WIP Flying Heritage Collection's Focke-Wulf A5

[huub vink]

Although there is only one picture available from the FHC Focke-Wulf A5, I have started a repaint based on the information I have. Below some 'early' work in progress pictures.

The FHC Focke-Wulf A5 has been painted in the same colours it had on the day it was lost. The aircraft was painted in 'local' colours, most likely using available Russian paint over a standard Luftwaffe day fighter scheme. As there isn't a picture from the port side of the aircraft yet, this is a bit of guessing.

It is work in progress, but I thought you might like the pictures. On request of 'Chunk' the aircraft is a bit dirty. However as it is fully restored I didn't add any damage. And although the real thing doesn't have a droptank I will include textures for tank with 'Kein bombe' stencils.

Cheers,
Huub

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP1_FHC_A5.jpg


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP1_FHC_A5_1.jpg

[Lewis-A2A]

ohhh lovely :ernae:

[Bomber_12th]

Excellent job Huub! I can't wait to have this A-5 scheme in the sim!
Here is a photo posted by FHC of the other side of the aircraft (note the werk no. on the top of the vertical tail and modern registration under the horizontal):

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/180625_10150101718713666_13883518665_6254485_63680 93_n.jpg

Both photos posted by FHC were taken in the bright Arizona sun, very shortly after the paint had been applied with no flights on the aircraft since the paint had been applied - I am really looking forward to when it is in Seattle, with much less sunlight, and some exhaust and oil mixed in.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/165326_10150099029673666_13883518665_6228767_50347 62_n.jpg

[huub vink]

Thanks for the nice words and picture from the port side! It looks very different than I thought, so still much to do. Do you, by any chance, know the civil registration code? BTW I worked the same way as on the real aircraft and started with a standard paint scheme so when I have the "Werk Nummer" in the correct place I just erase some green paint around it...... ;)

Ferry van Orden made some pictures from the Flugwerk FW190 A8/N when it was on Lelystad. The aircraft was covered much more dirt/oil than I had expected. (The aircraft also had an oil leak, but the dirt from the exhaust was incredible)

Cheers,
Huub

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP1_FHC_A5_2.jpg

[Bomber_12th]

Hi Huub, here are the proper color swatches, as researched out by Mark Sheppard, who followed this restoration for two decades. The color swatches came from sampling an area of the tail, where the paint had never faded (unlike most of the rest of the airframe when it was recovered).

Upper Most/Final Scheme Colors:
http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=30215+30045+34083+35414&size=xl
Eastern Theatre Yellow Markings
http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=33538

Good discussion by Mark here:
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=39483

[Bomber_12th]

Registration number is N19027
(Vulcan Warbirds Inc. (Paul Allen) being the actual on paper owner as with all FHC aircraft - http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Name_Results.aspx?Nametxt=VULCAN+WARBIRDS+INC&sort_option=1&PageNo=1)

It will be interesting to see how dirty the BMW 801 will be in regular operations - I personally don't think it will be nearly as dirty as the Chinese-built Ash82 engines in the various Flugwerk replicas, but time will tell. Photos of the aircraft with a few test flights under its belt (before paint), there's really not that much exhaust staining - it is about comparable to a regular P&W R-2800 exhaust stain.

[Cag40Navy]

Can you make a clean version of her too?

[huub vink]

Thanks for the information and indeed a very interesting discussion about the colours. When I started this repaint I almost automatically took the standard RLM colours. However that absolutely didn't look like the pictures from the restored A5. Therefore I based this repaint on the actual restored A5. My repaint is a bit darker than the pictures to compensate for the Arizona sun.

The use of RLM62 is not very logical as this was used in three colour pre-war and not used since 1939. Therefore I do not expect it was still produced in 1943. According to my information RLM 81 and 82 were introduced not before 1944. As the aircraft crashed on Monday 19th July 1943, the colours RLM 70, 71 or 80 ar perhaps more logical. And even the use of RLM 79 (Sandgelb) is very doubtful, because why would anybody supply paint for a tropical scheme to a unit in the North of Russia? Especially while the units in tropical areas often used the standard grey day fighter scheme as there was no other paint available......

So I think the assumption made by FHC is a logical one. Most likely the aircraft was repainted with whatever paint was available.

I have had many interesting discussions about colours in the past. Paint was made by various factories and you should wonder whether these factories were capable to maintain the standards while being bombed daily, with often foreign people who were forced to work in these factories and with huge logistic problems due to which supplies were constant problem. And even when you do have some original chips of RLM paints, you should really wonder whet the effect of 70 years of age have on the colour.

Cag40Navy, I don't know whether I will make a clean version. I have been thinking to make two different versions. One as it most likely looked in July 1943 and the other as clear restored version.

Cheers,
Huub

[doublecool]

Looking forward to this Huub :salute:

[Bomber_12th]

About paint consistency, it is said that in the cockpit of the aircraft, there were multiple shades of RLM66 from one electrical box to the next, with one shade being about 7 tints lighter than the darkest, and with all points in between. This was all copied on the restored aircraft. Details like this, one would never know about without the survival of this airframe in such preserved state.

There are numerous other 'interesting' aspects of this aircraft which have been recreated as found. For instance, the aircraft was not fitted with two wing mounted MG/FF 20mm cannons. The central wheel well covers were also removed and a central ETC501 bomb rack was fitted.

What's also amazing is that, while the canopy had been broken in the original forced landing, a complete example was brought up from I believe an under-water wreck, and that is what is being used on the aircraft now - so it also has original Fw 190 canopy glazing as well - not to mention some 85-90% or more of its original structure and skins.

Huub, going off of your last comment, I would love it if you were to package together the two different versions!

[Mathias]

There are numerous other 'interesting' aspects of this aircraft which have been recreated as found. For instance, the aircraft was not fitted with two wing mounted MG/FF 20mm cannons. The central wheel well covers were also removed and a central ETC501 bomb rack was fitted.


That shouldn't come as a surprise really.
The MGFF was an option only from the A-2 through A-5. It was delivered with each new plane but not mounted. It was up to the units to mount them or not.
When the bomb rack was fitted the moving inner geardoors where replaced with fixed socalled "Fahrwerksrestabdeckungen". So it's all standard procedures.

Interesting on the RLM66 shades. Wonder how much the wet climate in those 50 years added to it.

[huub vink]

I had seen the comments made by Mark about the missing machine guns already. It is a pity the top picture in Bomber's post is a bit bigger. Because it seems the port for both the inner as outer guns are visible in the wing edge. When this is true the aircraft could have been fitted with the two additional guns, which were removed afterwards (this would explain Mark's remark). As Mathias already explained the outboard machine guns were optional and the inner doors had to be removed to install the ETC501. What Mathias didn't mention is that the Classics Hangar late FW190 variants package contains the A5 with and without the additional machine guns.
And when you remove the ETC501 rack the central wheel well covers will appear again.
(see images below)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP2_FHC_A5_3.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP2_FHC_A5_4.jpg

About the paint, I have some paint chips from a Messerschmitt Bf109 G6 which was excavated a few years ago and which is currently on display in the Atlantic Wall museum in my village. This G6 was reasonably new when it crashed and painted in the RLM74/75/76 standard day fighter scheme.

There are two wings from another Bf109 G6 in a reasonable fair state in the Crash museum in Rijssenhout. These wing are also painted in RLM74/75/76. And I have some paint chips from this aircraft as well. As units were most re-armed when they were in the Netherlands this aircraft was most likely quite new as well. When I put the small chips next to each other, there is already quite some colour difference. The paint is over 70 years old and the G6 in my village has been preserved under different conditions than the two wings.

Most paint I have used in my house over the last twenty years doesn't have the same colour as it had when I applied it........

Work in progress! I think I have the scheme captured. (Compare with the pictures posted by John 'Bomber_12th' Terrell.) Now I just have to finish the details.....

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP2_FHC_A5_2.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP2_FHC_A5_1.jpg

Cheers,
Huub

[Mathias]

That looks splendid, Huub! Looking forward to flying it.
Thanks also to John for sharing his sources.

Cheers

[Sundog]

Outstanding! I can't wait to fly it in this scheme.

[Bomber_12th]

Fantastic stuff Huub! It definitely looks the part!

Mathias, thank you for informing me about the 'option' for the outboard cannons - amongst many things concerning German aircraft, I did not know that. Details like the bomb rack/gear door modifications have made me admire your attention to detail on the Fw 190 even more so! While not seen installed within the photos, it is my understanding that the two forward fuselage MG's and the two wing-root cannons will be installed after the aircraft is at the FHC museum in Washington - that way they won't have to deal with transporting firearms over state boarders.

Attached is a photo taken of the aircraft during early flight testing, and along the leading edge of the wings you can see the two oval-shaped metal-plates covering the ports for the outboard cannons. Because of this, would that then mean that it did have them at one point but they were then removed? It appears that during flight testing, various exposed areas were covered with tape - my guess is to prevent dust and dirt being picked up and settling within the confines of the wing. (Photo credit given to "Morrisrc" at ASB.TV - note also the red-ringed tire on the right side - as found, only the right tire had the red-ring, and this now holds true through the restoration as well.)

[Mathias]

Attached is a photo taken of the aircraft during early flight testing, and along the leading edge of the wings you can see the two oval-shaped metal-plates covering the ports for the outboard cannons. Because of this, would that then mean that it did have them at one point but they were then removed?

No, they came out of the factory like that, with provision for carrying the MGFF.
It was a design decision to not model the oval shaped covers in our CH 190.
Doing that to some meaningfull quality would have required to add more poligon edges to the wing's leading edge, something I didn't really want to do.
As a modeller you know that those edges have to end somewhere. In our case at the forward wingroot which you probably can guess is one of the funkiest areas to do in that aircraft anyway, so....

[Chunk]

It looks AMAZING Huub! As I stated over at the Classics-Hangar forums...THANK YOU!

:salute:

[huub vink]

As both wheels use the same texture, I can't make one single red ringed tire. Therefore I decided to leave the red circle out.

Like today I will have to work long hours for the next few days. As I will do a clean version as well it will take a few day before I can finish it.

Cheers,
Huub

[Ferry_vO]

Looks great as usual Huub!




Ferry van Orden made some pictures from the Flugwerk FW190 A8/N when it was on Lelystad. The aircraft was covered much more dirt/oil than I had expected. (The aircraft also had an oil leak, but the dirt from the exhaust was incredible)


Even though the F-AZZJ ditched into the North Sea only a few months after it's first flight and even though Mathias FW packs do not have the correct model I would still like to see a repaint of the Flugwerk bird someday.. (Nudge nudge, wink wink..) BTW the Flugwerk bird had a Yak-3 engine which may have been as 'smokey' as most Russian engines seem to be. The prop leak didn't appear until late afternoon and the engine wasn't running at that moment.

[huub vink]

Ferry, I hope you don't mind, but I dug up two pictures from you to show the dirt on the Flugwerk FW190 A8/N. I have an other pictures taken by you which shows how greasy and full with thick black exhaust dust the bottom of the plane was covered.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/IMG_5735.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/IMG_5957.jpg

Both pictures taken by Ferry van Orden on Lelystad airfield in August 2009

Ferry when you have some pictures which show the pattern on the wings I will start this repaint after I have finished the current one.

Cheers,
Huub

[huub vink]

No need to dive in your archives Ferry, I found some perfect pictures from the wings.....

http://www.dorst-freiburg.de/BilderStregaHP/Fw190A8N/Fw190%20A8N%20F-AZZJ(3).jpg

http://www.dorst-freiburg.de/BilderStregaHP/Fw190A8N/Fw190%20A8N%20F-AZZJ(6).jpg

and the current state:

http://www.dorst-freiburg.de/BilderStregaHP/Fw190%20A8N%20F-AZZJ/Fw190%20A8M%20F-AZZJ%2008-10-2010%20(4).jpg

The aircraft has been sold to a German investor and is currently being restored by a company called MeierMotors (as you can see it is in good company ;)). The main problem is the engine. The current engine is badly damaged and there isn't an alternative available.

Cheers,
Huub

[Ferry_vO]

Thanks in advance Huub!

This one shows the top of both wings:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/BGL%20fly%20in/IMG_5836.jpg

And the bottom:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/BGL%20fly%20in/IMG_5652.jpg

You can find more and larger images here: http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Ferror/BGL%20fly%20in/

[Bomber_12th]

Jerry Yagen's Flugwerk FW 190 A8/M "D-FMFW" would be another excellent one, as it has a very interesting, accurate, historical paint scheme.
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=39455

(There have been 21 Flugwerk FW 190's manufactured in all - most all of which have been built with the Russian/Chinese Ash 82 - though one of the examples, which has been flying in the U.S. for the last few months, was built with a R-2800 and better-shaped cowl)

[Mathias]

, which has been flying in the U.S. for the last few months, was built with a R-2800 and better-shaped cowl)


Ha, someone else noticed it!
It's really sad that Flugwerk didn't get it right.
It looks to me as if they should have looked at more period photos rather than Arthur Bentley's otherwise excellent drawings. The same error you see in most FS FW190 models too, btw.
They made the engine nacelle from a perfectly symmetrical cylinder and just bulged the inner part between the MG's firing channels upwards while in reality you can draw a straight line from the forward nacelle all the way to the windshield what makes the entire upper half unsymmetrical.

This shot of the restored A-5 shows it very well how it should be

http://www.classics-hangar.de/privat/fw190_cowl_A-5.jpg


....and the not so perfect Flugwerk shape.
Of course it has the MG131 bulgs but that should not affect the nacelle's shape.
Also, part of it is the fact that the Flugwerk machines have a large intake on the upper nacelle.
Too bad, an opportunity missed.
http://www.classics-hangar.de/privat/fw190_cowl_flugwerk.jpg

[huub vink]

I currently don't have much time, due to real life business, but I'm still making progress....

Clean...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/Final_FHC_A5_2.jpg

Dirty

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/Final_FHC_A5_1.jpg

Weathered!!!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/Final_FHC_A5_3.jpg

I will try to upload the clean and dirty version this weekend. The weathered version might never be finished as I use it to improve my weathering skills. So far I only did the nose section and one wing (just started the second one).

Cheers,
Huub

[Mathias]

Oh, great stuff! Me wants weathering. Can't see a reason why you would want to hold it back. :salute::wiggle::wavey::jump:

[paulb]

Hi Huub

That's coming along really well. :applause:

I too prefer the weathered version. As you know, weathering can take as long as painting the rest of the aircraft - and its harder to do well. But you can't beat a nicely weathered aircraft, especially when you hit that 'sweet spot' of weathering it just enough, but not too much! I particularly like the wing.

Cheers

Paul

[Cag40Navy]

Thank you huub!!

[huub vink]

Oh, great stuff! Me wants weathering. Can't see a reason why you would want to hold it back. :salute::wiggle::wavey::jump:

I do intend to hold it back, but I'm more wondering whether I will be able to finish it.... Like Paul mentioned in the post above, weathering takes much more time than doing the basic repaint. But below progress from this evening.

Cheers,
Huub

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/Final_FHC_A5_4.jpg

[DennyA]

If you hear about the bird making it to Renton, drop me a PM and I'll go over and get some pictures. I take my son over to the FHC a few times a year. :)

[Chunk]

I'll definitely grab both the clean and dirty versions Huub. I must say though, for just starting to toy around with weathering, you've done a bang up job! If you ever do upload the weathered version, I'll be all over it. It looks amazing! I can't wait to fly her.

[huub vink]

If you hear about the bird making it to Renton, drop me a PM and I'll go over and get some pictures. I take my son over to the FHC a few times a year. :)

Thanks for the offer Danny, really appreciated. As I took the colours from the pictures taken in Arizona, I'm really curious to see the colours in the more moderate light in Washington.


I'll definitely grab both the clean and dirty versions Huub. I must say though, for just starting to toy around with weathering, you've done a bang up job! If you ever do upload the weathered version, I'll be all over it. It looks amazing! I can't wait to fly her.

Well you can almost fly them as they have been uploaded to the usual places. Almost all repaints I do are weathered warbirds, however I'm currently trying out some new techniques. I have some doubts whether the real aircraft was this weathered as it was manufactured in April 1943 and lost on 19th July 1943 ;).

BTW who said display aircraft were clean...... http://www.dorst-freiburg.de/BilderStregaHP/Fw190A8N/Erstflug%20Fw190%2019-07-2010%2892%29.jpg

Cheers,
Huub

[Mathias]

BTW who said display aircraft were clean...... http://www.dorst-freiburg.de/BilderStregaHP/Fw190A8N/Erstflug%20Fw190%2019-07-2010%2892%29.jpg

Cheers,
Huub

Yep, that's cool! You get that right after your first flight with an Anton regardless of the installed engine it seems. That's btw the sole reason why some JG's began painting a black eagle wing on the sides, just to hide the exhaust stain from the enemy so that they don't get the idea the 190's motor would be sick or something. :-)

[Smashing Time]

Nice work Huub! Don't worry about a lot of paint chipping except for the areas of foot scuffing and most used access panels. Too much can take away from the complete look. I would concentrate on overall water, dirt & oil staining. :salute:

[huub vink]

Nice picture Rick. Don't worry I will take your advise. The real A5 was painted in the standard factory scheme in April and had already received a fresh layer of paint before it was lost in July!

I couldn't resist to make a small start with the next one..... Not much, most you see is the generic paint scheme from the Classics Hangar paint kit.

Cheers,
Huub

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP1_FAZZJ.jpg

[paulb]

Hi Huub

Well done on the FH repaint. I am flying the dirty one!

Cheers

Paul

[huub vink]

I'm glad you like them Paul. And like you I prefer the dirty version.

Cheers,
Huub

[huub vink]

Paul Barry kindly informed that there is a minor difference between the download version and the boxed Flight1 version, due to which some shared textures not show up. Luckily it is easy to solve. In the my files the texture configuration file (texture.cfg) from the download version is included. when you have the Flight1 version and you experience problems, you can just copy the texture configuration files from the Flight one textures and overwrite the one in my add-on texture folder.

I hope this makes a bit sense, because it is actually harder to describe than to do............

Cheers,
Huub

And I woke up early this morning and made some progress.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP2_FAZZJ.jpg

[Ferry_vO]

:ernae: Looking good Huub!

[Mr.Mugel]

That repaint is beautiful! Thank you Huub! Looking forward to more! Wanted to do some screens, but had some trouble with the FW... It didn´t get above 300km/h in level flight, had that before, doesn´t get faster even with the throttle fully open. I guess I missed some important step somewhere...

[Roger]

Glad you decided to release the weathered version Huub...great stuff:ernae:

[Bomber_12th]

Huub, I thought you might like to see this photo which I lifted today from the WIX forums. All credits go to WIX member Chad Veich. Mr. Veich has stated that now viewing the colors in person, with the paint actually now fully dried, the colors are much more subdued than the original FHC photos indicate. As of right now, the aircraft is still in the Arizona sunlight.

Again, excellent job on the repaint, and I can't thank you enough for doing it Huub - I have been enjoying flying it around Paine Field very much! I look forward to any and all you have yet to come!

[jankees]

took my first flight with it today, and it looks wonderful, Huub, excellent job. was so happy I forgot to take screenshots, very uncharacteristic...

[Smashing Time]

A couple technical notes:
For JG2 the field applied eagle is brought up to the bottom edge of the gun hood and is painted over the fuel marking.
The fuel marking had a standard specs for all Luftwaffe aircraft of what appears to be 80 mm wide on the Fw 190.

:kilroy:

[Bomber_12th]

Another completed Flugwerk FW 190 in the U.S., currently under the spray-gun, ahead of its first flights:

http://s960.photobucket.com/albums/ae90/wcn/

Although this aircraft is a Flugwerk machine, nearly everyting internally has been rigged/recreated to match the original Focke-Wulf 190's apart from the engine setup. This aircraft is owned by Dan Kirkland and is registered as Flugwerk FW 190A-5 WNr.1134 N190DK, having been built/worked on by Gosshawk Unlimited, the same company responsible for the restoration of FHC's original Fw 190D-13, and finishing the restoration of their original Fw 190A-5, the subject of this thread.

[huub vink]

John, thanks for the picture. On the positive side; I think I'm not far from the actual colours. On the negative side; I see some points where my scheme isn't like the real thing. However as nobody noticed so far, I don't think I will do an update.

Rick, thanks for the information. But my repaint isn't a JG2 machine but the Flugwerk FW190A-8N replica, which was ditched before the French coast last year. The eagle painted on this aircraft was quite different from the real JG2 Eagle (this painter had a lot of fantasy!)
The fuel stencils on the model come from a separate generic texture which I haven't modified yet. But it will be gone in the final version.

Today I had an early rise and flew some Mustangs for a while.... I also did some painting, but not that much progress to report today. I have the alignment of the eagle finally right and I'm working on the weathering as the real F-AZZJ was always quite dirty!
I'm doing this repaint the wrong way round as I have to do the camouflage scheme (I'm currently using the generic scheme from the paint kit) and I still have to do all markings.

Cheers,
Huub

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/fsscr005.jpg

and the real thing in better times..... (picture by Ferry van Orden)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/IMG_5957.jpg

[Smashing Time]

But my repaint isn't a JG2 machine but the Flugwerk FW190A-8N replica, which was ditched before the French coast last year. The eagle painted on this aircraft was quite different from the real JG2 Eagle (this painter had a lot of fantasy!)

That's Horst Hannig's machine.
http://www.airfighters.com/photo/52624/M/Private-Private/Flug-Werk-FW-190A-8-N/F-AZZJ/


:kilroy:

[huub vink]

That's Horst Hannig's machine.
http://www.airfighters.com/photo/52624/M/Private-Private/Flug-Werk-FW-190A-8-N/F-AZZJ/


:kilroy:

That's what it should depict. But there are a few differences between the real thing and the replica. I will try to make it as close to the replica as possible. (There is no Flugwerk FW190A-8N in the package ;) To have the bump in the nose I have used the A8 version, Hannig flew the A4 version. )

It seems Dan Kirkland's Flugwerk will have a nice scheme as well, hopefully they will work not too fast otherwise there will be more Flugwerks for me to repaint than I can handle :d

Cheers,
Huub

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP3_FAZZJ.jpg

[Chunk]

Thanks Huub, the FHC texture is amazing!!!

[huub vink]

Nearly there.....

cheers,
Huub

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Huub_Vink/WIP4_FAZZJ.jpg