German
Focke Wulf Fw 190A. 1/24 Airfix
By Steve Gallacci
Aug 13, 2006, 16:28

In general outline, it isn't too bad, though the mid fuselage around the cockpit area is made over-wide, possibly to aaccomodate a removeable pilot, so the cockpit and canopy is a bit distorted in width. Portions of the wing and fuselage seem to always be warped in the various boxings (Airfix, MPC, Heller) and fit can be an effort. The kit includes a full engine, but the stack of parts almost never fits, so building the kit with the cowls closed and including only the cylinder banks and nothing of the rear accessories or direxctly attaching the motor mounts to the motor is advised. The motor is then attached directly to the front cowl ring.

HOWEVER, the motor assembly can be fitted, if you take a lot of care with test DRY fitting of the parts. The main landing gear struts are rather fragile and re-enforcement with a metal rod down through the wing into the strut will help.
Kit detail in general is only so-so, the cockpit does have a fairly nice instrument panel, but most of the rest is limited/soft/lacking. The wheel wells have next to nothing in htem and other parts have soft/simplified/lacking details.
The kit can be accurized and detailed, but it would be a bit of a chore, as I've found out. I'm on a '190A-5, converted one to a '190A-3, beginning one to a '190A-8(maybe) and just finishing one converted to a D-9 with an old vac conversion from the '80s.
Properly built up, it does look impressive, but you've got to put in time and effort to get it there.

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