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PCM 1/32 Fw 190A-4


HobbyZoneUSA

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So Kitlinx sent over the new Pacific Coast Models 1/32 Fw 190A-4 kit, which is really their Fw 190A-1/2/3 kit with three resin parts to convert it to the A-4. Two of those parts replace the side vents with louvered vents and I had to see if it was as much of a challenge to convert as it appeared. The kit plastic is really hard, so you'll need a good razor saw to cut through the panel lines and I had the Alec Pro-25 which is thinner than the standard hobby razor blade saws. I cut around the panel lines of the original vent area, then filed on the opening and the resin parts to obtain a good fit. Once it looked right, I used cyano to glue the new vents into place right away as the nose would be structurally weak if left open. The fit was not the greatest, but switching frequently between filing and dry-fitting did the job.

pcm_32004_03.jpg

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The resin vents look far superior. Nice and rectangular. Defo worth it. The kit ones look like they've been made using a louver die which isn't even close to the shape or function of the ones on the plane.

 

Cheers Matty

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I'm planning to do one of the JG 54 schemes. There are two that are an odd mix of greens, browns, etc., that appear on the upper surfaces with RLM 76 on the undersides and the yellow ID panels. The instructions are of no help with these schemes, but these photos show the ad-hoc pattern and that pattern carries out onto the upper surfaces of the wings.

jg54_2.jpg

jg54_1.jpg

Edited by HobbyZoneUSA
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Don't forget to check out my review of the PCM Fw190A-4 kit. I go over some of the details of the A-4, and what should be added to the kit, as well as some comments on the markings given.

During the production run, A-4's went from the open vents as per kit original parts, to the adjustable vents similar to the A-5. 

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Also, there is a pick showing how some of the early A's that were later modified with the shuttered vents. One such pic is on page 287 of  Jagdwaffe V.4., S.3. showing one such A-3 so modified of JG 5 in Finland.

 

Where are those color photos of JG54 from? They are nice.

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Hmmm...I think they are the same photo, just a wider shot. In the photo, the colors look like braun-violet, black green, and a bright green. I have seen others that look like two greens, and another - albeit JG51 - that looks to have a sand color added. 

The near wingtip looks like dark green and braun-violet, possibly in standard splinter scheme.

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Also, there is a pick showing how some of the early A's that were later modified with the shuttered vents. One such pic is on page 287 of  Jagdwaffe V.4., S.3. showing one such A-3 so modified of JG 5 in Finland.

 

Where are those color photos of JG54 from? They are nice.

 

When I was writing up the A-4 kit on Cybermodeler, I started searching online for better references on the paint schemes as I'm sure you've noted, they only provide the left side color profile (also off the internet) in the instructions and nothing else. I also found the photo above, also shared by RBrown, but I didn't retain it because I was looking for some proof that the wings were not the standard RLM pattern (which they are not). This squadron of JG 54 was doing with their Fw 190s what Gabreski's 56 FG would later do with the colors of their P-47Ds - ignore the published standards.

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When I was writing up the A-4 kit on Cybermodeler, I started searching online for better references on the paint schemes as I'm sure you've noted, they only provide the left side color profile (also off the internet) in the instructions and nothing else. I also found the photo above, also shared by RBrown, but I didn't retain it because I was looking for some proof that the wings were not the standard RLM pattern (which they are not). This squadron of JG 54 was doing with their Fw 190s what Gabreski's 56 FG would later do with the colors of their P-47Ds - ignore the published standards.

Yes, it appears many Eastern Front units didn't follow the patterns. You could definitely be right about the wings; there are so few pictures of the top of the wings. Didn't these guys know we would be trying to match their schemes 70 years later???

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