Airfix 1/72 Fw 190 D-9 "Wurger Staffel" [FINISHED]

[klr]

Yes, it's those candy-striped "please don't shoot at me!" undersides again. This scheme was included in some of the many reissues of this kit over the years. This is mine:

 

All parts present and correct. To quote Neil Young "... it's old, but it's good". My memories of first building this kit all of 40 years ago is that it's a trouble-free build. I will be building this wheels up, and without the drop tank, for a completely "clean" configuration, I doubt the typical mission profile for the Wurger Staffel required a drop tank anyway. It's shown as not being fitted on the cover art of the Eduard 1/48 kit, for what it's worth.

 

For some reason I don't have a photograph of the decal sheet, so I'd better take that before I start cutting it up.

Edited May 7, 2023 by klr

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Welcome

[Marklo]

Welcome as part of our STGB emergency fighter team  

[klr]

OK, I was so enthusiastic with this that I had the airframe assembled before I remembered to take some more photos. Given how quick this is it build, that's easy to do.

 

The underside wing joins will take some cleaning up:

 

There was some filler required around the top of the cowling and the rear spine, but nothing dramatic:

 

With most of the underside cleanup done. The drop-tank holes have been filled in. The offset ventral aerial is supposed to be attached "flush", but the attachment point would be partly obscured by one of the stripe decals, so I drilled it out to remind me where it is:

 

The undersides are matt red, Hu 174 red according to the instructions. I thought it easier to do use gloss red, and apply a matt varnish once the decals have been applied:

 

Speaking of the decals, here they are. They could be Cartograf, but when this kit was issued, Airfix didn't state who the decals were by.

 

The colour schemes don't have any RLM codes, or use any of the Luftwaffe colours issued by Humbrol about ten years ago. This boxing of the kit predates that. However, the "Wurger Staffel" subject is obviously RLM 82/RLM 83 on top, with mottled RLM 76 sides.

 

[klr]

... and all those lovely stripey decals have been applied, including the long "Y" shaped marking under the fuselage decal that Eduard says may not have been used:

 

As I suspected, some of the decals were too long, and need to be trimmed slightly.

 

[Marklo]

Very nice work Kir.

[81-er]

Indeed it is, that was a tricky job to get right. Nicely done

 

James

[stevehnz]

That looks really good. I confess to thinking this scheme is a bit hachneyed but happy to admit my attitude might need some adjusting after seeing this.

Steve.

[mick]

great work

[AdrianMF]

Very nice. I was surprised how good the Airfix decals were when I made mine.

 

Looking forward to the finished result!

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

 

[klr]

Long overdue update time ...

 

For RLM 83,  I am using Hu 253, which takes several coats. By hand. For RLM 82, I am using Hu 105, although I also have Hu 252, and indeed all the other Luftwaffe colours. For the "hollow" upper wing crosses, I always overpaint the centres once the decals have been applied.

 

 

Note that I put the wing/fuselage demarcation line along the actual wing root join in the kit. Then I looked at various instructions, and moved it way up:

 

However, from available photos, it seems it ought to be somewhere in between, which I have since moved it to.

 

Next up, apply the remaining decals, then the mottle on the sides.

 

[klr]

Finito. Being a last-minute job, I had to resort to using flash, which is always unforgiving. The subject looks a bit weather-beaten, but then again it probably was.

 

Gallery pics here: