Trumpeter 1/24 Fw 190D-13

By Eugene Madara

This is a relatively-simple conversion of a 1/24th scale Trumpeter Fw 190D-9 to a Fw 190D-13 which served the Squadron Commander in the last month of the War, hence very little "wear & tear" on the airframe and its unique camouflage. (The original aircraft, fully-restored, is in the Seattle, Washington, USA aviation museum with good color photos on-line.) The only external evidence of the model difference is the removal of the D-9's upper-deck guns which simply necessitated cutting the kit part behind the beginning of the guns' bulge and replacing the remainder of the deck out to the cowl flaps with a flat piece of styrene faired-in with putty and superglue. The small intake is the kit part. To replicate late-War practice, the wooden flaps were made by installing wooden veneer over the kit part. Landing gear "DOWN" indicators were made by installing straight pins atop the wings and painting red. Wire added to simulate landing gear brake lines.

Model Master enamels used, followed by coating entire plane with Pledge Future Floor War (clear liquid bottle available in grocery stores globally in the floor-care section) applied with a one-inch soft-bristle brush (wick off excess using a piece of newspaper). Future self-levels and is "cured" sufficiently after 24 hours to apply decals, including using MicroSet/MicroSol setting solutions (not sure whether other, stronger setting solutions work). Second coat of Future recommended over fully-dried decals (wait a day) to fully-secure the decals and prep entire plane for Flat finish (Testor's used in this case). Future also makes realistic "glass" in instrument bezels and makes superficial canopy scratches disappear - dip completely with tweezers into small dish of Future, put on two spaced pieces of scrap sprue to level while drying.

Kit decals were used for major markings; however, the Yellow 10 had to be made by enlarging a 1/32nd scale Luftwaffe White 10 to 1/24th scale on decal paper, applied OVER the first Future coating, then hand-painted with RLM 04 Yellow. Weathering consisted of applying a black wash to the spinner to replicate oil leakage, exhaust stacks were painted Steel followed by a Burnt Metal dry brushing, exhaust and guns smoke was applied with pastels (note gear door smoke smudge where closed gear door was behind lower cannon shell ejector ports.

Trumpeter 1/24 Fw 190D-13

By Eugene Madara

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