Shiny Dora!

[pyro-manic]

Here is my next finished build, a very shiny Fw190. Kit is the Academy D-9, decals are from the very nice Sky Decals 72-060 set, paint is mostly Citadel, all hand-brushed.


Fw190D-9 "Brown 10", Oblt. W. Radener, 7/JG26, January 1945 by pyro-manic, on Flickr

In August 1943, a series of Allied air raids on German industrial facilities destroyed several important chemical plants. This caused the manufacture of paints and solvents in Germany to come to an almost complete halt. The decision was made to restrict camouflage paint to tactical aircraft only, as it was reasoned that these aircraft were far more likely to be attacked on the ground due to their forward basing in France, the Low Countries or on the Eastern Front. Aircraft destined for Reich Defence units were to be left unpainted or - where stocks allowed - be painted silver to help prevent corrosion.

So it was that interceptor units such as JagdGeschwader 26 "Schlageter" were equipped with silver Focke-Wulf 190D "Dora" fighters. This metallic finish soon became a source of pride for experienced pilots, and when the paint supply crisis eased in 1944 many chose to keep their "silbervogel" mounts as a mark of honour.

The machine pictured here is Oblt. W. Radener's "Brown 10" as it was in early 1945, shortly after the disastrous "Bodenplatte" operation which wiped out much of the Luftwaffe's remaining strength. As German defences collapsed in the spring of 1945, many of these fighters were hurriedly camouflaged with whatever paint was to hand, but some of them flew as Silbervogels until the final moments of the war.

I must confess, I'm getting a very strong urge to do this again, but in 1:32, and with big heraldic badges. And possibly the pre-war red tail stripe around the swastikas too.

[Captain Canada]

I've always liked that muscle-bound look of the 190...and she looks even better in these colours ! Great job.

[dumaniac]

very nice indeed

[Hotte]

Good idea. Is great in this dress 

Hotte

[loupgarou]

Very unusual in NM/silver. Changes the look of the aircraft. Mch appreciated.

[pyro-manic]

Thanks all!

CC: I must admit I prefer the radial-engined 190s - the nose on the Dora is hideous IMO. But this scheme really brings out the lines nicely. Even better would be to do another Fw190E in silver. But then that was a bit of a pain to build, and NMF would show up all the flaws of my third-rate building skills.

Loupgarou: I've never seen it done before, so I thought I'd have a go. Could do a Bf109G as well, though I hate the 109 in general so I might leave it for somebody else.

[Army of One]

Oh....I like this.....lots....

[NARSES2]

That is nice

[flappydaffy]

this is how you'll make people who don't like the FW-190 like it!

[James W.]

190D looks good in Al finish.. oddly enough I did one very similar ~15 years ago.. ..after reading 'Tempest Pilot' by 486 Sqd Ldr Jim Sheddan..

On page 142 he writes re: action on 14th April 1945:

"...I spotted a silver-coloured aircraft, flying very low, heading north. We had now climbed to 2,000ft & gave chase by diving towards it.
  At 700 yards I could see it was a 190, so closing to 100 yards, let him have it from dead line astern. Pieces came away from its wings &
  fuselage, & as I broke away to the right, I watched as the 190 dropped a wing, rolled over on its back & hit the ground where it exploded."

He does not state whether he used the gun-camera, so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt - that it wasn't a USAAF F-6 Mustang - on a recce..

[Librarian]

Stunning model . Luftwaffe aircraft can be beautiful but ruined by their horrible mottly colour schemes..me not like .

My wet-paint dream has always been NM aircraft from all sides WWII .

[comrade harps]

I like it