FW-190 Reich Defender III 5/10-2/11

Yipppeeee!  My decals arrived today.  Now I can get crackin'

Mike and Hugh.  Some great detailing there guys from both of you.

Xradio, turned out nicely for your first crack at it in 27+ years.  Looks much better than my first attempt after coming back to the hobby! 

Now with Frank gone I expect someone to have seen where he keeps the key to the rum locker. 

All---I think I have the gap fixed thanks to Steve and Frank.  Added a thin shim tonight after inserting the sprue wedge they recommended.  I was afraid to try the wing tip tape lift.  I love the way the pros help out us newbies in the GBs.    Here's what I have now:

Thanks again!!!! 

That looks much better Hugh. Thats what makes the differnce between a good modeler and a great one. The really good ones can fix just about any kit shortcoming or mistake. Nice save on the wingroot gap.

Soulcrusher

Well, since no one is letting on that they've found the key to Frank's rum locker and they're keeping it all to themselves I had no choice but to work on my build! 

Got the RLM 81 and 04 on tonight.  The yellow nose band wasn't all that hard as the area forward of the band is a separate piece.  I just had to mask the rear part.  The one thing I wanted to ask the resident experts though is my choice of colour for the propeller.  The decal sheet specifically names the colour for the other aircraft propellers on the sheet as RLM 70 but gives no indication for this particular aircraft.  My search on the web shows about a 50/50 split on Fw190 A's between RLM 70 and Black.  Any opinions?  It's not glued yet so not too late to change it.

A clear coat tomorrow and decals by Thursday.

On another note.  After 3 weeks of intense heat and little rain look what mother nature brought us.  My poor sunflower plant.

Excellent work all round guys!!!!! Beuatiful work!!!!

Dave, the official color for propellers is indeed RLM 70. I painted mine with Tamiya black-green which is close enough for me and added some flat black to darken it up but still have a greenish hue. I think Frank said several posts back that he mixes 50/50. HTH

Spike, thanks for the Blackbird info!!!

razordws... very nice indeed. You are at the same point as me as I'm about to apply the decals (cant help you with the prop colours am afraid). What are your plans for weathering? Short of adding a few chips around panel lines etc, am not at all sure what I should be doing in terms of weathering? Anyone?

On a separate note, do I have to officially enter the GB or am I in it already by virtue of being on these pages?!

Dave that is looking stunning my friend. I would go with the RLM 70 myself. I use it neat as i like the colour but im sure darkening it would work.

Looking forward to seeing the stickers on her.

...Guy

Thanks guys, RLM 70 it is.  I'll hit the prop with that right after I lay on the future.

okay well since i lost my internet lastnight do to a storm while i was uploading my photos here they are.

She's looking good Dave. As for who Frank left the rum with all I can say is I have no idea.

Soulcrusher

Dave- Your paint really looks great, nicely done!

Hugh- Nice work there, glad you got it sorted out and back on track!

Chewy- Nice work on your underside striping!

Krow113- Sorry to see you leave, I removed your build from the list.  Hope you have fun over in Aircraft!

Hugh- Glad that the tips worked!  Looks like you have her under control now.

xradio81- Wonderful work there!  I updated page 1 showing your completed build, thanks for building here with us!

Dave- Glad that your decals finally arrived, and also glad to see that the rum locker key is still safely hidden!  The thought of you running a muck with the keys sends chills down my spine!  Your 190 is really looking good Dave.

Stumpjumper70- I have added you to the roster on page 1, glad to have you aboard!  If you could refresh my memory, which kit are you working on?  For weathering, I usually start off with a panel line wash, followed by some general oil stains and such from areas like engine cowlings, gear bays, etc.  Some exhaust stains, as well as cordite stains from the guns and shell ejection ports too.  I usually add chipping along maintenance panels, the wing root areas, cockpit sills, and wing and prop leading edges.  Follow up with some dirt and mud on the undercarriage and wheels, and finally seal it all in with an overspray of HIGHLY diluted Tamiya deck tan or buff to add a layer of dirt and bring all of the colors together.  That final step really unifies the colors and gives the machine a faded look.

chewybr- Those candy-cane striped 190's always look cool, but not always easy to pull off.  Yours is looking very good indeed!

Getting closer....decals, wash and flat coat applied.  I'm officially through with Pollyscale clear flat, my usual trick of thinning with Windex still didn't prevent a milky finish in some areas.  I'll re-shoot with some more Tamiya clear gloss and then will use an alternate flat coat.  A couple of areas that need to be touched up as well, with this build that seems to par for the course, though.

Great job on the stripey beast Chewy. Theyre working (The stripes) as i can see it from here!!

Mike, shes looking a beaut. If your not happy with your polyscale flat, id highly recommend Valejo's acrylic flat matt. Mixes with water and is great.

...Guy

Thanks Daywalker - my build is Tamiya's 1/48 Fw190A-8/R2. At least that's what its supposed to be...

xradio - Nice work!!! That old kit sure looks the part when she's built up.   I have one sitting upstairs that I need to put together one day.

Dave - Is that hail mutilating your poor sunflowers? I tried growing some big Russian sunflowers this year but the chipmunks kept digging them up!   Your FW is looking nice!

Chewy - Good work painting those stripes! I cringe at the thought of even attempting to use the kit decals to stripe it!

Frank - Hope your enjoying vacation! The last time Dave found the rum keys, we found him pickled in the barrel we were trying to protect him from!  

Mike - You're on the home stretch now and she's looking really good!

Thank you everyone for the nice comments...this is my 1st paint job since coming back to the hobby stopped in 1999 and the Fw-190d is looking like the 1st model I will finish since comeing back, even tho Ive been getting Finescale mag for the last 3years I haven't built anything just been buying afew kits here and there.

Now anyway back on track...the paint job did come out awesome the gf, (who im getting in to modeling as well she building autos for now), thinks its the neatness thing ever. But I do have to do a few touch up spots where the red ran into the white near the landing gear

Oh no i painted the whole under side of the plane white then masked it off with strips of painting tape and airbrushed it with red. which i just finally looked at the decal sheet. and I just saw that there are decals for the stripping...

I saw that you painted it which was a smart move!   I'm working on the same kit but using Aero Master decals to build a different plane. We're both going to have a huge sheet of leftover white stripes now!

Mike- Sorry to hear about the Polly Scale flat, but also a bit relived that it is not just me! (sorry!)  I have been using the stuff for years, but lately it has not been working for me at all.  The satin and gloss seem just fine, but every time I try the flat it is the same thing- slightly milky and patchy too.  What are you going to use now for yours?  I may have a go with whatever you choose as well. 

Stumpjumper70- Right!  You got it, list updated!

chewybr- I'm with Jeremy, glad you painted them on!  They look very good as painted.

Jeremy- Glad you guys kept the rum away from Dave!  That's one less pickling we will not have to blame him for.

Jeremy- oh yes I know...hahaha I guess I will throw them in with my bag of left over/extra decals. highly doubt I will use them...and I have a question did you have a fitment problem with yours

Chewy, always loved those red bottomed D9's.  One of these years all work up the courage to do one.  You did a great job on those stripes.

Mike, I don't know what model master did to that flat formula they use.  I used to swear by the stuff but it's crap now.  Your build is looking great. 

Jeremy, for some reason I don't remember you taking that pic.   

Got the main decals on tonight.  First time using Eagle Strike decals and so far they are behaving wonderfully.  No major mishaps other than one of the top side crosses is a wee bit crooked but not enough that I'm going to worry about it. 

Oh, and the obligatory spinner pic for Frank though he be on holidays he seams to find time to check in.  This is the first time that I have ever attempted the spinner spiral and I think it came out okay in my opinion.

Great looking work Dave, and a spinner spiral pic to boot!  YAY!!!  Love those late war birds with the yellow striped nose and the bid white numbers on them, gotta do one of those next time.

razordws

 

Jeremy, for some reason I don't remember you taking that pic.   

Somehow I don't think you would have remembered much at all.

WOW another lot of fine work from everyone!!!!

I was going to use PollyScale RLM 82 on my 262 but found it had about the same flow problems as the Xtracrylix did. Have to experiment more with it me thinks!! I have been using Humbrol Matt over my Future coats with no problems so far.

Daywalker

Mike- Sorry to hear about the Polly Scale flat, but also a bit relived that it is not just me! (sorry!)  I have been using the stuff for years, but lately it has not been working for me at all.  The satin and gloss seem just fine, but every time I try the flat it is the same thing- slightly milky and patchy too.  What are you going to use now for yours?  I may have a go with whatever you choose as well. 

Frank- Went back over it using Future with some Tamiya Flat Base added, worked out pretty well.

Dave- Really looking good there!

Nice work Dave. I agree with Frank I love the yellow band on the nose.

Soulcrusher

Mike and Dave your close to the finish and so far it's looking faaantastic, your paintwork is top notch.

Matt well done on all that masking and getting your stripes done, great job so far.

Hugh I'm glad you fixed your problem and you've done a good job of it. I'm going to do an Eduard 190 so it's very helpful following your build.

Top job Xradio especially as its your first in such a long time, hope to see you building more really soon.

I never have much joy airbrushing clear coats so I can only recommend Vallejo from a rattle can, always feels like I'm cheating but I love the results every time.

Cheers....

Matt - I had a major problem with the fit of the wings to the fuselage. Not something I was expecting from a Tamiya kit! It took some work but I got it all together.

Dave - Looking great... I really like the big numbers on the front!

Does anyone here have any links to any pics of a real FW-190A7 or A8 witht he R1 underwing gun pods? I can not seem to find a real pic of those outside a prototype. Only profiles or models.

Right, got the decals on. I thought that would be fun but it really really wasn't (Tamiya 1/48 A-8). As this is my first build everything is a learning curve but I wasn't ready for the level of aggro and the time it took! ALso, am using Revell Decalsoft to try and get the decals moulded a bit more to the panels etc but exactly how long do you keep applying the stuff?!

I see some of you guys have used masks to get the bigger maskings on. Any recommendations?

One last question - can anyone send me a link or a pic of a decent WWII-era 190 so I can see the pattern of weathering (I know it'll be B & W). Google is not helping!

Cheers all.