Earlier this year, when I was batch building Ta 152s, I'd got a Dragon Ta 152C together or thereabouts.  It really is an ill fitting pig of a kit pretty much everywhere but no one is rushing to do another, more's the pity.  Anyway, it got abandoned like most things, probably around the time I had to build a 1/1 scale greenhouse.

Cut to Saturday when I decided to do something a bit different with a Fw 190D-9 that was kicking about and use Luftwaffe colours it never actually wore and ones I've never used.  The results were fantastic.  The base colour was a wonderful rich blue green and the mirror wave mottle I tried over the top didn't come out the way I'd intended but it was even more subtle and the overall effect was awesome.

It was then I remembered the partially assembled Ta 152C kicking about.  Much of the hard work was done, the wing assembly looks straightforward but it's tricky and getting the engine cowling to fit is a pain.  Much of the filling had been done.
So out with the sanders, assemble the supercharger intake, fit the tailplanes and yet more filling.  We get to this point.

You cannot view this attachment.

Now to tidy up the resin cowling. The Dragon one is wonderfully vague. Airwaves did a complete replacement cowling but the front is a copy of the Italeri 190 D-9, wrong for a Ta 152H, let alone the C.  Thankfully, someone decided to clone the cowling from the IBG Fw 190D-15 and cast a few for this specific task.  Needed a bit of filler and some sanding, but that didn't take too long.

Then add the horrible Dragon etch which is nigh on impossible to cut without the drill, the hedge trimmers and some ordinary household bleach.  But the few bits I'll be using are now on.

You cannot view this attachment.

After this was taken, a copy of the Kora torpedo rack went on and some filler too.

Can't wait to get some paint on this.

Better and better.................

Why you don't show the D-9 wth the wonderful blue-green etc...?

Because I'm keeping it for later.

It's later now! Come on!

Let's get one thing clear.  I build and post at my own rate. I model for me and no one else. If anyone gets entitled and think they can have me working faster, I'll down tools.  If it happens again, they'll be happily added to my Block list.

I've discovered yet another error in this utter parcel of crap.  I was decalling a cross kit, using the Dragon C wing* onto an Art Model H to get a Ta 152A-2, and the wing crosses just wouldn't line up properly.  So in the light of day I checked the wing panel lines and sure enough, they're out.  The starboard  aileron is longer than the port by a good 2mm and the resulting panel lines are out too.

Quote from: The Wooksta! on September 12, 2024, 04:17:03 AMLet's get one thing clear.  I build and post at my own rate. I model for me and no one else. If anyone gets entitled and think they can have me working faster, I'll down tools.  If it happens again, they'll be happily added to my Block list...

Yeah whatever.  Is it later enough now?

I did some more detail work.  The Dragon etch that goes underneath the supercharger intake was eaten by the carpet monster but I had a resin piece for the exact same job that was good enough.  Added the cowling hinges with stretched sprue and it's 110% better than before.

Two colours on - that blue-green still looks fabulous - and a fiddly and annoying masking session later, the last colour can go on.