Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9

Eduard, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Eduard's 1/48 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D- 9 Late Version is available online from Squadron.com
 

If the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A was a bit of an ugly duckling, then the Fw 190D was more like a swan. A totally redesigned nose combined with an extended rear fuselage transformed the stocky Butcher Bird into the sleek embodiment of an airborne hunter.

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190D was not built in huge quantities nor did it affect the outcome of the war, but it was a highly competent fighter that was more than a match for its Allied contemporaries in the hands of an experienced pilot. Even though the Dora was in service for less than eight months, its good looks and wide range of colour schemes makes it a perennially popular modelling subject.

Some time late in the war, a handful of the broad wooden tails of the Ta 152 were fitted to Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9s. There is photographic evidence of two of these machines - W.Nrs. 500645 and 500 647 - with records suggesting that a third such combination may have seen service with III./KG(J)27.

Despite their rarity. these hybrid airframes have held a fascination for Luftwaffe modellers.

Now Eduard has made it easier for this fascination to be indulged with a dedicated late-war Dora kit that includes a full fuselage fitted with the big Ta 152 tail.

Eduard entered the 1/48 scale Dora market with their Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 in January 2010. This went straight to the top of the class, with its main competition being the Tamiya kit (a simple build but with some outline problems); and the older Trimaster/Dragon/Italeri offerings, which are more accurate but less easy to build.

This kit is substantially similar to the first Eduard Dora release, but with the option of a second set of fuselage halves and five new marking options.

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Eduard's new 1/48 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 Late Version comprises 138 olive coloured injection moulded plastic parts; 11 clear parts; 1 x coloured photo etched fret; a masking sheet for the canopy and wheels; and a large decal sheet covering five markings options.

A brand-new sprue provides the two full-length fuselage halves with the Ta 152 fin moulded in place.

The regular fuselage halves are provided in the box too.

Unlike their Fw 190 A and F series, this model does not include a full engine, making the parts breakdown and construction a much more straightforward proposition.

Surface texture on Eduard's latest releases has been superb, and this new Fw 190 D-9 is no exception. The airframe is finished in finely recessed panel lines and selected rows of rivets The fabric ribs on the control surfaces are also very convincing.

Details are equally good. The cockpit is supplemented with the usual compliment of colour photo-etched parts including a layered instrument panel, switch panel and harness straps.

For those who prefer to paint their cockpit, an alternative (and very nicely detailed) injection moulded instrument panel is also supplied, along with instrument decals.

The wing is the same as the earlier D-9 release, so the forward centre section of the lower wing half is smooth in front of the shell ejector ports. It has been suggested that this might have been a late-war configuration (similar to the D-13), but most Fw 190 D-9 references show this area to have a ramp back toward the shell ejector ports, and a wider/deeper recessed area. The decision on whether to modify this area is entirely yours! Another minor omission is the small reinforcement strip on the join between the fuselage and the wing at the trailing edge of each upper wing root. This will be very easy to add from thin scrap plastic strip.

The wheel well features the correct see-through effect, with a rear portion of the engine and the supercharger supplied. This will be visible through the open centre section of the wheel well. Two styles of main wheels are provided. Check your references for your selected marking option.

The cowl and wing gun bays are also fitted out, although alternative parts are provided for modellers who would prefer to keep theirs closed. Some minor surgery will be required for the wings in this case.

Different parts are offered for open or closed cowl flaps.

The exhausts are supplied in one-piece each. The narrow ends are not hollowed out.

The more recent three-piece tail wheel assembly with a separate wheel reappears here, but the simpler one-piece assembly is also provided.

Ailerons and the rudder are separate parts.

The instructions illustrate the spinner cap with the cannon hole in place on page 9, but this should really be the plain cap for the D-9 (correctly called out as part no. Y30).

A drop tank and a bomb are offered as centreline ordnance options. The instructions appear to illustrate the later smooth drop tank, but it is the earlier ribbed version that is actually supplied.

The canopy parts are crystal clear and thin. Separate parts are supplied to permit the sliding canopy to be displayed open or closed. Parts are provided for the blown and flat hoods, although only the blown hood is required for the five marking options on the decal sheet.

Markings

Five attractive and varied marking options are included on the large decal sheet. Three of these cover large-tail aircraft, and the other two feature the regular Dora fin:

• W.Nr. 500647, 7./JG 26, Hustedt Airfield, Germany, February - April, 1945

• W.Nr. 500645, III./JG 2, Altenstadt, Germany, May, 1945

• W.Nr. 500648, 9./KG(J)27, Austria, April 1st, 1945

• W.Nr. 500666, II./JG 301, Erfurt – Nord Airfield, Germany, May, 1945

• W.Nr. 213097, 10. or 13./JG 51, Flensburg Airfield, Germany, May, 1945

All marking options are variations on the (relatively) chaotic application of late-war Luftwaffe camouflage. In my opinion, the most interesting is Brown 4, with its interpretation of RLM 81 and RLM 76 upper wings and RLM 81 underneath as well.

The decals, printed by Cartograf, look absolutely beautiful on the sheet. Eduard's decals have always been trouble free in their application for me too.

As usual, Eduard has supplied self-adhesive die-cut masks for the canopy and wheels.

Eduard's 1/48 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 is beautifully detailed, features excellent surface texture and offers plenty of useful options to the modeller.

The addition of the new fuselage halves with the big Ta 152 tail makes the kit even more attractive and verstile.

Eduard's 1/48 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 family should be straightforward to build, is more accurate than Tamiya's kit and better detailed than Dragon' counterparts. With the inclusion of colour photo-etched parts and its attractive Cartograf decal sheets, Eduard's Dora looks like great value for less than USD$40.00 too.

This is a lovely kit and a worthwhile addition for Luftwaffe fans.

Thanks to Eduard for the sample

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2011 by Brett Green
Page Created 4 May, 2011
Last updated 4 May, 2011

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