BREAKING:

[matrixone]

This just in: a double build of Fw 190's in 1/72 scale has started.

Here are the kits underway as of this morning.

I really like the HobbyBoss kit, the idea of an ultra simple model kit with low parts count is perfect for younger people who have never attempted to build a model before. The fuselage and wings come complete and are ready for assembly right out of the tray.
One thing I appreciate about this kit is the gun cowl, AFAIK this is the only 1/72 scale Dora that comes with the early five piece gun cowl.
And the color painting guide is quite good but I am certain new modelers building this kit won't understand HobbyBoss's attempt at humor...check out their suggested color for the undersurfaces and the red propeller blades on the JV 44 Dora.

Matrixone

 

[ij001]

Red props and black grey fuselage - I don't see a problem with that .... :facepalm


Ian.

 

[lupanzer]

...double building,again,looks very cool ...

Luiz

 

[SA Dave]

:woohoo:

 

[Duke Maddog]

I like it. And in my scale too. Looking forward to seeing these come together.

 

[matrixone]

The first in-progress pictures...

The HobbyBoss D-9 is a mix of good and bad, the fuselage and wings are both molded as single piece parts with only some smoothing down of some light mold lines needed. The cockpit is very shallow with the seat and joystick already molded in but no I.P., in this scale lack of cockpit detail is not all that noticeable on the finished model with the canopy closed.

The wing and fuselage are just pressed into place here but the fit is good. One thing that this kit does better than most other Fw 190 kits in this scale is the gun covers on the wing roots don't have any seam lines to fill which is a real P.I.T.A. to fill and smooth out without destroying the surface detail.
The red arrow points to an error in this kit, this cowl flap should not be open, I scored the flap with an X-acto knife and will push it down in the position it should be in. On the full size D-9 this part of the cowl flap was not moveable.

The next two pictures show both the good and bad of this kit...the wheels have excellent molded in detail while the inside of the landing gear doors have some sort of waffle inspired detail molded in them which is totally wrong! Where do they come up with crap like this? :huh:

The Revell kit has had the cockpit assembled and painted RLM 66, the wings have been put together and when the glue dries I will sand down the seam lines. I have built one of these Revell kits a few years ago and the last one went together extremely well. I will fill in the molded in detail on the fabric covered control surfaces with Mr. Surfacer, as they are now they are too extreme.

Matrixone

 

[SA Dave]

Nice

 

[moon puppy]

Good start Les.

 

[Hawkwrench]

Good start on the 190. That looks like a fairly simple kit. Beyond snap together, but not quite advanced. I like that setup.

Tim

 

[lupanzer]

Interesting report!...nice start

Luiz

 

[matrixone]

Thanks guys!

Tim,
The HobbyBoss kit has some good points to it, the overall shape is decent and it has some delicate panel line detail that is close to scale. Also I looked at the clear parts and they are excellent, better than most kits that are much more expensive.
A couple years ago I built a HobbyBoss easy assembly kit of the Me 163 and it was okay but not quite as nice as this D-9 is.
With the low cost of this kit I feel it would be a great way to build several D-9's with different markings without a huge expense, I have lots of older aftermarket decals that could be put to good use this way.


Matrixone

 

[razordws]

Looking good Les!

I did a Hobby Boss P-51 a few years ago. It looks good on the shelf but with the low parts count I almost feel like it was cheating. :idonno

 

[matrixone]

Thanks Dave!

These easy assembly kits are half toy half scale model so I don't mind the lack of parts.
As it is turning out the HobbyBoss kit is going to still need some filling and sanding but mostly on the bottom of the rear fuselage. The Revell kit so far has not needed any filler at all but the fabric detail on the ailerons will need some Mr. Surfacer to lessen the out of scale heavy molded in detail.
The D-9 will get marked as ''yellow 9'' of 3./JG 2, photographs of this aircraft show signs of it being an early production Dora that had been repaired or recycled and had a mix of old and new markings, plus it had the early five piece gun cowl with which the HobbyBoss kit comes with.

Both models are a lot farther along than what you see here, the next update might have some paint on the the airframes. hyeah

Matrixone

 

[Gator]

 

[matrixone]

No in-progress pictures of the models today but the airframe of the Fw 190A-8 is now assembled, the HobbyBoss D-9 is also assembled but I have to sand down a few small areas of putty before I can start painting.

Below is a color profile and a photograph of the markings the D-9 will be put in, I have an EagleCals decal sheet with this aircraft as one of the markings options.

Matrixone

 

[lupanzer]

...

Luiz

 

[135engineer]

looks like a nice clean kit