final details can make or break any model, so here’s some details that I’ve been working on in the background.
 
 
The canopy and the overall canopy mechanism are by far the most complicated I have ever seen or worked on, but it’s also one of the most interesting due to its myriad of linked parts.  Here it is from the outside, which shows the characteristic sealant used on the glass to frame boundary, much like the F-4 Phantom.  To replicate this look, I used thin strips of vinyl tape on the inside.
 
 

 
 
While the kit does supply the brass frame at the front that has the rear view mirrors attached to it, there is nothing to attach it to, other than the clear plastic which is a very risky proposition that will leave glue marks.  I added a thin strip of styrene to the front which replicates the real deal, then glued the brass to it.
 
 

 
 
The side rails are from the Black Box (BB) resin cockpit set, which are more detailed than the kit parts.  However, I did use the kit vent instead on the right, since the BB vent was too small and poorly cast.  This is attached on the real deal to the forward vent housing with a rubberized vent collar that is usually red, which I created with red decal film and thin strips of self-adhesive aluminum.
 
 

 
 
The landing gear is nicely detailed and while I have traditionally added hydraulic lines and other detail to gear, I have now decided the following on all current and future models:  If you can see it without flipping the model over, detail it.  If you can’t, don’t bother!  With the landing gear doors on the outside of the gear, you can hardly see it at all, again much like the F-4, so I’m not going to waste my time.  My focus from now on is on what you can readily see, like the cockpit, and not some wiring in a gear bay I will never see again.
 
 
The wheels and tires are ProfiModeler resin which look much better than the kit wheels, but I found that the spindle hole for the axle was much wider than the kit parts, since these wheels are really made for the Hasegawa kit instead.  Thankfully I found some clear tubing that filled the hole perfectly as an axle spacer.  With the kit axle slightly shortened, it fits perfectly within this spacer.
 
 

 
 
The center line fuel tank was finished off as well, with a modified rear fin and two fuel filler caps.
 
 

 
 
The launch rails were painted, with a navigation light at the rear.  Thanks to Paulo’s (tchwrma) dual build of this kit, he has pointed out that the launch rail light is green and not blue like the rest of the navigation lights.  I checked a number of F-5’s and sure enough, he’s right.
 
 

 
 
The arresting hook appears to always be striped black and white, including my subject.
 
 

 
 
ProfiModeler also makes a nice brass pitot tube which is hollowed out at the front.
 
 

 
 
Now some improvements that I’m really happy with.  Recall that the starboard side of the fuselage has a number of errors, especially that oval panel at the bottom that should be at the top.
 
 

 
 
That oval panel houses the AOA vane, which is completely missing from this kit.  After moving the oval panel to the top and the square access door to the bottom, I used an AOA vane from the Hasegawa kit.  Note that it should be placed slightly aft of center.
 
 

 
 
Also missing from this kit is a boarding ladder, which is also in the Hasegawa kit.  While this ladder was a real pain to create due to multiple seam lines and pin marks, it is fairly accurate and fits the KH model perfectly with the sloped cockpit sill.  Note that it is beat up and worn, as they usually are.  The top of the ladder has curved rubberized tubes which are often black, but they can also be yellow, so I painted this one accordingly.
 
 

 
 
Based upon a suggestion earlier, I added some fabric seat belts to the top of the seat, which attach to the main belts along the seat back.  They are often flipped over the top of the seat as shown and were made of HGW P-51D seatbelts that I painted.  Normally the top of the seat is grey like the rest of the cockpit, but I did find a good photo of it painted black with the red Soviet star, which I sourced from Mig kill emblems on an F-4 decal sheet.
 

 
 
And last the part of this model that is the most unique, due to all the raised rivet detail I installed earlier, which goes from this:
 
 

 
 
To this.  While it pained me to do so, I knocked down the shine of the metal a bit to replicate the real deal better, since these titanium parts are usually quite dull.  In the pics above of my subject, however, they are shinier than most, so I suspect ground crew polished them now and then to match the glossy finish on the rest of the jet.
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
My next update will likely be the finished model, which won’t be for a week or two as I finish this project and go out of town for a few days.  Stay tuned.
 
Cheers,
Chuck
 
 

..back again with a bit more done...
 
first the top canopy section was made as a plug and the boiling water process used to form PETG around it - here it is pretty much fully wrapping the mould..
 

 
..and with framing added inside & out..
 

 
..Steve at Model Monkey 3D printed the correct gunsight for me from the Don Lopez cockpit photo and it turned out brilliantly - added a few details and good to go..
 

 
..after painting, detailing & making the mount..
 

 
..mounted in position on the coaming..
 

 
..as this was now ready, I stopped working on the canopy and got on with fixing the coaming & windshield so I could start fairing in the sections & skin the fuselage - here the process has started at the front, and now P38 filler added at the back..
 

 
..I forgot to take pics of the shaping work, so next up is one of the fuselage skins at the rear.. I made up a template sheet as it has to fit on three edges, and once I had that I could translate the drawing rivet & hatch positions to the sheet..
 

 
..the finished sheet, with a bit of tube fitted at the rear for the mounting where I think a jig fits the fuselage for balancing & gun alignment etc..
 

 
..and the sheet fitted with the hatches & upper skin..
 

 

 
..as the airframe is now virtually complete in shape terms after 18 months, I couldn't resist an assembly shot to see how things were shaping up..
 

 

 

 

 
..thats it for now

TTFN
Peter
 
 

Finally, the cockpit has been married with the fuselage :-)
 
The cover above the upper instrument panel was a bit tricky as it is not wide enough to fit into the slots on each fuselage side. I first tried to force it into place, but that did not really work and I then found out, the windshield would not have space anyways like that. The best way was to glue the front face to the backside of the gun compartment. It took me some glue and patience, but it did work finally. I'll be faster and more accurate with my 2nd Fw 190 that I am building. 
 
The rear part of the cockpit tub was a bit too short. I had another Eduard cockpit I used for test fitting and that one was a bit longer. I assume it is due to shrinking of the resin parts over time. Anyways, the good thing is that the gap in the rear will be completely covered by the canopy and not visible at all. 
 
I then started experimenting for the next part I am focusing on: the rudder. I was not happy with the way how Revell moulded the rudder and I sanded it to get a smooth surface. To add texture I used my Cricut machine to create masks. I tested it on a spare 190 fuselage. I applied the masks, then a layer of Mr. Surfacer, I then removed the masks and sanded the surface smooth. The original 190 rudder has some textile strips that were glued over the ribs. The surface is also a bit irregular along narrow stripes underneath the fabric covering (maybe glue?). I tested how 1) leaving the surface, 2) adding a decal stripe for some contour and 3) adding first a thin irregular line of putty (first masked the thin line, then added the putty) and on top of it a stripe of decals. I quite like the result and will go for it. The only thing I will do differently is to use a slightly thinner layer of Mr. Surfacer.
 
Below are some photos I took with my smart phone. No fancy background.
 
 
Cheers, Roger
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Finally, the cockpit has been married with the fuselage :-)
 
The cover above the upper instrument panel was a bit tricky as it is not wide enough to fit into the slots on each fuselage side. I first tried to force it into place, but that did not really work and I then found out, the windshield would not have space anyways like that. The best way was to glue the front face to the backside of the gun compartment. It took me some glue and patience, but it did work finally. I'll be faster and more accurate with my 2nd Fw 190 that I am building. 
 
The rear part of the cockpit tub was a bit too short. I had another Eduard cockpit I used for test fitting and that one was a bit longer. I assume it is due to shrinking of the resin parts over time. Anyways, the good thing is that the gap in the rear will be completely covered by the canopy and not visible at all. 
 
I then started experimenting for the next part I am focusing on: the rudder. I was not happy with the way how Revell moulded the rudder and I sanded it to get a smooth surface. To add texture I used my Cricut machine to create masks. I tested it on a spare 190 fuselage. I applied the masks, then a layer of Mr. Surfacer, I then removed the masks and sanded the surface smooth. The original 190 rudder has some textile strips that were glued over the ribs. The surface is also a bit irregular along narrow stripes underneath the fabric covering (maybe glue?). I tested how 1) leaving the surface, 2) adding a decal stripe for some contour and 3) adding first a thin irregular line of putty (first masked the thin line, then added the putty) and on top of it a stripe of decals. I quite like the result and will go for it. The only thing I will do differently is to use a slightly thinner layer of Mr. Surfacer.
 
Below are some photos I took with my smart phone. No fancy background.
 
 
Cheers, Roger
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Finally, the cockpit has been married with the fuselage :-)
 
The cover above the upper instrument panel was a bit tricky as it is not wide enough to fit into the slots on each fuselage side. I first tried to force it into place, but that did not really work and I then found out, the windshield would not have space anyways like that. The best way was to glue the front face to the backside of the gun compartment. It took me some glue and patience, but it did work finally. I'll be faster and more accurate with my 2nd Fw 190 that I am building. 
 
The rear part of the cockpit tub was a bit too short. I had another Eduard cockpit I used for test fitting and that one was a bit longer. I assume it is due to shrinking of the resin parts over time. Anyways, the good thing is that the gap in the rear will be completely covered by the canopy and not visible at all. 
 
I then started experimenting for the next part I am focusing on: the rudder. I was not happy with the way how Revell moulded the rudder and I sanded it to get a smooth surface. To add texture I used my Cricut machine to create masks. I tested it on a spare 190 fuselage. I applied the masks, then a layer of Mr. Surfacer, I then removed the masks and sanded the surface smooth. The original 190 rudder has some textile strips that were glued over the ribs. The surface is also a bit irregular along narrow stripes underneath the fabric covering (maybe glue?). I tested how 1) leaving the surface, 2) adding a decal stripe for some contour and 3) adding first a thin irregular line of putty (first masked the thin line, then added the putty) and on top of it a stripe of decals. I quite like the result and will go for it. The only thing I will do differently is to use a slightly thinner layer of Mr. Surfacer.
 
Below are some photos I took with my smart phone. No fancy background.
 
 
Cheers, Roger
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Finally, the cockpit has been married with the fuselage :-)
 
The cover above the upper instrument panel was a bit tricky as it is not wide enough to fit into the slots on each fuselage side. I first tried to force it into place, but that did not really work and I then found out, the windshield would not have space anyways like that. The best way was to glue the front face to the backside of the gun compartment. It took me some glue and patience, but it did work finally. I'll be faster and more accurate with my 2nd Fw 190 that I am building. 
 
The rear part of the cockpit tub was a bit too short. I had another Eduard cockpit I used for test fitting and that one was a bit longer. I assume it is due to shrinking of the resin parts over time. Anyways, the good thing is that the gap in the rear will be completely covered by the canopy and not visible at all. 
 
I then started experimenting for the next part I am focusing on: the rudder. I was not happy with the way how Revell moulded the rudder and I sanded it to get a smooth surface. To add texture I used my Cricut machine to create masks. I tested it on a spare 190 fuselage. I applied the masks, then a layer of Mr. Surfacer, I then removed the masks and sanded the surface smooth. The original 190 rudder has some textile strips that were glued over the ribs. The surface is also a bit irregular along narrow stripes underneath the fabric covering (maybe glue?). I tested how 1) leaving the surface, 2) adding a decal stripe for some contour and 3) adding first a thin irregular line of putty (first masked the thin line, then added the putty) and on top of it a stripe of decals. I quite like the result and will go for it. The only thing I will do differently is to use a slightly thinner layer of Mr. Surfacer.
 
Below are some photos I took with my smart phone. No fancy background.
 
 
Cheers, Roger
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Finally, the cockpit has been married with the fuselage :-)
 
The cover above the upper instrument panel was a bit tricky as it is not wide enough to fit into the slots on each fuselage side. I first tried to force it into place, but that did not really work and I then found out, the windshield would not have space anyways like that. The best way was to glue the front face to the backside of the gun compartment. It took me some glue and patience, but it did work finally. I'll be faster and more accurate with my 2nd Fw 190 that I am building. 
 
The rear part of the cockpit tub was a bit too short. I had another Eduard cockpit I used for test fitting and that one was a bit longer. I assume it is due to shrinking of the resin parts over time. Anyways, the good thing is that the gap in the rear will be completely covered by the canopy and not visible at all. 
 
I then started experimenting for the next part I am focusing on: the rudder. I was not happy with the way how Revell moulded the rudder and I sanded it to get a smooth surface. To add texture I used my Cricut machine to create masks. I tested it on a spare 190 fuselage. I applied the masks, then a layer of Mr. Surfacer, I then removed the masks and sanded the surface smooth. The original 190 rudder has some textile strips that were glued over the ribs. The surface is also a bit irregular along narrow stripes underneath the fabric covering (maybe glue?). I tested how 1) leaving the surface, 2) adding a decal stripe for some contour and 3) adding first a thin irregular line of putty (first masked the thin line, then added the putty) and on top of it a stripe of decals. I quite like the result and will go for it. The only thing I will do differently is to use a slightly thinner layer of Mr. Surfacer.
 
Below are some photos I took with my smart phone. No fancy background.
 
 
Cheers, Roger
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Finally, the cockpit has been married with the fuselage :-)
 
The cover above the upper instrument panel was a bit tricky as it is not wide enough to fit into the slots on each fuselage side. I first tried to force it into place, but that did not really work and I then found out, the windshield would not have space anyways like that. The best way was to glue the front face to the backside of the gun compartment. It took me some glue and patience, but it did work finally. I'll be faster and more accurate with my 2nd Fw 190 that I am building. 
 
The rear part of the cockpit tub was a bit too short. I had another Eduard cockpit I used for test fitting and that one was a bit longer. I assume it is due to shrinking of the resin parts over time. Anyways, the good thing is that the gap in the rear will be completely covered by the canopy and not visible at all. 
 
I then started experimenting for the next part I am focusing on: the rudder. I was not happy with the way how Revell moulded the rudder and I sanded it to get a smooth surface. To add texture I used my Cricut machine to create masks. I tested it on a spare 190 fuselage. I applied the masks, then a layer of Mr. Surfacer, I then removed the masks and sanded the surface smooth. The original 190 rudder has some textile strips that were glued over the ribs. The surface is also a bit irregular along narrow stripes underneath the fabric covering (maybe glue?). I tested how 1) leaving the surface, 2) adding a decal stripe for some contour and 3) adding first a thin irregular line of putty (first masked the thin line, then added the putty) and on top of it a stripe of decals. I quite like the result and will go for it. The only thing I will do differently is to use a slightly thinner layer of Mr. Surfacer.
 
Below are some photos I took with my smart phone. No fancy background.
 
 
Cheers, Roger
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

That looks absolutely stunning! I have a few questions:
 
Before you painted the model, did you sand the surface to flatten the rivet bumps a bit or did you intentionally do this only after paint was on so that they become better visible?
 
Did you use any type of mask for the camouflage pattern on the wings and the straight demarcation line on the engine cowlings and lower wings? I could imagine that it would be quite hard to achieve such a straight line without masking.
 
Was the dark grey wash done with enamel over an acrylic clear coat? What paint / mixture did you use for the airbrush weathering and did you first seal the wash with a clear coat?
 
Sorry for so many questions. I would love to learn from you and achieve a similar result.
 
Cheers,
Roger

My Revell Fw-190 is finally at a point I’d call finished. This kit has hands every bit of aftermarket thrown at it, much to my chagrin at times. This is my first aircraft, I’m still learning the techniques, so I’m not 100% happy with everything. It’s all a learning process though! I used Vallejo Model Air paints and a pretty cheap airbrush, which resulted in a less than great paint job. I am swapping to MRP and a decent airbrush for my next project. This is a fictional late war aircraft, as I prefer to build that way, rather than try to precisely model a real aircraft.
 
I have since taking the pictures realised that I’m missing the gear indicators on the wings, and that the machine gun hatch clamps should be on the body and not the hatch.
 
Anyway, on to the pictures! Excuse the poor photo quality, I only have my phone to take pictures, my DSLR is broken sadly.
 
Hope you enjoy!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Launch Dolly in the Dragon kit has one Walter 500Kg booster rocket, the Classic book says four.  So back to bribery and corruption, I gave Tim the Fly booster parts from the Ar-234 and he came up with this:
Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr
 
Then this - nice 3d printed parts:
Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr
 
I added the nose ring and the transit mounts:
Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr
 
And started drilling the holes that are all over the booster.  And realised I'd drilled in the wrong place.
Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr
 
Something like this?
Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr
 
Booster in primer.
Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr
 
And that's it so far.  I start painting the He-162 tomorrow, Tim is busy redrawing the boosters on his mega powerful computer.
 
Hope you like it.
 
Regards,
 
Bruce Crosby (with Wunwinglow, AKA Tim Perry)
 

Thank you Antonio for these excellent photos. In these photos, the material looks slightly darker than the color I used. I may repaint it, but on the photos I took the color looks more brighter and more yellowish than in reality (probably due to the blue background). The Ta 152 cockpit had a relatively bright color (see below)
 
Cheers, Roger
 

 

I assume that the original color turned darker over time and that it was more of a linen color originally. 

That's an interesting picture of one of the french FW190 assembled after the war. Note the french AVIOREX modele 32 harness that was also used on the MS406 and De520 among other french fighters

Finally, I completed the last part before I can close the fuselage and move on: the cover above the instrument panel. When I looked at wartime photos, I noticed that there are six nuts (2x3) visible on the top of the cover near the opening for the Revi 16B gunsight. These are not present on the Eduard cover. Therefore, I added them using Archer rivets. I used them for the first time and I must say they are great and it worked without a problem. I had to repeat the first attempt, but it was my own fault. After I painted the rivets, I applied tape on top of it when masking the leather frame. When I removed the tape, the rivets stuck to it and I had to start over again. But next time, I was more careful and it worked perfectly. I highlighted the nuts with a thin brush and used a dark grey wash.
 

Fw 190 D-11 cockpit where nuts can be seen on both side of the Revi 16B
 

Eduard part with Archer rivets on the left side and Revel part on the right side
 

Completed cover
 

Other side (slightly out of focus, but I am using an iPhone for the photos as I don't have a camera with a macro lens)
 
Next step was to paint the leather (on later versions it was a synthetic material and not leather). I checked many references to decide what color to use. I found brown, black, dark grey, greenish grey, light grey and beige. The Ta 152 H that still exists today for example has a beige material. I found a photo of a Fw 190 A-8 that also had a very lightly colored material.
 

 
The first aircraft I will complete is the Fw 190 A-8. I found a color photo of an aircraft that was only few aircraft apart from the subject that I plan to build and that one had a beige material:
 

 
Therefore, I decided to paint it beige as well. It gives a bit of contrast and looks quite attractive. Finally, I painted the inside of the fuselage around the cockpit (RLM 66), exhaust area (black) and tail wheel (bare metal):
 

 
That's it for now. I have some respect of the next step: joining the fuselage and cockpit. I don't know if it is better to attach cockpit and cover to one side first and then joining the fuselage. Or joining the fuselage first and then adding the cockpit from below. I'll see and then can only hope that I don't do a big mistake that will evaporate all my motivation on this build.
 
 
 

I thought that anodizing can only be done with aluminium and not steel, but I am not expert.
 
I continued to paint the fuselage inside. I left the inside bare metal. And I painted one fork in RLM 02 (looks darker in the photo than it actually does; this is for my Fw 190 A-8) and will paint another one in dark brown (this is for my Fw 190 F-8 White 48). Here is a comparison of the new position of the tail wheel assembly with is slightly more up in the fuselage. The difference is not huge, but it corresponds much better with most wartime photos I have seen of Fw 190s. 
 

Time flies. I cannot believe that I started this build in 2017. Anyways, the fuselage halves are finally complete. I have summarized below all the changes I made. One thing that took me a while to figure out was the correct position of the tail wheel. Built out of the box, it extends too far out of the fuselage. On 90%+ photos I have seen of wartime Fw 190 the tail wheel does not extend as much and therefore I have decided to reposition it. I finally decided to add a new pin-hole to have the required strength of the assembly. Also, on the Revell kit the fuselage near the tail wheel has a fictitious shape that I filled with CA and sanded smooth. But now everything is ready to add paint to the inside to then finally add the cockpit and close the fuselage halves. 
 

 

So, riveting of both fuselage halves done for 2 fuselages. Now sanding and re-riveting before the halves can finally be joined. I filled the two hatches on the port side and also changed the height of the main foot rest as it was too tall. I will most likely also apply a thin primer layer to better see the surface quality once done with sanding & re-riveting. 
 
Cheers, Roger
 

 

 

Finally, I completed the last part before I can close the fuselage and move on: the cover above the instrument panel. When I looked at wartime photos, I noticed that there are six nuts (2x3) visible on the top of the cover near the opening for the Revi 16B gunsight. These are not present on the Eduard cover. Therefore, I added them using Archer rivets. I used them for the first time and I must say they are great and it worked without a problem. I had to repeat the first attempt, but it was my own fault. After I painted the rivets, I applied tape on top of it when masking the leather frame. When I removed the tape, the rivets stuck to it and I had to start over again. But next time, I was more careful and it worked perfectly. I highlighted the nuts with a thin brush and used a dark grey wash.
 

Fw 190 D-11 cockpit where nuts can be seen on both side of the Revi 16B
 

Eduard part with Archer rivets on the left side and Revel part on the right side
 

Completed cover
 

Other side (slightly out of focus, but I am using an iPhone for the photos as I don't have a camera with a macro lens)
 
Next step was to paint the leather (on later versions it was a synthetic material and not leather). I checked many references to decide what color to use. I found brown, black, dark grey, greenish grey, light grey and beige. The Ta 152 H that still exists today for example has a beige material. I found a photo of a Fw 190 A-8 that also had a very lightly colored material.
 

 
The first aircraft I will complete is the Fw 190 A-8. I found a color photo of an aircraft that was only few aircraft apart from the subject that I plan to build and that one had a beige material:
 

 
Therefore, I decided to paint it beige as well. It gives a bit of contrast and looks quite attractive. Finally, I painted the inside of the fuselage around the cockpit (RLM 66), exhaust area (black) and tail wheel (bare metal):
 

 
That's it for now. I have some respect of the next step: joining the fuselage and cockpit. I don't know if it is better to attach cockpit and cover to one side first and then joining the fuselage. Or joining the fuselage first and then adding the cockpit from below. I'll see and then can only hope that I don't do a big mistake that will evaporate all my motivation on this build.