Hungarian Butcher Birds: A Double Build of FW 190F-8s

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I was not planning to join this GB originally, but at my local model store today I picked up two FW 190 kits and figured why not? I've never built an FW 190 before, after all...

 

I ordered myself a set of Techmod's decals for the Hungarian F8s which are now en route from Poland.

 

 

I don't believe either of these are especially well-loved kits, but they were what was there. I gather the Revell is the better of the two, and it's the F-8, so it's probably what I'll end up building.

 

 

I did buy the Airfix A-8 kit, too, but if it's as bad as it sounds, might just return it, unless someone around here feels bashing these kits together could be worthwhile (?).

 

 

Revised plan: attempt to build both as F-8s and see what happens!

Edited February 19, 2023 by ModelingEdmontonian

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Welcome and Im a big fan of alternative schemes. I do want to do Bulgarian aircraft someday. 

[opus999]

For what it's worth:  I built that Airfix kit.  RFI here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235078864-fw-190f-8-disappointment-triumph-more-disappointment-and-then/

 

and WIP here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235078468-fw-190a-8-to-f-8-conversion-172-airfix/

 

I had to convert it into an F-8 (The long and sordid story is in the WIP and RFI).  It was a lovely kit to work on except for the machine gun cover on the cowl.  That took a lot of sanding to get looking right, which removes the engraved detail.  I penciled it back in and was happy with it, but your techniques and expectations may vary. I also remember that I had to shave about a millimeter off each side of the cockpit floor and did some dry-fitting to ensure it would fit correctly.  Knowing these issues ahead of time, like I did, will make it into a much more enjoyable build.  I was informed after the fact that the starboard side of the tail shouldn't have an access door, so you'll want to fill that in if you build it.

 

I bought a second one after I built the first because I had a proper A-8 scheme I wanted to do.  So it must not have been too terrible!

 

Hope this helps.

[Marklo]

Welcome to the GB I did a one of these a year ago. It’s great to see a 190 in an alternative scheme.

[ModelingEdmontonian]

12 hours ago, opus999 said:

For what it's worth:  I built that Airfix kit.  . . . I had to convert it into an F-8

Well what the heck, I'll try to build them both and see what happens. I think the decal sheet will let me build two versions, so let's call this a tentative double build!

[Marklo]

2 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

so let's call this a tentative double build!

That’s the spirit. But why stop at two?? The FW190 was flown by :-

Czechoslovakian Air Force (Postwar)

French Air Force

French Navy (Postwar)

Royal Hungarian Air Force

Imperial Japanese Army Air

Spanish Air Force

Royal Romanian Air Force

Soviet Air Force -

Soviet Naval Aviation -

 

Turkish Air Force

Royal Air Force 

United States Army Air Force

United States Navy 

Yugoslav Air Force 

 

And having enjoyed your Hurricane build and your South American one I’m sure you could do a FW190 round Europe tour  Actually I wouldn’t mind hunting down some of those myself.

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Marklo

[opus999]

4 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

Well what the heck, I'll try to build them both and see what happens. I think the decal sheet will let me build two versions, so let's call this a tentative double build!

I hope it goes well for you.  If my memory was bad and it turns out to be too much work... I'll feel bad.

[ModelingEdmontonian]

22 hours ago, Marklo said:

That’s the spirit. But why stop at two??

Love it, but I will stop at two this time. 😆

 

22 hours ago, Marklo said:

Czechoslovakian Air Force (Postwar)

French Air Force

French Navy (Postwar)

Royal Hungarian Air Force

Imperial Japanese Army Air

Spanish Air Force

Royal Romanian Air Force

Soviet Air Force -

Soviet Naval Aviation -

 

Turkish Air Force

Royal Air Force 

United States Army Air Force

United States Navy 

Yugoslav Air Force 

Lots of these would be cool to see. Did naval usage (France, Soviet Union, US) include carrier-based, or just land-based?

 

22 hours ago, Marklo said:

And having enjoyed your Hurricane build and your South American one I’m sure you could do a FW190 round Europe tour  Actually I wouldn’t mind hunting down some of those myself.

A "FW 190 round Europe tour" would definitely be a project I would follow, but I'll decline to tackle it myself. A couple of Hungarian F8s will do me just fine.

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I got to work yesterday cutting off some unused sprue, and then washing the sprues I need. Quite a bit of flash on Revell, and Airfix sprues are surprisingly chunky, and I see the pitot tube is already broken off of Airfix, but we carry on...

 

 

I cut more sprue and here are the cockpit pieces, ready for some cleaning up and painting. I think I will model Airfix with wheels up, so pilot dude will be included.

 

 

I splashed RLM 66 around inside the fuselage halves.

 

 

And some progress inside the cockpit... IPs have two decals each, plus Revell provides harnesses and decals for either side of the cockpit tub. I rarely put much effort into cockpits on my single engine fighter builds given how little you get to see, so I'm pretty close to having this wrapped up. 

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I found this photo of yellow 54, which is the first on the decal sheet above.

 

 

Some observations:

• Techmod shows the "54" and the cowling as yellow, but that doesn't seem to add up--they definitely look to be different colours in the photo, don't they?
• Are those stencils of some sort on the UC door?
• The payload looks great, but mine won't!
• As a FW 190 newbie, is there anything else I should be picking up on in that photo?

This is another Hungarian F-8, but without the ETC 50 racks, which neither of mine will wear, either.

 

 

I am also trying to figure out the wings on the F-8 vs. A-8.

 

On the upper wing, I am gathering that both the F-8 and A-8 have bulges where the outer guns are on the A-8, and I assumed the bulges related to the guns, but if that's true, why do the F-8s have the bulges too?

 

On the lower wing below the bulges, I think the panel should be smooth on the F-8 (no ejector ports), but Revell's piece looks to me as if has the ejector port on it, so I am confused about that, too. I have already started sanding Airfix's panels to smooth them out. I started referencing Eduard's F-8 1/48 instructions for help and it seems that Eduard confirms bulges on top and smooth on the bottom, so that's how I'll proceed, but I am still confused about it all!

[Retired Bob]

5 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

n the upper wing, I am gathering that both the F-8 and A-8 have bulges where the outer guns are on the A-8, and I assumed the bulges related to the guns, but if that's true, why do the F-8s have the bulges too?

The bulged covers were so that heavier calibre guns could be fitted (30mm MK 108)  To ease production problems the decision was made to make all wings capable of fitting these larger guns even if they were going to be built as other versions like the ground attack F-8's that didn't have outboard guns.

As to having the lower ejector ports, Revell have not changed the wing moulds from the A-8 kit.  The Eduard kit is correct, there should be a smooth cover under the empty gun bay.

[opus999]

5 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

Are those stencils of some sort on the UC door?

Yes.  I *thought* that Airfix included them... but I may be mistaking them for someone else.

 

5 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

As a FW 190 newbie, is there anything else I should be picking up on in that photo?

Notice that the wheel cover portion of the landing gear door is removed.  I had to model my F-8 the same way -- I learned in that build that they removed that portion of the door in muddy conditions!

[opus999]

5 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

On the lower wing below the bulges, I think the panel should be smooth on the F-8 (no ejector ports)

Yes.  I had to sand mine down to make an F-8.  The bulges looked like they interfered with the ETC-50 racks.

 

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

2 hours ago, opus999 said:

Yes.  I *thought* that Airfix included them... but I may be mistaking them for someone else.

You're right, both decal sheets have these!

 

2 hours ago, opus999 said:

Notice that the wheel cover portion of the landing gear door is removed.  I had to model my F-8 the same way -- I learned in that build that they removed that portion of the door in muddy conditions!

Interesting! Hadn't noticed this.

2 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

The bulged covers were so that heavier calibre guns could be fitted (30mm MK 108)  To ease production problems the decision was made to make all wings capable of fitting these larger guns even if they were going to be built as other versions like the ground attack F-8's that didn't have outboard guns.

As to having the lower ejector ports, Revell have not changed the wing moulds from the A-8 kit.  The Eduard kit is correct, there should be a smooth cover under the empty gun bay.

Perfect, thank you for the confirmation! Makes sense. 

[Marklo]

54’s the plane I modelled. I did the nose ring and the number, yellow but based on that photo I’d either do the number in white or the nose ring in red. I love the little shark mouths on the ordinance, and I also notice the name Mica (Mila?) on it, I’m tempted to put my build back in the bench and rework it.

Edited February 6, 2023 by Marklo

[ModelingEdmontonian]

Sometime ago in the "early days" of my Hawker Hurricanes around the World project @2996 Victor suggested Mr. Dissolved Putty as a useful product. I came across it on my recent hobby store visit and decided to try it out on this superfluous tail panel Airfix includes.

 

 

Meanwhile, both sets of wings require holes to be drilled--on top for the bulges and underneath for the centreline racks. Here are the Revell wings with the holes drilled. 

 

 

And the Revell upper wings now with the bulges glued on.

 

 

Airfix wings are done, too, but I don't photos of those.

 

Meanwhile, cockpits are assembled and complete--as noted above, nothing elaborate here in terms of weathering or anything, just some paint and decals.

 

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I have the Revell fuselage together, and working on Airfix's; will photograph those when together. Meanwhile was looking at F-8 photos online and came across this Romanian captured version and now I'm considered modeling Airfix in these markings as I think I have the decals to do it. Anyone have any info or thoughts about this a/c?

 

[Troy Smith]

2 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

Anyone have any info or thoughts about this a/c?

IIRC there is some info in the MMP Romanian Fighter Colours book, I'm not about to dig it out now though.  There is also info on the Hungarian Fw190s in the Hungarian Fighter Colours.  That contains the only side photo of Hungarian Fw190s, 3 planes,  all on the Techmod sheet.

5, 21 and 26 I think, it a pretty fuzzy photo though.  

[ModelingEdmontonian]

Here are the two fuselages together(ish)... the front of that Airfix one is badly, badly designed, but I don't think that's news to anyone around here. 

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

Fuselages are together with upper cowling panels and front cowling rings affixed. Some filler is applied and I suppose they're shaping up. But, I would never recommend either of these kits...

 

 

 

Working on the Airfix wings now--the panels are inserted and the fuselage rack mounted on the lower wing . . .

 

 

. . . and the guns are fitted into the lower wings. I'll hack off the outer guns and once the wings are together and fill in what I need to do there.

 

 

@Troy Smith always reminds to dry fit the canopy relatively early, so doing that now; but, I'm a bit unsure as to which canopy I should use on these. The difference between blown and original canopies seems so subtle. Can someone help me? Are these blown or not? I'm thinking not, but I'm not confident!

 

 

[Marklo]

The headrest is the clue. The blown canopy has the much thicker headrest whereas the earlier canopy style have the headrest supported by a single strut. The photos of the Romanian and Hungarian FWs in your last few posts both have the earlier style unblown canopy.

 

In your colour profile 21 and 26 have the blown canopy.

Edited February 9, 2023 by Marklo

[opus999]

On 2/8/2023 at 4:18 PM, ModelingEdmontonian said:

the front of that Airfix one is badly, badly designed

Luckily the plastic is soft.  It didn't take a whole lot of sanding time to get it whipped into shape for me.  These are looking good.  Too bad they aren't the best kits.  I've got a couple Eduard A-5's in the stash and I suspect they'll be heaven compared to these.

[ModelingEdmontonian]

Wings are on now. Wing root gaps are bad on the Revell, but the Airfix fit is nice. Outer guns are snipped off the Airfix wings. The pitot tube was missing from the get go. 

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

Alright, I think this is as good as they're going to get for now... all ready for primer.

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

Primer sprayed . . .

 

 

The Airfix fin is separate because it will likely be colourful and it will be much easier to paint unattached.

 

Also, I sprayed the bombs with a rattle can dark green. The Revell bomb is the larger one, the 500 kg; the smaller one is a 250 kg from a Bf 109G-6 Airfix kit and I'll probably use it on the Airfix kit as I gather F-8s carried these as well.