Focke-Wulf Fw190D-9

by Glenn Irvine
 

Hasegawa's 1/72 scale Fw 190D-9 is available online from Squadron.com

Detailing & Accurising the 1/72 Hasegawa Fw 190D-9 - an exercise for the anally retentive...
 

I started building this Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9 with the intention of using some home cast resin parts created for a previous D-9 project, then doing a quick build based on the finesse of the Hasegawa kit. Nearly 7 years later, hundreds of dollars on references, materials, and a trip to the USAF museum in Ohio USA, I finally have a completed D-9. – and it still has faults - though admittedly not many.

I decided on Hans Dortenmann’s aircraft as the subject, after seeing Jerry Crandall’s evocative painting and profile of this aircraft featured in “Green Hearts, First in Combat with the Dora 9” by Axel Urbanke, published by Eagle Editions.

After initial inspection of Hasegawa's Fw 190D-9 I decided that the manufacturer had basically got the shape right, and with a few corrections it would build up into a nice accurate Dora with little effort… ha! Famous last words!

Identifying the Faults

The main fault of the Hasegawa 1/72 scale Fw 190D-9 kit is the lower wing centre section.

This has been moulded incorrectly due to an assumption that the lower wing surface is a continuous line from the lower cowl surface through to the tail. This is incorrect for the radial engined ‘A’ model but correct for the inline engined ‘D’. The 190 A engine cowl is on a different line than the lower front fuselage/wing due to the mounting of the radial engine and its lower exhausts. As a result of this there is a distinct ‘step’ at the junction of the cowl to the wing lower surface and the wing is almost a straight line from the forward edge of the wing to the fuselage/tail junction.

The Hasegawa kit has a very pronounced curve to the lower wing centre section due to the original lower surfaces for the ‘A’ series being used as a basis for the ‘D’ wing and due to the incorrect cowl to wing junction on the ‘A’, the ‘D’ wing is curved up at the front centre section to meet the new cowl. This gives the ‘D’ fuselage a distinctive ‘belly’ or ‘banana’ shape in profile that is missing from the real aircraft. I had to fix this to correct the shape of the model.

The cowling radiator is moulded with the louvers open and the radiator face integral with the assembly which reduces the accuracy of the part. I replaced this with a moulded resin part of my own manufacture.

Correcting the Faults

The following correction, conversion and improvement tasks were also undertaken:

• The main air intake for the engine does not capture the appearance of the real thing so another of my resin parts was used.

• The spinner – the kit part is quite good, but lacks the propeller hub ring detail, another modified resin part was used for this.

• The exhaust stubs are quite good – but I had resin parts I made for separate exhaust stacks so I used these.

• The tail wheel is too small. I prefer the Airfix D9 one so I mastered a new one with better detail and used a casting of that.

• The cockpit detail was a bit sparse and under-sized so I used my own resin cast tub and Eduards instrument panel and rudder pedals.

• I built a new instrument shroud with handholds and a gun-sight.

• I vacformed a new sliding canopy section using the original canopy and detailed it with internal framing and hand holds from wire

• The cockpit sills were detailed with the sliding tracks for the canopy runners

• The head armour was replaced with a resin casting I mastered.

• I used resin parts I made for the wheel well inserts and scratch built the rear of the engine and associated plumbing.

• I detailed the undercarriage legs with mounting bolts and brake lines.

• I built new upper & lower radius rods (extend/retract arms) and cast them and used the copies

• The undercarriage covers were detailed on the inner and outer surfaces including the tracks in the upper half for the lower wheel covers

• I sculpted a new cockpit intake scoop for the forward cowl, cast it and used the resin part.

• I made a new more accurate ETC 504 drop tank mount.

• I replaced the kit drop tank with a modified and detailed one from the Airfix kit as the kit one is poorly shaped.

• All aerials were replaced

• I rolled in complete rivet detail using an Arlec photo-etched circular saw blade

• The gun camera lens was replaced with clear stretched sprue.

• The gun barrels in the wing roots were relaced with hypodermic tubing

• I hollowed out the upper fuselage machine guns

• All the lights were replaced with clear sprue

• I replaced the propeller blades with resin copies of a master I made of the correct VS 111 type blade

• The tyres were all flattened

• The elevators were drooped for a more candid pose

• The flaps were detailed with strip and Eduard parts

• The pitot tube was made from fine wire and stretched tube sleeved over it

• various drain tubes in the airframe were made from stretched tube

• the shell ejection chutes were made up and copies used to detail the wings.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images of moulds and masters:

The model was painted using Aeromaster enamels using the profile and photos in the ‘Green Hearts’ book as a guide as well as the painting guide in the decal set from Eagle Cals. Stencilling was sourced from various sheets, where better decals were available.

Weathering was accomplished with washes of water -colour and dusting with pastels. Exhaust staining was air brushed. Oil streaks were done with Gunze oil. Testors Dull Coat and Polly S flat finish were final coats. Paint colours were modified from the in bottle colours and darkened to obtain a more accurate match with the paint chip chart. This gives the model a darker appearance than would normally be seen, but it is more accurate.

I feel that we as modellers tend to fall into the ‘scale’ trap when it comes to the accurate depiction of camo schemes. I liken this to the rule used when painting rooms in houses.

If it looks good on a paint chip lighten it a couple of shades before you apply paint as it will tend to appear much darker when the whole room is painted as the intensity of the chroma (colour) goes up as the larger the area of painted surface is exposed to light as there is more colour reflected.

Now to apply this to aircraft, the real aircraft appears much darker than the chip for the same reasons, especially the closer you get to it. As a result I believe the blanket approach to lightening all model paints is incorrect and should only be done to those paints adversely affected by the elements ie. Some US navy colours etc. and lighter colours, those with a majority of white in there mix as they will tend to appear lighter in large areas as they reflect more light and seem much lighter, for example RLM 76.

I don’t claim to have achieved what I describe, in fact I have seen very few models that have achieved the correct balance in terms of colour and overall tone…..It is a subtle thing. However, one successful proponent who comes to mind is Chris Wauchop.

One thing I will say is that there are a lot of models that are far too light in overall appearance out there... unfortunately.

• Squadron/ Signal Publications – Walk Around FW 190D

• Squadron/ Signal Publications – Walk Around Focke-Wulf FW 190A/F

• Koku-Fan No. 57 Me 109 Vs FW 190

• Model Art No. 336 FW190D & TA 152

• Green Hearts –First in combat with the Dora 9 Author: Axel Urbanke

• Aero Detail 2 Focke Wulf FW190D

• Monogram Close-up 10 FW190D

• Eagle Files EF1 Doras of the Galland Circus

• Eagle Files EF2 Yellow 10

• Fighter Pictorials –Broken Eagles 1 FW190D

• AJ Press FW190D TA 152

• Aircraft Archive Classics of World War Two

• German Aircraft Landing Gear Author: Gunther Sengfelder

• German Aircraft Interiors 1935-1945 Vol.1

• The Official Monogram Painting Guide to German Aircraft 1935-1945

• Eagle Editions Ltd Luftwaffe Colour Chart

• The modeller’s Luftwaffe painting guide with colour chart

• Kookaburra Luftwaffe Camouflage and Markings 1935-45 Volumes 1-3

• Luftwaffe Colours 1935-1945 Author: E.Brown Ryle III

• Commentary on the Evolution and Usage of Luftwaffe RLM colours 81,82 & 83 by David E. Brown

• Notes on late on late war Luftwaffe camouflage by Ken Merrick off Twelve O’clock high discussion group ( Internet source)

• Personal notes and photos
  
  
   

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2002 by Glenn Irvine
Page Created 12 August, 2002
Last Updated 04 June, 2007

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