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Focke Wulf Fw190D-13 1:48 Hobbyboss History Arguably one of the best fighters of the time, the Fw 190 was widely used during the Second World War. A total of over 20,000 were produced, including some 6,000 fighter-bomber variants. The 190 remained in production from 1941 until the end of the war, going through multiple redesigns. The Fw.190 made a name for itself as a true Luftwaffe workhorse and was used in a wide variety of roles, including a high-altitude interceptor (especially the Fw.190D), escort fighter, fighter-bomber and night fighter. When the Fw 190 started flying operationally over France in August 1941, it quickly proved itself to be superior in all but turn radius to the Royal Air Force's main front-line fighter, the Spitfire Mk. V. The 190 wrested air superiority away from the RAF until the introduction of the vastly improved Spitfire Mk. IX in July 1942 restored qualitative parity. The Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front in November/December 1942; though Soviet pilots considered the Bf 109 the greater threat, the Fw 190 made a significant impact. The fighter and its pilots proved just as capable as the Bf 109 in aerial combat, and in the opinion of German pilots who flew both, provided increased firepower and manoeuvrability at low to medium altitude. The Fw 190 became the backbone of the Jagdwaffe, along with the Bf 109. On the Eastern Front, and was versatile enough to use in Schlachtgeschwader (Battle Wings or Strike Wings), specialised ground attack units which achieved much success against Soviet ground forces. As an interceptor, the Fw 190 underwent improvements to make it effective at high altitude, enabling it to maintain relatively equal with its Allied opponents. The Fw 190A series performance decreased at high altitudes (usually 6,000 m (20,000 ft) and above), which reduced its effectiveness as a high-altitude interceptor, but this problem was mostly rectified in later models, particularly in the Junkers Jumo 213 inline-engine Focke Wulf Fw 190D series, which was introduced in September 1944. In spite of its successes, it never entirely replaced the Bf 109. The version this kit depicts, is that of the D-13 which was based on a D-11, Fitted with the up-rated Jumo 213F series engine similar to the Jumo 213E used in the Ta-152 H series but minus the intercooler. Two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons were installed in the outer wings to complement the 20 mm MG 151s in the inboard positions, but also fitted with a MG151/20 20mm cannon firing through the propeller hub. The Model This kit is the sixth Fw-190 released by Hobbyboss, and is based on the original D-9, released in 2013. The kit come ins a smallish, but quite well filled box, with an artists impression of a D-13 parked up at an airfield, which has obviously been captured, as the hapless pilot is being led away by a British soldier. Inside, there are eight sprues of various sizes, all in a light grey styrene, one sprue of clear styrene, a small sheet of etched brass, plus the decal sheet. As usual for a Hobbyboss kit, all the parts are well moulded, with no sign of flash or other imperfections, and only a few moulding pips. The instructions are very clearly printed and easy to follow, there being only eight steps to completion. Construction naturally begins with the cockpit and the fitting of the front and rear bulkheads to the single piece floor pan, complete with side consoles. Also fitted to the floor is the rudder bar, with its separate foot pedals attached, the joystick, lower instrument panel, with decal instruments, along with the seat and its supporting frame. The supercharger is then assembled, consisting of five parts it is then attached to the engine fire wall, along with the two piece oil tank. The exhaust stubs are fitted to each fuselage half from the inside before the firewall bulkhead, cockpit assembly, upper instrument panel, also with decal instruments, and four piece tail wheel assembly are sandwiched between the two fuselage halves. It is at thsi point when you realise that you not be able to see anything of the supercharger detail. The closed up fuselage is then fitted with the top forward decking complete with separate air intake, gunsight, PE rear canopy decking, horizontal tailplanes and rudder. The windscreen is then glued into position and the canopy, fitted with the pilots head armour and support, plus the three piece slider assembly, is also fitted. The main undercarriage bays are then glued to the single piece lower wing, the bays having been detailed with wing mounted cannon, plus centre and outboard cross braces. If the model is to be fitted with the various bomb racks, the holes of these will need to be opened up before the upper wing panels are attached. The trailing edge is fitted with separate flaps and ailerons, the wing tips fitted with clear navigation lights and the starboard wing tip with the pitot probe. There is a choice of cowling, one with closed gills and one with open gills, to be fitted to the nose of the fuselage. The wing assembly is then fitted to the fuselage assembly and it starting to look like an aircraft. Each main undercarriage is made up from a single piece oleo, bay door and wheel. Each undercarriage is then glued into position and fitted with a retraction actuator and spring unit. Whilst the model is upside down for undercarriage fitment, three aerials and the footstep are attached. The big fat prop is fitted with the separate backplate and spinner, before being fitted to the model, along with the large four piece intake scoop that is fitted to the starboard side of the forward fuselage. The model can be fitted with two bombs outboard of each undercarriage leg each bomb is fitted with two crutch pads and fitted to a pylon. On the centreline you can fit a quad bomb carrier. Made up from four bombs, again each fitted with two crutch pads, a four point stores carrier, with another pair of crutch pads and the long pylon. Decals Along with the instrument panels, the decal sheet carries national markings and unit markings for just one aircraft, that of Fw-190D-13, Yellow 10, W.Nr.836017, as used by Stab JG 26, based at Flensburg airfield. The decals are well printed with minimal carrier film. Ehy are slightly glossy, with good opacity and in register. There is a full set of stencils included, whilst the swastika has been printed in two halves, to get round the laws in some European countries. Conclusion This whole series of Fw-190s by Hobbyboss have been great little kits, maybe not as complicated, or some would say accurate as the Eduard offerings, but a nice kit none-the-less. Yes it’s a fairly simple kit, which can be a good thing if you’re trying to break modellers block, and also be a good kit to practice painting German mottle scheme for that bigger, more expensive kit you have in the stash. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of