Difference between an FW190 A-3 and A-8

[Devilfish]

I've got an Eduard FW190A-8 but I want to get the decals for an A-3.  Can those in the knowledge tell me what the visible difference between the two types are, and if I can back-date the A-8?

[stevehnz]

Not easiy no, the A-8 is longer between the cockpit & engine & doubtless has a heap of other detail differences as well, like wanting to back date a Spitfire IX to a Mk I. Tamiya do a nice A-3 if you're taking 1/72, can't help you with bigger.

This site has a lot of info on the differences.

Steve.

Edited May 15, 2019 by stevehnz

[Devilfish]

Ok, thanks. It's 1/48 I'm looking at, but I'll find one. Ordered the decals now, so I'll just put them to one side until I find a suitable kit.

[Tbolt]

Like Steve says the A-5 added a 150mm section right behind the engine cowl, which also effected the wing fairing so you can't really do an A-3 without some serious surgery which isn't worth it.

 

Some other changes like the cowl, gun cowl and armament changes on their own would be quite a bit of work.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Eduard overtrees kits are your answer ? 

 

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/edu08211x.htm

 

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/edu82141x.

 

They're cheap and have all the plastic of the standard kits. You will need to find the instructions online though. Either at eduards website, scalemates, or from another source. 

 

Dennis

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Eduard overtrees kits are your answer ? 

 

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/edu08211x.htm

 

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/edu82141x.

 

They're cheap and have all the plastic of the standard kits. You will need to find the instructions online though. Either at eduards website, scalemates, or from another source. 

 

Dennis

good call Dennis, but overtrees are not  very viable in the UK.  IIRC at one point Eduard did offer  'free' shipping over a certain amount,  but no longer.   And the post from Eduard to the UK is now really silly amounts of money.

 

3 hours ago, Devilfish said:

Ok, thanks. It's 1/48 I'm looking at, but I'll find one. Ordered the decals now, so I'll just put them to one side until I find a suitable kit.

 

Hmm, in 1/48th,  depending on what you want,  there have been 3 1/48th  A-3 kits,  Hasegawa, Tamiya and Eduard. 

as the Eduard is a new tool without the over engineering of their initial Fw 190 kits, I'd say that was the way to go.

 

Creative Models are the UK importer

the weekend kits retail is £19, but can be found cheaper.

http://www.creativemodels.co.uk/eduard_kit_148_weekend_fw_190a3-p-54100.html

the profipack is £30

http://www.creativemodels.co.uk/eduard_kit_148_profipack_focke_wulf_fw_190a3-p-51621.html

but has been in the weekly special for £21 IIRC

 

The kit comes with numerous alternate bits to jazz up other kits as well.

 

HTH

 

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

7 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

at one point Eduard did offer  'free' shipping over a certain amount,  but no longer.   And the post from Eduard to the UK is now really silly amounts of money.

Didn't know that ? Would it be possible to get someone close  to or in the Czech Republic to purchase and mail it as a gift ? Would the officials charge import taxes on a birthday gift ? 😉 I don't know the U.K. Import/Export regulations. 

Edited May 15, 2019 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[fubar57]

Scroll down about halfway to get to the kits https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=TAMIYA+1%2F48+Focke-Wulf+Fw190A-3&LH_PrefLoc=2&_sop=15

[Nocoolname]

8 hours ago, Devilfish said:

I've got an Eduard FW190A-8 but I want to get the decals for an A-3.  Can those in the knowledge tell me what the visible difference between the two types are, and if I can back-date the A-8?

5? 

[Troy Smith]

3 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Didn't know that ? Would it be possible to get someone close  to or in the Czech Republic to purchase and mail it as a gift ? Would the officials charge import taxes on a birthday gift ? 😉 I don't know the U.K. Import/Export regulations. 

 

You could Dennis,  but I don't know if it's worth the bother,  note Creative do 'free' post in the UK on orders over £30,  and they stock lots of stuff.

 

At the moment you wouldn't get hit for import taxes as Czech republic and UK are part of the EU.    

MJW Models have the A-3 weekend for £16.80,  https://mjwmodels.co.uk/edk84112--148-focke-wulf-fw-190a-3-weekend-6817-p.asp

post is £4.5 tracked so you could have one in your hands for just under £21...

 

A look at the eduard site says the overtrees are about £10,  (295 crowns) but the shipping is 396 Crowns .....

[72modeler]

41 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

there have been 3 1/48th  A-3 kits,  Hasegawa, Tamiya and Eduard. 

What Troy has said makes a lot more sense than trying to backdate an A-8 to an A-3.  The 1/48 Tamiya A-3 is a very, very good kit, and the only real issue I recall reading about was the mainwheels are undersized- the 1/72 kit has the same issue. You can get better resin wheels from Ultracast or Barracuda Cast. Hobbylink Japan wants $19.15 USD for the kit and $7-8 USD for shipping, if that information helps you. (UK shipping might be more- but you can check shipping cost on their website.)

Mike

[Hornet133]

Go to Plaza Hobbies Japan. They are only charging $17.73 USD for it.   HLJ is not the cheapest option.

 

You can also set the currency to PDST and pay with Paypal with them. I have used Plaza with very good results.

Edited May 16, 2019 by Hornet133

[Devilfish]

I will get an Eduard A-3.  I have a few trusted UK based suppliers, so I'll get one.  

 

After my last dealings with a Japanese based shop, I certainly won't be buying from there again, lol (£50 of kits, £20 postage, then hit with £20 import taxes!)

[tempestfan]

28 minutes ago, Devilfish said:

After my last dealings with a Japanese based shop, I certainly won't be buying from there again, lol (£50 of kits, £20 postage, then hit with £20 import taxes!)

The Import taxes are not the shop's fault, nor are the postage costs 😉 I have yet to buy directly from Japan, but I think I have read (and actually used HLJ's calculator a couple of times, which confirmed this) that postage for single items is relatively low, and you might stay under the customs threshold that way. As a comparison, I asked at the Bancarella in Turin two years ago what it would cost to send a single Ali d'Italia booklet to Germany, and the reply was 16 €... for a single 48 page or so booklet - not his fault either, but in the past couple of years overseas shipping costs have soared almost anywhere.

[Devilfish]

1 hour ago, tempestfan said:

The Import taxes are not the shop's fault, nor are the postage costs 😉 I have yet to buy directly from Japan, but I think I have read (and actually used HLJ's calculator a couple of times, which confirmed this) that postage for single items is relatively low, and you might stay under the customs threshold that way. As a comparison, I asked at the Bancarella in Turin two years ago what it would cost to send a single Ali d'Italia booklet to Germany, and the reply was 16 €... for a single 48 page or so booklet - not his fault either, but in the past couple of years overseas shipping costs have soared almost anywhere.

No, of course the import taxes aren't their fault, but why would I pay more than double what the kits are worth to get them from Japan, when I could get them from the UK for a lot less?