Two 190 Builds (Part Two): Eduard 1/48 A-8 JG3 Memmingen June 1944 *** FINISHED ***

[Ray_W]

12 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

The work you've done on the A-8 looks good Ray, have you figured out what you are doing with those big 30mm cartridge case ejection ports?

 

Hi Bob,

 

I could not find any clear images that showed what was happening. I suppose you could box it in and maybe leave an opening at the top for the MK 108 cannon case ejection port. As this was, for me, speculation I decided to just go with a "black hole" while being careful not to get too close to the event horizon. 

 

I like the look of the A-8R2's with the extra armour and the upfront bulk.

 

 

You can also see my usual, having broken off the fin aerial attachment. What is amazing is that the gunsight is still in position even though I have been fiddling around on the underside as you will read later in this post.

 

I have the Master Fw 190A-8 barrel set. The standard set without the MK 108 Cannon. I know these are available separately from Master but as the Fw 190 installs do not seem to have the reduced diameter muzzle detail like that so faithfully reproduced by Master and appropriate for a Me 262, I decided to make my own. Easy decision as the plastic version in the Eduard boxing seems more appropriate for the 20 mm cannon and I have some microbore brass tube.

 

 

Using some 1.06 mm (full-size 51 mm) brass tube and drilling it out 0.6 mm (full-size 29 mm) seemed a good approximation and, I think, it better captured the look. Wing root cannon is Master's 20 mm:

 

 

One thing that bothered me was the drop tank fairing. I had glued it in position  and had not really noticed the fairing's tail covering part of the rear fuselage round underside access hatch. I checked I had installed the right part. A15 - yes, correct. I checked the alternative options in the boxing. They all seem to have issues. The recommended part is shown below as glued in position.

 

Note: the yellow tape is masking for some applied CA/talc on the wing underside aft join. The real reason I was working the underside.

 

 

I knew the fairing was moved forward 200 mm on the A-8 variant (Ref. Squadron/Signal Fw 190 In Action No. 170) and yet all the front geometry appeared correct. I also checked Shigeru Nohara's drawing which confirmed the front geometry and showed the tail of the fairing finishing ahead of the underside access panel.  Eduard's own drawings show it this way.

 

 

 

 

I decided to shorten it. First cut-off the fairing tail at the panel join.

 

 

 

Shorten and glue the small piece in the new position. Then, build up the repositioned piece's forward edge to give some meat to radius down more like Nohara's drawing rather than thinning down the trailing edge of the forward piece to match.

 

 

Sand, re-scribe and the final result should paint up nice.  A much easier correction change is to do this before you glue everything in place. Oh well, seems I like the challenge.

 

 

Ray

[Retired Bob]

1 hour ago, Ray_W said:

One thing that bothered me was the drop tank fairing. I had glued it in position  and had not really noticed the fairing tail covering part of the rear fuselage round access hatch. Eduard's own drawings do not show it this way. I checked I had installed the right part. A15 - yes, correct. I checked the alternative options in the boxing. They all seem to have issues. The recommended part is here glued in position.

Just checked my A-8 builds and my CMK FW drawings and you are 100% correct Ray, looks like some remedial work on my kits will have to be done.  

 

As to other item that you commented on, I agree with you about the A-8/R2 changes, On one of my older A-8 kits I had a set of p/e additional armour to attach to the fuselage, imagine how easy that would be to apply. 

Not having any details on the 30mm cartridge case ejection chute ports I will blank mine off to avoid the old see through effect and I have some Master 30mm MK 108 barrels in the stash I can use.  That tail aerial post is just begging to get knocked off or broken on any  FW A-4 or later version build.

[Ray_W]

1 hour ago, Retired Bob said:

On one of my older A-8 kits I had a set of p/e additional armour to attach to the fuselage, imagine how easy that would be to apply.

 

I had that on Italeri's Ju-87D. Awful stuff. I prefer to thin styrene card between two sheets of sanding paper and stick that on. Hopefully the p/e is brass. Then, at least, it's easier to anneal to ensure it is fully shaped for the location and literally falls into position. I have the same kits. They do not get much of a look with the current breed.

[modelling minion]

Thats more good work Ray and a good catch on the length of the pylon.

This version of the 190 does look like a right bruiser doesn't it, I have the Tamiya one in the stash and would be building it here but I have too much "stuff" going on at the minute.

 

🇺🇦

[Ray_W]

22 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

This version of the 190 does look like a right bruiser doesn't it,

 

Certainly does and why I was drawn to it in the first place. I also have the Tamiya kit in the stash, which we know builds up very nicely. Mind you, I think unlikely I'll get to it any time soon until I decrement my preferred Eduard stash and then again, there are so many great new releases these days on subjects that I hope to get to, preferably in this lifetime. Thank goodness for Group Builds. They at least help you to make a decision on what to do next. 

[VolkerR.]

 

3 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

  That tail aerial post is just begging to get knocked off or broken on any  FW A-4 or later version build.

 

 

[VolkerR.]

 

During the build I use some Bluetack. I only remove it for painting and put it back after.

[81-er]

Nice work there, Ray, particularly on the re-profiled fairing

 

James

[Retired Bob]

5 hours ago, Ray_W said:

I had that on Italeri's Ju-87D. Awful stuff. I prefer to thin styrene card between two sheets of sanding paper and stick that on. Hopefully the p/e is brass. Then, at least, it's easier to anneal to ensure it is fully shaped for the location and literally falls into position. I have the same kits. They do not get much of a look with the current breed.

I did the same thing, replacing the p/e with the thin styrene card, I also did that with the Tamiya boxing of the A-8/R-2, that had some sticky plastic film to apply as the additional armour.

I'm with you, the older kits can stay as nostalgic mementoes while I have a stack of these new generation FW kits in the stash.  

[Ray_W]

15 hours ago, VolkerR. said:

During the build I use some Bluetack. I only remove it for painting and put it back after.

 

Good suggestion. Much better than the repair work - micro-drill, pin, add the piece and reshape.

 

 

Ray

[81-er]

That's nicely done on the repair, Ray

 

James

[Ray_W]

Not a lot achieved this weekend but, I did reach a very satisfying milestone - all undercoated with Black Mr Color Finishing Surfacer 1500 thinned, as usual, with Mr Color Leveling Thinner (MLT).

 

 

I am very pleased with the finish on this one, I think one of the best I have been lucky enough to achieve. Silky smooth, just using my normal process. That being: I have a small bottle of premix I keep adding to. The thinning ratio is maybe 40% paint to 60% thinner. I'm not sure as I go by eye - (1) how it looks when stirred, (2) when poured in the airbrush cup and (3), most importantly, how it lays down on the model. I use my Iwata HP-CS (0.3 mm) with 20 psi on the gauge (if you can believe that). I do regulate at the airbrush (MAC valve in the line) so it's probably a little less, maybe in the range of 15-18 psi. I paint one side ensuring a moist thin coat is being laid down (not a flood coat) and no significant dry overspray. Two or three coats.  When finished, clean the air brush by adding MLT to the cup and applying a very thin light final coat. Put the model aside for 15 mins.  It should be then touch dry depending on your spraying environment. Gingerly pick it up in a gloved hand. Flip it over and do the other side. All done. 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the fun of the top colours.

 

Ray

Edited March 5, 2023 by Ray_W
Changed images: accidently put in the hi-res versions

[modelling minion]

That really is a beautiful smooth finish Ray, you should do a black nightfighter at some point.

 

🇺🇦

[franky boy]

Nice work Ray. That’s a beautiful finish. I completely agree with all of the above comments on the overall look of this version of the 190. 

 

Look forward to to seeing it with paint on. 

 

James

[81-er]

That's a really nicely applied primer coat, Ray!

 

James

[Ray_W]

19 hours ago, modelling minion said:

you should do a black nightfighter at some point.

 

I have been looking for a Nightfighter GB excuse to do just that. I have likely subjects in the stash. Hopefully one day I'll get around to it.

 

19 hours ago, franky boy said:

Look forward to to seeing it with paint on. 

 

Getting there slowly. I sprayed the fuselage band ready for masking. It is wide. From experience I never spray them wide enough. I'll mask and then spray black to remove the white at the edges and provide a nice base for the next colours. 

 

 

Next was to spray and mask the "black" cowling and I noticed Eduard colour call out is blue-black, à la Mitsubishi Zero cowling colour. That has delayed me while I do some research. Is this correct? Any suggestions form the BM brains trust welcome. I also placed the question in the WW2 topic section.

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235122874-ww2-aircraft-cowling-blue-black-in-luftwaffe-use/

 

If nothing comes through this evening then plain black it will be (the blue-black is tempting).

 

6 hours ago, 81-er said:

That's a really nicely applied primer coat,

 

Thanks James, yes I suppose you must have some success once in a while.

 

Ray

[modelling minion]

3 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

 

I have been looking for a Nightfighter GB excuse to do just that. I have likely subjects in the stash. Hopefully one day I'll get around to it

I very much look forward to seeing that.

4 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

Eduard colour call out is blue-black, à la Mitsubishi Zero cowling colour

This is the first time I have heard of these being anything other than straight black and I have not heard of this colour being used on any other Luftwaffe aircraft either. I do not profess to be a Luftwaffe experten but I have had an interest in the subject for almost as long as I've been building models (a very long time!) and have never heard mention of a "blue-black" mentioned in use.

 

🇺🇦

[Ray_W]

2 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

and have never heard mention of a "blue-black" mentioned in use.

 

Tha amazing thing is that I even noticed the Eduard colour call out. I was ready to load up the airbrush with black and did a quick check to see their recommendation.  

 

 

[modelling minion]

2 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

 

Tha amazing thing is that I even noticed the Eduard colour call out. I was ready to load up the airbrush with black and did a quick check to see their recommendation.  

 

 

I have just replied in your other thread but remember that Eduard are far from infallible.

 

🇺🇦

[Ray_W]

17 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

that Eduard are far from infallible.

 

So true. 

 

 

[mick]

great primer coat

[Ray_W]

I decided to try Mr Color C125, paint the cowling and see what the results looked like. Frankly, it provides a nice off-black that does not look outrageous. Weathered it will probably look the part. I think I'll go with it.

 

 

Ray

[Walter]

Interesting how did you come across that colour, haven't seen that one before.  Is it a slightly grey black? I might pick a bottle 👍

 

Edit apologies just read yout previous post. I'm think this could be a modulation black for night fighters. 

Edited March 7, 2023 by Walter

[Marklo]

That black is very close to Tamiya Nato black, it’s a very very dark grey, a colour I find myself using a lot of the time instead of flat black.

 

The build is shaping up really well.

Edited March 7, 2023 by Marklo

[Ray_W]

3 hours ago, Walter said:

Interesting how did you come across that colour, haven't seen that one before.  Is it a slightly grey black? I might pick a bottle

 

Hi Walter, The colour is the one recommended in the instructions by Eduard - Mr Color C125. Gunze describe it as a cowling black. I have a suspicion they developed it for Japanese subjects like the Mitsubishi A6M cowlings. 

 

The colour is a grey-black with a slight bluish tinge.

 

2 hours ago, Marklo said:

That black is very close to Tamiya Nato black, it’s a very very dark grey, a colour I find myself using a lot of the time instead of flat black.

 

I think your NATO black is still the better option unless you want that bluish tinge to come through. It will be interesting to see what will happen when I knock back the semi-gloss finish somewhat. Not to a complete flat as I do want to maintain some sheen.

 

Ray