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Tamiya 1/48th FW190 D9 Hans Dortenmann - my first 1/48th!


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Hello BM'ers...

After a bit of wrangling with myself as to the worth of this post, I thought I'd take the plunge and put this up as RFI...

This is my very first 1/48th scale completed since the days of yore, and if I'm honest it's the first model I've finished (8 and counting) that I'm actually genuinely happy with. Despite the 'Fisher Price "My First Focke Wulf"' sound of things, it marks a few other firsts too - first attempt at mottling, first attempt at free-hand camo, first attempt at a spiral spinner (there was some swearing involved, but patience is a virtue) and first bird that when I look at it I don't think I've massively overdone everything about it...although I'm certain that many of you won't necessarily agree with the last point!

I don't really think there's much to be said about the kit, other than despite it's known failings (the gear bay being the most glaring one, even to a accuracy-optional hobbyist like me) it's a joy to build, falling together with only the tiniest amount of putty at the wing roots.

It's OOB, other than the Eduard cockpit Zoom set, which fitted utterly terribly and EagleCals decals which behaved impeccably and QuickBoost wheels... If, like me, you're looking to broaden your scale experience outside 1/72 this would be a wonderful place to start - it's a thoroughly enjoyable build experience! I tried to get the ariel line to sag properly, and whilst it's not quite right I'm pretty pleased with it for a first go at that kind of thing.

As for this particular aircraft, since I was a nipper I've been a fan of the FW190 design, and as I've grown older I really think the D9 reached a peak of rakish elegance - there's no escaping the regime it was used by, but nonetheless it's a beautiful aeroplane. The pilot, Hans Dortenmann was a true ace in this aircraft, claiming 18 victories. More about him http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Dortenmann here.

Anyway, enough babbling, here are some pics:

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Excellent looking model Al - the mottling works well. I am in the same position as you in that I make 1/72 scale models and have recently bought two Tamiya 1/48 scale Würgers. I am looking forward to the painting.

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Always great to see a Dora, you've done a great job with the camouflage. However based on extracts from Dortenmann's diary the whole tail unit should be finished in yellow, the crosses on the wing under surfaces would have most likely have been black with white out lines (B3) and not the black out lined type (B4) as you have used.

This was one of the first Doras to be cleared for service, Dortenmann took possession of it at Oldenburg 20/9/44 and would fly it for the remainder of the war logging up 98 flying hours on it. He personally destroyed it on the 5/5/45 to stop it falling into Allied hands.

Tim.

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That's a really great looking plane. I think you play down your skills a little too much!! Looking forward to seeing what you do when you've had some more practice. :-)

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IN-CREDIBLE...

I agree with what you said to 100%!

This is a beautiful aircraft and I think you just made me another fw190 tamiya customer!

You have not overdone it abit, this is absolutely marvellous. As I sometimes like to say ... incredible/10 :thumbsup2:

cheers mate,

Edited by philtn
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Thanks for all the lovely feedback chaps, it's much appreciated!

Always great to see a Dora, you've done a great job with the camouflage. However based on extracts from Dortenmann's diary the whole tail unit should be finished in yellow, the crosses on the wing under surfaces would have most likely have been black with white out lines (B3) and not the black out lined type (B4) as you have used.

This was one of the first Doras to be cleared for service, Dortenmann took possession of it at Oldenburg 20/9/44 and would fly it for the remainder of the war logging up 98 flying hours on it. He personally destroyed it on the 5/5/45 to stop it falling into Allied hands.

Tim.

Tim - thank you for that excellent information... I followed the markings on the EagleCals sheet, so it shows that extra reading is valuable. Rather than any radical repainting, this is the perfect excuse to get the more accurate Eduard offering and get the scheme spot on!

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Absolutely beautiful work! :mike:

The D9 is a thing of beauty but I wouldn't go as far as calling it elegant, with all those lumps and bulges.

I'd like to peek inside the cockpit, as well.

I will look forward to seeing your next completion too!!

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Always great to see a Dora, you've done a great job with the camouflage. However based on extracts from Dortenmann's diary the whole tail unit should be finished in yellow, .....

This was one of the first Doras to be cleared for service, Dortenmann took possession of it at Oldenburg 20/9/44 and would fly it for the remainder of the war logging up 98 flying hours on it. He personally destroyed it on the 5/5/45 to stop it falling into Allied hands.

Tim.

Actually not entirely correct. If you go through Axel Urbanke's huge book Green Hearts, First in Combat with the Dora 9, which is a detailed day by day unit history of III/JG54 from the time they requipped with the D-9 through becoming part of JG26 and on to the end of the war, you'll find that Dortenmann's airplane went through several transformations in appearance. It did have the entire tail painted yellow at one time, but by about March or April of 1945 it looked like Al's model. Urbanke's book also has a dust jacket painting and profile painting by Jerry Crandall depicting Dortenmann's D-9 as of, I recall, April 1945 and Al's D-9 is a good likeness.

I think it's a really good effort for all those firsts. I like it.

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Actually not entirely correct. If you go through Axel Urbanke's huge book Green Hearts, First in Combat with the Dora 9, which is a detailed day by day unit history of III/JG54 from the time they requipped with the D-9 through becoming part of JG26 and on to the end of the war, you'll find that Dortenmann's airplane went through several transformations in appearance. It did have the entire tail painted yellow at one time, but by about March or April of 1945 it looked like Al's model. Urbanke's book also has a dust jacket painting and profile painting by Jerry Crandall depicting Dortenmann's D-9 as of, I recall, April 1945 and Al's D-9 is a good likeness.

I think it's a really good effort for all those firsts. I like it.

Actually at.the end.of the war this aircraft carried the No Yellow 1 and didn't carry the IV Gruppe welle over the RVD Band as Dortenmann had been transferred into 3/JG26 becoming Staffelkapitan, it probably carried these markings 29/3/45-5/5/45, an extract from Dortenmann's dairy on 5/5/45 read "a last look at the yellow tail, so we'll known and maybe even a little feared by others"

The time scale depicted by this model is from roughly 19/2/45-29/3/45 when Dortenmann was in 14/JG26.

When Dortenmann first took charge of this aircraft on the 20/9/44 he was in 12/JG54 and so carried the No red 1. A extract from his diary dated 20//9/44 read "in order for my fliers, when in the air,to always be able to determine where their boss is, what he is doing and how he is flying I paint my whole tail plane a bright yellow. That is nice and colourful and recognizable from a long distance away. The Tommies and Americans will probably realize as well that this marks the aircraft of a formation leader, but I don't mind, I have my pride too! With this yellow tail things improved dramatically. I do not have to yell my self hoarse on the radio because the whole out fit follows the wrong plane after a turn or diving maneuver , and the green pilots are spared many instances of being chewed out" I think that just shows the kind of man Dortenmann was,at this time the aircraft may have had 75/dark green upper colours and would of had the standard type canopy.

The aircraft may have had the 75 over sprayed with 82 around the time it was transferred into JG/26 and would also have received the blown type canopy probably at the same time.

This information is based on the research by Axel Urbanke who wrote Green Hearts First in Combat With The Dora 9, a book like you say is well worth getting and reading.

The information I give here along with the quotes are taken from "The Focke Wulf Fw190 Dora" Vol1, Jerry Crandall. This is a more recent book than the Green Hearts book so a lot more research has take place since that was published. The decal sheet Al has used was one of the first released by Crandall and was based on the Green Hearts book.

None of this I have written should detract from this great looking model.

Tim.

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Fantastic - even more so with all the 'firsts' you listed!

Personally I prefer the appearance of the 'A' variant of the FW 190 - as someone with a bit of a beak myself, I'm not much of a fan of long noses :)

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I think that looks wonderful, I would not have guessed it was your first Luftwaffe mottled subject. I have this kit and the Eduard Dora in the stash but am a very reluctant 1/48 scale builder but that is great inspiration for me to step up a scale.

Duncan B

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Notwithstanding the learned discussion about markings details, I'm impressed no end with this Dora.

To my eyes, it looks just 'right'. I know of no higher praise than that… ;-)

Sterling work. Now we want to see more!

Kind regards,

Joachim

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