Focke Wulf Fw-189A-1 Nachtjager

[Mike]

Focke Wulf Fw-189A-1 Nachtjager

1:48 Great Wall Hobby (L4801)

This was the night fighter version of the initial A-1 variant of the successful observation aircraft, fitted with a FuG 212C radar, flame dampers and MG151 cannons in the wing root. It also had the earlier MG15 machine guns in flexible mounts on the rear and dorsal positions, rather than the twin mounted MG18Zs of the A-2.

The second release of this long awaited kit (in 1:48), following on from the A-2 that arrived late last year, sports new boxtop artwork, showing a single aircraft flying high above the clouds in dusk conditions.

Inside the box are most of the same sprues as the original release, save for the additional parts required to portray this earlier version. If the following photos look familiar, that's because they're the same ones from the previous review.

Sprue C, which contains the slab-like underside of the inner wing has another sub-sprue opened up for this edition, with the flame hider parts, plus the radar antennae, which are finely moulded, and the central support structure for the rear mounted MG15.

The glazing is necessarily different from the original release too, although the additional nose portion of the canopy was provided in the original release due to its position on the sprue. It is discernible due to the hole in the front to mount the FuG212 radar antenna, and a large "black box" that was unused in the initial release on sprue C.

A mistake in the instructions for construction of the cockpit shows the large camera still installed, when this was not the case. To save weight, the redundant equipment was removed for the night fighter variant.

The Photo-Etched (PE) fret is also different, containing the single gunsights for the MG15s. A PE dorsal aerial post is also included, which may look a little two dimensional once folded, so the modeller may wish to use this as a pattern for one carved from scrap styrene rod or sprue. The modeller will have to rig this post carefully, as it consists of one wire to the rear of the fuselage panelling, where it is tethered, then splits into two wires that go to each tail. Care will be needed here to ensure that the rigging looks natural.

The same self-adhesive masking sheet is again included, although I found some of these panels to be a little inaccurate for my liking, but I am one of those modellers that finds masking canopies quick and easy.

Decals are included for one airframe, namely:

Fw 189A-1 W7+CB Stab 1/NJG 100, Greifswald, 1945

The color scheme shows a standard nachtjager scheme of mottled RLM75 over an RLM76, although some photographic evidence would dispute this. A squadron badge for NJG 3 is included, but not mentioned, which seems a little odd. Swastikas are provided in 2-part form to please countries where their inclusion is frowned upon, and the same instrument dial decals are also included.

Conclusion

Having built the original release, I believe this to be an excellent kit, with lots of detail from the box, but blessed with some strange construction processes around the engines. A bulkhead to attach the engines and separate cowling parts would have made construction and painting much more straight forward. It's not a major gripe though, as with a little care the engines can be sandwiched in between the boom halves, as shown in my build here and the finished article here.

GWH have a habit of releasing multiple kits from the same basic moulds, as well as kitting some obscure variants, so I half expect to see the more conventionally fuselaged B model and possibly even the aborted C with the tiny armoured cockpit in due course. All pipe dreams of course, but it is entirely possible that other A variants will be forthcoming. As soon as we hear, we'll be sure to let you know.

Recommended.

Review sample courtesy of: