I figured I'd take a couple pics first. Most of the engine will be visible with the open cowl panels. I have enough detail in the cockpit so that wherever you look through the small opening, there won't be any bare or unfinished areas.

The kit is Dragon's 1/48 Focke-Wulf Ta 152H-1, with Eduard photoetch. I've also added wiring and hoses from fine copper wire and solder. The engine-mounted cannon is white metal, from a Trimaster Me 262 kit.

I have the Trimaster Ta 152H-1 kit also, which includes wiring diagrams for the engine. I used some of the PE parts as templates to make missing details from wire and styrene.




The engine is a pretty tight squeeze.

Now, on to the wheel wells !

Hi Bill

I'm not long back from Greece and pics like those are really something special to help me get over the post-holiday blues! That is looking VERY, VERY nice!

How about making this one a full Feature? Can you keep notes and take pics of each stage ready for a final write-up?

All the best

Rowan

Hi Bill!

Great work! It's to bad a lot will be hidden once the fuselage will be closed! It would have deserved a "Clear edition"! Looking forward to see the model finished!

bravo!

Jean-Luc

Thanks Rowan and Jean-Luc !

Rowan - I can do that. I'm not sure if I took pics of the parts on the sprues or not. I have the Trimaster release, but it includes white metal and more photoetch than the Dragon rebox. I know I have a pic of the Eduard frets, though.

Jean-Luc - not much of the engine is hidden, as I'm building it with the cowl panels open. The rear of the engine, along with the cannon, is visible from the wheel wells. The fuselage halves are joined now, and it looks like this:



I don't care for models that are "opened up" for no other reason than to show detail. I need to have a reason why it's opened. This will be displayed on a tarmac with an officer (from a ProModeler He 111H-22 kit) and a "blackbird" (from a Trimaster Me 262 kit).

They have just received some basic coats. LOTS more brushwork to go !

Thanks again !

Great detail in that build. Very nicely done, very clean and precise.
To bad it gets hidden (you know it's there though).

I hope the figures skin tone is going to get some more of that brush work. In the photo its a bit gray.

Awsome stuff, as ever Bill. I'm looking forward to seeing this finished. Your detail is good enough for me to use as reference, so I always look forward to seeing it here.
Mal

Thank you Scott and Mal !

Scott - yes, there is a lot more work to do on the figures. The faces and uniforms only have the shadow colors painted, with one lighter drybrush on top of it. I haven't added any warmth or highlights yet.

Mal - I've got some pics I found on the net for reference.
These are pics of the cockpit of an Fw 190D-13 (very close to a Ta 152): http://p069.ezboard.com/fluftwaffeexperten71774frm69.showMessage?topicID=46.topic
And here are some pics of the engine. I found them after I painted and detailed mine. When I build the Trimaster issue, I'll be using these:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v280/Pixilater/Jumo%20213/
It can be misleading to interpret someone else's interpretation.

Thanks again !

Thanks for the links Bill, that D-13 looks almost as good as one of your models
Mal

Stunning detail.. it's hard to believe that this is 1:48 scale. I wish I could do that to my 1:32 BF 109 when it's done, there'll be plenty of scope for detail as it will be crash landed in a field. That's one reason why I have shyed away from getting on with that project.

Incredible Job, well done

Cheers
Henk

Thanks Mal and Henk !

Mal - if only that were true.

Henk - I find that 1/48 is just the right scale for me. 1/72 is far too small for me to try and detail the way I want. 1/32 would be much easier for me, but I like more of a challenge (and the birds are too big !). I'll stick with 1/48.