1/32 Hasegawa Fw190D-9 Red One

[KennyX]

Thanks for the comments guys! I haven't received the kit or the AM yet but here is a list of what has been ordered...

1. Hasegawa 1/32 Fw 190D-9 model kit
2. Aires 190D-9 resin cockpit set
3. Eduard 190D-9 brass flaps
4. Quickboost 190D-9 radiator cowling
5. Quickboost 190D-9 gun cowling
5. Quickboost 190A gun barrels
6. Eagle Editions 190A/190D-9 Early resin tail wheel
7. Henri Daehne VS111 resin prop
8. HGW 1/32 Luftwaffe seat belts

Similar to my Black 1 build but without the complexity of the Eagle Editions cockpit, which I thought would be a bit of overkill for a canopy-shut configuration, which I am doing. The Aires cockpit was less than 1/2 the price of the Eagle cockpit. I'm also going to take a look at the Quickboost gun cowling. If it fits, great... otherwise, I can always make the necessary modifications to the kit gun cowling, which should offer a perfect fit.

That’s impressive. I like it. A lot.

[Medicman71]

[jkim]

The kit is enroute from Japan. I've found that the best prices on Japanese 1/32 kits from Tamiya and Hasegawa are from Japanese retailers on Ebay. It can take a while to get here but they are usually packed securely and you can save some bucks since US prices can run high on these kits. The aftermarket goodies started arriving already. Since I've already done a couple of sprue tours on the Hasegawa 1/32 D-9 kit, I'll skip that and share some of the things that I've received so far.



First up is the Quickboost 190A series Gun Barrel set in resin. I like modeling my Doras without the leather/fabric boot over the wing gun mounts that the kit shows. I could find no wartime documentation that these boots were used on Doras and I think it is erroneously based on a restored Dora that had a piece of leather placed in the absence of the wing guns.



I've used these before and had a problem with the gun barrels being warped. Looks like they did it again! Whatever... I just need the mounting bases for the gun barrels. I'll use brass tubing for the actual barrels.



The Hasegawa radiator cowling is a bit squarish in profile. Both Eagle Editions and Quickboost offer corrected radiator cowlings that better represent the airfoil profile of the actual D-9 cowling. I used the Eagle Editions cowling on Black 1 so I thought I'd try the Quickboost one this time.


The casting looks very nice, smooth and bubble-free. The attachment to the casting block is a thin ring around the base of the cowling so it should be fairly easy to remove and trim. The big question is... will it fit. Resin parts have a tendency to shrink over time and I've had more of my share of under-sized resin.



I wasn't planning on using a resin gun cowling but this one was available at the same retailer for a pittance so I picked it up too. The Hasegawa gun cowling features very exaggerated curvatures around the nose gun barrels.



In the past, I've addressed the issue by filling in the excess cleavage with putty but I thought this might save me some time and effort. Red 1 is documented to have a late 3-piece cowling with no bumps or flares. I'll have to fill in some panel lines and remove the circular bump.



The Dora kit that I'll be using is en-route but I do have a Hasegawa 1/32 Late 190D-9 kit on the shelf, which is essentially the same kit with a different tail section. I pulled this kit out to provide some comparisons. You can see the differences between the Eagle Editions cowling (top), the kit cowling (middle) and the Quickboost cowling (bottom). The Eagle Editions cowling was a horrible fit... undersized and warped... so it has served as a reference for my modifications to the kit cowling.



Here are the Eduard brass flaps. Interestingly, this set is not brass-colored like the previous set I used.



Last time I received two left flaps so I made sure that I had a matching pair.



I plan on using masks for the big markings on Red 1. The Eagle Editions decal set will serve as back-up for the crosses and also provide the necessary stenciling.



This Montex mask set was actually purchased for my previous Black 1 build. Black 1 and Red 1 featured the same sized fuselage and wing crosses according to my Dora references. It provides a mask for all of the large markings on Red 1 including the slogan painted on the port side below the canopy which read, "Verkaaft's mei Gwand 'I foarhr in himmel!", which is translate as "Well my clothes I'm going to heaven!".



I have doubts about the slogan as a mask, given it's size and complexity so the Eagle Editions decal version will most likely be used.

[speedgraflex]

Ohhhhhh wow. I want to write more, especially to ask about how you review the upper engine cowlings, John. I sense you have made a catalog of areas to address here... and very interesting research into the leather boot! Your assessment feels spot on! One of the many reasons your build threads are a treasure are these individual area reviews you do. These details make the difference between good enough and extraordinary.

[jkim]

The main difference from the Black 1 build, in terms of components, will be use of this Aires resin cockpit set. On my first Dora build, I used the MDC cockpit (approximately $50). I had trouble getting the tub and rear deck to fit. I ended up binning it and using the kit cockpit tub instead. On my second Dora build, I used the Eagle Editions cockpit (approximately $50). I managed to use most of it, which featured some incredible detail, but again, I could not get the rear deck to fit. Both times, the canopy was shut, obscuring an already limited view. So this time around, I picked up this Aires set for about 1/2 the price.



My strategy for this build is to utilize the kit cockpit tub and rear deck to save on the headaches of fitting resin. From the resin set, I would pluck the individual detail parts such as the instrument panel, control stick, the foot pedals and the seat. The Aires instrument panel is combination of unpainted photoetch and a pre-printed piece of clear acetate for the instrument gauges, which I really prefer over pre-painted instrument panels. At least the ones from Eduard. Those Yahu ones look pretty nice.




Here are some of the smaller resin bits including the control stick, the throttle lever and the Revi 16 gun sight.



The cockpit set includes the coaming over the instrument panel. This would require me to perform some surgery on the kit fuselage but the seam line would be covered by the windscreen part, which reduces some of the risk . I haven't decided whether or not to use this piece, since the added detail under the hood will most likely go unseen.




A comparison of the Eagle Editions seat with molded harnesses that wasn't used on my Black 1 build, the Aires seat and the kit seat.



The cockpit tub and rear deck provide some nice detailing.



The Spidey Sense started tingling when I laid the resin rear deck next to the kit part. It looks significantly shorter. My guess is that it is undersized, which would make me 0-3 for resin rear deck replacements from three manufacturers.



Comparing the resin tub and the kit tub makes think. Here's my thought process now... if I don't use the resin tub, it will simply go to waste, no? Why not graft as much as I can from the resin tub including the side consoles, possibly some of the floor details, the oxygen regulator on rear starboard wall, etc. I guess I should compare the kit side consoles to the resin before I decide.



Finally... the VS111 prop assembly from Henri Daene will be used again.



Henri's stuff is sublime... the pinnacle of resin products and, to me anyway, it exemplifies the crazy passion we modelers possess.



That passion shines through in his instructions, which are so complete and thorough that he gives final dimensions in tenths of a millimeter.

[speedgraflex]

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION Note: image repaired 4/30/18

Based on what you wrote above... I definitely would perform surgery on a resin cockpit, rather than let it set forlornly in the bin!

Blue would be resin / everything else would be kit

[KSaarni]

I'm speechless!

What a humongous build this will be!

Following of course, with popcorn and soda (perhaps some beer also)



- Kari

[KennyX]

I'm speechless!

What a humongous build this will be!

Following of course, with popcorn and soda (perhaps some beer also)



- Kari

My sentiments exactly!

And John, I remember that putty work you did on the gun cowling on the other, excellent FW you built. It made me happy to see you sprang for the resin one. BOOM! One headache alleviated! Even though you did fix that cowling cleavage masterfully.

[KennyX]

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Based on what you wrote above... I definitely would perform surgery on a resin cockpit, rather than let it set forlornly in the bin!

Blue would be resin / everything else would be kit

Also, Bruce! I love how you do this. You sketch it all up beautifully.

[speedgraflex]

John’s photos make sketches easy, KennyX. I was trying to solve what he wrote with the minimum of cuts: first one would be cutting off the tail on the rear deck of the resin, then the tail of the kit which looks like it is a tad longer; followed by cutting the rear bulkhead free of the cockpit and then the port and starboard control surfaces. Those cuts are the hardest because there is a depth necessary to set these on the kit supports; that would have to be measured.

I would take this all with the caveat that John will find a wonderful solution... at least now we know what is possible. Chunky resin blocks make fitting difficult and John is a master of solving fit issues.