Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8
ProfiPACK

Eduard, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Graham Carter

Eduard's 1/72 scale Fw 190 A-8 is available online from Squadron.com

Around 1,400 Fw 190A-8s were built, making it the most widely produced version of this exceptional fighter.

The biggest change to this variant was the installation of a nitrous-oxide injection system giving the pilot a power boost that really helped in combat with its main foe, the Spitfire IV and, later, IX.

This ProfiPACK Kit from Eduard is a re-release of its 2015 Fw 190A-8 and the contents and decal choices are exactly the same, with the exception of the pre-coloured photo etched fret. The kit is presented in the usual sturdy, but overly large in my opinion, top-opening box with a nice rendition of  Blue ‘8’ on the lid. 

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Thumbnail panels:

The kit was widely praised when released and none of that has changed - the recessed and raised detail is really nice and the panel lines are fine as is the recessed rivet detail.

Parts are beautifully moulded and I could see no flash to speak of.

A large number of parts (32) are not required and these are marked on the sprue charts in pale blue shading. Eduard certainly believes in multiple uses of their moulds and the modeller’s spares box benefit from this approach.

The box contains two grey plastic sprues, one transparent sprue, a pre-coloured PE fret, a set of Kabuki paint masks and two small sheets of decals, all in clear plastic bags, the PE, masks, transparencies and decals in their own separate ones.

The instructions are in the familiar 16 page A5 booklet, with excellent colour instructions and decal placement diagrams. Paints are referred to Model Master and Gunze numbers and names.

I won’t go into all the details of this kit as it has been well-covered in many previous reviews but suffice to say that the modeller will end up with an excellent ‘office’, with cockpit details in both plastic and coloured PE.

The modeller will have the choice of using PE, plastic or decals for some of the details, as per normal with ProfiPACK kits.

Wheel-bays are nicely detailed and the engine is adequate given that little will be visible through the small cowling orifice and past the fan blades. I do like the manner in which the tyres and wheels are separate so that a neat paint result is obtained.

Surface panelling and recessed details are excellent and we all know how well these kits fit together. There are no open hatches, but there’s the radio hatch you can open up if you wish as the hatch is marked by a recessed area inside the starboard fuselage. However there is nothing inside the radio compartment included in the kit.

Modellers will need to decide on the canopy style depending on the decals chosen ( see below), and whether you want an open or closed canopy.

Eduard give you both a bomb and a fuel tank to go under the belly of the aircraft. The single fuselage rack needs to be fitted, but you will need to choose from two different styles of bomb and fuel tank pylon/cradle.

There is also a sheet for canopy masks.

Marking Options

There are two decal sheets provided, both printed by Eduard. One sheet gives the national marking with both two-part and full swastikas, squadron badges and codes as well as the  spinner spirals, always a bonus or those of us with clumsy painting skills.

These decals look to be great quality, with very little carrier film ( except around the numbers), good colour depth and excellent register.

The marking choices are for:-

• Blue ‘8’ of IV./JG 5, Herdla, Norway, Spring 1945,

• Blue ’13’ of Maj. Walter Dahl, Stab/JG 300, Jüterbog, Germany, December 1944

• White ‘2’ of Julius Händel, IV./JG 54, Poland, August/September, 1944

• White ‘6’ of Lt. Gustav Salffner, 7./JG 300, Lobnitz, Germany, March 1945 and

• Black ’10’,380352, I./JG 11, Darmstadt, Germany, Spring 1945

The latter two have the bulged canopy while the first three have the earlier, flatter canopy.

The paint schemes are varied and typical of later war colours and should give the modeller a lot of choices.

The second slightly smaller sheet contains a vast number of stencils and wing walkway lines - lots of fun!

We have come to expect lovely kits from this manufacturer and it is great to see this popular version re-released for our delectation. Pick one or two up now and you will not be disappointed!

Thanks to Eduard for the sample.

Text Copyright © 2019 by Graham Carter
Images Copyright © 2019 by Brett Green
Page Created 23 July, 2019
Last updated 24 July, 2019

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