Converting FW-190A-5 to A-6? Or buy a kit?

[opus999]

I have a set of decals for Maj. Hajo Herrmann's FW-190A-6.  The most readily available kits in 1/72 are the Hobby Boss Easy Assembly, the Academy and the MasterCraft.  Some searching on this site led me to some posts that basically said "don't bother" with either the Academy and MasterCraft kits because they are too terrible. After looking at some pictures I've found of those kits, I tend to agree.  I don't know anything about the accuracy of the hobby boss. Their lack of cockpit annoys me, but in general the few I've made have been fairly accurate and detailed (although, not always the case! so buyer beware!).

 

That led me to considering getting an Eduard A-5 and converting it.  After studying Eduard's instructions for the A-5 and A-8, I have a feel for what extra parts on the parts trees are for what models and I think it can be done.  After reading IPMS Stockholm's Modeller's Guide to Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Variants, I think all I would need to do to convert an A-5 to an A-6 is: Put longer guns in the outboard wing positions, put a FuG 16 loop antenna on the bottom of the fuselage.  However, IPMS says that the lower wing was re-designed to accommodate a heavier cannon mount and larger ammo box. So.... maybe this isn't straight forward?  There was a discussion over at tapatalk about this same topic (except with Eduard's 1/48 offerings) and frankly I was entirely confused about the discussion about the different wing types.

 

So, I guess the fundamental question is: Should I bother with trying to cross-kit Eduard kits to make an A-6 or is the Hobby boss reasonably accurate?

 

 

[Wulfman]

The Hobby Boss Fw-190 A-6 is one of their best 1/72 kits, I’m not going to say it is 100% correct, but it builds into a very nice 190, so I think it would be worth your while as the kit is so cheap. (Well it is here in the U.K.)
 

Wulfman
 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2020 by Wulfman

[opus999]

6 minutes ago, Wulfman said:

The Hobby Boss Fw-190 A-6 is one of their best 1/72 kits, I’m not going to say it is 100% correct, but it builds into a very nice 190, so I think it would be worth your while as the kit is so cheap. (Well it is here in the U.K.)
 

Wulfman
 

 

 

Thanks for the feed back!  It seems it would be a lot easier than kitbashing it together.  I didn't realize the A-6 was so hard to get a hold of!

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, opus999 said:

and frankly I was entirely confused about the discussion about the different wing types.

I had a look at Bentley's plans.   The A-6 wing seems to have different doors outer cannon bays.

Note, the Eduard Grunherz dual combo had two complete kits,  but 4 different wings and fuselages, so there are spare main parts floating about.

https://www.eduard.com/eduard/grunherz-dual-combo-1-72.html

 

Which I suspect would have all the right bits.  

this is the 48th A-6 wing

this tree in the Grunherz dual combo looks to have the right doors, but you may need to fill the outer slots

 

Note most A-6 s had inner wheel well doors, as can been seen on the A-6 wings. 

 

I'd look out for Grunherz dual combo.   Note, if you get the Fw190 small parts overtrees,  you can 4 complete planes from the kit.

 

@tank152 is good on Fw 190 details,   I'd be surprised if Hobby Boss got the small details right. 

 

HTH

[G.R.Morrison]

One quibble, regarding the eduard lower wing ("this is the 48th A-6 wing"), it's set up for the 4 x MG151/20s of the A-6, but has the large oval panel for the fuselage fuel tank of the A-8 (which the A-6, and A-7, did not yet have).

 

opus999, if you build Herrmann's WNr.550445 (or 'Nasen' Müller's WNr.550453 "grüne 3"), you can omit the head armor fitted to the canopy.  Both had this removed.

 

Good luck with your build, GRM

[Vlad]

Have you seen this?

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235069721-fw-190-a-8-to-a-56/

 

It seems if you want to use Eduard the short answer is: A-5 fuselage and upper wings with A-8 lower wing, and at least one major panel/hatch will be wrong. But do-able. I have all the parts for his project and it's something I'd like to do eventually. The Grunherz dual pack has everything you would need to do this and still build either an A-5 or A-8 with one of the included marking options.

 

The Eduard kits are absolutely top quality as well, so if you want a cockpit and an overall great kit I'd say that's a route worth taking.

[Wm Blecky]

Vlad is right, the Eduard A-5 kit is the way to go to give yourself an A-6.  That's what I am doing.

 

There will be a little minor work, but the end result will be worth it.  Master Model offers a set of metal gun barrels and pitot tubes specific to the Eduard range of 190 kits.  They even have a set for an A-6, 

[Giorgio N]

The Hobbyboss A6 is not an A6, just their A8 with different decals

[opus999]

8 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

The Hobbyboss A6 is not an A6, just their A8 with different decals

Well, I ended up getting one before I knew what was wrong with it.  With my limited knowledge, I think it is closer to an A-7. I base that on the guide at IPMS Stockholm.  The hobby boss kit lacks the rectangular shaped blisters on the upper wing aft of the outboard cannon.  The instructions have you put the pitot tube next to the starboard outboard cannon rather than at the wing tip, although it's a butt join so you could put it at either location, I suppose.  I could be wrong, though -- I'm still learning about FW's.  If I am wrong about any of this, please don't hesitate to let me know.

 

As an example of the archer hitting everywhere but the bullseye: The two paint schemes included in the hobby boss kit are Emil Lang's A-5  and Walter Nowotny's A-5.

 

So in short, the kit is labeled as an A-6, with an A-7 body and A-5 paint schemes! 

 

I've put this project on indefinite hold anyway because it looks like the scheme I wanted to do is fictitious anyway.