Zvezda Fw190 A4 snap together

[Duncan B]

While waiting for the decals to dry on another kit I thought I'd have a go at the Zvezda Fw190 which I bought on a whim. Yeah gads the thing has thrown itself together in less than an hour and although some of the detail might be a bit soft the overall impression is very nice. I have been amazed at the engineering of the kit, the usual areas of concern for me are around the top engine cowling and gun bays on the Hasegawa and Tamiya kits, not a problem with this kit, no filler required anywhere and no nasty step where the parts meet. Even the wing joints look amazing.

What a great kit for the money and if like me you have lots of spare decals in the stash I can recommend this kit for using them up.

Duncan B

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Yours went together much better than mine! I had to use a little filler on mine for the wing/fuselage join followed by sanding. The tip and the rear of the canopy was slightly mis-moulded on mine, so that required fixing. I've also added the correct headrest, which I had spare from another kit - the kit part is missing a whole section! I also have the corect style wheels to put on.

I found some aftermarket decals for one which was painted in RLM 71 over 76, so I have a Green Fw190 sat here, should be ready for decals by tomorrow hopefully!

thanks

Mike

[Duncan B]

Yours went together much better than mine! I had to use a little filler on mine for the wing/fuselage join followed by sanding. The tip and the rear of the canopy was slightly mis-moulded on mine, so that required fixing. I've also added the correct headrest, which I had spare from another kit - the kit part is missing a whole section! I also have the corect style wheels to put on.

I found some aftermarket decals for one which was painted in RLM 71 over 76, so I have a Green Fw190 sat here, should be ready for decals by tomorrow hopefully!

thanks

Mike

Hi Mike

The only filler needed was at the front of the lower wing where it joins the fuselage behing the engine, there was a bit of a step. Other than that no filler required. I will add the headrest too but might use a vac form canopy.

Duncan B

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Better you than me, I can't stand vac form canopies! I've completed construction and it's ready for the panel lines and glossing up. The landing gear was really easy to align and stick in place, easiest Fw190 kit regarding that, I've built so far.

Are you replacing the incorrect wheels? The kit has the correct wheels for an A-8 or D-9 but not an early A series. It's looking nice in RLM 71 with Yellow fuselage band,certainly makes a change from Grey Fw190's!

thanks

Mike

[Duncan B]

Better you than me, I can't stand vac form canopies! I've completed construction and it's ready for the panel lines and glossing up. The landing gear was really easy to align and stick in place, easiest Fw190 kit regarding that, I've built so far.

Are you replacing the incorrect wheels? The kit has the correct wheels for an A-8 or D-9 but not an early A series. It's looking nice in RLM 71 with Yellow fuselage band,certainly makes a change from Grey Fw190's!

thanks

Mike

I'm aware of the wheel issue but I'm not sure if I'll splash out for resin wheels for it, maybe have a trawl through the spares box and see what turns up instead. I just wanted a model that would take me less than 6 months to build without getting bogged down. I'm going off using a vacform canopy too as long as the kit canopy is useable. I'll save the vacform for the Revell 190's in the stash.

I should be ready for primer tomorrow, meteoric rate of building for me (I'm still painting two 1/72 109's which I put together on the weekend of Telford).

Duncan B

[Learstang]

Would you gentlemen post some photographs? I bought the Zvezda Bf-109F-2 and I might have to buy this one also.

Regards,

Jason

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Mine's ready for decals now - no bogging down for me!

The Zvezda BF109F kit isn't bad, nowhere near as nice as the Fine Molds one but then it is half to 2/3rds cheaper! The first thing that springs to mind would be to drill out the supercharger intake or replace it with a quickboost one and of course a set of seatbelts and it should be fine.

thanks

Mike

[Duncan B]

Would you gentlemen post some photographs? I bought the Zvezda Bf-109F-2 and I might have to buy this one also.

Regards,

Jason

Ok just for you, some quick photos, not the best quality but you'll get the drift.

Mr Surfacer used to fill the step at the front of the wing and a wee swipe of filler at the back of the wing too but not bad for a snap together kit.

Duncan B

[Duncan B]

Mine's ready for decals now - no bogging down for me!

The Zvezda BF109F kit isn't bad, nowhere near as nice as the Fine Molds one but then it is half to 2/3rds cheaper! The first thing that springs to mind would be to drill out the supercharger intake or replace it with a quickboost one and of course a set of seatbelts and it should be fine.

thanks

Mike

I'm a big fan of the Finemolds 109's and have quite a few so won't be going down the Zvezda route for the 109. Next project will be a Finemolds Me 410, now if Zvezda want to have a go at a snap together Hornisse I'll be up for that!

Duncan B

[Learstang]

I'm a big fan of the Finemolds 109's and have quite a few so won't be going down the Zvezda route for the 109. Next project will be a Finemolds Me 410, now if Zvezda want to have a go at a snap together Hornisse I'll be up for that!

Duncan B

Thank you for the photographs, Duncan! That looks quite nice; I like the wheel well detail. I also like the idea of Zvezda doing a snap-together Me-410. That's another aeroplane I need for my ever-growing Eastern Front collection (right now it's mainly Soviet aircraft, but I'm slowly building up my Axis inventory). Evidently the Me-410 was used for recce work on the Eastern Front, as was the Do-217M-1 (which I recently purchased). Mike, I'll take at look at that supercharger intake on the Zvezda Bf-109F-2. Although it seems like a long time ago (it is!), Luftwaffe aircraft were my first love. It's those s****ing mottle camouflages that put me off now!

Regards,

Jason

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

I have 3 different Fine Molds Me410's, the bomber version and 2 bomber destroyers (one with the BK 5 and the other with twin Mk 108's). I wish I had time to get round to them along with my Eduard Bf110G-2. I also have several Fine Molds Bf109's, both F's, some G's and a K but right now I'm well and truly in Fw190 mode!

My A-4 has the main decals on and just need stencils, plus painting the trim tabs and wingtip lights, bit of exhaust stain and matt varnish, then it's done. There's no mottle in sight either. I used Aeromaster decals for Krafft's aircraft from JG51, which is RLM 71 over 76.

I've also got Buhligen's A-8 on the go, again no mottle for that one! The scheme is unusual, as far as I can tell it's 02/74 over 76. It needs the underside masking so I can start painting the top camouflage. After that it's Barkhorn's D-9 (just started) and then possibly Priller's A-8 if my Fw190 fix hasn't passed!

I'll be bringing the A-4 to Cosford if anyway wants to see it in the flesh (along with others, like Dahl's A-8/R8) but I'll see what I can do about pics when it's done.

thanks

Mike

[Duncan B]

I have 3 different Fine Molds Me410's, the bomber version and 2 bomber destroyers (one with the BK 5 and the other with twin Mk 108's). I wish I had time to get round to them along with my Eduard Bf110G-2. I also have several Fine Molds Bf109's, both F's, some G's and a K but right now I'm well and truly in Fw190 mode!

My A-4 has the main decals on and just need stencils, plus painting the trim tabs and wingtip lights, bit of exhaust stain and matt varnish, then it's done. There's no mottle in sight either. I used Aeromaster decals for Krafft's aircraft from JG51, which is RLM 71 over 76.

I've also got Buhligen's A-8 on the go, again no mottle for that one! The scheme is unusual, as far as I can tell it's 02/74 over 76. It needs the underside masking so I can start painting the top camouflage. After that it's Barkhorn's D-9 (just started) and then possibly Priller's A-8 if my Fw190 fix hasn't passed!

I'll be bringing the A-4 to Cosford if anyway wants to see it in the flesh (along with others, like Dahl's A-8/R8) but I'll see what I can do about pics when it's done.

thanks

Mike

Mike the one man group build!

For a 109 fan I actually have a few 190's on the go at the moment too. Along with the Zvezda kit I have Galland's A6, decalled and ready for weathering, Graf's A5 is waiting on replacement decals to arrive after I managed to destroy both Galland's and Grafs decals in one go (I printed off new chevron's for Galland's).

Oh no, I've just started gluing the cockpit of the 410 together (really nice detail on this thing), that'll be another project (or 7) sliding to a halt!

Duncan B

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

I did a rough count of built and unbuilt Fw190 kits I have and I think I have 24 (1 is the 1/48 Eduard A-9). My aim is to do as many different types of Fw190 as I can. The Zvezda A-4 meant I didn't have to bother building the AZ Models A-4 I have (now on Ebay!), so it was great that Zvezda did that model. I've got a Goffy Model conversion set to make a Revell A-8 into an A-6 and a Loon Models set to make the Tamiya D-9 into a D-11/13, so Gotz's D-13 will be on the menu, and sometime soon Rudel's D-9.

Shame about them decals! I horde unused decals in case of problems and always have a sheet of black crosses and swastikas handy just in case of such problems.

Im the same when it comes to Spitfires, Mustangs and Bf109's - in double figures aiming for lots of variety. Also there is a supporting cast of Hellcats, Hurricanes amd Thunderbolts! In case you hadn't guessed, WW2 fighters are my favourite thing to model!

thanks

Mike

[Duncan B]

I did a rough count of built and unbuilt Fw190 kits I have and I think I have 24 (1 is the 1/48 Eduard A-9). My aim is to do as many different types of Fw190 as I can. The Zvezda A-4 meant I didn't have to bother building the AZ Models A-4 I have (now on Ebay!), so it was great that Zvezda did that model. I've got a Goffy Model conversion set to make a Revell A-8 into an A-6 and a Loon Models set to make the Tamiya D-9 into a D-11/13, so Gotz's D-13 will be on the menu, and sometime soon Rudel's D-9.

Shame about them decals! I horde unused decals in case of problems and always have a sheet of black crosses and swastikas handy just in case of such problems.

Im the same when it comes to Spitfires, Mustangs and Bf109's - in double figures aiming for lots of variety. Also there is a supporting cast of Hellcats, Hurricanes amd Thunderbolts! In case you hadn't guessed, WW2 fighters are my favourite thing to model!

thanks

Mike

Yep, looks like a bad case of 190itis, I have the same with 109's, no known cure. Strangely though I have the Goffy A6 conversion and the Loon models D11/13 (Rudel's 190D was one of the first models I made on my return to the hobby) so maybe I'm coming down with the190itis too? Haven't got into the Allied stuff though.

Duncan B

[Duncan B]

Thank you for the photographs, Duncan! That looks quite nice; I like the wheel well detail. I also like the idea of Zvezda doing a snap-together Me-410. That's another aeroplane I need for my ever-growing Eastern Front collection (right now it's mainly Soviet aircraft, but I'm slowly building up my Axis inventory). Evidently the Me-410 was used for recce work on the Eastern Front, as was the Do-217M-1 (which I recently purchased). Mike, I'll take at look at that supercharger intake on the Zvezda Bf-109F-2. Although it seems like a long time ago (it is!), Luftwaffe aircraft were my first love. It's those s****ing mottle camouflages that put me off now!

Regards,

Jason

My photos don't do the kit justice, the engraving is really nice, some detail is missing on the ailerons and rudder but I'm no expert on the 190 so I'm happy enough, maybe 'experten' wouldn't be so happy with it (but at that price who cares?).

Duncan B

[Learstang]

My photos don't do the kit justice, the engraving is really nice, some detail is missing on the ailerons and rudder but I'm no expert on the 190 so I'm happy enough, maybe 'experten' wouldn't be so happy with it (but at that price who cares?).

Duncan B

That's kind of my feeling, Duncan. I know the Bf-109F-2 is missing some panel lines on the upper wing, but it shouldn't be any big deal to scribe those, if I must. The only FW-190 I have now is the Revell F-8 (something about the fighter-bomber versions, especially with the blown canopy), done in RLM 83 over RLM 76 (I think). Nice kit; the only problem I had was replacing the headrest support. No mottle here either! Funny thing though, when I was younger I loved the long-nosed versions, like the Dora and Ta-152, now I like the radial-engined versions better. Maybe they just have a more pugnacious look to them. It was such an important aeroplane on the Eastern Front that I need to do at least one more - in winter camouflage.

Regards,

Jason

[Chuck1945]

... It was such an important aeroplane on the Eastern Front that I need to do at least one more - in winter camouflage.

Regards,

Jason

With the mottled sides showing through?

[steveinns]

Looks very impressive so far AND a varied array of interesting camouflage schemes to experiment with !

Thanks for posting the images.

[Learstang]

With the mottled sides showing through?

Blimey!!! I didn't think of that!

Regards,

Jason

[Duncan B]

Looks very impressive so far AND a varied array of interesting camouflage schemes to experiment with !

Thanks for posting the images.

That was one reason why I went ahead and got it. I have so many decals for them that I thought this would be a cheaper way of using some up. To be fair to Tamiya their A3 isn't all that more and is an easy conversion but why bother when this is good enough?

Duncan B

[Duncan B]

It was such an important aeroplane on the Eastern Front that I need to do at least one more - in winter camouflage.

Regards,

Jason

With the Grun Hertz green camo showing through would look good. I've got some decals for them, hmmm how quickly did I want to finish this one?

Duncan B

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Let's look at it another way. If you wanted to do an A-4 from scratch, it's the Zvezda kit is the cheapest and easiest way of doing it. Yes the Tamiya A-3 is a nicer model but it is an A-3 not an A-4, which means you DO have to buy decals and the Quickboost conversion part (if your useless at scratchbuilding parts like me).

That means by the time you've done that it would 2 to 2 1/2 times more money than buying the Zvezda kit. The Zvezda kit just needs the minimum of correction, in particular the correct style wheels and headrest, plus it, like the Tamiya kit will be available somewhere soon for less than RRP, thus preserving the difference in cost between the 2 kits.

The 3rd way of doing the A-4 is to buy the AZ Models kit. That is more expensive then either the Tamiya kit or the Zvezda kit but won't be such a nice easy build!

thanks

Mike

[Learstang]

With the Grun Hertz green camo showing through would look good. I've got some decals for them, hmmm how quickly did I want to finish this one?

Duncan B

The Grun Hertz camouflage was just RLM 70/71 topsides wasn't it? At least at about the time of Stalingrad.

Regards,

Jason

[Duncan B]

The Grun Hertz camouflage was just RLM 70/71 topsides wasn't it? At least at about the time of Stalingrad.

Regards,

Jason

I've seen a profile of a 5/JG 54 on Aeromasters decal sheet 48432 which had two greens and RLM 79, looks very nice.

Duncan B

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

My A-4 is finished now! Just in time for Cosford too.

Will have to organise some pics soon.

thanks
Mike