In Box Review of Tamiya 1/48th Scale
German Focke-Wulf Fw-190A-3 Fighter
Kit no. 61037
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1994
Available at Mega Hobby for $26.24, at Kit Linx for $25.99 and at Sprue Bros. for $25.99 and at 14 locations overseas.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1994
Available at Mega Hobby for $26.24, at Kit Linx for $25.99 and at Sprue Bros. for $25.99 and at 14 locations overseas.
HISTORY:
Development of the Fw-190 series began in the Autumn of 1937, under a contract issued by the Reich Luftfahrt Ministerium (Air Ministry) for a single seat fighter to supplement the Messerschmitt Bf-109. Two proposals were submitted by Kurt Tank, the technical director of the Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau (aircraft factory).
The proposal using the then new BMW 801 air-cooled radial engine was chosen. This tough and powerful engine was placed in a robust airframe and provided superb handling, well balanced control, and brisk acceleration.
It entered service in 1941, flying alongside the Bf-109 and it soon took control of air superiority over the English Channel. Establishing itself as a mainstay fighter of the Luftwaffe, it outperformed the contemporary Spitfire Mk. V's in almost every respect and maintained this advantage until the arrival of the Spitfire IX in July 1942.
The Fw-190 fighter underwent constant improvement throughout its life. The A-3 version used the improved BMW 801Dg engine that produced 1,700 hp. Armament was increased from four MG FF's outboard of the landing gear and two fuselage mounted MG 17 machine guns.
Throughout WWII, many Luftwaffe squadrons allowed personal pilot markings and distinctive squadron insignia to be used, plus lower cowl, wing tip and rudder color additions to the original paint schemes.
SPECIFICATIONS:
The Fw 190 A-3 was equipped with the BMW 801 D-2 engine, which increased power to 1,700 PS (1,677 hp, 1,250 kW) at takeoff.] The A-3 retained the same weaponry as the A-2.
Fw 190 A-3/Umrüst-Bausatz 1 (/U1) — (W.Nr 130270) was the first 190 to have the engine mount extended by 15 cm (6 in), which would be standardized on the later production A-5 model.
Fw 190 A-3/U2 — The A-3/U2 (W.Nr 130386) had RZ 65 73 mm (2.87 in) rocket launcher racks under the wings with three rockets per wing.
There were also a small number of U7 aircraft tested as high-altitude fighters armed with only two 20 mm MG 151 cannon, but with reduced overall weight.
Fw 190 A-3/U3 — The A-3/U3 was the first of the Jabo (Jagdbomber), using an ETC-501 centre-line bomb rack able to carry up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs or, with horizontal stabilising bars, one 300 L (80 US gal) standard Luftwaffe drop tank.
The U3 retained the fuselage-mounted 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s and the wing-mounted 20 mm MG 151 cannon, with the outer MG FF being removed.
Fw 190 A-3/U4 — The A-3/U4 was a reconnaissance version with two RB 12.5 cameras in the rear fuselage and a EK 16 gun camera or a Robot II miniature camera in the leading edge of the port wing root.
Armament was similar to the U3, however, and the ETC 501 was usually fitted with the standardized Luftwaffe 300 litre-capacity (80 US gal) drop tank.
Fw 190 A-3a -- (a=ausländisch — foreign) In autumn 1942, 72 new aircraft were delivered to Turkey in an effort to keep that country friendly to the Axis powers. These were designated Fw 190 A-3a, designation for export models and delivered between October 1942 and March 1943.
Crew: 1
Length: 9.00 m (29 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)
Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)
Wing area: 18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,200 kg (7,060 lb)
Loaded weight: 4,417 kg (9,735 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 4,900 kg (10,800 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × BMW 801 D-2 radial engine, 1,250 kW (1,700 PS, 1,677 hp)
Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)
Range: 800 km (500 mi)
Service ceiling: 11,410 m (37,430 ft)
Rate of climb: 15 m/s (2,953 ft/min)
Wing loading: 241 kg/m² (49.4 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.29–0.33 kW/kg (0.18–0.21 hp/lb)
Armament: Two × 13 mm (.51 in) synchronized MG 131 machine guns with 475 rounds per gun
Four × 20 mm MG 151/20 E cannon with 250 rpg, synchronized in the wing roots and 140 rpg free-firing outboard in mid-wing mounts.
Development of the Fw-190 series began in the Autumn of 1937, under a contract issued by the Reich Luftfahrt Ministerium (Air Ministry) for a single seat fighter to supplement the Messerschmitt Bf-109. Two proposals were submitted by Kurt Tank, the technical director of the Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau (aircraft factory).
The proposal using the then new BMW 801 air-cooled radial engine was chosen. This tough and powerful engine was placed in a robust airframe and provided superb handling, well balanced control, and brisk acceleration.
It entered service in 1941, flying alongside the Bf-109 and it soon took control of air superiority over the English Channel. Establishing itself as a mainstay fighter of the Luftwaffe, it outperformed the contemporary Spitfire Mk. V's in almost every respect and maintained this advantage until the arrival of the Spitfire IX in July 1942.
The Fw-190 fighter underwent constant improvement throughout its life. The A-3 version used the improved BMW 801Dg engine that produced 1,700 hp. Armament was increased from four MG FF's outboard of the landing gear and two fuselage mounted MG 17 machine guns.
Throughout WWII, many Luftwaffe squadrons allowed personal pilot markings and distinctive squadron insignia to be used, plus lower cowl, wing tip and rudder color additions to the original paint schemes.
SPECIFICATIONS:
The Fw 190 A-3 was equipped with the BMW 801 D-2 engine, which increased power to 1,700 PS (1,677 hp, 1,250 kW) at takeoff.] The A-3 retained the same weaponry as the A-2.
Fw 190 A-3/Umrüst-Bausatz 1 (/U1) — (W.Nr 130270) was the first 190 to have the engine mount extended by 15 cm (6 in), which would be standardized on the later production A-5 model.
Fw 190 A-3/U2 — The A-3/U2 (W.Nr 130386) had RZ 65 73 mm (2.87 in) rocket launcher racks under the wings with three rockets per wing.
There were also a small number of U7 aircraft tested as high-altitude fighters armed with only two 20 mm MG 151 cannon, but with reduced overall weight.
Fw 190 A-3/U3 — The A-3/U3 was the first of the Jabo (Jagdbomber), using an ETC-501 centre-line bomb rack able to carry up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs or, with horizontal stabilising bars, one 300 L (80 US gal) standard Luftwaffe drop tank.
The U3 retained the fuselage-mounted 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s and the wing-mounted 20 mm MG 151 cannon, with the outer MG FF being removed.
Fw 190 A-3/U4 — The A-3/U4 was a reconnaissance version with two RB 12.5 cameras in the rear fuselage and a EK 16 gun camera or a Robot II miniature camera in the leading edge of the port wing root.
Armament was similar to the U3, however, and the ETC 501 was usually fitted with the standardized Luftwaffe 300 litre-capacity (80 US gal) drop tank.
Fw 190 A-3a -- (a=ausländisch — foreign) In autumn 1942, 72 new aircraft were delivered to Turkey in an effort to keep that country friendly to the Axis powers. These were designated Fw 190 A-3a, designation for export models and delivered between October 1942 and March 1943.
Crew: 1
Length: 9.00 m (29 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)
Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)
Wing area: 18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,200 kg (7,060 lb)
Loaded weight: 4,417 kg (9,735 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 4,900 kg (10,800 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × BMW 801 D-2 radial engine, 1,250 kW (1,700 PS, 1,677 hp)
Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)
Range: 800 km (500 mi)
Service ceiling: 11,410 m (37,430 ft)
Rate of climb: 15 m/s (2,953 ft/min)
Wing loading: 241 kg/m² (49.4 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.29–0.33 kW/kg (0.18–0.21 hp/lb)
Armament: Two × 13 mm (.51 in) synchronized MG 131 machine guns with 475 rounds per gun
Four × 20 mm MG 151/20 E cannon with 250 rpg, synchronized in the wing roots and 140 rpg free-firing outboard in mid-wing mounts.
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows 2 Fw-190A-3's flying above the clouds. They are both in a wave pattern of black-green and medium-green over pale-grey fuselage sides and light-blue under carriages. Both have a yellow panel under their noses and a yellow rudder flap.
On the one in the foreground there is a black eagle outlined in white on the side of its nose. Its fuselage code is red 13 + I outlined in white.
The other Fw-190A-3 in the distance is banking away and only showing its light-blue bottom. It has no eagle on the side of its nose and has a fuselage code of black 14 +.
One side panel has a 3-view of a Fw-190A-3 in the same color scheme as the two on the box art. It has a fuselage code of black G. - + - outlined in white.
It was flown by Hptm. Wilhelm Gath of Stab./JG26. It is followed by a paragraph in Japanese and the copyright for the kit of 1994, over Tamiya's street address in Shizuoka, Japan.
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows 2 Fw-190A-3's flying above the clouds. They are both in a wave pattern of black-green and medium-green over pale-grey fuselage sides and light-blue under carriages. Both have a yellow panel under their noses and a yellow rudder flap.
On the one in the foreground there is a black eagle outlined in white on the side of its nose. Its fuselage code is red 13 + I outlined in white.
The other Fw-190A-3 in the distance is banking away and only showing its light-blue bottom. It has no eagle on the side of its nose and has a fuselage code of black 14 +.
One side panel has a 3-view of a Fw-190A-3 in the same color scheme as the two on the box art. It has a fuselage code of black G. - + - outlined in white.
It was flown by Hptm. Wilhelm Gath of Stab./JG26. It is followed by a paragraph in Japanese and the copyright for the kit of 1994, over Tamiya's street address in Shizuoka, Japan.
The other side panel has another 3-view of a Fw-190A-3 in same color scheme as the other three. It has a fuselage code of double white chevrons outlined in black and a white fuselage band outlined in black and a logo of a black rooster's head on the side of the nose, followed by a paragraph in Japanese.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 3 medium-grey trees, a loose medium-grey cowling, the clear tree in 2 sealed clear cello bags, 2 decal sheets, black poly caps, and two instructions.
The main instructions is a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 6 3/4" x 10 1/4" page format.
Page 1 begins by saying the model makes up to have a wingspan of 219mm and a length of 184mm, over a black and white photo of the model made up in the box art scheme, over the history of the Fw-190A-3 in English, German, French and Japanese.
Page 2 begins with READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, suggested tools to use, a paint color listing, over the first assembly step.
Page 3 to the top of page 6 gives a balance of a grand total of 10 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 6 has a 2-view of the box art scheme (already described above).
It was with 8/JG2.
Page 7 has two 2-views of the schemes on the side panels (already described above), over painting instructions in the four languages.
The top of page 8 has a top and bottom view painting and marking instruction that is common to all the subjects, over decal application instructions, in multiple languages, including English and a after-market service coupon.
The second instruction sheet is a single-sheet printed on both sides. The face side has two side views and a top and bottom view, showing the top pattern and sides and undercarriage colors, but no mottling or any other colors and no markings.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
Medium-grey letter A tree holds: wings, elevators, seat, cockpit tub, propeller, spinner, landing-gear legs, engine, wheel well, pilot figure etc. (25 parts)
This kit contains 3 medium-grey trees, a loose medium-grey cowling, the clear tree in 2 sealed clear cello bags, 2 decal sheets, black poly caps, and two instructions.
The main instructions is a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 6 3/4" x 10 1/4" page format.
Page 1 begins by saying the model makes up to have a wingspan of 219mm and a length of 184mm, over a black and white photo of the model made up in the box art scheme, over the history of the Fw-190A-3 in English, German, French and Japanese.
Page 2 begins with READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, suggested tools to use, a paint color listing, over the first assembly step.
Page 3 to the top of page 6 gives a balance of a grand total of 10 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 6 has a 2-view of the box art scheme (already described above).
It was with 8/JG2.
Page 7 has two 2-views of the schemes on the side panels (already described above), over painting instructions in the four languages.
The top of page 8 has a top and bottom view painting and marking instruction that is common to all the subjects, over decal application instructions, in multiple languages, including English and a after-market service coupon.
The second instruction sheet is a single-sheet printed on both sides. The face side has two side views and a top and bottom view, showing the top pattern and sides and undercarriage colors, but no mottling or any other colors and no markings.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
Medium-grey letter A tree holds: wings, elevators, seat, cockpit tub, propeller, spinner, landing-gear legs, engine, wheel well, pilot figure etc. (25 parts)
Loose medium-grey part is the cowling (1 part)
Medium-grey letter B tree holds: fuselage, landing gear parts, nose top panel, dashboard, headrest, main wheels etc. (15 parts)
The clear tree holds the canopy parts (3 parts)
The kit decal sheets are next.
The bottom of the box's tray inside has black and white box arts of other kits Tamiya manufactures and hobby tools illustrated on the walls.
There is a 3 Guys brand decal sheet for the Fw-190 I that was added to the kit as a bonus when I bought the kit in Des Moines years ago.
There is no pilot figure included. Detail is engraved and flaps are all molded solid.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.