Tamiya + Antares' 1/48 scale
Fw 190 / V1 Mistel

by Doug Esson

Tamiya's 1/48 scale Fw 190 F-8 is available online from Squadron

I thought I’d share a couple pix of my newly-completed V1-mistel composite.

This model was built using 2 Tamiya kits and the Antares V1-trolley. The idea of this project really appealed to me – combining an uncommon theme, a Luftwaffe aircraft and finally a “Luft-46” or “paper-project” in that it was never actually built, allowing a great deal more freedom of interpretation.

The trolley-kit is easily available via the web but (in my opinion) is mediocre at best. The white metal is soft, deforms easily and tends to warp under pressure. The large, ugly identification tabs on each piece are not easy to work with and I was underwhelmed by the (included) resin V1. Still – I’m grateful that the subject is at least covered – just the sort of thing Dragon would normally do to please folks like me. I elected to use the metal frame as starting point but ended up making much of the structure using stock plastic rod. I also replaced the 2 back wheels. The metal requires careful priming and is prone to chipping even once painted. I also interpreted the V1 and aircraft support-struts in my own way.

I used the Tamiya kit for the V1-rocket. This excellent little miniature went together beautifully but I forgot to add weight to the nose before closing up the fuselage (duhhh) so had to drill a hole in the underside, carefully drip cyano into the opening, drop in several small fishing weights and then seal, finish sand everything flush again. Oh well – live & learn.

I also elected the Tamiya butcher-bird (plus a few scrounged parts from the new Eduard kit) and a fret of photo-etch. Needles to say this part of the construction simply dropped into place.

I painted all three components separately before gloss-coating them and assembling the whole thing using an equal mixture of cyano and four-letter-words! I only paint using Humbrol enamels and used Tamiya tape for masking control surfaces, panels and the white fuselage-band. I raided the decal drawer and used a mixture of Aeromaster and Eagle-cals (both fantastic products) for markings. I can’t for the life of me understand how Tamiya continues to produce such perfectly fitting & engineered kits yet such awfully thick decals! The canopy was masked using Eduard masks and final details carefully picked out using various pigments, intentionally keeping weathering subtle.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the build and the V1-composite looks great alongside some of Kurt Tank’s other 48th-scale aircraft in my office.

At the conclusion of this project, I’ve just received my Werner’s Wings 109-V14 conversion. The resin-nose looks decent and the decals look magnificent but since an aires DB-601 also presents itself, I think I’ll make this project even more difficult by opening up the engine bay.

Unfortunately pictures of the early 109’s (let alone this machine since Udet crashed it!) look as though they’ll be hard to find so if anyone out there can share images of the alternate supercharger, engine support-framing etc I’d be very grateful.

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Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2010 by Andrea Olivieri
Page Created 20 April, 2010
Last Updated 20 April, 2010

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