Hasegawa 1/48 Focke wulf Fw 190A-4
Hasegawa's Wurgers are excellent kits. Not only that they are highly detailed and accurate in dimensions, but also the fit between parts is very good and the build is free of complications.
Winter scheme of an early Focke wulf A-4 variant was chosen for the mount of Major Hannes Trautloft the Kommodore of JG54 in Russia during late 1942. It seems that this aircraft had a white and RLM 76 factory applied scheme. There were field applied white patches to update the changes in squadron markings. The green heart badge was introduced by Trautloft only to be removed shortly afterwards following official orders.
Looks great in the winter scheme.
Thank you David.
Really nice painting and weathering. I found Hasegawa made something with their FW190s somewhere in between (the fussy and headache filled but accurate) Eduard and (easier to build but error filled) Tamiya. Easier to build than Eduard, but more accurate than Tamiyas.
The Eduard "Take Two" Fw-190As are as easy as the Hasegawa kits for assembly, Dan.
Thank you Dan.
The newer version is indeed easier. However, like other Eduard aircraft kits they look slender and it diminishes the magical touch that one needs to make the model look real.
Fantastic job as always, Rafi!
Excellent painting and weathering!
Thank you Spiros!
Excellent result on this Würger, Rafi @blackmopane
The winter camouflage looks really great.
Thank you John.
Very nice Rafi. Excellent paintwork to create such a realistic look.
Thank you Tom.
German military branches had designated offices responsible for approving unit insignia. The green heart appeared on such a wide variety of Bf 109s and FW 190s, its application and removal might well have been quickly followed by a reapplication with official approval. Eastern Front service aside, JG 54's green heart was certainly used while the unit served in the Reich Defense meat grinder, so someone decided its morale value offset other considerations.
Great modeling, Rafi. Your articulation of the control surfaces certainly add an additional level of action to your wonderful painting and weathering. Congratulations!
Thank you Christopher.
According to John Weal's Osprey's Focke wulfs in the Eastern Front the green heart emblem did not last long within the Fw 190 JG54, but that was not the case with the Bf 109 units.
Excellent Rafi, the winter Camouflage done to a T. Dark glasses needed to avoid snow blindness. Excellent as usual Rafi.
Thank you Guy!
Excellent 190, Rafi. I never realized some German winter schemes were factory applied. Many Soviet factories did this too.
thank you John!
Outstandig job as always! Its very cool to see one of Major Trautloft's mounts. He was one of the German pilots involved in the infamous "fighter pilots mutiny" trying to get Hermann Goering to step down as second in command of German forces. He later went on to serve with Gen. Galland's JV-44, Me-262 fighter unit.
Thank you Clint.
Excellent paintwork for that all-white scheme! I really like that - the 190 is not my favorite subject, but I am going to have to do one like this - I like the scheme too much!
Thank you Greg!
I hope that you will also like the coming 190s.
Excellent work, Rafi. Great paintwork, nice representation of field applied touch-up patches.
While Trautloff was Inspector of Day fighters in October of 1944 he heard rumors of allied airmen being illegally held prisoner at Buchenwald. He requested a tour of the camp under the guise of inspecting nearby bomb damage and while there he discovered over 160 allied airmen being held by the SS and got them transferred to Stalag Luft III just a few days before they were scheduled to be executed. One of those prisoners was a P-38 pilot from my home town (Joe Moser) who survived the war and died in 2015.
Thank you Chas.
Interesting story about the entwined faith of aviators.