1/48 Eduard FW 190 A-6

Gallery Article by Bruce Hunt on Oct 5 2009

 

This model depicts the FW190 A-6 wknr 550505 flown by Fritz Lüddecke of Stabsstaffel JG 51.  Ofw. Lüddecke died in this aircraft on April 10th 1944 with 51 victories, including 17 IL-2s. 

I was inspired by photographs of Stab/JG51 aircraft in Bernd Barbas’ Aircraft of the Luftwaffe Fighter Aces vol 1 and photographs of Black 12 in Kagero’s Monograph #4 FW190 vol II.  I wanted to do a war-weary machine that represented the ‘common’ ace and not the flashy markings of the top scorers that we all know.  Lüddecke’s Black 12 with its over-sprayed theatre markings and crudely masked and worn 12 - + - fit the bill perfectly.

I also wanted to try my hand at opening some panels and displaying that delightfully complicated BMW 801.  The Aires kit was a definite challenge garnering at least half the time spent on the model, due in part to the fact that it’s meant for the Tamiya 190’s.  The engine was a first for me.

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PolyScale acrylic was used throughout with the exception of the Gelb 04 which was Tamiya XF4 reddened slightly.  The model features a heavily modified and enhanced Aires cockpit with vellum harnesses and ExtraTech buckles.  I’ve come to love ‘Rosie the Riveter’, adding subtle riveting detail to augment the Eduard surface details.  The cooling gills were opened and replaced with .005 styrene (port side) and lead foil (starboard).  The swastika and stencils are Hobby Decal dry transfers and the rest of the markings are painted.  The wheel wells were augmented with the necessary wiring harnesses and bulkhead detail.  Brake lines were simulated with wire, and micro-tubing.  The AB250 is from the Tamiya F-8 kit while the ETC 501 is bashed from the kit and the Verlinden armament set, with added scratch details and sway braces.

The model is a lot of fun to take to local contests.  Even though I’ve provided pictures of the actual aircraft with all its ‘flaws’ highlighted, it just bothers so many to have an airplane model be deliberately ‘imperfect’.

Bruce Hunt

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Photos and text © by Bruce Hunt