1:32 Focke-Wulf Fw-190 A-3

The real subject

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was a German single-seat fighter of the Second World War. The A series was powered by an air-cooled BMW 801 radial engine, which gives the aircraft its characteristic short and bulky forward fuselage. Compared with the contemporary German fighter with an inverted V12 engine, the Fw 190 offered a better view from the cockpit, a wide-track landing gear and easier behavior on landing. The A-3 version belongs to the early part of the A series, that is to the period when the type was still building its reputation.

What the 1:32 scale involves

A large scale gives room to work the cockpit, the engine section and the landing gear out in detail, but it also magnifies every inaccuracy. It pays to dry-fit the joints of the fuselage and the engine cowling and to fill them with care, because the engraved lines have to be restored after sanding. The reward is a model on which the work on the cockpit and on the surface can be seen.

Building and painting

• finish and paint the cockpit before you close the fuselage
• mask the glazing before spraying, not after the paint has dried
• let the landing gear legs dry at the correct angle, because on a large model they carry the weight
• spray mottled schemes thinly and in several steps
• fit the propeller blades last, because they bend easily

Who it is for

The kit suits a builder who wants one large fighter for the display case and enjoys detail work. Accessories for models of this scale are easy to come by, so the build can be extended at will. Paints, glue, filler and decal softener are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.