Fw 190A-3

[Tbolt]

I'm building a Fw190A-3 which from the photos I have I think is a U3 as it doesn't have the wing MGFF' s fitted (no camera gear so I guess it's not a U4).

 

So these aircraft without the MMFF's, I assume the underside of the wing was the same, with the bugled  access panel, but what about the hole in the leading edge of the wing, was this blanked off with a panel, so I just need to scribe a circle there?

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by Tbolt

[MDriskill]

Early Fw 190's which left the factory without the outboard MG FF's, typically did not have the bulged access panel, but a flush-fitting flat one.

 

I have seen a few shots of unarmed machines retaining the bulged panel, but they are invariably machines mounting rocket tubes or drop tanks. I suspect these must have required field removal of the guns.

 

If there was a "plug" for the muzzle in the leading edge, it was so subtle and tight-fitting that I can't find evidence of it in photos. Since the barrel protruded through the same short removable section of the leading edge that served as maintenance access for the landing gear strut, I might speculate there were different versions of this component.

[Tbolt]

Thanks for the info. 

 

After a bit more reading I'm not sure the aircraft is a U3 - since these versions were fighter bomber (and some state a recon version) with a bomb rack fitted and the aircraft I'm doing doesn't have  bomb rack fitted, which I though may have just been removed, but since it appears there were only 12 U3's produced, I'm thinking it's more likely just a standard A3 with the MGFF' s removed.

 

Anyway I'll sand down the panel bulges, thanks.

Edited March 10, 2017 by Tbolt

[Tbolt]

Just for your info, I've found some period pictures, including this one (marked as an A-4) which show the leading edge blanking plate, which matches this museum A-6 below. Shame the A-4 photo is cut off and doesn't show the whole of the access panel.

 

 

 

Another A-4 in which the plate is visible. Although the access panel is visible here the resolution and lighting are not as good as the above photo.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by Tbolt

[MDriskill]

Very interesting photos, thanks!

 

I checked quite a few shots and just couldn't find the little blanking plate, these are great.

[Milos Gazdic]

Hello T-Bolt et al,
while searching for subjects for my Fw 190 A-3 build, during last 2-3 weeks, I've spent over the secondary references available to me and realized that many of A-3s didn't carry their outer guns! Basically most of the machines I find interesting are the ones with only cannons in the inner position! What is clear that all of them had that "flat panel" fitted there (which in fact is not completely flat but for some reason still has a tiny bulge present, unlike later jabo versions of Fw 190s which had it completely flat). I am not sure if this decision was coming from above, where RLM maybe realized that these machines are underpowered to carry extra 2 cannons or it was personal preference of the pilots but I see it in some images as a practice of the whole unit!
Just my 2 cents, since this is something I have not paid attention before...