1:72 FW-190A8/R-2 - interior 3D decals for Eduard kit

A heavily armored bomber hunter

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 was the most numerous version of the whole A series, and in 1944 it formed the backbone of the German defense against American raids. The R2 subversion turned it into the so-called Sturmbock: a thirty-millimeter cannon was added in the outer wings, and armor plates and thick glass were added around the cockpit. Pilots of the assault groups used it to close on formations of four-engine bombers from behind to within a few dozen meters, which was probably the most dangerous trade in the air at the time.

Where the build most often gets stuck

The cockpit of the Fw 190 shows markedly better under its bulged canopy than that of rival fighters, and on the armored version there are additional side plates that frame the view inside. Anyone painting by hand has to balance the shade of the armor, the cockpit and the seat so that one does not overpower the other, and at a small scale that rarely works out. A printed set has these relationships worked out in advance, including shading in places where a brush would never lay it down evenly.

• Complete cockpit equipment for the late A-8 version
• Matched shades for the cockpit, the seat and the belts
• The relief gives the instrument bezels depth
• No bending or painting of metal photo-etched parts
• The work is done with water, with no chemical adhesive

We recommend starting with the least accessible parts and working toward the panel, which comes last. Between the individual pieces it is best to let the film dry completely, otherwise the neighboring part shifts when it is pressed down. The aircraft model and consumables are not in the package.