Eduard Focke-Wulf Fw.190A Resin Update Sets (for Eduard)

[Mike]

Focke-Wulf Fw.190A Update Sets (for Eduard)

1:48 Eduard Brassin

 

 

Launched to coincide with the release of their new Fw.190A-4 kit, which we reviewed here, Eduard have created a host of sets that can be used to improve on the already impressive level of detail found in the box.  There are so many sets that we will break them down between Photo-Etch (PE) and resin Brassin sets, and once posted, we'll cross link them for completeness.

 

As usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, they arrive in the familiar Brassin rectangular box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions wrapped around them.  The smaller set is supplied in their clear clamshell box with similar protection afforded by grey foam, and the instructions doubling as the header card.  Some of the sets are specific to the A-4 variant, while others can be used across the whole range of A model 190s, which will be indicated in the sub headings.

 

 

Fw.190A Wingroot Gun Bays (648356)

This set permits the modeller to depict the wing root gun bays open, which first requires the removal of a portion of the upper wing from the kit parts, as indicated in red on the instructions.  The lower wing is then fitted with blanking plates for the cartridge chutes and new resin barrels before attention turns to the new bay inserts.  These have the gun breeches added along with a short length of 0.2mm wire from your own stock, arranged as per the scrap drawings, which helpfully have an arrow indicating the direction of flight.  The bays are then inserted into the prepared aperture in the upper wing, and a PE bay lip is attached to the plastic to finish it off neatly.  A small section of the lip that locates the wing spar will need removing, after which the wing halves can be mated and later in the build/painting the bay doors can be added to the lip that is moulded into the bays for a good strong joint.

 

 

 

Fw.190A-4 Cockpit (648351)

Consisting of resin, PE, decals and a small sheet of clear acetate film, the largest part of which is the cockpit tub with the aft decking and side consoles already moulded in.  The separate seat is prepared with its cushion and a set of pre-painted PE seatbelts, and fitted to the tub after the removal of some moulding flash that is indicated in red.  Resin control column, resin and PE rudder pedals, and the instrument panel are made up next, with the latter having the choice of using the PE panel with pre-printed dials, or a detailed resin part over which you apply a decal of the instruments.  Your choice!  The panel fits on ledges at the front of the side consoles, and the resin gunsight with PE and acetate parts slides into a groove in the upper panel.  The cowling fits over the top, and it too has cut-outs that need clearing of flash beforehand.

 

To fit the new cockpit inside the fuselage a pair of plastic wedges are removed from the inside, to be replaced with a detailed PE and resin trim wheel.  The assemblies should then fit neatly within, alongside the kit bulkhead, assuming you aren't taking advantage of any of the other sets I'll be mentioning in this review.  The set includes the opening mechanism and the pilot's head armour, which has a warning decal added to it after painting.  The interior roll-over frame is resin, and has delicate PE bracing wires linking to the rear, all of which fits inside the canopy after painting.  The canopy then installs as normal.

 

 

 

 

Fw.190A-4 Engine (648352)

Inside this unassuming box rests resin and PE parts to construct a complete engine for the deadly little Fw.190, which is so detailed due to Eduard's advanced prototyping and casting facilities.  Incredibly, much of the detail is amalgamated into large parts to keep down the number of castings, starting with the two cylinder banks, onto which the exhaust collector pipework is attached.  A PE wiring loom and resin ancillary plate are added to the rear, the remainder of the exhaust tubing and clustered outlet pipes surround this, followed by a complex assembly of flat and tubular frames that make up the engine mount.  Another wiring loom is fitted to the front of the engine before the reduction housing and prop-shaft are inserted, after which the engine can be mounted to the fuselage.

 

Red areas mark the parts of the fuselage cowling that should be removed, and four holes should be drilled in the plastic bulkhead to accommodate the engine mount parts, which clips within the fuselage halves and locates the assembly firmly within.  The nose-ring mates to the remaining fuselage panels, and is joined by a replacement top panel with hoses added for extra detail.  The missing panels are all supplied as thin resin parts, with exceptional detail, which is augmented by adding PE fasteners to the edges.  They are shown posed open to the correct positions, and you can then choose to fit the kit prop, or leave it off and replace it with a shaft with splined ends if you wish.  Colours are called out during construction in Gunze codes, which will help immensely with the complex task.

 

 

 

 

Fw.190A-4 Engine & Fuselage Guns (648355)

This set takes the engine set detailed above, and replaces the kit's blank internal bulkhead with a super-detailed alternative, to which the guns, ammo cans and additional plumbing are attached.  You will also need some 0.3mm wire to complete the attachment of the gun breeches to the deck.  The separate panel that covers the bay is also replaced by an exquisite resin part, with a set of PE fasteners installed around the sides of the bay for added detail.  This complete set will allow the modeller to portray some maintenance and re-arming underway, and coupled with the wing gun-bay set with further enhance the candid look of the finished model.

 

 

 

 

Fw.190A-4 Fuselage Guns (648354)

If you just want to open up the gun bays, this set allows that by using the appropriate bulkhead parts from the full set (648355) alongside new parts that depict the rear of the engine in a slightly simplified manner, which will be dimly seen past the gun barrels.  If you were to buy this set and the engine set separately (for whatever reason), you would end up with a few spare parts in the shape of the aforementioned engine rear plus its mount.

 

 

 

 

Photo-Etch, Masks & Decals

These additional sets can be found in a separate review here to save your scrolling finger.

Review sample courtesy of