mustang1989

Well folks I got the cowling painted and weathered up. The replacement cowling should show up in the mail in a couple of weeks so I can make my Eduard 190 complete again. Will be building another 190 D-9 on down the road but closed up this time for the most part. Will leave engine bay and tailfin panel closed but may open up the wing cannons and cowl machine gun panels on that build. Anyways here the panel is finished off:

You know I just read an article out of a recent FineScale Modeler magazine on mirror like finishes on airliners. They used primer for a base coat but the kicker was the use of future that was BRUSHED on. I couldn't believe it either but it worked but it worked like a charm! I'll PM you the articles if you want. I would like to add that if I were trying this technique that I would definitely practice on a spare model. I will also add that this being a car forum there is a world of folks here that can pull off some really killer finishes. I will be building my first "all out " car model sometime later this year so I guess I'll be finding out how well it works.

I'll put it in the intro for you if you'd like bud!

This is awesome!!! Keep it coming!

This looks great Ray! The weathering on the sled is awesome and the diorama really sets the kit off!! Great job!

Thanks Dave! Hey man you outta grab you a kit and git on in here. The sky's the limit bud!

I almost forgot about it but you've got that right on the drying time Bob! Well the engine side panels are moving right along so far and took paint and weathering great. This Aires cockpit/ engine revamp set was a real good experience in the fact that everything went really smooth on the construction end but really belly flopped on all the paneling. In addition to the gun trough issue we also have the cowl machine gun access panel problem of just not looking authentic at all. The Aires panel just LOOKS like a model part. No real rivets to speak of (and there were alot!!) and no level of detail either in addition to looking like a "blob" of a part. I spotted this shortcoming early on in the build and took care of it. I found an (you guessed it) 1/48 Eduard Fw190 D-9 "Weekend Edition" kit on sale at Squadron for 16 bucks and snagged it for the panel in question here. Folks this is a steal for a kit like this and although I hated using it to rob a part from it, I also knew that I could count on ol' Libor at Eduard to ship me a replacment so that I could have a complete kit that I'll end up building. These D-9's are just beautiful aircraft and were referred to by alot of the German pilots that flew them as "Focke Mustangs". with a top speed almost matching that of the legendary P-51 somewhere in the 450 mph range and a firepower that all but exceeded the Mustang. Mustangs had six 12.7 mm .50 cal wing mounted machine guns vs. the two 13 mm cowl guns and two 20mm cannon mounted in the wing root of the 190 D-9. When the D-11/ D-13 came on board you could add a 30mm cannon firing through the prop spinner in addition to the other two. Whoever got in front of one of the D series 190's had a real bad day ahead of them, in short. Ok enough on the technical specs of the mighty 190 D series. Pictured below are the Aires panel on the right and the Eduard part on the left. Which one would you use? lol . Thats what I thought. Got with Libor already. The replacment part is enroute!!

Youre right about how smoothly the Vallejo acrylics go on. I really like the Vallejo Air series. Goes on smooth as a baby's butt! Try the Mig Productions wash as the stuff works really well with acrylic paint. I used to hate acrylics for having to constantly clean the AB needle but it's all worth it to escape the odor of enamels and the fuming my whole family out of the house.

Thanks Bob! I'm using a mix of Model Master and Vallejo acrylics with a touch of Model Master enamels for some of the details. I used a Mig Productions dark wash and some ground up black pastel to complete the weathering process. The exhausts are a project of their own paint wise.

Here we are after the test fit: and after the gun installation, fit and painting: We're getting there!

Ok guys. Section 1 is finished and now its on to the build up of Section 2( a.k.a. the engine /nose module). I start with the engine panels and cowl gun panel. For those of you just tuning in, this is Section 2 as it is right now: The next step is to fit the cowl gun cover/ trough on the top of the engine and have the cowl gun barrel openings coincide with the location of the gun barrels when installed.This is trickier than it sounds especially when the gun trough cover supplied in the Aires "double throw down" update set is too dang short!!! I used the cowl piece supplied in the Tamiya boxing and cut the machine gun access cover from the gun trough, then removed the molded in machine gun barrels and then drilled out the gun barrel openings. The incorrect Aires part is on the right and the modified and correct length Tamiya part is on the left:

Bob:Those kits look they'll test the limits of painting and weathering. I'll be watching............close! Wayne:One of these days, I say, I say, one of these days I'm going to tackle an armor build! These builds you are doing are definitely inspiring me!

Ben:Got your latest build added man! I didn't know that AMT had a stakebed Ford like that. I'll say this for AMT, they offer alot of selection. Don't feel guilty.....just build it! Wayne:Let the good times roll!! Looking forward to seeing the Tank Workshop items you received. Well I got home from work tonight and my son wanted a word in private with me. It seems he was poking around dads models that were completed and knocked the aerial antenna off and one of the hinged engine access panels was broken free of the glued joint of my Fw190 A8/R2 I completed last year. He felt so bad about it that I didn't want to make him feel worse. I just asked him what we could do to prevent it from happening again, he came up with a good answer and I let it go. So no D-9 progress tonight. The A8 gets the attention/ repairs. lol

Will do Ben!! This is going to be killer!

Ray;Man that build came out terrific. Good weathering and paint.....and quick!!! Bob:Come on in and welcome to the CB. I'll get you in the intro bud!! That's an interesting looking kit!

Looks like you're off to a good start Danny!

This has to beat it all! Name, avatar, the whole works, and like was already said it's good to see a fellow modeler with an open sense of humor. Welcome to the forum Ed!!

You're in Danny! Got you in the intro post so let's see them pics dude!

Sure you can join Danny! I'll get you jotted down in the intro post. Welcome to the CB!!

Ok guys its update time! First off thanks Wayne for the thumbs up on the NMF. It was the first one I've pulled off and I didn't have too much trouble out of it other than learning how to use bare metal foil. I managed to get the wheels intalled and the sacrificial canopy removed. I used the Tamiya windscreen and an Eduard Galland hood sliding canopy instead of the Tamiya one. There were too many extra goodies to the Eduard sliding canopy section to NOT use it. Plus, Eduard offers a PE "Achtung" panel for the head rest instead of a stupid decal. It just stands out a little better. I also installed the vertical fin and wing root cannon access panels in the open position and weathered those. Current progress: and a rear view of what I like to call "section 1". Section 2 which is the nose module is about to get attention in the way of engine panels and machine guns. Section 1:

Excellent use of imagination and creativeness on this build Wayne!! I like envisioning potential parts that are hanging in the unsuspecting isles at hobby shops. Really liking the build and the history info here!!!

Thats a beaut of a build Wayne!

And here we are with the "Tyson chicken legs" installed. Landing gear is all Eduard to include strut actuators and brake lines. I had to adapt the top of the strut to the gear mounts in the Tamiya wing but it wasn't that big of a deal. Most of the paint masking has come off except for the sacrificial Tamiya canopy. That'll get trashed too in favor of a , you guessed it, Eduard sliding canopy section. Tamiya's detail was certainly lacking in the sliding canopy section. Thank God for spare Fw190 A8 "Weekend Edition" kits is all I've gotta say! and another view.

And now for this Tamiya kits biggest failing, the landing gear! Every review I've read and every conversation I've had with other builders warns of the landing gear on their 1/48 Fw190 D-9 being too short, and not just a little bit either.Pictured below are landing gear doors from Eduard and Tamiya. The Eduard is on the left and is the correct length and proportions and the Tamiya is on the right. Look and you can see there is a significant difference. Needless to say , the Tamiya pieces found thier way into file 13 along with the Tamiya gear struts!

roadkill2525: Got you entered in on the intro post. I've never seen one of these built so I'll be watching this and looking forward to it. formula1129:I've got you in on the intro post as well. Another one I haven't seen built. I've seen just about every other Camaro being built but never a 70 ish one. I'll be following close on this as well.