SteveM

this is really great work.. can't wait to see it moving along. SteveM

Real Nice!!!

Hi Rick, smoke weathering looks good to me. Are those the Eduard belts? Cheers Steve

Still detailing the cockpit... ho hum.. still loads of parts in the box. Just starting to wonder why I started, then found this... FW 190A WarBird Off to cut some plastic. Post soon.

Looking Good

I've given my 1/72 scale collection to my young grandson. He's had great fun playing with some, hanging some up in his room and yes... smashing up the "baddies". It took great strength to sit back and let it all happen but he is now spending some of his pocket money on pre-painted kits. I give him my copies of ‘flight’ magazine, which he reads with interest. We’re off to an air show in the summer. The next generation is born!!

Nope... I ain't seen them and I've been close to the real thing

Well done for keeping the faith Rick. I'm looking forward to seeing the paint. SteveM

Nice . I saw one of these some years ago at the International Air Tattoo in the UK. I liked it then, I like your work. SteveM

While waiting for yet more paint on the cockpit to dry I was looking through the colour plates in the Ospray FW 190 Aces of the Western Front. There’s an illustration of the Hermann Graf A5 that I’m building It shows a modification to the lower cowl bulge They claim the cooling duct is modified due a two stage supercharger being fitted, looking a bit like that fitted to the A3/ U7 (below) I’ve read elsewhere that Hermann Gaff was posted to a unit (Stab/JG 50) tasked with challenging the high and fast RAF Mosquitoes so this would make sense. However, the A3/U7 only carried 2 x MG151. Questions: 1) What did Graf’s A5 cowl look like? 2) What did the superchager look like? (the cowls will be open on my kit!) 2) Did it only carry the two MG151? If anyone can help, I’d be grateful!

Good work I'll watch this with interest as I fancy a 1/18 Me 262 nightfighter. But that's months away, I'm still fighting with my 1/24 FW 190A Keep posting. Steve

Here are some pics of my painted cockpit. The colour is a mix of Tamiya greys. Details picked out in enamels. Not sure if leather seat pad was red but it adds a bit of colour! Rudder pedal straps have been added from Reheat etch . Only problem is... the firewall does not fit the fuselage. I think I’m going to separate it from the cockpit floor, add a plastic card one. Then fit the cockpit and firewall/gun deck as two assemblies. This will allow me to fill the gaps without damaging the cockpit. A bit like the Eduard’s 1/48th kit. Talking of Eduard, I think I’ll use their instrument bezels if I build another of these. Airfix have made a good effort but detail is soft. This only came to light when I dry brushed them. I’ve started cleaning up the engine parts and working out how to do that wheel bay! That’s it for now SteveM

it will be interesting to see how your kit comes out next to mine and Ricks each of us is taking a different approach. Keep posting. Steve

I agree Rick, its interesting to see what others are doing... One thing though, always remember that it all done for R&R! I'm still detailing the cockpit, should have something to post by the weekend. Keep up the good work Steve

nice work mate. SteveM

thanks for the info. the colours I've used look to be same. I'll post a pic when paint's complete.

your making good progress here, I wish my Airfix fw 190 was going together so well! I fancy one of these in RAF Burma colours.

Hi Rick, can't afford the workspace a divorce would cost me big time thanks for the info on the photobucket, I've got it working now. cheers Steve

Hi Ju 88A1 thanks for the info.. It's hard to know whats what! I've found this link here do you know a site that shows the 'correct' cockpit colours? I'm only applying the base greys so it's not too late to change

4 Hours in. My nice straight cockpit needed cutting in two. As it was the cockpit would be 18 scale inches too far forward but the firewall only 6. The solution was too separate them and put a spacer panel in. This means that the joystick is now in the right place, as is the seat. By removing the kit mounting guides and adding my own the firewall lines up with the spent shell chutes in the lower wing. The engine and prop will also be further back so it should sit right in the cowls. Time will tell. I’ve also thinned the rear fuse, using MAP plans to provide the correct width. The seat now has a Milliput cushion. Next... detail and paint the cockpit!

you've got some nice work going on there... I can only dream of a workspace like that! I'm stuck on the table, after dinner!!! My FW 190 is comming on very slowly, but I'll get there Bye the way.. how do you manage to post such large photos?? Cheers Steve

all very true... the way I see it, is why bother detailing a kit that does not look right in shape? My plan is to carry out surgery on the fuse, dump all the 70's gimicks and add some detail. Then paint it up well, I hope I'll work to the motto "if it looks right, it's right enough!" Then sit back and say "I made that"

After 2 hours work, I have a straight cockpit. The base plate is not square at the front firewall, pushing this part 2mm forward. After reading Rick’s posts and the kit reviews I have I know that the length of this assembly is critical. I’ve decided to complete this kit with panels open, as one might see in the field. Getting this thing together will be hard enough without making extra work for me! Other details added at this stage are map pocket on right lower side and I’ve cut the slot for the lever. On the seat I’ve added the lip of the base tub as the kit item is a flat plate. Milliput pad is drying now. Rudder pedals have been thinned and slots opened. I now have to do some measuring. The whole tub looks to mount too far forward and too low. Comparing it to a pair of Tamiya and Dragon 1/48 kits I have. Back to the internet for confirmation! This is going to be fun fun fun! :angry:

nice work. how was the fit of the parts?

Well here we go... the first post of what will be a six month build. I purchased the Airfix 1/24th scale FW 190 A/F for £40. The kit was first moulded in 1981 and was reviewed in Scale Models. It’s interesting to read the comments, praising features such as movable undercarriage and control surfaces when it’s these that stop the kit from being a true replica. A later review in Scale Aircraft Modelling gives an account of what needs to be done to bring the kit up to 1996 standards. We’re in 2009 so there’s yet more to do! I’ve spent another £18 on metal and plastic tubing and strip to add details with as the spares box is light on 1/24th items. Another £15 will be spent on etch pre-painted seat belts and decal swastikas, which are missing from the kit sheet. The box art is quite lame, giving a ‘soft’ look the aircraft. This softness carries through to some of the kits parts! Decals are nice and in register. The first job is the cockpit. I’ll post some in progress pics soon.