1:32 Fw-190 A-5

The lengthened engine bed of the A-5

On the A-5 variant the BMW 801 engine moved fifteen centimeters forward to compensate for the center of gravity after equipment kept accumulating in the tail. The change shows on a model in the longer forward fuselage and became the dividing line between the early and the late machines of the A series. The cockpit meanwhile still kept the more angular canopy with pronounced framing, which differs from the later rounded shape in the run of the bars above the pilot's head.

Contents and use

Two masking parts for the canopy are included, separately for the outer and for the inner surface, plus two stencils for the insignia. In a large scale it pays to cover the inner face as well, because the space under the canopy stays clearly visible once the model is finished and an untreated frame shows through there.

Recommended procedure

It is a good idea to polish the clear molding first and degrease it with alcohol, then apply the film and start with the darkest shade of the framing. The camouflage of the A-5 series on the Eastern Front tended to have soft transitions, so it is sprayed with thinned paint from close range and the mask has to seat really tightly.

Underwing gun pods

Some machines of this version carried pods with 20 mm cannon under the wings, others were adapted as fighter-bombers with a rack under the fuselage. The fit changes not only the silhouette but also the way the boundaries of the camouflage fields run across the lower surface. When painting it therefore pays to fit the pods only after the base coats are finished and to mask the edge around them with the leftover film.

Classification

The goods serve as a painting aid for aircraft models; plastic parts are not included.