Number two for the photo GB

[stona]

Looking good Steve, I'll be interested to see it in it's winter coat.Cheers

Paul

Me too!

I've got it decalled up as it would have been in the autumn before the winter camo was applied. Decals are from the kit (generic Fw190 and swastikas which happened to be correct) otherwise from the spares box and homemade. They're applied onto a splosh of Klear as I didn't want to gloss the whole model before applying the white.

Microsol this afternoon while I entertain myself with a spinner spiral and hopefully get some work done.

Cheers

Steve

[Vaughan]

Hi Steve

Looking good. Do you paint the spinner spiral free hand? and if so how?

Vaughan

[stona]

Cheers Vaughan. I have free handed spinner spirals. You've got to do it before you build the propeller assembly. Mine look a little wobbly but so did a lot of the real ones. I just fill a nice long brush and rotate the spinner against it. Blu-Tac and a cocktail stick and a metal table with holes through it help. I can rotate the spinner from underneath whilst it rests squarely on the table. I always use enamel paint for this because it tends to cover better,also if you mess it up it is easier to remove before having another go.

For this one I'm using a three part decal for the spiral. It's from some other kit but it's close to the ones visible on some of this aircraft's stable mates. Of course if I b*gger up the decals I'll be breaking out the paintbrush.

Cheers

Steve

[spanner570]

Very nice paint job Steve.

Seems a shame to cover most of it up with the white wash. I will follow with interest how you go about applying the stuff...

Was the white wash applied to the wings as well and was it brush or sprayed on? I ask because on most armour it was brush applied.

Was it water based, if so I suppose it would have to be re-applied after each mission.

Cheers,

Ron

[stona]

The Luftwaffe were caught short by the need for winter camouflage in the winter of 41/42 and all sorts of things were applied. They thought it was all going to be over by Christmas. When it wasn't they were better prepared for the following winter. In June 1943 "Luftwaffe Directive Sheet 27" gave an official designation for a white Ikarin aircraft paint,7126.21,to be used for "snow camouflage".

Another "Directive Sheet",number 43, issued 4/10/43 gave more information.

"The following is to be used for the winter camouflage of aircraft and aircraft equipment,provided such latter is fitted to the aircraft or protrudes from it (e.g.on board armament)

Camouflage paint,white aircraft paint 7126.21"

This paint was also to be used on "anti icing covers (snow and frost covers for wings and tail surfaces)" and "aircraft tarpaulins".

This paint provided a permanent finish,it was not,as you will often see quoted,a distemper but an aviation lacquer. It could be applied by "brush,broom or spraygun". Der Flugzeugmaler (the aircraft painter) book,1944 edition, suggests paint brushes. I have plenty of evidence that it was often sprayed and I think my subject was. Luftwaffe units seem to have been well equipped with spray equipment unlike the RAF who usually had one spraygun per airfield! There was no set scheme for the winter camouflage patterns and it was not therefore described in L.Dv 521/1 of November 1944. Units were allowed to come up with their own schemes which is great for we modellers today.

Some units do seem to have used "removable paints" but this was usually achieved by applying an "insulating lacquer" beneath the white. I've never found any instructions for this just it's various reference numbers. Maybe Ray (Sprayman) would be able to cast some light on this stuff. I think semi-permanent would be a better description for the result as it evidently took a bit of work to get it off.

I've no idea what was done on the upper surfaces (wing and tailplane) of my aircraft so I've invented a scheme based on common sense and a little awareness of the sort of thing that was used by other units.

I've finished painting having agonised over the port side engine cowling. I have a photo of another aircraft from the same unit where these are left unpainted but I think mine is painted. I have decided that it is a replacement,you can just make out the remains of some kind of marking at the front of the cowling, and is painted. It is a very easy piece to replace and is easily interchangeable between aircraft. It doesn't match the rest of the camouflage.

Should be finished tomorrow or the next day and I'll take some piccies.

Cheers

Steve