Introduction

This kit boxing is a "Limited Edition Dual Combo" with a Bonus 1/144 scale Me262 kit included. In essence three complete kits in one box with the third being the Me262.

Optional Markings

• Fw 190D-9, W.Nr. 600424, Lt. Heinz Sachsenberg, Munich - Riem airport, Germany, April - May 1945
• Fw 190D-9, W.Nr. 600?69, Hptm. Waldemar Wübke, Ainring airbase, Austria, May 1945
• Fw 190D-11, W.Nr.2200??, Lt. Karl-Heinz Hofmann, Munich – Riem airport, Germany, April - May 1945
• Fw 190D-9, W.Nr. 210240, Oblt. Klaus Faber, Ainring airbase, Austria, May 1945
• Fw 190D-11, W.Nr.2200??, Red 2, Munich – Riem airport, Bad Aibling, Germany, April - May 1945

History

After falling out of Hermann Göring’s good graces at the end of 1944, General of the Fighters Adolf Galland was relieved from duty and subsequently given an opportunity to form his own fighter unit to attack the bomber streams over Germany. The result was JV44. The unit also contained the Fw190D high performance heavy fighter whose mission was to protect the Me262’s from Allied fighters when taking off. Becoming airborne was when the Me262’s were most vulnerable (along with the landing approaches). JV44 became operational in April of 1945 and therefore had a brief career at best.

A detailed history of the unit is contained on the first page of the instruction booklet. These kits will build up into very interesting variations with the red and white recognition striped undersides. Like the Allied so-called “Invasion Stripes” used on low level operational aircraft in the “D-Day” invasion period, these were meant to keep their own anti-aircraft from shooting them down.

The Kit

Box contents:

• 2 -complete airframe kits in 5-bags. Each bag contains two identical parts trees
• 2-bags of identical clear parts
• 1-bagged photoetch containing one fret with pre-painted duplicated etched sets
• 1-bagged masking set
• 1-bag containing (1) 1/144 scale Me 262 “bonus” kit
• 1 decal sheet containing stencil and national markings for two Fw190D‘s and personal markings for aircraft; also 1/144 Me 262 markings
• 1 full color instruction book

First, let me apologize for the background in the photos. Using the grid seemed like a cool idea at the time. A lesson learned.

I believe that anyone reading this review will have the skills required to build a very satisfactory model from this kit. In that respect I don’t think I need to give a blow-by-blow of the assembly process. I have “dry-fit” the major parts of importance and my comments relate to that.

I found a very small amount of flash on the parts when I removed them for taping the mating parts. This was nothing of consequence and easily taken care of with a couple of swipes with a sanding stick or diamond fingernail file. Panel lines are engraved and small part are very delicately molded.

The wings feature no locating holes/pins but should fit together fine when using touches of liquid cement to get them aligned and permanently affixed. The fuselage halves have a similar problem but do feature a locator hole/pin combination near the tail and another near the nose. The wings consist of four parts: The lower span is in one piece with the upper span being two pieces with the space in the center section for the fuselage. A separate spar passes through both wings just aft of the wheel wells. The spar also makes up the aft bulkhead of the wheel wells. There is also a “fabric” or “leather” representation (part) simulating the closure between the fuselage and wheel-wells. Dry-fitting shows that the wings and horizontal tail planes should mate perfectly to the fuselage.

The cockpit consists of a single piece floor and side consoles molding, seat and both upper and lower instrument panels. The instruments and side consoles are supplemented by the use of prepainted photoetch of very high quality. Use of photoetched parts is extensive and includes panels, seat belts, and cockpit accents such as rudder pedals, throttle lever, instrument bezels, etc.

The wing root cannon bays can be left open and have the cannon breech assembly included. The two machine guns mounted in front of the windscreen are very impressive and shouldn’t need any additions to look like they belong there. The forward part of this gun bay is the after side of the engine compartment bulkhead. It is heavily detailed with the supercharger, engine supports and a high level of engine accessories.

The main landing gear is quite detailed and should need only brake lines added. The instructions show the correct camber for the wheels in relation to the struts and oleos. The tail wheel is in three parts consisting of the wheel and two strut halves. The scissor linkage appears to be in the extended, unloaded position.

The only external store on the aircraft is a centerline fuel tank.

There are many more parts to this kit than I can describe here and these are doubled in count by the “Dual Combo” boxing. You get two complete kits with personal markings for four different aircraft pilots. You also have several assembly options in that gun bays can be left open or closed, as can the canopies. The ailerons are separate and positionable and if you want to leave the landing gear up you can also assemble the tailwheel in the retracted position. Also there are slight variations in each specific aircraft taken into account.

Observations

I find the decal sheet (by Cartograf) interesting in that it has not only the “for European release” style two-part swastikas, but also a complete set of single part swastikas. Both are on the same sheet. Why would that be I wonder?

The kit is moulded in Eduard’s usual khaki colour plastic with very finely engraved detail. I am basically an out-of-the-box builder and pretty much loath to do a lot of add-on after-market parts. This offering is so detailed and has such a level of photoetched parts that it could easily be built out-of-box as a contest grade offering. This kit is a great value for anyone interested in the subject.

Closing

You may have noticed that this boxing contains a “Limited Edition Bonus Me 262 JV44” in 1/144 scale. It’s a nice little extra and anyone who can build a model in this scale should enjoy it. It’s pretty simple, of necessity, and should take about 10 – 15 minutes to assemble and even less to paint.

My thanks go to Eduard and IPMS/USA for this review kit.