Author Topic: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp  (Read 19084 times)

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TRM

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Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« on: 21 Aug , 2010, 15:19 »
Hello all,

A soldier in War

I begin my thread today as sort of a tribute to my Grandfather.  Sadly he passed away the beginning of this month.  Briefly, he was one of 13 brothers and sisters.  There were seven brothers, Six all fought in WWII and one in Korea along with the husbands of the sisters as well.  They ALL made it back.  Sometimes the stories of the war would flow and other times it seems like the burden of war was to great to express in words and tears would just flow.  Last month while talking with my Uncle Jimmy, a member of the 1st Army engineers that stormed Omaha Beach on D-Day, he began talking about the war.  I have learned when this generation is willing to talk, you let them go.  Well he talked for over an hour, with story after story.  At one point he began to cry, looking over at me and then saying "I'm sorry" (for crying)....I sternly looked at him and exclaimed,  " don't ever, apologize to me for crying...after what you all have seen and been through, an apology is never needed"! 

Great story about the brothers published in the local paper on Veteran's Day:  Brothers in Arms

Two things before I get on to the build:   1 - It matters not what country they may come from, they were loved by someone and viewed as a hero by them and their country.  2 - Listen to as many stories while you can, because once they pass, the untold stories pass too.

The Build:

While looking through some old photo (of my Grandfather)  I came across the 1st photo below.  And with a little investigation, the plane turns out to be, to what I am told, a FW 190 (F or G).  I love this picture!  And after seeing some great diorama builds here and more importantly, recent aircraft builds (Sierra) and on a couple of other site,  I have decided to give a Static Tribute an attempt. 

I will attempt to come close to recreating the photo.  I still have another box of photos to sort through.  There is actually 2 angles shot of this plane that I have found so far.  I walked down the aircraft isle today whilst picking up some brass rod, and it just jumped into my hands....at least that is what I will tell the wife when she asks, "ANOTHER MODEL!!!!!!". 

Most of the kit will most likely end up in the debris field around the plane as well as some "creative license" used in placement. I am really looking forward to this build as it will also make a nice break here and there from the U-69.  The kit is from Eduard and the scale is 1/48.  One hurtle that needs to be over come, will be making the 1/48 version of my grandfather....I have some time here.

As for the kit, Eduard Fw 190F-8, is 186mm long & the wing span is 210mm.  The kit has 325 parts, 2 photo etch sheets, 2 decal sheets.  for the money ($29 USD) Eduard certainly makes a nice kit.  I am tempted to make the kit OTB and not the mangled, dismembered wreck in the photo. ( Maybe if I sneak out later, they will have another one???).  A little bit a scratch and a lot of help along the way (YOU GUYS), I think I will get through it. ;D

Begin...                         p.s. - Someone really needs to explain how they embed the photos into the txt, I am sure it has something to do with the "insert image" button, just not sure how it goes yet.

Now I begin....

Offline Siara

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #1 on: 21 Aug , 2010, 15:32 »
Good subject, and nice story. Builds with good story behind, with unique foto reference are always special.
Can you post more fotos of this bird, or/and other planes that may still be in that magic box of yours?

Offline billp51d

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #2 on: 21 Aug , 2010, 15:53 »
          TRM ... Hats off to your Gramps and the rest of the famly. A well written post by yourself and an excellant article.
                           Bill

TRM

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #3 on: 22 Aug , 2010, 09:06 »
Thank you Siara & Bill,

I have a few more I have scanned in.  I will post them here for now.  I would like to see a section created, solely to "personal Armament Photos" (maybe in the gallery).  This section could be broken down into the major categories:

Watercraft: Ships, subs, etc.
Areal Craft: Fighters, Bombers, etc.
Armor: Tanks, artillery, support vehicles, etc.
Personnel:?,?

These would be solely photos we have personally taken on these items, or even better, photo we have in our possession through family albums and such.  Nothing "off the net" per say, unless these are actually your photos.  I myself have a lot of interesting shots from my Grandfather, Step Father, Father, Father-in-Law & more.....

Food-for-thought.

Attached are a couple of other shots of the Fw 190, a British Avro Anson, what I am guessing is some sort of glider?

More to come..... 8)

Offline Rokket

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #4 on: 29 Aug , 2010, 08:37 »
As others have said, really good post, and really good link to builds (I think the choices are so important).

I hope it is a lovely build.
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Offline Pat

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #5 on: 30 Aug , 2010, 07:42 »

Two things before I get on to the build:   1 - It matters not what country they may come from, they were loved by someone and viewed as a hero by them and their country.  2 - Listen to as many stories while you can, because once they pass, the untold stories pass too.


That puts me in mind of something that my father told me many years ago.  He was a Lancaster / Halifax pilot and was shot down one night in Feb '44 and spent the rest of the war as a "guest of the German government", mostly in Stalag Luft III (when he wasn't escaping).

In the mid 70's, he went to an Air Force reunion in Winnipeg, and among the Canadian, American, British and other aircrew there were a msattering of German pilots too.  Dad struck up a conversation with the pilot of af an Me 110 night fighter, who it turned out was operational in the same area that Dad was shot down in and who shot down a couple of bombers the same night that Dad's plane went down.  Sinc ethere were 4 RAF planes downed that same night there, there was a 50% chance that this was the guy who shot Dad's plane down.

Dad's reply to that was "I'm so glad we both surbived the war intact.  Can I buy you a beer?"

No animosity.  They were both just doing a job protecting their countries.  Comrades in arms, even if on different sides.

Offline Siara

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #6 on: 30 Aug , 2010, 15:30 »
Good story Pat. Love stories like this.
TRM- are this photos from the "personal" album?
Ill join your shout for special place on this forum for such pictures. I for one am interested to see more shots like this.
I dodnt suppose theres any pictures of Bf109 E in that album?

TRM

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #7 on: 30 Aug , 2010, 18:00 »
Pat, 

Great story yourself.  I have heard a couple of times way back of combatants becoming best of comrades.  Amazing, if you take the politics and the big business out of most of the wars, you probably (hopefully) end up with a bunch hanging out in a field drinking beers. ::)

 Life will through some curves at you sometimes, it what you do when they reach the plate!

Siara,

Yes, these photos are from my Grandfather's photos.  No, I have not found and 109's...yet.  I spoke with my Aunt, she has an entire box that she mentioned letting me have as well.  I will work to get over there in the next week or so. Maybe something in there. :o  I hope.  I will keep you posted. 

Thought I would add a couple of gems I found...As for the build, I am still making sketches of diorama and plotting the base.


 my step father's collection of "official photo" in the Pacific campaign


Family friends album, he served on the USS Boxer


Taken by my step father on Iwo Jima


Step father's pictures, Iwo Jima


Offline Siara

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #8 on: 31 Aug , 2010, 14:31 »

Love every single one of them.

TRM

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #9 on: 02 Sep , 2010, 20:11 »
They are evocative!  I want to blow up the one of the guy laying in the blacks sands of Iwo Jima.  Could look at that one all night.




« Last Edit: 04 Sep , 2010, 16:40 by TRM »

TRM

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #10 on: 04 Sep , 2010, 17:22 »
Hello All,

I have a meager update, but, it is still an update.  I was able to cut the beginnings of the base.  I started with 3/4" AC plywood and will be building it up with polyisocyanate :P.  This is a big word for foam insulation.  I was going to use EPS (Styrofoam) but the "ISO" is much more dence.  I will be able to hopefully carve sections a little to give an uneven ground appearance, plus, EPS is highly flammable (another thing that gets burned where I work in testing, like a pool of gasoline).  Anyway, If time permits I will attempt to affix the sheets together this weekend and start cutting the band molding for around the edges.

Also, below the base pictures is the first of hopefully 3 gems in my collection.  This is a (what I think) a German Airman's hat.  My Grandfather brought it back with him from the war.  I would like to think that he acquired it somewhere around where the pictures of him on the planes were taken, but this cannot be a proven certainty.  If anyone has any knowledge of it, please let me know.  Also, my German translation, well who am I kidding....feel free to translate. ;D  The pins were on the hat when my Grandfather gave it to me years ago and it has been in a double plastic bag in storage with me for years..  He didn't speak from where it came from.  I figured it may finally be fitting to display with the diorama when complete, we'll see. ::)

Plywood and Polyisocyanate (roofing insulation board)


Hat brought back from WWII by my Grandfather





Please feel free to help with any information regarding the hat, pins or just about anything else.  Thank you.

Cheers!


Offline Rokket

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #11 on: 13 Sep , 2010, 16:29 »
Wow!

processing...
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TRM

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #12 on: 09 Oct , 2010, 14:04 »
Been slowing down here and there on the U-69 and gearing up in the FW 190 category.

Came to the sad realization about the Eduard model I was going to chop up for the diorama....I like the kit!  So much so, I went out and purchased an Accurate Models kit.


 This is a FW 190 A version, but I think it will do nicely.  Ironically, from what I understand, Accurate uses Eduard molds.  She has nice panel lines (even though the wings are pretty much it with this build)

Started buy removing the bottom cowl...wasn't needed.....yet.





Began working on the landing gear, what will be left of it and removing the rear of the fuselage from the bottom segment.  In the photos, these appear to have been blasted away in to a scattering of burn fragments of twisted refuse. (I'm working on my literary styles. :P)


I have bent them forward slightly and flattened the tire.  I am working on finding some interior framing shots I will need for the top section when the engine goes in.

Cheers!

Offline Rokket

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #13 on: 10 Oct , 2010, 01:01 »
Interesting on flattening tire (to show weight? or flat -flat?) - I was just at the Pacific Aviation Museum, and a couple real planes show flattened tires to almost "too much" degree - ie., if it wasn't real, I'd say the modeller slightly overdid it! Weird stuff! That's weight I'm talking about, not a pucntured tire...
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Offline Siara

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Re: Fw 190: Tribute to Gramp
« Reply #14 on: 10 Oct , 2010, 02:37 »
Fletening the tires is a nice touch on the model. It shows the weight of the plane. When done correctly it can add the extra touch to the subject.
Im surprised that you started work on the landing gear, before fixing the wings to the fuselage TRM.