Hello fellow modellers!

I recently finished my first Fw190 ever as a campaign build and it's my 7th build since coming back to the hobby after decades of ignoring.

Didn't planned to submit a single thread rather just wanted to give only a link to the great ETO-Campaign were you can find it and many more fantastic work and builds of our community. OFFICIAL: Western Front/ETO Campaign
But as all pics were gone because of Photobucket issues I will give a short overview and log with reloaded pics of that build.
I think the kit is still common despite the Tamigawa and Eduard kits and I hope I can give some hints on some tricky stages.

REVELL'S reboxed (Trimaster/Dragon) kit of Focke Wulf Fw190 G-8(A-8) R8 1/48






First steps...
Doing mainly OOB except some modifications. Engine is not existent, but after the the fan prop is installed there won't be much visible.
This kit is quite nicely molded and has fine details on the surface but the fit of some assemblies isn't that good and fiddling.
Before glueing the wing halves together you have to fix the wheel wells and check carefully the alignment especially for the gun openings (had to be drilled properly for better shape) and front closure. So better you glue it step by step.
Also the empty shell chutes are closed and had to be cutted out.










Done the headrest/canopy-mechanism (4 parts, and added 2 additional struts from sprue). To align in wright angles you have to use the canopy while glue them together for a correct fit later on.
Painted the (drilled out) exhausts, won't be much visible when the cowling is on.
Btw the cowling: 4+3 parts and a challenge to glue... Pay attention here for the correct shape, important for the fit on the fuselage!






Some sub-assamblies : Wheels, struts and the 7-part SD/PC 1400 bomb.






As for my kit there is a major issue with the wing roots. Comparing my last post it wasn't easy to fit the wings. So there was no chance of fixing the wing roots on the fuselage before assembling the whole wing/wing halves.
... and of course there is a huge gap on both sides.
But instead of using amounts of putty I spreaded the fuselage with 2 styrene spacers to fit - turned out much better, just few putty should be enough.
Next step is joining the cowling/fuselage - first look shows a hard way too...






And again, as expected the fit is awful.
The cowling/fuselage connection is horrible! To join at least the upper and under portion (guns and wheel wells) and aligning the exhausts I had to use a trusty stick of a cotton bud to stretch the cowling. So there will be "only" gaps on both sides...






After filling, sanding and a coat of primer over the cowling I'm here now...
Quite happy, much more useful now. Mybe still some minor touch up's.







RLM 76 is on, canopy painted in- and outside and the gliding mechanism was fixed. Also produced some seatbelts from some stuff (metal,tape,foil) lying around to improve (? not sure) the pit.





Some more colour on...
Went for RLM 74/82 over 76 for a better contrast. Cowling band and rudder made than yellow RLM 04 as those were the main markings for ground attack units.

Revell's instructions are already known for it's wrong paint guideline giving the tail fin and band a red colour!







O.K. folks, that's it for the first part. Hope I'm not weary you - more to come soon...

Thomas

Part 2:

Moving on with the butcher. More paint, dots and camo and decaling process.
Didn't want to mottle spot by spot and went for a more slightly dotted-confluent style with the basic colours on a different look on the fuselage sides. Not any wash/weathering yet. Had no swastika so printed a decal myself. Next time maybe a mask & paint.
It's going to look more and more like an A/C.






I have to say that I managed to drop it down to the floor... And of course the most difficult and fragile part (cowling/fuselage/wing/wheel wells-connection) was damaged.
Fixed it after the plunge and made some touch ups but don't look too close....








Installed the ETCs. Then few wash, dirt and some stains. Mainly underside, while upper is still on the shiny stage.
Done some more weathering/wash and covered all with matte varnish. Here I used the first time (despite the issues I saw) Vallejo. Mixed with their own thinner and few water, well stirred and airbrushed in several thin layers. No frosting and a satisfying result.
Now close to assemble the rest (canopy, prop, wheels, bits 'n bytes, aerials...)














Since I was sure to be on the final stage I had to admit that the landing gear and retracting mechanism was very time consuming. It is very difficult to find the symmetric correct angle forward and inboard and than fixing another 2 separte parts to the oleos.
So it has to be done in 2 steps and a day later. You cannot find any referance point for the angles and the fixing point inside the wheel wells lesds wrong. So it's important to adjust your eyeball 2.0. When glueing the way the instruction says the whole a/c stands up way too straight and tiptoe.
This assembly really needs patience as the complete look depends on that.
This is my first Fw190(!) ever so I did not dealt with that issue before. I'm sure the most of you are aware of that.

Also added hypodermic needles to complete the MG's.






Thanks for looking so far, some final pics are already in the ETO Campaign-thread and will be shown finally here. Try to add some outside pics if the weather allows since natural light is best.

Thomas

Hallo Thomas,

good to see Your build back online again! Very nice!

Oliver

Thomas,
So glad to see a build of yours again. It looks mighty fine!

Gaz

Oliver and Gary: Thank you very much for passing by and your kind words!

Thomas

After all it was finally done!

So, to finish up this log it needs only the result.
Made a few (>100) pics outside with an overcasted sky to see how the colours turned out comparing to the artificial light-pics already shown in the ETO-Campaign.
Please let me show some new and the old photos to complete the summary and this thread.



It looks like a Fw190 to me despite all the issues I mentioned before

Revell's 1/48 Fw190 (reboxed Dragon/Trimaster)is maybe not the best and sometimes tricky but after all I like it. Details and engraved panel lines are nice and still suitable.

The color guideline is wrong and must be noticed as well as a careful fitting especially around the cowling/fuselage/lower wing - connections. The landing gear needs special attention while fixing as there are no reference points for the correct angles. Otherwise it stands tip-toe.

So what came out is a Fw190 A-8(G-8) R8 what means it's in fact a modified A-8 with ETC's for a bomb and additional fuel tanks. Normally the outer wing guns and cowling MG's were removed because of the weight but all variants were possible.
For a G-8 you need at least a correct and armoured bubble canopy. I decided to use only one fuel tank and left the cowling guns. Because I wanted a different camo sheme the unit's number was changed.
Wing guns and pitot tube were replaced with hypodermic needles and brake lines/seatbelts/aerial/struts inside canopy were added.
Colours: mainly Humbrol acrylics, few enamels for details, water based washes, pigments, final coats Vallejo matte (28.518) and semigloss, oleos metal foil.






































and again just for completion...





























Thanks for looking, fellows!!!
Thomas

Thomas,
Exceptional! Dirty and worn without looking like it was faked.

I really like the look of this one!

Gaz

Very, very well executed build Thomas. I think you got the weathering spot on.

Ernest

..looks great - and excellent photo-montage reportage. Thought for a moment you were going to show all of those 100+ photos !

Gaz, Ernest & Neil:

Thank you very very much for your posts! I really appreciate your comments

You all know, as you build a kit you will always and ever find things that could have been better executed. But I'm also very happy with the outcome.
My intention was to give it an airfield proven look without beeing too abused. ...there were only a few Fw190 still in combat at the end of the game, and I think the crew do their best to keep the condition flyable.

Thanks for looking, Thomas