Focke Factory II

[Bruce_Crosby]

Hi Guys,

 

Last year I posted Focke Factory in this forum where I built four of Hasagawa's Fw-190D9 models at the same time.  Now I've looked around to see there are SIX more D kits hanging around, with a few bits that have disappeared.

 

So I thought "why not?" and here we are with Focke Factory II.

 

When I built the original engine inserts I actual made seven, all painted ready to go, so that's only three more to build and paint.  And I bought another Jerry Rutman D-13 conversion, this one will get chopped back to a D11.  It's essentially the same as the D13 but omits the nose cannon and adds two MK108 cannons just outboard of the undercarriage legs.  One D9 will have a broad chord Big Tail, the one that was going to fit late D series and all of the Ta-152 series.  There were only two documented Big Tail D9s so this time I'm going for the one that hasn't got much documentary evidence, having already built the well known one!

 

The engine inserts ready to paint.  Note three completed ones at the top, left over from the original builds.

 

 

The first mini bulkhead in place. Only another 11 to cut and fit.

 

 

Kit seat on the right, all thick and nasty!  Thinned down one on the left.  The seat itself is sheet metal, not armoured.  Armour was fitted to the bulkheads.

 

 

Mass production of tailplanes. Turn on the TV and just do it!

 

 

Building tails.  Two of the Big Tails on the left will eventually work their way onto a coupe of PCM Ta-152C kits.

 

 

It's a start!

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

Edited August 3, 2018 by Bruce_Crosby
missed captions

[Bruce_Crosby]

Hi Guys, 

 

Another chunk of photos.

 

Wheel well and spar units ready for primer.  One of them has a small brown A Frame which is a scratch built replacement part for one eaten by the carpet monster.

 

 

Lower wing inserts from an A8 kit to represent the Mk108 panels.

 

 

The inserts modified. The MG151 ejection ports were cut off and scars filled and smoothed.

 

 

Chain drilled lower wing to start cutting the new ejection port.

 

The wing insert in place and the ejection port cut.  Now I need to fabricate the chute lips to go inside.

 

 

Wing top gun blisters relieved from a Hasegawa A kit.

 

 

The D-13 nose from Jerry Rutman being reprofiled for my D11. Not quite there yet.

 

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

Edited August 3, 2018 by Bruce_Crosby
missed captions

[alaninaustria]

Wow, that looks really great! Can't wait to see more!

Cheers

Alan

[MikeMaben]

 

Bruce , you're coo coo man       

 

 

[Troy Molitor]

When I retire this is how I would approach modeling.   Nice progress going on.   Looking forward to this one Bruce.   

[Bruce_Crosby]

Hi Guys,

 

Busy doing lots of things so work at the Focke Factory II has slowed down somewhat.  But things are still happening.

 

first off, a couple of cockpit tubs with added side bulkheads. Right is in primer, left in MMP RLM 66.  Note the small notches to clear the cockpit side stringers.

 

 

The same two, one as detailed, the other primed.

 

 

A bunch of wheel bays.

 

 

At the spray booth.  Extractor is a BenchVent 3000, really pulls a heck of a lot of air. Work surface is a cutting mat with loose kitchen paper on top.  A desk mounted airbrush stand and filter regulator with two hoses both fitted with Iwata inline filters and quick releases.

 

 

Yes, definitely SIX Fockes on the back burner.

 

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

Edited August 19, 2018 by Bruce_Crosby
Detail changes

[Uncarina]

Bruce,

 

You are impressive in your approach, with a consistently high standard for quality! Thanks for sharing.

 

Cheers,  Tom

 

 

[MikeMaben]

 

Go Bruce 

 

 

[Bruce_Crosby]

Hi Guys,

 

Just some odds and ends at the Focke Factory.  This photo is a bit old, there are SEVEN on the production line right now.

 

 Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

[Bruce_Crosby]

Just another quick update:  thinning the seat backs as the kit ones are way too thick.

 

I got some grief for this on the FW-190 Facebook pages.  Gerry Crandall says the seat back is armoured, it's actually 8mm thick.  When I ran the Vernier over the Hasagawa seat, it's as near as dammit 1mm whereas it should be 0.25mm.  Now my thinning works out between 0.34 and 0.4mm, still too thick in scale but visually a heck of a lot better.

 

The painted seats in the centre are for the current batch of  seven D series, the grey ones on the left are for the Hasegawa A series in the pile, the three blue on the right are for PCM early A series and their Ta-152 C kits.  There are a couple more PCM kits somewhere!  And three Zoukei-Mura H versions of the Ta-152 as well.

 

The second photo is my thinning kit.  The two main tools are the scrapers, one is from the Zoukei-Mura Pro-Zetsu range, the other is the Trumpeter copy.  The trumpeter one isn't bad, just the Z-M one is so very, very good,  

 

Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

 

Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

 

 

Regards,,

 

Bruce Crosby

Edited February 4, 2019 by Bruce_Crosby
Add photo

[Bruce_Crosby]

Hi Guys.

 

After a two year break from this project,  I think I'm just about ready to resurrect it.  Numbers have grown from six possible kits to EIGHT! Plus, of course, a few Ta-152 kits by Zoukei-Mura and PCM.  I was distracted by other projects like the 1/32 Me-262 He-162 Mistel and some sci-fi stuff!

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

[Bruce_Crosby]

Hi Guys,

 

Well, the last resurrection attempt didn't go too well,  but this week I've actually got a whole pile of seatbelts fitted to the EIGHT Fw190D models.

 

I lost a seat and was going to use a resin one but since the photo I've found the plastic one.

 

 

I only have one Yahu IP but there are another seven expected some time this week.

 

 

 

All now have control columns fitted but I still have to paint and fit the rudder pedals.  

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby