Fw 190A-8/R2

Subject:: Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-8/R8
Wehrmacht Luftwaffe (German Air Force 1935-1945)
4./JG 3 Udet WNr. 681382 / <<+ (Hptm. Wilhelm Moritz)
August 1944 World War 2 - Schongau
Scale:: 1:72
Status:: Completed
Started:: September 1, 2024
Completed:: September 21, 2024
Time spent:: 32.5 hours

The 1/72nd scale FW 190A-8/R2 is number 2 of my "Getting back into the hobby" project. It took longer than the P-40 due to new techniques I used, and honestly a much more detailed model. As with my P-40, I had many successes, and "learning experiences" with this model.

Learning Experiences:

1) My primer is not fully adhering to the plastic. I had a couple of times after removing some masking, I am using Tamiya masking tape, applied paint and primer peeled up. After talking to a few other modelers, they have had the same issue with the brand of primer I'm using.

2) I followed the paint call outs for RLM74 and RLM75, for the upper camouflage colors, but they came out really different than the Eduard instructions. The Green/Grey was pretty close, but the other Grey/Brown, and the two colors together look almost the same unless you look close or get the right light.

3) Mr. Mark Setter is a little "hot" for the clear coat I'm using. I had many times that where I applied the setter, the paint came up before I could get the decal on. I only used water to set the decals for about half of the decals, followed up by Mr. Mark Softener.

4) I'm having some issues with my Looks Like Glass. The application has been great, and the immediate result is great, but when I handle the clear plastic, and also apply and remove the mask, the ultra clear is filled with adhesive and finger prints. I don't know if I need to apply a clear coat afterwards to protect the Looks Like Glass dip, or what.

Good and bad experience:

1) Exhaust/Smoke stains were much better this time. I used my airbrush to spray on a thinned coat of Light Grey to represent the high octane fuel. The other good part was using AK Smoke Pigment, and it looked so good, the "black" representing the carbon from the exhaust, and it even gave it a dry, "sandy" look. Where the bad came in is when I applied the pigment fixer, it took out the "power" like appearance.

The Good.

1) The overall build was great and the construction went wall for the most part, but though I did loose one of my antennas.

2) I really enjoyed the detail in this 1/72 scale model.

3) The overall decals came out well, for 95% of the decals and the model overall looks great.