SPA Modeler

John, excellent step-by-step. I never thought to use Tamiya Extra Thin inside after carving to smooth things out. Brilliant idea!

KennyX wrote:Bro! My Stuka exhausts are solid, and I’ve been wondering how to hollow them out. Then you post this excellent mini-tutorial! Guess what Kenny X’ll be doing tomorrow!!

THANK YOU!!

Also-

Mais what’s dat dere in the upper right? You got an ME 262 cookin too bruh:

It's pretty tedious work and most modelers I've seen elect to use aftermarket exhausts to save some time. But I do like performing modifications on kit parts when I can.

And yup... I am working on a 1/32 262 build on another forum. I've split myself between three different modeling forums and I've found it difficult to maintain too many builds on too many sites. So... I am doing this build on two sites and the 262 on a different two sites. My 262 will be Yellow 3 of III. KG(J) 54 which was bomber squadron converted to fighter duty towards the end of the war.

Duke Maddog wrote:John, excellent step-by-step. I never thought to use Tamiya Extra Thin inside after carving to smooth things out. Brilliant idea!

Thanks Duke! Tamiya Extra Thin due to its thin consistency and fast-drying characteristics, makes quick work of those little sanding burrs. Just be careful not to touch the area immediately after application!

It's not an ideal situation and yeah, I'd prefer to stick to one board but each board has a different character and I appreciate the nuances between the different communities. For example, I received a lot of valuable information on my G-10 build at LSP. Specific stuff pertaining to the Erla-produced G-10 that I don't think would've come up elsewhere. On the 262 build, David Brown, who produced a most informative decal sheet for Yellow 3 through Experten Decals, contacted me about my build via LSP. Although the decals and the multi-page informational sheet about Yellow 3 have been out of production for a number years, he graciously sent me a copy of this valuable resource. So that's definitely a cool thing... having people like Jerry Crandall, Radu Brinzan and Alexey from AMUR Reaver comment on a build.

Most of the description of the build can be cut-n-pasted across different boards and I just have to tailor my responses to any individual comments or questions I receive. My posts tend to be heavy with construction and light on the discussion so its easier to manage from that perspective.

Ah, gotcha! You’re in the moonlight with an ME 262 on a different forum. I got no issues with that, long as you ping me with a picture or two when she’s done so I can see her LOL. I like that plane.

Thanks Bruce! Will do Kenny!

The wing cannon will be modified from stock. Mostly because of what I consider to be the inaccurate inclusion of leather boots around the gun mounts in the wheel well. I think the hard metal mounts are more accurate.





The Quickboost 190A gun set includes the correct mounts but the gun barrels themselves are warped.




So the offending barrels are cut off and replaced with sections of brass tubing. I would've probably performed this replacement even if the resin barrels were straight since the brass tubing looks so much better.





The brass barrels will be left unattached until the end of the build, which will ease painting around the wings AND prevent premature breakage.




The Eagle Editions resin tail wheel also benefited from a brass upgrade. I'm using the slide fit properties of the Albion tubing set to get a nice solid connection. I'll also be able to install the tail wheel towards the end of the build with the same benefits as described for the wing gun barrels AND I can turn the tail wheel for a more dynamic pose.





The tail wheel, when installed unmodified into the resin base, sits a bit too far out.




Based on archival photos, the tail wheel is tucked in a little closer.

The cockpit is finished but I can't close the fuselage until the engine insert is completed. The Fw 190D-9 differed from the A-series in that it lacked the wall blocking off the rear of the engine from view. Hasegawa supplies a respectable collection of components to represent the rear of the Jumo engine but it needs a little more work to really look the part.





I'll be adding a lot more wiring to represent the complex maze of hoses, tubing and wiring. I'll also replace the solid ammo chutes with scratchbuilt hollow chutes.

You are so making me want to find the Weekend Edition and build one! Great work, John! Is there some new evidence about the lack of leather on the wing canons? I could almost swear (and memory does play tricks) that a photo exists or a service manual exists that provides a clue. Please let me know how you reached this decision. Your modifications are wonderful!!!



I think that's Brown 4 lost in the woods...

What the Hell!!?? There *IS* a seam on the lower part of the engine cowing!!?? Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle!!!