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1/48 FW190 Heinz Bär need suggestions


J.D.

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Hi guys,

 

Looking to build a 1/48 FW190 A7 in the markings of Heinz Bär, preferably his usual Red 13.

 

There seem to be many problems.

 

First of all, there seem to be no accurate kits around in that scale of the A7, the Hasegawa apparently being nothing more than an A8 with Bär's markings on it.

 

The alternative is to find an accurate A7 and some after market decals but both seem to be in short supply.

 

Filling engraved panel lines is a possibility for me but changing any profiles - cowls or intakes etc. - is not. I'm not up to that.

 

I have tried to find some alternate decals with no success.

 

Any suggestions?

 

 

 

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Hi Jack,

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

The Eduard kit has been criticised for the profile of the cowl and the windscreen. The cockpit tub is also very shallow and while the detail is good, I have read that it is not really to scale.

 

I understand that it's a good choice if you want it "all hatches open" but I lack the skill and patience to do that.

 

I would prefer Hasegawa if possible but that involves a fair amount of filling in of panel lines and a fair bit of research.

 

I understand the Dragon kit is quite good if it can be found.

 

I also have read that the Italieri is a re-box of the Dragon. Can anyone confirm this please?

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FWIW: the prices I'm seeing for the Eduard are pretty compelling, especially when the markings I want are included. :yes:

 

It seems to be a question of trade offs.

Edited by J.D.
speeling
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Thanks for that Jack.

 

That's a good starting point. Dragon also make an A-7 which seems to be accurate.

 

Now it's probably just a matter of finding appropriate decals.

 

The problem with something like this is that there was a bewildering number of variations just in the A series itself.

 

That is further compounded by the fact that decal manufacturers, for good reasons, don't always have the ones you want. This is especially true when there have already been kit releases in the past. They can't hold all of them! So they come and go. Then there is the variation in the interpretation of what colours were involved. Hard when they are looking at photographs which are anything up to 70 years old, in B&W and not necessarily complete pictures of any one aircraft.

 

The hunt goes on...

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Eduard are retooling their 1/48 Fw190A kit but the first ones out will be one of the earlier ones like the A-3 or A-4. They are supposed to be making them a lot more simple and if their 1/72 kits are anything to go by the new 1/49 ones will be really nice.

 

thanks

Mike

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I know of a couple of panel lines which need to be filled on an A8, like the circular hatch under the fuselage and I know about the pitot but that's about it. The rack would be dependent on the kit. Some have both types of rack and some don't. I haven't seen any aftermarket ones.

 

Major Bär also removed the outboard guns, which wouldn't be difficult to fix.

 

News on the Eduard kits is promising. Any idea of a time frame?

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1 hour ago, J.D. said:

I know of a couple of panel lines which need to be filled on an A8, like the circular hatch under the fuselage and I know about the pitot but that's about it. The rack would be dependent on the kit. Some have both types of rack and some don't. I haven't seen any aftermarket ones.

 

Major Bär also removed the outboard guns, which wouldn't be difficult to fix.

 

News on the Eduard kits is promising. Any idea of a time frame?

 

In the autumn for the new kits, I think from Eduard but remember, they are starting with the earlier models first but will get round to the later A series.

 

If you're backdating an A-8 into an A-7 I believe you'll also need to fill in the MW50 filler cap on the port side of the cockpit area. I've no idea what the Hasegawa 1/48 Fw190's are like but the 1/72 kit is modular in the sense it's easy to make it as an A-5 to A-9. The top cowling with the nose MG's come in either 7.92mm guns or 13mm guns. Also there are many pre-drilled hole locations for things like the pitot tube (in both locations), wing racks, centreline rack etc. Of course we have the new Eduard A-5 and A-8 kits in 1/72 but the Hasegawa kit is easily the best of the rest and still a decent kit, maybe the 1/48 Hasegawa kits are relatively similar.

 

thanks

Mike

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This is good news. The Hasegawa A7 wouldn't need a lot of work done, from what I can gather and it's a pretty accurate kit by all accounts. Here's a thread from another forum where someone did a four-way comparative build:

 

http://www.aeroscale.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=194430

 

I'm not much of a rivet counter but I'd like it accurate out of the box.

 

The upside of that old Hasegawa kit is that I believe it has Major Bär's markings included in it.

 

The only problem with that is that it is a deleted kit and now becoming quite rare.

Edited by J.D.
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Hi guys

 

Copy Würger attention here is focused on the A-7. Not wishing to hijack the thread with apologies to J.D., but as it's closely related, if permissible rather than starting a new thread entire, I'm looking for a 1/48 A-8 and seek the opinion from fellow Würgerites on which of those listed below currently available would best meet my prerequisites whilst your attention is here.

 

My preferences are for good fit, accurate shape/form and reasonably detailed accurate external mould out of the box. Extreme wheel well, cockpit detail or engine with everything open or hanging down aren't features in the particular I'm looking for. 

 

Unaware of any others OOTB I've narrowed it down to three current considerations shortlisted below because they are long run mainstream manufacturers, currently in production, easily obtainable, all within budget. They are:

 

1. Tamiya's 61095 which I understand is a 2005 release with new parts based upon the original A-3 from 1994. If the shape is right, this one ticks the boxes for me as it has a decal version I want, a driver, and should be the legendary Tamiya easy build?  

2. Eduard Profipack 8175 Love Eduard kits generally, and if wanting it all OOTB, Profipacks are pretty much the full bunch of bananas. But having checked out the instructions, perhaps OTT in terms of finicky build and superfluous (engine/cockpit) detail? Understand this is 2007 release rebox of the 2006 tool? 

3. Eduard Weekend 84120 Same as above re build, just without PE, masks. 2014 rebox + decal choices restricted to x2. 
- would be out of four except, 

4. Hasegawa - except can't find an A-8 of theirs readily available at anything resembling sanity pricing. 09094 aka JT94 appears to be OOP.

 

I've got both Has and Tam A-3s in 1/48. Was happy enough with them, even if they hail from the '90s. 

 

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I understand there are also problems with the Tamiya windscreen and canopy shapes. The link to the comparative build I posted above goes into this and other aspects quite well.

 

I have also discovered that the A8 wing would need to be backdated to A7 (sorry Biggles) by shaving off some bulges on the upper surface.

 

It seems that there are so many variations on the Wurger and so many kit variations that mix and match could end up being the likely outcome.

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