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Fw190D build


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Hello All,

This is a build record of a Fw190D. The model is to a scale of 1/5.2 or 1-inch = 2.3 feet. The reason is stated “190D” is simply because I have not yet decided on which sub-type it is to be, either D-11, 12 or 13.

The fuselage was started at the extreme end of 2006 and by mid- February 2007 I had part constructed the fuselage. Then disaster struck and my wife became very incapacitated. Consequently I had absolutely no time for building any sort of model or even putting together an ARTF. A couple of years later, a little time became available but not yet enough to build, so I commissioned a very good friend to build a pair of wings, join them and epoxy glass cover them.

For the past few weeks I have been working on a Greenley (a model similar to a large Wot 4 with a span of 84-inches. Having reached a natural “break-point” on that I started reviewing the parts of the 190D and decided to finish it. Obviously this will be an extended build because of the work on the Greenley and also on a 1/6 scale 190D-13.

The wing is a straight Dave Platt 190A/F/G wing except there are some changes at the extreme leading edge by the fuselage junction. The fuselage is a totally different matter. The basic shape was refined from aircraft drawings produced by the forefront expert in England on full-size 190 shapes and construction. The design of the model fuselage construction is entirely mine.

I have already started repairing the wing where some “hangar rash” had been incurred during storage and I have executed a small amount of work around the exhaust area.

I have already stated that this will be an extended build for the reasons stated (but I do want it completed asap), so please bear with me.

Is there any interest in me continuing this build blog please?

Thanks for looking

maurice

Edited By maurice northcott on 18/02/2017 17:41:29

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OK chaps, Thank You for your interest.

I am off out flying today, so no updates yet, but I did say it would be slow.

bbc will do my best. The basic build at present is balsa with ply in high-stress areas, eg around retract positions and leading to the firewall - I will post a few photos of those areas later today - for those that can remember, I did a series of Finishing Techniques in the RC Scale magazine edited by Tony Dowdeswell during the early 2000's. The Series title was "Start to Finish" under the nom-de-plume Friedrich Wurger. One of the shortest sentences was with regard to "weathering" and stated.... "Much too little, is far superior to a little too much".

Thanks again,

maurice

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Thank you Graeme.

I always start with the wings, because these are really (together with a few other items) the foundation of how the model will fly. Consequently, the first thing is to decide which retracts you choose - often this is decided for you by whether they will suit the u/c bearers shown on the plan and the construction of the wing (ie will they fit?). If they do not you should be able to change the construction and position of bearers to suit before you cut wood. All sub-types of the 190 had the same u/c position within the wing (albeit the operation changed from electric to hydraulic on the 152 series). Consequently to fit the model retracts in a fully scale position within the wing (a long way forward) not many commercial retract systems will suit as purchased. Therefore we may make small allowance(s) in the scale fidelity - or changes to the retract unit.

Enjoy your building and flying and stay safe,

maurice

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A couple of close up of the fuselage internals that can still be seen.... the first shows the internals of the nose and the second looking aft through the wing seating area. The whole thing was built on a horizontal crutch of 1/4 balsa, the datum being the same position as the full-size datum...... Have a good day, mauriceimgp1770.jpgimgp1767.jpg

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Thank you alan p...The large uprights that can be seen are 1/8" ply (real ply not liteply). These run from the firewall back to beyond the wing trailing edge and have lightening holes cut in them. Engine/motor not yet selected. Just noticed that the previous caption was wrong because the 2nd photo is looking forward not aft.

maurice

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Spent about 3 hours this afternoon looking for a basic tailwheel leg that I bent up about 3 years ago together with 1/8" ply support - couldnt find it although I have seen it in the workshop from time to time. So I decided to start cutting back the flaps that were built and glassed about 4 years or more ago...... I used 60 grit Aluminium Oxide paper around a couple of blocks. We can see in the first photo (just as cutting-back started) there is a gloss to the covering. In the other 2 pics the surface has been cut back and the gloss shine has gone....imgp1782.jpgimgp1785.jpgimgp1787.jpg

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This brings us conveniently to another part of scale modelling.

At some point through the construction and finishing it must be decided what the finish will be. Depending on your choice in some cases more construction or modifications will be necessary (eg some Spitfires had a “squarish” radiator and a roughly cylindrical oil cooler. On later Spits, they appear to have 2 “squarish” radiators with the oil cooler incorporated (but I am sure you knew that).

With regard to the finishing, it must also be known what the original was constructed of in order this can be replicated. For example, towards the end of WW2 a number of components of the 190 family were constructed of wood, whereas earlier in the conflict, the same components were made from metal. In particular the flaps such as I am working on now. Consequently, it may even be necessary early in the build of any model to decide the actual prototype being modelled. This can only be done by personal research to whatever depth you choose – after all, it is your model…

maurice

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Spent last evening and this morning researching which aircraft to make this. Finally got it down to one of two, both Fw190D-11.

Either White <58 of Verbandsfuhrerschule des Gdj OR White <61 of the same Unit, which I am attracted to by the very interesting colour scheme.

White <58 I am attracted to because it was the aircraft that became Red 4 of JV44 - the other (1/6 scale) 190D currently in construction will be Red 4 because the slogan on the side translates as "The next man, the same woman" and this, my partner and I decided would be very apt because she was a widow when we got together - her past husband would have appreciated that too laugh

Meanwhile today, rubbing down continues, much the same as yesterday....imgp1790.jpgimgp1792.jpg

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This morning I decided I had done enough rubbing down or cutting back of the wing for now and I fancied a bit of building. The object today was to “rough out” the infill above the horizontal stabiliser and seat for the vertical stabiliser (one and the same thing). When I say “rough-out” I mean the shapes will be approximately correct but larger than the finished sizes to allow for final sanding.

First thing was a quick measure up of where the thing would seat at the back end of the fuselage (as first photo below). This showed the front end was about 21/4-inches wide and the rear end approx. 1-inch. Height to be about 11/4-inches. I found a piece of 1-inch thick very soft block and decided to make a sandwich, the core being 3/8-inch thick with the 1-inch either side of that. The end of the 1-inch was checked with a square and it was spot on - lucky (photo 2) – had it not been square, it would have trued-up on the sanding disc. A tracing was made of the relevant side profile off the drawings and this was transferred to the 1-inch wood by the standard method of pin-pricking through the tracing paper into the wood. Then the tracing reversed and another side profile marked for the second (photo 3). A similar pin-pricking was carried out to the 3/8-inch balsa. The pin-picks were joined up a metal straight edge (photo 4) and “French Curves” (photo 5). Note the metal straight edge is for “rough” measurements and drawing/cutting straight lines and the metric rule is used for more accurate measuring.

A visit to the trusty band saw (Powerline Bk2) followed, and after producing some balsa dust, I had 3 sections that were pinned together to see what I had achieved (photo 6). The horizontal stabiliser was placed on the existing seat and the balsa sandwich balanced on top. A bit of judicious sanding and it was possible to “tack-glue” the 3 parts together and check that it sat correctly in place (photo 7). Now further trimming and sanding can take place to get it “near enough” at this stage.

I hope some of this is of interest to some….. maurice

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Hahaha.... from a site I worked on many years ago - they used to deliver boxes of biscuits at random times to each office. I thought they would make great storage boxes, which they do. So when each box was empty I took it home.Should have seen the looks I got from Security Guards when they checked the cars each day as we left the site...think I have about 20 laugh

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