1:48 Fw 190A-8

The most numerous Anton

The A-8 version was the most widespread of all the forms of the Focke-Wulf produced and thus became something of a yardstick by which the other variants are recognized. The BMW radial engine hidden under a tight cowling gave the machine a squat profile which tells it apart from the slim in-line Messerschmitts at first glance. The armament was spread over two levels: heavy machine guns above the engine and cannons in the wing roots, that is exactly the four positions the metal parts in this set are aimed at.

Paint behaves differently on metal

Here is the difference modelers run into most often. Brass has a smooth non-porous surface on which acrylic paint does not hold by itself and peels off in flakes at the first touch of tweezers. The answer is simple and costs one extra coat: degrease with alcohol or detergent, let it dry completely and spray a thin primer intended for metals over it. Only then comes the covering shade. The second option is to leave the barrel in bare metal and only darken it with chemical bluing, which on weapons looks convincing and removes the risk of the fine bore being flooded.

Overview of the contents

• film for the cockpit frames, outside and inside
• insignia masks on two sheets
• MG 131 machine gun muzzles, two pieces
• MG 151 cannons in a pair, plus a sensor for the wing

The core of the product remains the mask; the barrels are added to it and the model itself is not in the package. The kit is bought separately. It is worth reaching for even when a modeler usually applies the insignia: a radial engine forces the squat fuselage to be painted dark and a decal film gives itself away on a matte surface by a glossy outline, whereas spraying through film has no edge at all.