Eduard 82141, Focke Wulf Fw 190A-3 Light Fighter. ProfiPack 1:48 Scale

Focke Wulf Fw 190A-3 Light Fighter 1:48 Scale

82141 - Eduard

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II.

Along with its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Focke-Wulf 190 Würger became the backbone of the Luftwaffe's Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force).

The twin-row BMW 801 radial engine that powered most operational versions enabled the Fw 190 to lift larger loads than the Bf 109, allowing its use as a day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft and, to a lesser degree, night fighter.

The Fw 190 A started flying operationally over France in August 1941, and quickly proved superior in all but turn radius to the Royal Air Force's main front-line fighter, the Spitfire Mk. V, especially at low and medium altitudes. The 190 maintained superiority over Allied fighters until the introduction of the improved Spitfire Mk. IX.

In November/December 1942, the Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front, finding much success in fighter wings and specialised ground attack units called Schlachtgeschwader (Battle Wings or Strike Wings) from October 1943 onwards.

The Fw 190 provided greater firepower than the Bf 109, and at low to medium altitude, superior manoeuvrability, in the opinion of German pilots who flew both fighters.

The Fw 190 A-3 was equipped with the BMW 801 D-2 engine, which increased power to 1,700 PS (1,677 hp, 1,250 kW) at takeoff by improving the supercharger and raising the compression ratio. Because of these changes, the A-3 model required a higher octane fuel—100 (C3) versus 87 (B4).

The A-3 retained the same weaponry as the A-2. The A-3 also introduced the Umrüst-Bausätze factory conversion sets.

The Fw 190 A-3/U3 was the first of the Jabo (Jagdbomber), using an ETC-501 centreline bomb rack able to carry up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs or, with horizontal stabilising bars, one 300 L (80 US gal) drop tank. The U3 retained the fuselage-mounted 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s and the wing-mounted 20 mm MG 151 cannon, with the outer MG FF being removed.

The Model

This 1:48 scale Fw 190 A-3 Light Fighter ProfiPACK release contains nearly 200 parts in grey plastic and 10 clear plastic parts, plus a colour photo-etched fret, canopy and wheel masks with markings for five nicely varied aircraft plus stencil decals.

This new series has no parts at all in common with Eduard's earlier 1:48 scale Fw 190 kits.

The kit features superb surface textures comprising crisp panel lines and very fine rows of recessed rivets where appropriate. The two-gun wing is supplied without inserts for bulges and panels and so is a full span lower wing and two single-piece upper wing halves. The colour photo-etched frets add useful detail and they match the realism of these components much better than if painted. The phot-etch fret provides the harness, instrument panel and side consoles in full colour, plus supplementary metal detail parts for the cockpit and aircraft exterior. The instrument panel incorporates all the tiny details of the dials and the characteristic coloured surrounds of the engine gauges.

ProfiPACK edition kit of German WWII fighter aircraft Fw 190A-3 in 1:48 scale. The kit offers A-3s armed with two cannons in the wings.

Model Kit Features:

• plastic parts: Eduard
• No. of decal options: 5
• decals: Eduard
• PE parts: pre-painted
• painting mask: yes
• resin parts: no

Kit requires glue and paint to complete - not included.