HobbyBoss 1/18 FW 190

[Axis Nightmare]

I can't help but think HobbyBoss was planning on releasing a Focke Wulf 190F based on the unused parts in their 2 versions including wing racks and bombs with nowhere to put them on the planes. I can't even figure out how the wing racks would fit flush on the bottom of the wings. Has anybody here figured it out? I was hoping to do a mod of the A-5 to an F-8. There are definite left and right racks but there's a cutout in the rack that doesn't match the wing.

[aferguson]

Have you tried looking for online build reviews of the kit......both video and just written. Someone may be able to give you the answer..

[Axis Nightmare]

Good idea!!

[Axis Nightmare]

Well, I just finished watching 3 YouTube videos. The first British one was as baffled as I was. The A-5 kit came with 2 bombs and two wing racks but there's nothing in the instructions about using them and no holes to attach the racks in the bottom of the wings, even if they did fit. They show up on the sprue sheet but he noted, as I already knew, there's no notation of them not being used. The A-8 kits has 2 bombs but no wing racks. The A-8 also has the F-8 style canopy hood while the A-5 had the standard hood. The whole thing leads me to believe there was going to be an F-8 kit with yet another mold change to the wings. You can see where the wing mold changes were made on the A-8. An F-8 would be more like the A-5 with only adding a place for the bomb racks and solving the mystery of the odd shape of them. It looks to me like the F-8 was skipped and they went to the A-8. It would have been easier to add a place for the bomb racks to the basic A-5 wing. The changes to the A-8 were extensive and going back to the more A-5 like mold would be more difficult. There must be another part that was to go under the cut-out area of the wing racks that wasn't included in either kit. I've been trying to find a photo of the F-8 with a closeup of the single bomb wing racks to solve the mystery of the cut out on the part. The F-8 also requires the bulged gun hood in the A-8 kit, so the A-5 to F-8 is not an easy conversion. Oh well....

[aferguson]

If you haven't got an A-8 yet, get it, it was the the best version of the Fw 190. Then you'll have the canopy you need to mod the A5 into an F8, with a bit of work and research. The kits are going for cheap enough and all 3 versions of 190 are really cool.

[Axis Nightmare]

I already have the A-8 in progress and ready to start painting. I have an unstarted kit of the A-5. I need the fuselage hood over the guns for the F-8 and am kicking myself for not saving it for an F-8 conversion. I could easily trade the canopy hoods but I'd have to figure out what part is missing that goes with the wing racks to make them fit the wing. I contacted Trumpeter's parts service. Was hoping to get the fuselage gun hood from them. Got a quick reply that they were currently not shipping small parcels from China. That leaves me with purchasing another A-8 to get the fuselage gun hood. Then that one would have to be converted to an A-6 with the A-5 hood over the smaller guns. complicated....

[Axis Nightmare]

After further review....
Those wing racks don't seem to be for a standard F-8. They had double small racks to carry four smaller bombs on the wings. I did find photos of similar single racks on a G and a few others for fuel tanks, not bombs. Perhaps an "R" mod might have them for big bombs? Found zero photos of single bombs on wing racks. The bombs fit the racks that came with the A-5 kit. A fuel tank doesn't. More baffled than ever.

[aferguson]

surprising about the single bomb. I'm sure you'll figure it all out and when you do you'll have an impressive fleet of FW-190's. And don't worry if you can't get the racks to look perfect.....ie don't le the perfect be the enemy of the good. Better a good model than no model in my view. And try looking up reviews other than that of the 1/18 kit. 1/48 and 1/32 reviews of FW-190's may offer surprising insights.