(Another) 1:48 Tamiya Fw 190 A-3 - Finished 2/17/2024

[hasenpfeffer]

Alrighty... so here's the place holder as I have not really gotten very deep into this yet. I plan on building this OOB as a sort of "warm-up". I also have the Eduard A-8 and D-9 in my stash, with the A-5, A-7 and another A-3 on their way - along with some AM stuff to make it a bit more interesting for me. This one will be more about practicing paint on a 1:48 as I don't have much experience in doing so.




If you are ultra observant, you will see that I already chopped the inboard cannons off, to be replaced by the brass tube in the center. Not sure about the 131's yet.
The funny thing is, this represents the majority of the kit already off the sprues.  I haven't quite decided on a paint scheme yet, but it will be something fairly straight forward for this one. 

[M1Carbine]

All the beautiful FWs. Nice choice Dave.

-Bob

[Joe Rix]

Good to see you getting started Dave. You should done a fine job on this nice Tamiya 190. I'm following along with you.

[mrt51]

Cool!

[Green KreationZ]

Wow, it sounds like you’ll have a FW 190 army before too long!

[hasenpfeffer]

Jan 2, 2024 21:05:46 GMT -5 Green KreationZ said:

Wow, it sounds like you’ll have a FW 190 army before too long!

I know, right!?

I built the 1:32 Hasegawa A-8 and D-9 in 2022... so I HAD to buy the others. That or I might have a problem. It's ok, I can admit it.

[jeaton01]

I've been working on a Tamiya 1/48 A3 (not part of the GB, started too soon) and replaced that pitot tube with music wire, it was never going to survive. I think it is best to leave the wheel well insert loose, there are pegs to locate it, because when I glued it firmly to the bottom of the wing before joining the wing to the fuselage it made it difficult to fit the upper wings without a gap because I had locked in too little dihedral.

[kyledehart5]

A whole squadron of FW 190s!! Excellent

[handiabled]

Bookmarked. You can't have too many 190's in my opinion

[hasenpfeffer]

Jan 2, 2024 21:38:01 GMT -5 jeaton01 said:

I've been working on a Tamiya 1/48 A3 (not part of the GB, started too soon) and replaced that pitot tube with music wire, it was never going to survive. I think it is best to leave the wheel well insert loose, there are pegs to locate it, because when I glued it firmly to the bottom of the wing before joining the wing to the fuselage it made it difficult to fit the upper wings without a gap because I had locked in too little dihedral.

Hmmm, that's interesting. I'll have to keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip!

[hasenpfeffer]

I have decided to go OOB with this one, but like some others, I will scratch a few bits here and there. One, because it looks better, and 2 I don't have to worry about breaking stuff off that is part of one molded piece. First off - a new pitot tube and 20 mm cannons for the wings. I am pretty sure the A-3 4 gun configuration for the wings had 2 varieties of 20 mm cannons and not outboard MGs like the kit seems to represent. I am also pretty sure I said the wrong thing above and the Cowling MGs are MG17s, not MG131s. Anyway, I will confirm that, or maybe you can for me. I was too lazy to look it up yet.

Cannons replaced with 0.9 mm brass tube x4, and the pitot tube 0.7 >> 0.5 mm brass tube. I soldered the 2 pieces together so they will be nice and strong + it made a slight transition (bevel) between the two.


Comparison of the new and soon to be chopped off parts.



I also decided to liven up the otherwise rather dull surfaces of this Tamiya kit with some rivets. I am not going hog wild, but enough to make it interesting enough. Here's a comparison of the upper wing surfaces. A little ink so you can see the result. That still counts as OOB, doesn't it?

[Green KreationZ]

Your rivet work is exceptional!

[keavdog]

Very nice. Send me a set of the guns and pitot because I know I'm breaking them off... 😂

[TJ]

Jan 3, 2024 20:02:47 GMT -5 keavdog said:

Very nice. Send me a set of the guns and pitot because I know I'm breaking them off... 😂

Me too

[handiabled]

Looks great so far! You can't go wrong adding rivets to the fuselage and wings to enhance the look, your rivet work looks wonderful

[406 Silverado]

I can't believe I hadn't commented on this one just yet Dave. That riveting is surely a good addition to an already great model kit. You may not be going "all out" as you say but I know that you're most certainly going to do this kit some real justice. Looking forward to more buddy.

[deafpanzer]

It is going to be blast to follow your build!

[hasenpfeffer]

Jan 4, 2024 5:26:06 GMT -5 TJ said:

Jan 3, 2024 20:02:47 GMT -5 keavdog said:

Very nice. Send me a set of the guns and pitot because I know I'm breaking them off... 😂

Me too

LOL - hmmm, looks like the start of my AM company.

Jan 4, 2024 17:43:17 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

I can't believe I hadn't commented on this one just yet Dave. That riveting is surely a good addition to an already great model kit. You may not be going "all out" as you say but I know that you're most certainly going to do this kit some real justice. Looking forward to more buddy.

Well, Joe... it is only 2 days in, my man. I've already started doing more than I intended.... I guess I just can't resist. Exercise in futility, I suppose.

[hasenpfeffer]

Jan 4, 2024 20:38:14 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

It is going to be blast to follow your build!

Thanks, Andy! I hope I can make it that exciting! LOL!

[hasenpfeffer]

I spent the last couple sessions just doing some of the more mundane, yet necessary tasks, such as painting places that may be seen (or not). RLM02 and RLM66. Also painted up the cockpit. The dash, although not super detailed turned out well enough.

Still a pile 'o' parts - but most with a little color now.


It's not the 1/32 ZM sweetness that Eaglecash is experiencing... but I don't think you will even see this on the finished model.


Fuselage halves are together and have some preliminary putty for the seams.


Main part of the pit. Pretty simple.


And the dash. MRP RLM 66 and the details painted with several AK Gen III acrylics. I used UV glue to replicate glass over the gages. 

[kyledehart5]

Off to a really great start!!

[406 Silverado]

This is coming along very well Dave. That's some really good OOB detail this thing has but.....it is a Tamiya we're talking about here. 

[hasenpfeffer]

Geez, so ya don't make a post for a few days and you fall to the bottom of the list. But that's a good thing here in the forum. It means a lot is happening. Too much for me to keep up on, but I'll get to everyone's build for some comments sooner or later.

For me, just a few things to update you on. I finished up the riveting. It is far from including all lines, but I already forewarned of that. I think it will definitely do the trick to liven things up on the surfaces and get it a little closer to those Eduard kits. I did a little on the bottom wing too, but not shown here. Far less than the tops, however.


The cockpit is pretty much finished. I still have a little weathering to do and I have to figure something out for the belts.



A little hollowing out of the exhaust and the MGs in the cowling. (You can't see that too well because of the focus, but the left one is done and the right one still solid in the pic.) The right exhaust is already finished here with the comparison of the left one that isn't.


Here's how it was done. I drilled a few holes (edges and center) and then used a hobby blade to hollow them out. It takes a little patience since you have to be careful not to damage the edges. Here the left 2 are hollowed out and the right 2 are drilled and awaiting to be hollowed out. After that, I used a little Extra Thin to smooth them out. The kit parts had a little relief, but this looks better. I just don't know if you will be able to see much of them tucked away under that cowling.



Spinner and prop, ready for paint. I added a couple rivet lines on the spinner. Good practice as I'm not the greatest at free-handing lines around curves or circles.


That's all for now, but I anticipate some good bench time over the 3 day weekend. Especially since we're getting around 10" of snow over that period.

[jeaton01]

That's a really well done instrument panel!

[Joe Rix]

Oh, you are coming along nicely Dave. Sweet looking office you have put together. My hats off to your riveting effort. That is well done and will lend itself to enhancing the overall appearance. The work you are doing on the exhaust and guns is stellar. That going to go a long way towards giving your 190 a realistic appearance. Superb work so far.

[406 Silverado]

That's some REALLY fancy footwork on those exhaust pipes Dave and that cockpit is looking the part. Like has been mentioned in regard to the IP, it's a real shame that most of it won't be seen under the IP shroud.

[Tobi]

Jan 3, 2024 18:12:58 GMT -5 hasenpfeffer said:

I have decided to go OOB with this one, but like some others, I will scratch a few bits here and there. One, because it looks better, and 2 I don't have to worry about breaking stuff off that is part of one molded piece. First off - a new pitot tube and 20 mm cannons for the wings. I am pretty sure the A-3 4 gun configuration for the wings had 2 varieties of 20 mm cannons and not outboard MGs like the kit seems to represent. I am also pretty sure I said the wrong thing above and the Cowling MGs are MG17s, not MG131s. Anyway, I will confirm that, or maybe you can for me. I was too lazy to look it up yet.

Cannons replaced with 0.9 mm brass tube x4, and the pitot tube 0.7 >> 0.5 mm brass tube. I soldered the 2 pieces together so they will be nice and strong + it made a slight transition (bevel) between the two.


I also decided to liven up the otherwise rather dull surfaces of this Tamiya kit with some rivets. I am not going hog wild, but enough to make it interesting enough. Here's a comparison of the upper wing surfaces. A little ink so you can see the result. That still counts as OOB, doesn't it?

If you ask like that... 
The brass tube would probably not count, the rivets will definitely.

The most crazy OOB build I ever saw was by a Japanese, who scratched a 1/48 Bergepanther out of Tamiya's Panther (can't remember if D or G), with virtually everything that could be found in the box.

The winch and the superstructure were made from the cardboard of the packing, as was the "wooden" base (!), the towing ropes were made from stretched sprues and the grass flocks and earth for the groundwork was scraped off the instructions paper with a scalpel.

Jaw dropping so hard on the table I hurt myself. 

[hasenpfeffer]

Jan 13, 2024 9:00:26 GMT -5 Tobi said:

Jan 3, 2024 18:12:58 GMT -5 hasenpfeffer said:

I have decided to go OOB with this one, but like some others, I will scratch a few bits here and there. One, because it looks better, and 2 I don't have to worry about breaking stuff off that is part of one molded piece. First off - a new pitot tube and 20 mm cannons for the wings. I am pretty sure the A-3 4 gun configuration for the wings had 2 varieties of 20 mm cannons and not outboard MGs like the kit seems to represent. I am also pretty sure I said the wrong thing above and the Cowling MGs are MG17s, not MG131s. Anyway, I will confirm that, or maybe you can for me. I was too lazy to look it up yet.

Cannons replaced with 0.9 mm brass tube x4, and the pitot tube 0.7 >> 0.5 mm brass tube. I soldered the 2 pieces together so they will be nice and strong + it made a slight transition (bevel) between the two.

I also decided to liven up the otherwise rather dull surfaces of this Tamiya kit with some rivets. I am not going hog wild, but enough to make it interesting enough. Here's a comparison of the upper wing surfaces. A little ink so you can see the result. That still counts as OOB, doesn't it?

If you ask like that... 
The brass tube would probably not count, the rivets will definitely.

The most crazy OOB build I ever saw was by a Japanese, who scratched a 1/48 Bergepanther out of Tamiya's Panther (can't remember if D or G), with virtually everything that could be found in the box.

The winch and the superstructure were made from the cardboard of the packing, as was the "wooden" base (!), the towing ropes were made from stretched sprues and the grass flocks and earth for the groundwork was scraped off the instructions paper with a scalpel.

Jaw dropping so hard on the table I hurt myself. 

LOL. Fine Tobi. CLOSE to OOB. I'm using the brass tube, AM decals and probably gonna raid one of my Eduard kits for the canopy. It's not the exact same size, but since I'm going to have it open, it won't matter. I'm doing that because the Tamiya part is either missing the frame that goes around this portion (where it butts up against the windscreen when closed) or it is mis-moulded in my kit. Oh... and I have to use a small piece of brass rod for the FuG25 radio antenna, and probably some EZ line.

I'll have to see if I can find that Bergepanther you are talking about. Sounds cool.

[hasenpfeffer]

Here's where we stand. Wings are assembled and attached to the fuselage. The seams are pretty much squared away. Spinner and prop are painted, along with a lot of the smaller bits - at least started. I'm getting anxious to start painting, but I have some stuff to do first. Like the gun sight, exhaust weathering, final part of the main assembly (nose and MG top cowling), etc., etc. All in good time. LOL

The canopy I will probably use is the Eduard one in the rear. It's pretty self evident why I am making this choice, even if the Tamiya part had the frame on the front like it should. You can see it's a little shorter - smaller in general. Although the pic exaggerates this a bit.





And a tease for the scheme I will be painting - although I may add a little more mottling than in the drawing. Yellow 5+- from JG1.

[kyledehart5]

Brilliant progress! That’s a nice looking scheme as well.