Profile Photo
Juan Benitez
27 articles

Fw 190A-8 II./JG 301 1945

May 22, 2014 · in Aviation · · 15 · 2.9K

After seeing so many excellent models on this site, I have decided to add a few of my own humble efforts to this site. In the last decade kit makers have been redoing my favorite aircraft in larger scales so when released their 1/32nd Fw 190A-8 I dropped everything else on the bench and dove right in (so to speak...).
The kit is built pretty much SOB, with Eduard harness and presented no problems. For me the fun begins with the research of color schemes, and for the 190 the possibilities are endless! I found a color picture of a forlorn bird at another captured airfeild at the end of WWII, and I also had just purchased the Cutting Edge Colortech#1 Focke Wulf 190A/F/G part 1 pamphlet, with some outstanding color profiles from Tom Tullis, and EagleCals sheet EC#8 which included a slightly different depiction of the same a/c, again by Tom Tullis...which one was correct?
So I put all 3 depictions together and made a few assumptions. a) the a/c in the pic was repaired in the field, with a new power egg with a different color scheme, b) likely had some parts replaced in the field, and c) likely used some field-mixed colors for major components. This bird also looks to me like it was disabled with a granade to the cockpit (note the parts hanging down from under the plane and the windscreen looks blackened around the edges, but again, old pics are always subject one's own interpretation...) so there is no way of knowing what type of canopy was used or if the spinner had the spiral.
So knowning that the last days of the Luftwaffe was completely chaotic, I went with the color scheme from the decal sheet, as follows:
Wings, fuse center section and horizontal tail undersurface: RLM 76
Fuse sides: a mix of RLM 76 and RLM 02 which yielded that creamy color that seemed to match FS33578, mottled heavily with RLM 81
Upper wing and horiz tailplane: RLM 81 and RLM 70
Power egg: dull aluminum underside, and a mottled mix of RLM 82 and RLM 81, with a RLM 75 gun trough, and RLM 74 gun cover
Landing gear covers: dull aluminum
Rudder: a mix of RLM 76 and 74 gave me a pretty close match to the photo
I decided to use a black and white spiraled spinner and went with the standard canopy.

In the end I got what I was looking for; an example of the state of the Jadgwaffe at the end, piecing together whatever would fly to slow the inevitable defeat, and a fun exercise in building and painting! Thanx for letting me share this with you all!

Reader reactions:
9  Awesome

7 additional images. Click to enlarge.


15 responses

  1. That's a really attractive looking model. Nice work.

  2. Well done Juan, very distinctive paint scheme, and outstanding level of finish. Liked the background info on your build too, I agree you captured the moment in time.

  3. Turned out well, Juan...I like it.

  4. Nice one Juan. I know you like big so let's see one of those subs you've got.

  5. very nice Butcher Bird sir…..hope to see more. I am a fan of the Fw-190 aircraft as well. Nice job on working out your scheme.

  6. Nice work, and I particularly liked your description of the thought process to arrive at the scheme. Sounds right to me.

  7. An attractive scheme of an iconic aircraft.

  8. Great model! I love the paint and weathering - well done.

  9. I'm with TC on this one. Very nicely researched and built.

  10. Nice clean build.

  11. that's a sweet looking model

  12. Very nice looking model, Juan, and I particularly liked reading the information re the build.

  13. Thanx to all for the comments! Much appreciated, I guess I will have to show a few more of my Luftwaffe collection...

  14. Juan,
    Beautifully done.

  15. Juan, very close !

Leave a Reply