The first prototype
FW 190 was flown on June 1, 1939 and soon proved to have good
qualities for such a comparatively small craft including excellent handling,
good visibility and promising speed (initially around 610 km/h), its wide
landing gear made it a more versatile aircraft than the ground loop prone Bf
109 and a safer one. The 190 did not reach combat units in any
numbers until the Autumn of 1941. The Allies were entirely unaware of the
new fighter and initial reports of a new German fighter were dismissed as
merely Curtis P-36 Mohawks captured from the French. However, the RAF
soon learned of the superiority of the 190 over the Spitfire Mk. V as the
Luftwaffe used the new aircraft for low level raids over the south of England
and had much success in dog fights with Spitfires.
The British acquired
an intact FW 190A-3 on June 23, 1942 when Luftwaffe pilot Oberlt. Armin
Faber landed at the RAF field at Pembrey by mistake. Apparently Faber
became disoriented after a dogfight and flew 180 degrees in the wrong direction.
He and his aircraft we immediately captured and the 190 was studied extensively
and flown in trials against Spitfire Mk. V's. The Mk. IX Spitfire was a
direct result of these trials and the data acquired from the captured Fockewulf
went into the design of many subsequent allied aircraft including the Sea Fury
and F8F Bearcat.
I chose to model my
Tamiya 1/48 scale Fockewulf FW 190A-3 after Faber's aircraft.
Apparently this particular aircraft, "White Chevron", was actually the
mount of Major Assi Hahn and was being flown by Faber at the time of its
capture.
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The Tamiya kit is a wonder to build, but it can use some
improvements in the details. I had a partial fret of Eduard photoetch in
my spares bin and used the oleo scissors and landing flaps from that set.
I scratch built the upper portion of the landing flap bay from plastic sheet and
strips. I added brake lines from fine wire and used True Details resin
wheels. The elevators were cut away from the horizontal stabilizers.
Half round rod was glued to the matting edge and sanded to size/shape. A
length of brass rod was used to connect the elevators together and then they
were possessed in a raised position.
The cockpit is detailed with mainly scratch built details using
fine wire, aluminum from a Coke can, plastic rod and strips and the seatbelts
from the Eduard PE fret. I also scratch built the Revi gunsight as the kit
part is very basic. The MG barrels were drilled out, the cannon barrels
were replaced with brass tubing and the pitot tube was scratch built by
telescoping two diameters of stainless steel surgical tubing.
I finished my model in RLM
74/75/76 using the Aircraftcolours range of acrylic paints sprayed through my
Tamiya HG airbrush. (I have not had particular success with airbrushing the
Aircraftcolours range of paints and will probably not use them again on future
projects.) I used EagleCals decal sheet #EC53. The painting
instructions for that particular sheet give one the choice of 74/75/76 or
02/71/76 (or 65). 02/71/65 is probably the correct choice. However I
opted for 74/75/76.
After painting, I gloss coated
the model with Future and applied the decals. These went on perfectly with
just a small application of Microsol. Weathering was done with artist oils
(black and burnt umber) mixed with Turpenoid and ground up pastels. The
whole model was sealed with Model Master Matte Clear Lacquer. The
antenna wire was made from stretched sprue, threaded through a hole in the
canopy and attached to the interior canopy frame. The insulators were
achieved by using dabs CA glue.
Rian
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