Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8
BRASSIN Cockpit, Exhausts and Wheels
plus Fabric Seat Belts & Photo-Etch

Eduard, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Eduard's 1/48 scale SSW D.III ProfiPACK is available online from Squadron.com
 

Eduard released their excellent 1/72 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 last month. Glen Porter bought one of these kits as soon as it was available and reviewed it here on HyperScale.

Now the first batch of accessories and updates have arrived for review.

I started building the kit as soon as it arrived yesterday morning, so I can share some photos and observations about preparation and assembly.

672 081 - Eduard BRASSIN Fw 190 A-8 Cockpit

This exquisite cockpit set comprises nine parts in grey resin, a photo-etched fret and clear printed foil for gunsight reflectors.

I started working on this cockpit set and the kit as soon as they arrived yesterday morning.

The resin parts are perfectly cast. The main parts - the seat and the cockpit tub - are quite easy to remove from their casting blocks. I used a sprue cutter in strategic locations then cleaned up the remaining waste resin with a hobby knife.

I also sanded the bottom of the cockpit floor with a coarse sanding stick.

The seat is cast with a squarish locating block on the bottom. This slots into a corresponding square hole in the floor of the cockpit, so take care not to cut it off!

Similarly, the base of the control column is keyed into the floor of the cockpit.

The resin instrument coaming has the gunsight cleverly cast inside. Two coamings are supplied with different gunsights.

Detail parts, including the colour instrument panel, harness straps, and pilot's head armour, are offered on the photo-etched fret. Also supplied are parts for flat and blown canopies.

I have already finished the cockpit.

Fit of all the parts was excellent and the detail is simply superb. This is a very worthwhile upgrade.

672 085 - Eduard BRASSIN Fw 190 A Exhaust Stacks

This is a simple but handy upgrade comprising three parts in grey resin.

The set offers better defined openings for the exhausts.

The openings are tiny in 1/72 scale. It would be very difficult for a modeller to acheive this level of precision, especially with the oval shape of the exhaust stacks.

672 080 - Eduard BRASSIN Fw 190 A Wheels Late

The simplest of upgrades, this set provides two cross-treaded main wheels in grey resin plus self-adhesive masks for painting the hubs.

Casting is crisp. These are an improvement over the kit wheels in terms of detail too.

73033 - Fw 190 A-8 Seat Belts SUPERFABRIC

This release provides eight fabric harness straps for two full sets of belts. Although they are labelled for the Fw 190 A-8, they will suit a wide range of Luftwaffe aircraft.

I really like these harness straps. They drape like real fabric and respond well to fixing with white glue. The instructions warn the modeller not to use super glue.

I have used these harness straps for my 1/72 Wurger project.

72611 - Fw 190 A-8 for Eduard Kit (PE Set)

This relatively simple upgrade supplements the already high level of detail in the standard kit with one photo-etched fret plus instructions.

This set addresses the engine cooling fan, undercarriage leg covers, cockpit upper sidewalls, rear cockpit deck and more.

Eduard's 1/72 scale Fw 190 A-8 is a gorgeous kit but these update sets delivers an even higher level of detail.

Each set offers its own value. The jewel-like resin cockpit is my favourite, but I do love the look of the SUPERFABRIC harness straps in there too.

I am also very pleased to be able to use the replacement exhausts and main wheels, and I will employ a few parts from the photo-etched update set.

I can happily recommend all of these upgrades, and I look forward to showing them to you once they are fitted to my model. You won't have to wait long!

Thanks to Eduard for the samples.

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2015 by Brett Green
Page Created 8 December, 2015
Last updated 8 December, 2015

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page