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TEXT FROM THE ARTICLE PUBLISHED ON “AEREI MODELLISMO”
IN 1992
The Focke Wulf Fw 190
"Shrike", designed by Kurt Tank, is certainly one of the most
important fighters of the Luftwaffe in WW2. Although it was designed before
the outbreak of war, his debut in 1941 meant a change in the philosophy of
combat aircraft, which had been characterized by motors in line for reasons
of aerodynamic refinement. With the new BMW 801 the Fw 190 proved that the
power and reliability of a radial engine could ensure through appropriate
study of aerodynamic cowling, superior performance to the Spitfire Mk.V, at
that time RAF first line fighter. The Allies had to wait the P.51 Mustang to
ensure a clear superiority fighter. Even if the number does not exceed that
of the Me.109, which went out of production until the end of the war, Fw.190
still represents a significant component of the fighter and attack German air
forces over all fronts.
THE TWO SEATER
The result was many versions
(considering only the types A-F-G-S with radial engine) which were often
characterized by the installation of modification kits in the field. In
particular, the "F" and "G" were made to replace the
Ju.87 as a light attack bomber, which is why, in autumn 1943, came the
problem of conversion of Stuka pilots of the old, heavy and honest "
workhorse ", to the "thoroughbred" Fw.190. In January 1944
were made several prototypes converting two-seater version of the version of
"A-5" renamed "S-5" ("S" stands for
Shuleflugzeug - aviation school). Were later converted even the
"A-8" (renamed "S-8") which differed from the preceding
type for the shape of the rear canopy with a pyramid structure transparent to
improve visibility from the instructor. Also for this change was developed a
conversion kit that was applied during general overhaul of aircraft no longer
valid for combat after reaching structural limits. The armament was always removed
the cowling, but was often maintained that wing, because much more than the
role of trainers, these two-seat aircraft were used instead as fast
connection to the squadrons of first-line fighters. Thus the birth and
history of each sample is very difficult to trace and therefore its colours,
consistency of equipment and insignia.
THE MODEL
In 1991 there were some
conversions for two-seaters, to obtain a "S-5" Scale 1 / 72 and to
obtain a "S-8" Scale 1 / 48.
To my knowledge no kit exists for the FW.190 "A-5" scale
Airfix 1 / 24, and I departed from this kind of challenge. Having
fortuitously placed my hands on enormous Airfix box, and allowing the size of
the model a level of detail directly proportional to my "masochism"
I started this modification, if not unique in this scale, surely very
rare. The documents guided me to the
realization of a FW.190S-5 of the Erganzungsgheschwader Sg 151 (Eastern Front
- Summer 1944) marked by a large "Red 115" on fuselage, portrayed
after an accident on a photo on "Luftwaffe Camouflage and Markings"
by Smith and Gallaspy. For internal details was essential to the small
monograph of "Chiltern Scale Model Club” of Biggleswade, England, which
shows the photos of the only existing example in the world, of course, in
Hendon, done by modellers for modellers. Unusable unfortunately the colour of
this restored example as it’s so highly imaginative but unlikely. The changes
to implement this version is the removal of the armament (the original
example did not had it) and the creation and modification of the rear cockpit
on the fuselage. To this was added the detail of the radio compartment and
the rear of the engine. We analyze these changes one by one so that each are
configured as a real kit in itself.
THE FRONT COCKPIT
It was not much changed the
original front cockpit only to the removal of the REVI gunsight and centre
console between the driver's legs, which contained the controls for the
external stores. I added the following details:
- Seat belts and pedals made of
strips cut from metal tube of toothpaste, perfect for simulating rigid cloth;
- The wires connecting the
joystick.
THE REAR COCKPIT
Here you enter the world of total
scratch building, for:
- Instrument panel, floor, console
and side rails of the seat support, with sheets of plasticard;
- Cylinder rear sections of the
instruments with stick "cotton swab" and other scrap kits;
- Instrumentation cables and wires
visible, with the metallic rope taken from laces;
- Stringers "T" spars
exposed, and support arched instrument panel with square rods of plasticard
1x1 mm (the rear passenger compartment in reality had no wallboard);
- Pedals, copied by hand on
plasticard various thicknesses from the front (be careful! Pedals have
auctions for referral to the reverse position than earlier);
- Stick and cross-references to
connect the front, with plastic tubes Circular 1 / 16 ", the handle of
the stick is a "Cotton swab "(also true that it was simpler than
earlier);
- Backseat made with forged
plasticard on the back of the front, reinforced with another plasticard with
Milliput and caulking on the bottom to simulate the presence of the canopy
supported (the folds of silk were simulated with shots of the drill grinding
and carry paper and vinyl glue);
The main difficulties I
encountered in the scratch building of the pedal too small to be printed so,
play "eye," and total scratch building of the instrument panel and
its support.
THE RADIO COMPARTMENT
The photo of the Hendon example’s
shows the open radio compartment, so temptation was too strong, hence
resulted in an avalanche of details: the rear bulkhead of the passenger of a
complex design, which partially invaded the radio compartment also showing
the left side plate (plasticard 0.15”),
with two tubes that rise up (plastirod 2.5 mm) the control column shaft and a
junction box at the bottom of various threads. Besides the frame visible on
right compartment is the radio itself, all seasoned by the usual background
of stringers "T" in sight. Other particulars that are below the
oxygen "balls" (seems like they are nine). All was created by a
profusion of plasticard 0005" for visible transverse frames and
"T" stringers (obtained by superimposing two thin strips 90
degrees). Oxygen bottles were made with Milliput. At this point you wonder
how did I close the two semi fuselages with all this good things inside!
Well, the biggest problems were given by the original Airfix
"bathtub", perhaps not so well dry fitted as the self-built one for
the rear.
THE ENGINE
The BMW 801D-2 and also the rear
rack are well reproduced by Airfix and then I just add some details, cables,
wires candles and oil pipes. As there is no machine guns under the front
bulge and to better see the cockpit I left the front cover closed, opening
only the two front side panels. Nevertheless I had to add some little thing
between the motor mounts would have been kept bleakly bare. The beautiful
shape of the hunting Tank fighter then remained unchanged.
THE "HUMP"
After the closure of the fuselage
is the time of the massive and
ungainly "hump", totally different from that of the kit. Very
important was carefully measured drawings of "Model Art" and return
the correct angle of the bulkhead behind the head instructor, then what
should the balance perfectly with the transparent canopy. Another difficult
problem to solve was the form of side panels, their inclination and the link
with the original fuselage. Only after several attempts to interpret the
drawings I received a credible shape. The material was usually from 0.15” plasticard which was
created a skeleton-type ship on which are connected the wallboard. Everything
was covered with Mo-Lak putty, Milliput and spray nitro putty on final
finish.
THE CANOPY
This is the ultimate item of the
qualifying points of this model. Here the geometric calculus has peaked, as
is clear from the photos that the three side panels transparent lie on
different levels, namely: the central panel from the windscreen converge and
diverge for connections to this hump. The whole plant gives a "wasp
waist" effect which gave the
instructor the opportunity to see something even in front. This problem was
solved in the series "S-8" by the side "pyramids". Both
cockpits have separate entrances, the left side panel and the upper rotate on
a zipper on the top of the right. The whole structure is still mounted on a
single chassis that could be blown up in an emergency like that of cars. The
panels were made of transparent plasticard on which were glued (inside and
out) plasticard strips thick 0005" before painting. The windshield,
luckily, remains the original Airfix. The rest of the model was fitted to the
box with some additions on the landing gear (oil ducts) and its space
(coupling of leg actuator).
THE COLOUR
The framework used is the standard
Luftwaffe period (June 1944), ie the gray Graugrun Grauviolett RLM 75 RLM 74
and above and lateral spots, Lichtblau RLM 76 and under side. To this was
added the band fuselage and wing tip lower in Gelb RLM 04 as belonging to a
unit deployed on the eastern front. We used Gunze Sangyo acrylic colours to
Grays 74 and 75 both with the addition of a 10% white and a touch of red for
75, while the 76 has been used for 65 brightened with a 30% white. For Gelb
04 I used Gunze H329. The original Airfix decal sheet were used stencils and
black crosses. With the help of Superscale liquid I were able to fit
satisfactorily these huge decals. We did not use white crosses to put the
wing back because the large surface of transparent film would have been impossible
to hide, and cut it would complicate the positioning of four pieces there. At
this point the information I came to help. For faster and more accurate
designs, so that anyone can achieve with each team and ruler, I used a
technical drawing program (Auto CAD) on a Personal Computer, and I have
designed the plotter screen printing on semitransparent silhouettes of
crosses, swastikas of (obviously absent in the British kit) and the large Red
"115". At this point, thin cutting blade parts were obtained by
removing the thin mask to use for the painting of such signs. I finished the
edges of swastikas and white numbers with red strips of white decal. To
complete all the scrapings were made of areas in step with the Mo-Lak Silver,
shading the gaps between panels and areas subject to contamination with a
sable flat brush lightly soiled with oil paint (Vandyke Brown) and gradient
with a tissue. The areas around the engine exhausts were painted blue and
gray with an airbrush, only close to the pipes, black. Finally, this
realization has cost many months of work and could be called an ensemble of
multiple kits in isolation. We proposed it as an overview of the most simple
and popular scratch building techniques, which allow patience and imagination
to create original conversions and not "ready".
REFERENCES
MODEL ART 190 A / F / G
MONOGRAM CLOSE UP - FW 190 F
Chiltern SCALE MODEL CLUB - The
Hendon FW 190
SCALE MODELS INTERNATIONAL - 2 /
91
NEWS IPMS ITALY - 2 / 90
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