TOP FLITE FOCKE WULF FW 190D-9
PRODUCT REVIEW - PART III - FIBERGLASSING & PAINTING
by Steve Curry

Also see Part I - Construction and Part II - Adding Scale Details

Fiberglassing

Once the model is built, the second half of the project starts. The finish for a detailed scale model will probably take as long to complete as building the airframe. Remove all of the hardware from the model before sanding. Use 220 grit sandpaper and a stiff foam sanding block to smooth out the fuselage, wings, stabilizer, and fin. Sandpaper wrapped around soft foam rubber can be used for sanding concave areas like the wing root fillets. Other sanding tools can be made from wood scraps for sanding in corners or small concave areas like the fuselage machine gun troughs. Spray adhesive, like 3M 77, can be used to attach the sandpaper to your specialized sanding tools. After completely sanding with 220 grit, go back and re-sand the model with 320 grit sandpaper. When the sanding is complete, dust off the model, then wipe it down with a tack cloth to remove any residual balsa dust.

Putting a fiberglass finish on a model is not difficult and the extra effort you put into the model is well worth it. A painted warbird is so much nicer than a iron-on film-covered warbird. Once you get the fiberglassing process down, you'll never go back to iron-on covering. I used CST's 0.55 oz. fiberglass cloth for covering the Top Flite FW 190D-9. The 0.55 oz. cloth is light and strong after applying the finish resin, and provides an excellent surface for painting.

If you are new to the fiberglassing process, the cloth is applied to the model in sections. Start with the wing tops to get used to how things work. Cut a piece of fiberglass cloth about 1"-2" larger than the section you are covering. To do the wing tops, cut a piece of cloth that will cover one half of the wing (cover from the tip to wing root). Position the cloth over the area, then brush it out using a small clean paintbrush (1" to 2" is a good size) to smooth out any wrinkles and to get the cloth stuck down tightly to the wing surface. When covering the wingtip, use sharp scissors (or hobby knife) and slit the cloth so that it will fall over the edge of the tip without wrinkling. A neat trick to help getting the cloth to adhere is to drag the fiberglass cloth over carpeting. Dragging the cloth across carpet creates a static charge that will cause the cloth to cling tightly to the wing surface.

Once the cloth is in place on the wing, mix up enough finish resin to cover the cloth. With a .60 sized model, try one ounce of mixed finish resin and see if you have enough for coverage, adjust the amount of mixed resin as necessary afterwards. Use a different clean brush and start applying the finish resin from the center of the cloth outwards in a sunburst pattern. By applying the resin in this method, it prevents any wrinkling of the fiberglass cloth and keeps the cloth bound tightly to the wing surface. There may be some overlapping of the cloth but that is not a problem. Apply the finish resin down a little past the center of the leading edge, a little past the center of the wingtips and over the trailing edge. After the entire area (that is covered with cloth) has had resin applied to it, make a scraper and remove any excess resin from the fiberglass cloth. Scrapers can be made from many materials: old credit cards, plastic coffee can lids, scrap pieces of balsa sheet, etc. Be sure the area that makes contact with the wing surface is perfectly flat and that the edges of the scraper have been rounded to prevent snagging the cloth.

Using a flexible material for your scraper is a must since your scraper will need to conform to the shape of the model's surface. Scrape the resin from the model in the same way that you applied the finish resin. Remove the resin from the center outwards to prevent wrinkles. Scraping the cloths also presses the resin into the pores of the balsa sheet. The cloth will be bonded to the sheeting after the resin cures. After covering one half of the wing top, move to the second half of the wing top and perform the process the same as the first section. Acetone will work for cleaning your resin brush, but be sure to clean it thoroughly or it will turn to stone! Do not use the cleaned resin brush to smooth out the cloth, use two separate brushes. Allow the resin to cure overnight before covering the bottom of the wing. When the glass on the wing top has cured, lightly scuff the edges of your wing where the finish resin stops with 220 grit sandpaper. Trimming the excess cloth is done very easily this way. After trimming the excess cloth, blend out the resin edge until surface is smooth again. The bottom of the wing is covered exactly the same as the top.

The fuselage is a bit more difficult to cover, more cutting of the cloth is needed to fit around the horizontal stabilizer and to get the cloth to lay over the fin. I covered my fuselage from side to side; it can be done other ways, but this is the method I prefer. The elevators have already been attached and covered, so carefully mask them off before applying resin to the fuselage. Remove any tape from the elevator as soon as possible to keep the tape from pulling the covering loose from the elevator frame. Rotate the fuselage so that it is on its side. Cut the cloth large enough to cover the entire side of the fuselage. Patiently, trim the cloth to fit around the horizontal stabilizer and slowly work the cloth onto the shape of the fuselage using the clean brush. Slits will need to be made in the cloth around compound curves and over the spine. Since none of the bumps, blisters, or scoops have been put on the model yet, it shouldn't be too difficult to get the glass on the fuselage, it just takes a little time and patience. Once you have the cloth perfect, apply the resin the same way you did on the wing, from the center outward. Cover the stabilizer after you have completed the fuselage.

Using the same stiff foam sanding block that was used to sand the wooden airframe, sand the newly glassed surface with 220 grit sandpaper to knock down any high spots. Be careful not to sand through the finish resin into the cloth. After the glassed surface has been smoothed, sand again with 320 grit sandpaper. The sanding tools made earlier come in very handy when sanding out the resin finish. I have a box full of special sanding tools that have been used for different projects, you'd be surprised how often they are used. After the glassed surface has been sanded, clean it and wipe it down with a tack cloth.

Photo #1

Surface Prep and Panel Lines

The Top Flite FW 190D-9 was primed using Krylon sandable spray-can primer. Automotive primer can be used and will fill the glass weave much faster, but spray-can primer is so easy to use, the hassle of repeatedly cleaning the spray gun makes spray-can primer hard to resist. Spray a couple good coats on the model and then sand out the airframe with the foam block and 220 grit wet/dry sandpaper and water. You don't need to drench the model with water, you only want enough water to keep the sandpaper clean. As soon as the fiberglass weave is starting to fill, switch to 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper and continue sanding the model. When the weave has been filled, and the model is smooth, sand one more time with 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper and water. Keep the surface and the paper very clean to keep from scratching the surface (see Photo #1).

Three-view drawings show all of the distinct panel lines that need replication on the Focke Wulf. Using a dial caliper, a draftsman's ruler (or any device that can measure small increments), along with a calculator, the drawings can be scaled up and marked out on the model. Before placing the panel lines on the model, thoroughly clean the model's prepped surface and finish up with a tack cloth. A straightedge is used to mark the flat panel lines and a flexible ruler is used on the fuselage. These flexible rulers can be bought at art supply stores and are really handy for modeling chores like panel lines. All of the panel lines need to be marked out with a soft pencil or a fine tipped felt-tip pen. Do not use anything that will damage the model's surface. Drafting tape is layed over the panel line marks; 1/64" tape is used on smaller scale models like the 1/6.5 scale Top Flite FW 190D-9, with 1/32" tape being used in a few select areas. Carefully lay out the panel line tape, use a sharp hobby knife to trim the ends and intersecting points. Be careful not to cut the model's surface. After all of the panel lines are in place, spray several good heavy coats of primer over the drafting tape and allow the primer to cure for a day. Using the foam sanding block again, along with 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper and clean water, the model is sanded until the drafting tape shows through the primer. As soon as the drafting tape is visible, stop sanding. When sanding is complete, use a #11 hobby blade and pick up the edge of the drafting tape, then proceed to peel back the drafting tape and remove it from the model. After the drafting tape is removed, terrific looking panel lines are left (see Photos #2 & #3).

Photo #2

Photo #3

Rivets & Details

Hatches and other surface details can be simulated by using aluminum air conditioning duct tape. This tape is available at most hardware stores and comes in several different widths. To apply the hatches, measure the dimensions and location from the three-view drawings, cut the hatches to shape using sharp scissors or hobby knife and then burnish them into place with a rounded balsa stick. Hinges were simulated with aluminum wire glued into place and then notched with a Dremel and a #409 cutoff wheel. Latches were simulated using styrene plastic. Simulating clasps and other additional details can be added to the styrene using a sharpened brass tube or the riveter (see Photos #4 & #5).

Photo #4

Photo #5

Rivets.

If you want rivets you gotta really want them because it requires a lot of time and patience. Rivets are well worth the significant effort; when you are finished, they are the icing on the scale cake! I made a rivet burning tool using a soldering iron purchased at Radio Shack. The soldering iron has screw-on removable tips, I took the bluntest tip and filed the top of it flat and then drilled a 0.096" (#41 bit) hole down through the center. Another hole was drilled and tapped perpendicular to the first hole for a setting screw. Brass tubing is used to burn-in the rivets. I used two sizes of tubing for my model: 0.093" and 0.062". The tubing must be sharpened before using to make rivets - this keeps the impression of the rivet as fine as possible. To sharpen the tubing I just rotated the blade of my hobby knife around the inside of the tubing until the edge was sharp. Insert the tubing into the 0.096" hole, clamp it down with the set screw and you're ready to go make rivets.

Before applying rivets, the three-view drawings need to be consulted again and all of the lines for the rivets laid out on the model. In order to make nice straight lines of evenly spaced rivets, a jig was made using an 8" x 1" piece of 1/16" thick hardwood. A line was drawn down its center and then hash marks made every 5/32" along the centerline. A .089" (#43 bit) hole was drilled at each of the hash marks and then the part was divided down the center, leaving a riveting jig with half holes. This jig is only good for the .062" rivet, the larger rivets were applied by hand, without a jig, after marking the spacing on the model because there are only a few. To apply the rivets, I plugged in the iron and allowed it to heat up, taped the jig in place with masking tape along a rivet line, then took the soldering iron and lightly touched the primered model surface leaving great looking flush style rivets. The riveting process is time consuming and tedious but the end result is well worth the effort (see Photo #6).

Photo #6

Paint

To create an accurate finish for your Luftwaffe scale model you'll need accurate paint colors. Testors Model Masters paints offer most Luftwaffe colors and are accepted by the U.S. Scale Masters as being an accurate source of scale paints. The Model Master paints are a great source for smaller .60 sized models. Although the individual bottles seem expensive, the final cost of the finished painted model is comparable to other sources of paint. Even though the Model Masters paints are recognized as being accurate, some of the colors, notably RLM 70, do not closely match authentic paint chips. I recommend getting a set of paint chips for your library of Luftwaffe documentation. I am aware of four paint chip sources for Luftwaffe models: The Official Monogram Painting Guide to German Aircraft 1939-1945, the M&M Models Military Aircraft Color Guide, Federal Standard paint chips, and Eagle Editions Official Luftwaffe Color Chart.

The Monogram Guide is long out of print and demands a high resale price when one can be located. The M&M Guide is a good choice for the modeler who enjoys building aircraft from different nations involved in the WWII conflicts. The M&M Guide is good for an all-around guide but does not specialize in a particular nation. The Federal Standard colors are a good choice for Luftwaffe modelers. I have compiled a list of F.S. numbers from several different sources that will give the modeler a comprehensive collection of Luftwaffe RLM colors.

F.S. Numbers To RLM colors

Probably the best source for RLM color chips is the Eagle Editions Luftwaffe Color Chart. Jerry Crandall is a Luftwaffe aircraft expert and has created a color chart from color samples provided by the original paint supplier to the Luftwaffe during WWII.

Testors Model Masters does not have a formula for the blue-green color used frequently on very late war German aircraft. The aircraft I chose to model was painted in the blue-green so another source for paint was needed. I used the Eagle Editions Color Chart to have my local hardware store mix up a quart of water-based latex paint. My first thoughts were to use automotive paint, but the cost was so prohibitive that I was willing to try the water-based latex instead.

Before painting, the model was cleaned completely and tacked. The blue-green latex is the aircraft's bottom color and the base color for the fuselage so it was the first to be applied. The water-based latex was mixed to the consistency of milk using windshield washer fluid and shot on the model using an automotive touch-up spray gun. The first coats were sprayed very lightly, allowing enough time between coats for the previous coat to set up. The reduced latex sprays on thin and requires a few coats to build up enough for good coverage. When finished with the blue-green latex, the spray gun was cleaned first with windshield washer fluid and lastly with denatured alcohol to remove any moisture from the spray gun.

The latex was allowed to set up for a few hours before coming back and spraying on the Model Masters RLM 82 and RLM 83 greens using a Testors Aztek airbrush. The camouflage was allowed to cure for a week before painting on the national markings and the Reich defense bands. National markings were applied using Model Masters enamels sprayed with an airbrush. Stencils for the markings were made using Frisket airbrush mask. Frisket is available at most art supply stores. The large national markings and the defense bands were masked using high quality automotive masking tape. Again, the model was left to cure for a week before detailing and weathering (see Photos #7 & #8).

Photo #7

Photo #8

Weathering & Details

Weathering is a step that really adds life to a model. First step in my process was to rub down the model with steel wool. I used 0000 steel wool, purchased at my local hardware store, and proceeded to rub down the entire model. After the model was rubbed down, the paint had a much more even tone and any dust flecks or other surface imperfection had been removed. Next I concentrated around the hatches, hinges and latches, rubbing them until the edges would show just a bit to highlight the details.

I wanted to apply a wash of a thin brown-black acrylic and water mix, but was not successful on the area I tested. The latex paint wanted to absorb the wash so I was unable to perform the wash step. I later talked to Roy Vaillancourt who is a expert with latex finishes. Roy said the wash technique is valid, but that the latex requires several months to cure before that step can be performed. I didn't want to wait several months so I used the "dirty" steel wool I had initially used to smooth the surface with and lightly re-rubbed the model. The dirty steel wool left streaks and deposits on the paint and the effect was very satisfactory. I want to use the wash technique with the latex paint, but it won't happen on this model.

While talking to my friend John Cole, he mentioned that my model would really come to life with some stenciling . I agreed and decided to look into making some stenciling decals. I picked up the materials from Micro Mark then used my computer to make the stencils. The stencil decals really helped to increase the model's realism (see Photos #9 & #10).

Photo #9

Photo #10

With all of the paint, markings, and stencils applied, it was time for the final fuelproof clear coat seal. I've used Perfect Paint dead flat clear on several models with good success. The Perfect Paint does not react with the Model Masters enamels or the latex paint if applied in successive light wet coats. The model was wiped down for the final time and two coats of clear was sprayed on.

Extras

Little things can make a big difference in the appearance of your scale model. Adding antennas, cannons, and machine guns to a warbird help to portray additional realism in the final steps of the scale package. Aluminum and brass tubing were used to build the guns and pitot tube. Music wire, aluminum tubing, styrene plastic, and epoxy were used to create the antennas.

The guns were painted flat black and then dry brushed with dull aluminum paint to highlight the edges and gun barrels. The antennas were detailed with the dry brush technique using darker shades of paint to better highlight their shapes.

A static prop is a must for scale competition. For my Focke Wulf, I made a mold for the spinner and prop blades, then layed up a fiberglass spinner and cast a set of polyester resin prop blades. The static prop was detailed using the same techniques described earlier in the text.

Conclusion

The Top Flite FW 190D-9 is a Sport Scale model that takes detailing very well. The outline of the airframe is good and requires only small adjustments to make it match the three-view drawings very closely.

Will the Top Flite FW 190D-9 win the Masters? Probably not. Can the Top Flite FW 190D-9 be competitive at your local Scale Masters Qualifier? Maybe. Will you have a great time building, detailing, and competing with your Top Flite FW 190D-9? Absolutely!

Also see Part I - Construction and Part II - Adding Scale Details