Eduard 1/48 Focke Wulf FW190D-9 Weekend
By Jacob Russell
The Plane
The Focke-Wulf FW190D-9 was a late-war conversion of the FW190 airframe. The FW190D used the 12 cylinder, liquid cooled Junkers Jumo 213A instead of the BMW 801A air cooled radial engine. Focke-Wulf added a 50cm extension fuselage plug at the rear of the plane to maintain the aircraft's center of gravity. The D-9 entered service with III/JG 54 in September of 1944. By the end of the War approximately 183 were in service, and perhaps more than 1800 were built. The D-9 was built mainly for combat operations above 20,000 ft. (7,000m) where Allied bomber formations operated. The D-9 was a very good aircraft that could hold its own against the best of the Allied fighters.
The Model
This is the new Weekend Edition of the D-9 kit, which means you get a single decal option and no masks or photo-etch. The kit (item number 84100) is packaged in Eduard's customary stout cardboard box. It consists of 133 parts on 6 sprues. 8 of these parts are clear (and separately bagged), and 10 more parts are unused. The kit is molded in Eduard's light brown plastic. The wings and fuselage feature very fine engraved panel lines and convincing rivet detail. The inner recesses of the wing gun bays are molded as part of the fuselage halves-nicely done! The ailerons and rudder are separately molded and can posed in a displaced position. There are 2 pairs of main wheels (ribbed and smooth tires) and tailwheels (a single piece or multi-piece option).
The exhaust stacks are molded with accurate raised weld seams. You might spend some with a micro drill bit to open up the ends to enhance their detail. The oleo scissors for the landing gear are individual pieces. You can choose from open or closed cowl flaps, and the "early" (flat) and "late" (bulged) canopies. I think that the kit propeller is the VS 111 and it looks pretty good. This kit is the only 1/48th D-9 available with correct open wheel wells and visible lower engine.
Eduard provides the latter with a 12 piece assembly which attaches to the lower front of the upper cowling gun bay assembly. The wing and cowling gun bays are very detailed and can be displayed with their respective access doors open and there is accurate and convincing detail on the door's inside faces. You get a separate wing spar for the rear of the wheel well and individual cannon barrels that you can attach in the final assembly phase. You also get to choose from a drop tank or 500 lb. bomb to fit on the lower fuselage rack.
The cockpit consists of 11 pieces and this will look quite convincing with detail painting, some dry brushing on raised areas-and a set of Eduard's photo-etched seat belts.
The single decal option is "Black 1", Oblt. Hans Dortenmann, IV./JG 26, 1945. The plane was painted RLM 82/83/76 with black/white RVD (Reich Defense) band. The fin and rudder were painted RLM 04 Yellow, and the spinner was painted black. The decals are in register, well printed, and include a complete set of stencils.
Accuracy
I laid the wings and fuselage on the 1/48th scale plans in Kagero Publications' Focke Wulf FW190 Volume IV, and the kit is very close to the plan dimensions-it looks every inch the late war Wurger (butcher bird).
Conclusion
This is a great kit! I would advise you to take your time with the multi-piece upper gun bays, wing gun bays and wheel wells for the best results. The cockpit is very detailed right out of the box. I would add a set of Eduard photo-etched seatbelts, some brake lines to the landing gear, and call it done. I would like to thank Eduard for providing the review sample.
References
Focke-Wulf FW190 Volume IV, by Krzysztof Janowicz, Kagero Publications, 2004
