Hasegawa 1/32 Fw 190D-9: "Black 3" at Halle *DONE*

[mywifehatesmodels]

Hello, all!

 

I decided to actually post a WIP thread for this one, for a couple reasons. First, I was lazy on my Fw 190A builds and didn't really document everything in photos as I went. My computer is slow and it's a hassle sometimes, so I use that as an excuse, but I also need the inspiration of my fellow modelers and that's probably going to be even more important for this build, given the subject at hand. This is one of those planes that, as soon as I saw photos of it, I knew I had to do it. To top it off, I'm trying to round out my 1/32 Focke Wulf lineup and I don't currently have a Dora in the collection. I built the old Revell 1/32 kit when I was young and a few Trimaster/Pro Modeler and Tamiyas in 1/48 scale, but nothing else in the LSP department. I also thought about posting this build in the Air Superiority GB, but there is only about two months left and I'm not sure if I want to put that time crunch into this one (and I might decide to do a quick build of the N1K2 Shiden for the Navy GB, instead!), as I still have a ton of experimentation and testing to do with the late war Luftwaffe colors from a couple of different paint manufacturers. As I explained in my 190A-5 RFI thread, I've recently changed paints (both by brand and by going from mostly enamel to acrylic lacquers). So, I have acquired a good spread from MRP, AK Interactive and Gunze. If need be, I still have some Model Master enamels as backups, but judging by my recent experiences with the other brands I just named, I don't think I'll be needing the MM paints any longer! 

 

So, first off, here's what I have to work with, for starters. I will also be using some Montex masks from other sets and may purchase some more, if needed. My daughter also has a Cricut, so I may take a stab at making my own masks, but we'll see. I paid for half of it, so hopefully she can teach me how to run the thing! We have the Hasegawa kit, Eagle Cals decals, Aber barrels for the 13mm nose guns, HGW belts and bits, as well as Quickboost cowl front, late gun cover, exhausts and intake scoop. This kit also came with the small Dragon PE set, which may not be perfect, but I think it will still be an improvement,  especially for the cockpit.

 

 

 

 

Now, for the subject. This plane is typically labeled as "Black 3" and there is quite a bit of discussion on the net about what it is/isn't, specifically in how it was painted, but also on it's Werk Number. I know there are experts who have stated their opinions and their reasoning, which seems sound, for the most part. However, as these things usually go, there's certainly some room for interpretation and to add to that, it seems that more photos have become available more recently that answer some questions, but also create more, at the same time. My goal here isn't to determine the definitive final word on what any of that should be. I would rather use input and comparison by others to come up with something I'm comfortable with  and in the end it has to fit the way I think it should look, being that I'll be the one looking at it everyday. I'm sure not everyone will agree on all the points of this build, but it's for the fun of it, the hobby and the discussion along the way. As stated, two points of concern for me are the Werk Number and the paint scheme. I'm seeing the number differently as some experts. Maybe it's just my eyes, or the photo I'm looking at to come to that conclusion. The same can be said for some of the colors. I also understand factory paint schemes and official orders, etc. Those aren't necessarily absolutes, however, especially when you're talking late war Luftwaffe. The other issue is that the available photos appear to be taken with several different cameras/film and in varying weather conditions. Many of the photos have a very washed out appearance and others quite dark. What appears to be a clear color line on the plane's belly in one photo (suggesting perhaps bare metal/RLM75 or similar combo) cannot be seen at all in other photos and may just be shadow. The biggest question, however, may be "Was it actually Black 3, or Blue 3?". According to one discussion I saw, the back of one of the veteran photos says "Blue 3". We'll get more into all of this later. For now, here are the pics I have (posting under fair use. I found them on the web and I'm not using this for any financial gain. Quite the opposite, actually!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hoping to get started on the cockpit in the next day or so and will post pics as soon as I see some progress. Until then, let the discussion begin!

 

John

Edited November 15, 2023 by mywifehatesmodels

[Out2gtcha]

Wow, great to see a WIP John and those are indeed some wonderful pics!

[Uncarina]

Great to see your work here as always John!

 

Cheers,  Tom

[mywifehatesmodels]

Thanks for the inspiration, everyone!

 

I did manage to get a start on the cockpit. We have glue and paint to just a couple parts. I started with a coat of Rustoleum rattle can aluminum for a primer, then shot a coat of MRP's RLM 66. It's nice and dark, as it should be. However, to avoid a "black hole", I am adding some white and going back and forth between light and dark versions of 66 to get more contrast and depth. This photo just shows the first alternate light coat. I've since added more and some oil and chipping, too. I'm hoping I can start on the switches, knobs and other details, tonight. 

 

 

 

The only reason I'm not further along on the cockpit, is because I'm already getting ahead of myself with the exterior paint colors and testing them. I thought about doing a separate thread in the Tips, Techniques and Photography forum, but I'm not sure how well the photos will translate, due to my poor bench lighting setup (great for working, but terrible for good photos!). In any case, most of the testing I'm doing pertains to this build at the moment, so I thought this thread would be as good a place as any to post this in. I'll start with the test parts I did for the Antons when focusing on the 74/75/76 scheme colors. I've since picked up even more paint and a pretty good selection of late war possibilities, which you can see from the 1/48 Bf 109 fuselage half, which I used as a paint mule. The point not being perfection in execution of the scheme, but to represent the colors and how they contrast, be it solid, opaque areas, hard lines, soft lines, overspray and even a little splatter!

 

 109 cowl panels all have a coat of Testors Flat Lacquer and the 74/75/76 had a light oil wash, as well. The fuselage half showing the late war colors is just untouched paint, but should look great under either a flat or semi-gloss coat.

 

CORRECTION: In the photo directly above, I have the MRP 82 and 83 numbers swapped. The green spots are 82 and the darker green behind the gun troughs is 83. Sorry for any confusion.

 

 

 

So, with that out of the way, I can get back to working on the cockpit. This should give me something to chew on until it's time to paint, though. There are a few that are already standing out as my favorites, but I can honestly say that they all probably have their uses for specific subjects.

 

A word about AK Interactive's Real Colors line: They've taken some flak over some of their color choices and reasoning. Maybe rightfully so. For example, their dark BLUE RLM 83 is a no go for me, personally. However, I've fallen in love with their three versions of RLM 76 and I think I'm going to feel the same about their RLM 81 (also three variants). They all look right for certain individual subjects and give you some choice in how light/dark (or how blue/gray/green in the case of 76 or brown/green in 81) you want to go.  I should also mention that all of these brands of paints (all acrylic lacquers) seem to be quite forgiving, durable and can be brushed with oils and mineral spirits with little fear. I hope this info is of some use. I only wish I had better photos.

 

Back to the bench!

 

John

Edited March 26, 2021 by mywifehatesmodels

[Uncarina]

It is useful to me! I’ve recently branched out to MRP RLM colors from my Tamiya custom mixes, so this is a nice reference to have—thanks for sharing this.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[MikeMaben]

Compared to the black cross, I'd say it's definitely blue ...

 

 

...but that's just me.

[mywifehatesmodels]

32 minutes ago, MikeMaben said:

Compared to the black cross, I'd say it's definitely blue ...

 

 

...but that's just me.

Maybe AK's RLM 83 will come in handy. Either that, or I need to get a Hellcat.

In that picture, one could certainly make the case for blue, I agree.

 

Thanks, Mike!

 

John

[mywifehatesmodels]

I got a bit further on the cockpit. I've painted most of the switches, etc. and added more oils, using black and brown at first to get the most recessed areas, then coming back with blues and some yellow ochre for some tonal variation and remove a bit of the "black and white" look. I came back yet again with a more thinned black wash and carefully ran it though the cracks and around the bases of most raised surfaces. It settled in pretty evenly. Then I used a Q-tip to go over the sharper edges and wore scratches to the cockpit floor to reveal some of the silver paint underneath. The MRP paint can be worn away with a little force, but it's not so easy to remove that you're constantly losing it where you don't want it to be lost. Good stuff!

 

 

We'll see how far I can get over the next couple days. I'll be in and out, so I'm not sure how much time I'll get to put into it over the weekend. 

 

Thanks for following along,

 

John

[Shiba]

Hi, Just simple question I can see all the photos of black/blue 3 posted up there with us soldiers except last one the guy  looks soviet soldier to me, so us and soviet soldiers were the same time at Halle?   

Halle is only about 100 miles south of Berlin so could be happened but I couldn't come up any more info.  Matsu

[mywifehatesmodels]

On 3/27/2021 at 11:09 PM, Shiba said:

Hi, Just simple question I can see all the photos of black/blue 3 posted up there with us soldiers except last one the guy  looks soviet soldier to me, so us and soviet soldiers were the same time at Halle?   

Halle is only about 100 miles south of Berlin so could be happened but I couldn't come up any more info.  Matsu

Great question and I'm sorry I didn't see your post until just now. From what I recall, yes there were Russians at the same airfield after the war. If I recall, there was a date mentioned for this, sometime in the summer of 1945, IIRC. I don't know the exact timeline of who was where and when at that point. I wish I knew more. 

 

Thanks,

 

John

[mywifehatesmodels]

I didn't get as much time over the weekend as I would have liked, but I was able to pick away at the HGW seatbelts and today I sculpted the lumbar cushion from Milliput (not "mil-spec", I'm sure, but looks the part and adds just a bit more to busy things up a touch). Once that was complete, everything was gone over with oils and the seatbelts added before sealing it with flat lacquer. This photo has terrible lighting, so I apologize, but I'll try to get a better one that's more representative of the colors, after I complete the instrument panels. The LED lights in my shop make everything look much brighter and the surface grainy, especially the belts and cushion.

 

 

My goal is to get the IP done and installed tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

 

Thanks again to all for the comments and for stopping by!

 

John

Edited March 30, 2021 by mywifehatesmodels

[MDuv]

Glad you are posting a WIP for this one, as your RFI pictures are so nice, they appeal for more on the subject !
That's a very nice cockpit, and your RLM66 color variations are definitely parting with the black hole idea of a dark cockpit.
Will follow your progress closely. 
Cheers.

Mathieu

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by MDuv

[Thunnus]

Excellent!  Always excited to see another Dora build!  Black(Blue) 3 is a very interesting bird with a good collection of archive photos to draw inspiration/ideas from.  Do you have access to JaPo's Fw 190D Camo & Markings Part II and/or Jerry Crandall's Fw 190D-9 Volume 1?  Both have detailed analyses of Black(Blue) 3 that you might find helpful.  Definitely a Fiesler-built 600xxx machine, which should give you a basis for a likely factory-applied camo scheme.  Crandall's book includes still from color film that show yellow on the lower engine cowling.  Regarding black vs blue, it should be noted that both JaPo and Crandall describe the fuselage cross as being white with the background in the dark camo color, not black.  A more appropriate tonal comparison would be using the the tail swastika, not the fuselage cross. 

 

And... based on the photos, it looks like the gun cover has no bumps or flares.

[MikeMaben]

5 hours ago, Thunnus said:

 Regarding black vs blue, it should be noted that both JaPo and Crandall describe the fuselage cross as being white with the background in the dark camo color, not black.  A more appropriate tonal comparison would be using the the tail swastika, not the fuselage cross.

 

Still looks to light to be black 

[Thunnus]

16 hours ago, MikeMaben said:

 

Still looks to light to be black 

 

Really?  Even if you assume the tail swastika is black?