The Revell Kit
This is a re-issue of Revell’s completely new-tool Focke-Wulf Fw190F-8 that first appeared in 2015. You can see a photo of the completed Revell manufacturer’s model and impressive it looks too – good shape and detail immediately apparent.
The model is similar in some ways to the Hasegawa release some years back – very easy and straightforward to build with good levels of detail across the board.
Gallery One
Gallery Two
Box and contents – what’s inside…?
The box is stacked full of parts all moulded in light grey and one of the first things you notice is the clear transparencies that include no less than 4 different styles of canopy!
Here’s a quick run-down:
- New mouldings
- Finely detailed surfaces with recessed panel joints
- A choice of open engine cowling, MG hatch or extended flaps
- Detailed BMW 801 radial engine with exhaust manifold
- Moving rudder and ailerons
- Centreline fuel tank
- Rotating propeller
- A choice of normal or curved cockpit canopy
- Detailed cockpit with side consoles and rudder pedals
- Detailed instrument panel
- Tail wheel can be mounted in either the retracted or extended position
- Detailed undercarriage
- A SC 500 or a SC250 bomb under the fuselage
- Four SC 50 bombs under the wings
- Two fully detailed MG 131 machine guns
- Large display stand with multiple flight positions.
Decal set for following versions:
- Fw 190 F-8/R1, black 6 , St.SG.10, Czech Territory, 1945
- Fw 190 F-8, black 2 , St.SG.10, Czech Territory, 1945
The grey sprues are packaged well and no damage is apparent. Taking the main components first, they are well tooled, recessed panel line detail with no excess flash as you’d expect on a new-tool kit. No distortion was apparent and a dry fit of the fuselage and wings reveals a very good fit of parts all round.
The cockpit looks acceptable with moulded cockpit instrument side and main panels. The seat is pretty basic on the real aircraft and so it is here too; no moulded belts and that’s great – better to add your own I feel. You may need to thin the seat plastic slightly for a more realistic scale-effect.
Stores
You can see for yourself that Revell has included plenty of stores options, and it’s good to see that these cover most of what Fw 190’s carried as Jabo aircraft. A SC 500 or a SC250 bomb under the fuselage and four SC 50 bombs under the wings. Centreline fuel tank is included.
Undercarriage sprues
The wheels bays and main gear units are central features of any Fw 190 kit and so, it’s good to see that they are well detailed here – very little will need to be added. Just some brake lines for the legs are needed.
Several tail wheel arrangements are included in case you want to display your model on the innovative stand provided.
BMW engine
This is definitely a highlight of the kit with double-bank of engine cylinders well detailed plus exhaust stacks and add to that the positionable access doors so that you can see the engine and this is a great addition. Normally Fw 190 ‘A’ series aircraft have their engines tucked away never to be seen but not this time ☺.
Clear parts
The clear parts look clear and the canopy rear portion is provided in two parts, so you can pose the canopy open or closed. The parts are clear and no defects apparent; the best thing is that blown or standard canopies are included, four versions in fact – impressive!
Instructions and decals
The Revell instructions follow their usual exploded stages format. Location of parts is clear but colour paint coding is for Revell paints only. However, the RLM colour references are provided and this will help you to match your own choice of paints. The build sequence is pretty standard and logical but many modellers will part company with the stated order to suit their experience.
The decals look to be good quality – certainly good subject choice, stencil detail is also provided and is almost always well worth adding, especially in 1:32 scale to add additional interest to your completed model. All the colours are in register and colour density looks impressive and carrier film limited, so I wouldn’t expect any problems with application.
Conclusion
This is a great subject and be popular with modellers, especially with those that have an interest in all things WWII Luftwaffe. The inclusion of a good colour schemes on Revell’s decal sheet is good to see and the model itself looks to be very well engineered at first glance and from the dry/test-fit.
There are multiple options in terms of dropped flaps, full engine detail, plenty of stores and canopy options – all at an extremely reasonable price; what’s not to like?
Geoff C.
SMN Quick summary Star rating out of 5
| FEATURE | STAR RATING (out of five) |
|---|---|
| Quality of moulding | **** |
| Accuracy | **** |
| Level of detail | ***** |
| Instructions | *** |
| Decals | **** |
| Subject choice | **** |
| Overall | **** |
