1:32 Fw 190 inspection panel - early

Aires 1:32 Fw 190, inspection panel in the early variant

This is a resin accessory from the Czech manufacturer Aires, not an aircraft model. The set replaces a part of the fuselage surface that the kit treats as a flat plastic part with a suggested outline, using a precisely cast resin part with a real recess and finer relief. Resin holds crisp edges, thin rims and small internal details that cannot be put into an injection mold. The early designation means that the part matches the earlier form of the panel; a sister set covers the later variant. The number of parts and the extent of the package are stated on the box of the set.

The real subject

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was a German single-engine fighter of the Second World War. The A and F series were powered by the air-cooled BMW 801 radial engine enclosed in a tight cowling with a cooling fan, while the later D series received the liquid-cooled Junkers Jumo 213 inverted V12 and with it a considerably lengthened nose. The fuselage carried a number of service and inspection hatches for access to the armament, the battery and other systems; their shape and placement changed during production, which is an important distinguishing feature between the individual batches for a model builder.

Building and painting tips

First wash the part in warm water with detergent because of the mold release agent. The corresponding area on the plastic fuselage usually has to be cut or sanded out; work slowly, offer the resin part up dry again and again, and remove material in small steps. It is glued with cyanoacrylate glue; fill the seam with putty and sand it so that the surrounding engraving stays legible, or restore it with a scribing needle. Apply a primer before painting. Paint the inside of the panel before it is fitted and darken it slightly with a wash so that it reads as deep. Protect your breathing while sanding resin.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building Second World War fighters in the large 1:32 scale
• Builders who want to set their model apart with an open or finely rendered panel
• Those who care about getting early and later batches right
• Modelers with experience of cutting into plastic and working with resin

The set is an accessory for a plastic kit, not a model in its own right. It is supplied unpainted; glue, paints and the basic kit are not included in the package.