Eduard 1/48 Fw 190D-9 Late

[Floki]

I have answered a few of my questions already. Looking at more photos and profiles of mimetall produced Doras the tail should be 76/82 not 81 as Eduard depicts. Also for the W.Nr. to be partially sprayed over is correct.
Leaving this link here for future reference and for anyone interested a profile I found over at LSP
https://www.largescaleplanes.com/articl ... hp?aid=485

[jkim]

The profile is from Crandall's Dora Volume 1. JaPo does not have a profile of 500645, only a color illustration of the starboard side tail.

Most of the Mimetall Doras are identified as having their lower surfaces in the late war Light Green (as Crandall's Dora books call it and has referred to by modelers as "RLM 84") and not RLM 76. JaPo calls this color Green-blue. JaPo and Crandall have different interpretations of how Mimetall Doras were painted. Here is the description of 500645's camo in JaPo:

The description related to the camouflage pattern of this aircraft has been deliberately limited to the tail unit. Even so, it cannot be ascertained whether the sub-contracted component sports its original colors, or if it was subjected to repainting at the final assembly plant. However, it is safe to say that the entire tail bears a close resemblance to the tail unit of W.Nr. 500647. Its overall color appears to be Green-blue with a soft but rather broad overspray of RLM 81 along the leading edge. The rest of the tail had received a spread out mottle of the same colour. From what is left of the rudder fabric it seems that the tail mottle pattern was extended over the rudder. A patch of more solid RLM 81 can be observed at the joint line between the fuselage extension section and the tail unit; the contrast with the bare metal of the horizontal stabilizer adjustment panel lines is evident.

Most of the other Mimetall Doras in JaPo are predominantly RLM 81 over Light Green with the front half of the wing undersides being RLM 81. In Crandall's Dora, the same Mimetall Doras are usually described as RLM 83 over Light Green with some RLM 81 (usually around the cockpit area). The front half of the wing undersides are described as RLM 75.

[Floki]

That's another thing I was wondering about 76 is a lot bluer then what I was seeing. Since I will be using AK Real Colors a quick search found this. They refer to 84 as RLM 76 late war.
https://ak-interactive.com/product/rlm- ... tion-10ml/
And for the tail it looks to be dealers choice on what profile you choose.

[jkim]

I've used the AK Real Colors RLM 76 Late War Variation for this Light Green color...


Another good alternative without mixing is Mr Hobby Aqueous 74 Sky (Duck Egg Green)

[Floki]

Thank you for the recommendation John. I really like Mr. Hobby clear coats but have not used any of their color paints.

I have the colors I need for this build coming from Last Cavalry Models I went with the AK Real Colors.

I'm at the point that later tonight I will start on painting the cockpit and sidewalls RLM66.
I've also been working on the rear engine that will be seen from the wheel well or from the open gun hatch if you choose to model it open. I've replaced all the molded fluid lines with appropriate sized wires. The main reason is I find molded lines either not perfectly round or if you have to remove a seam it never fails that I nick it somewhere and it throws the entire look off. Now like all my builds this will be attached to a base and this piece will be very hard to see but it's good practice, I know it's there and if I ever decide to enter this one in a contest then some noise judge with a dental mirror and a penlight will also know it's there

I also added a bit of weathering to just grime it up a bit.

Something that I'm sure John will interested in and that is the gun cowling.

Now it doesn't seem to be to far off but still not correct. This is also two pieces that I have held together with bluetac so the fit will be better.
Thanks for looking in.

[jkim]

Great work Clint! It looks like the Eduard kit has taken some "inspiration" from the 1/32 Hasegawa Fw190D-9 kit, of which I am very familiar. The rear engine assembly looks very similar to what Hasegawa did.

The Eduard gun cowling also looks very similar to the Hasegawa cowling. I've always felt that the bulges on the Hasegawa gun cowling were exaggerated and I've addressed this by performing cleavage reduction surgery using Milliput and aftermarket cowlings as a guide. Here is a comparison of the unmodified Hasegawa gun cowling (center), the Eagle Editions version (top) and a Quickboost (bottom).


After some of the abrupt valleys were filled in with Milliput, the hole of the crank starter was re-established using a "washer" punched from sheet plastic and blended in with putty.


There can also be some subtle differences in the type of gun cowling in terms of panel lines and small bumps. Let me check with the Crandall Dora book to see if the type of cowling has been established for 500645. Whether or not you wish to perform these types of modifications is totally up to you. It's something that catches my eye but I don't know if others consider it significantly noticeable.

[jkim]

According to Crandall's Dora Volume 1, 500645 had a, "late three-piece gun cowl with no bulges on rear, flair on lower edge and corresponding bulge on upper engine cowl (No. 4)" which is characteristic of Mimetall-produced Doras.

Your photo isn't quite clear enough to be absolute but it looks like it corresponds to the above description. I don't have it in my possession but Quickboost has a Mimetall gun cowling in its inventory that you can see fits the description...

[Floki]

This looks awfully close to the kit pieces the main difference is the QB piece seems to be a bit rounder in appearance and where the guns exit also look more square. As for the cleavage depth they look the same. I'll get some more photos up later tonight/early morning I'm starting on cockpit painting now.

[Floki]

Went to upload photos yesterday and nothing was on the camera. So I unplug the camera and turn it on and it says I need to format my SD card. So anyway I lost the photos I was going to show of the cockpit and the building of the HGW belts. But here are the belts finished.



The HGW belts worked wonderfully, last time I tried to use them they was crap like trying to form chewing gum and kept breaking apart if you flexed them.

[jkim]

Awesome looking cockpit! The photoetch stuff looks really good! Looks like you went for the green version of the Luftwaffe belts?