Border Model Focke-Wulf FW190A-8 R2 - 8

[Kevthemodeller]

Looks great although it’s a real issue with the decals especially with it being 1/35 and you can’t easily use a 1/32 decal set to replace them as you can on other kits

Paul

Thanks mate

Yer the decal issue is a right pain, but hopefully solved now when the kit turns up

[Kevthemodeller]

Gotta get me one of those wooden holder things

They're very useful, tricky to find good one's in the UK, took me a few years to find this one.

[cor]

Gotta get me one of those wooden holder things

They're very useful, tricky to find good one's in the UK, took me a few years to find this one.

Where did you get it from?
I've a few on Ali express,but like U say, not sure if they are good or not.

[Kevthemodeller]

Where did you get it from?

Honestly I can't remember I've had it a good few years now. It came laser cut in sheets of wood, with all metal nuts/bolts etc.

[digger303]

Gotta get me one of those wooden holder things

I had one once upon a time. I can not remember where I bought it from except it was a eastern European shop.
I did have issues with the parts sliding smoothly when wanting to adjust, some parts where really tight.
However being wood I'm sure a lot of sanding could have sorted it out.....I sold mine and bought a Vertigo perspex type. I've
not used it yet, but I think keeping the thumb nuts tight might be a problem as they seem to loosen up just moving it around the hobby room.
Some jigs are better suited to larger kits and vice versa
If you also build bi-planes then you'll have to take that into consideration too or buy 2 jigs.

https://imodeler.com/2021/07/assembling ... model-jig/

[Kevthemodeller]

After nearly a month since my last update, I'm calling it finished, at last

Here's my last battles with this kit

The other kit arrived with the decals for my kit. The kit doesn't list building this version in it's instructions but does in mine but doesn't contain the decals and there's a version in the earlier kit that you don't get all the decals for as they appear to be in mine the later kit

They are so thin and brittle they shattered/snaped/broke just by them curling when submerged in water, this and the other one also broke into 5 bits when I tried to side them off the backing They also shows signs of slivering no matter what decal set solution I used and I used 4 different one's, Tamiya, Mr Hobby, Solvaset, Micro set/sol nothing would completely get rid of the silvering, they are just rubbish decals

I got them on and you can see where I had to fight to get the nose cowling to stick due to the interference


I just ploughed on with the build from there


Fitting these little rams and the undercarriage was a right pain again lack of any real mounting hole/slot etc it was a balancing act at a very difficult angle


I am somewhat disappointed with this kit The engineering quality for what you pay, which is the equivalent to a top draw Tamiya 1/48 WW2 prop kit and matching or knocking on the door of a Trumpeter 1/32 kit just isn't there. It's not a bad kit, although the moulding is nice the fit, is all pretty much interference making dry fitting a real real pain Every pin/slot/hole etc has to be enlarged or reduced to get a dry fit, they will go together with glue acting as a lub but you'll not get them apart again without damage! There a lack of proper mounting slots/hole etc for crucial structures, areas like the tricycle type engine to fire wall mounting cradle and lack locating holes/slots. The tolerances to it into the engine bay and get the outer covers on is something like 0.25 of a mm. The slightest twist or tilt (which I had/got) and you can get the engine bay nose cowling on I had to break cradle free to be able to rotate the engine by a mm as one of the cylinder heads was interfering with one of the sides. Which are moulded into the fuselage sides, this was stopping both the engine from sitting square and holding off the side protrusion, which meant the nose cowling ring had nothing to adhere to on one side

The engine is totally loose on my kit and held in by the nose cowling and the side protrusions I didn't take any pictures of this I just couldn't be bothered and wanted the kit finished I also forgot to open the inner wing cannon doors for the pictures.

I'm calling it done

[Stokesy44]

Its been a battle but it looks like a proper butcher bird to me. Full of weight and menace

[digger303]

Amazing result and build skills

[Kevthemodeller]

Amazing result and build skills

Its been a battle but it looks like a proper butcher bird to me. Full of weight and menace

Thanks guys much appreciated

[cor]

Then you've done well with an iffy kit. Looks really good.

[Kevthemodeller]

Then you've done well with an iffy kit. Looks really good.

mate much appreciated

[Elve1984]

Despite the issues its a nice end result!

[digger303]

I also expected more from a so called modern kit.
I decided to call on AI to answer the question and it said this and to me it would explain a few things.

While Border Model and Trumpeter are separate Chinese companies, they are frequently linked by hobbyists and reviewers due to shared design lineage in certain kits.

Design "Clones" & Lineage: Several Border Model kits, such as their 1/35 Bf 109G-6 and Ju-87G, are widely considered to be "up-scaled" or modified versions of older Trumpeter/HobbyBoss 1/24 or 1/32 scale toolings.

Shared Technical DNA: Reviewers have noted that Border Model's 1/35 Spitfire Mk.Vb uses the exact same unique hinge system for control surfaces as found in Trumpeter's 1/24 kits.

Shared Accuracy Errors: Kits from both brands often exhibit identical research flaws. For example, inaccuracies found in Trumpeter’s 1/24 Bf 109—specifically forward of the firewall—have been observed in Border’s subsequent releases.

Company Locations: Trumpeter is based in Zhongshan, Guangdong, while Border Model is headquartered in Wuxi, Jiangsu.

Despite these technical similarities, there is no official public record of a corporate merger or parent-subsidiary relationship between them.

Could be Border is trying to fast track some kits and keep the costs down.

[Kevthemodeller]

That would explain things. But it's not new for kit manufacturers to use others moulds or buy and improve them. There's also the rebox often done by the originator and sent out, for a few of course.

I'll not be buying anymore Border kits, I've got two in the stash Ju87 and another FW190.

[Stokesy44]

Shared Technical DNA: Reviewers have noted that Border Model's 1/35 Spitfire Mk.Vb uses the exact same unique hinge system for control surfaces as found in Trumpeter's 1/24 kits.

Could be Border is trying to fast track some kits and keep the costs down.

I can confirm the above. I've seen a review of the new kit and I've built the Trumpy Spit V in 1/24 and both kits suffer from the following:

Stabs - kit has them as fabric covered on one side. All Spitfire stabs were metal.

Rear fuselage and cockpit glass shape - the upper rear fuselage sides should be flat and flat across the top as it nears the rear of the cockpit, not one continuous curve, the glass behind the pilot seat bulkhead should follow the contours of the fuselage The rear shape of the canopy frame should also be flat sided and flat on top to follow the contours of the fuselage.

If I was in court I would submit the above as exhibit A and state the 1/35 Border kit is definitely derived from the larger Trumpy kit and incorporates its well known external floors.

What is more annoying though, is the reviewer I have just watched go through the kit parts did not pick up any of this. Neither did a review I watched a short while ago when the kit came out.

If you're going to set yourself up as a reviewer you should know what you're looking at, not just give a kit a pass to grease the wheels as it were. Most unimpressed.

Very disappointing.

[digger303]

Shared Technical DNA: Reviewers have noted that Border Model's 1/35 Spitfire Mk.Vb uses the exact same unique hinge system for control surfaces as found in Trumpeter's 1/24 kits.

Could be Border is trying to fast track some kits and keep the costs down.

I can confirm the above. I've seen a review of the new kit and I've built the Trumpy Spit V in 1/24 and both kits suffer from the following:

Stabs - kit has them as fabric covered on one side. All Spitfire stabs were metal.

Rear fuselage and cockpit glass shape - the upper rear fuselage sides should be flat and flat across the top as it nears the rear of the cockpit, not one continuous curve, the glass behind the pilot seat bulkhead should follow the contours of the fuselage The rear shape of the canopy frame should also be flat sided and flat on top to follow the contours of the fuselage.

If I was in court I would submit the above as exhibit A and state the 1/35 Border kit is definitely derived from the larger Trumpy kit and incorporates its well known external floors.

What is more annoying though, is the reviewer I have just watched go through the kit parts did not pick up any of this. Neither did a review I watched a short while ago when the kit came out.

If you're going to set yourself up as a reviewer you should know what you're looking at, not just give a kit a pass to grease the wheels as it were. Most unimpressed.

Very disappointing.

Ooh-rah AGAIN AND AGAIN.

Yes the title of review is very loosely bandied about.I expect it from magazines who are held hostage by advertising revenue, but so many just read out the instructions step by step....I don't appreciate those types.
There is a owner of a popular US site that reviews and just doesn't note any bad points at all so much so I make a point not to give them any credence.

I do so miss Terry Ashleys armour reviews...honest to a fault and not in a way designed to tear a kit apart and cause controversy. A true modellers reviewer.

[Quax]

Its been a while Kev since you gave us a treat and despite everything its turned out beautifully

You're now a better modeller but in need of therapy!

Paul

[digger303]

Its been a while Kev since you gave us a treat and despite everything its turned out beautifully

You're now a better modeller but in need of therapy!

Paul

[Stokesy44]

Its been a while Kev since you gave us a treat and despite everything its turned out beautifully

You're now a better modeller but in need of therapy!

Paul

Studies suggest the two go hand in hand. Level of sanity is inversely proportional to level of modeling skills.

[Kevthemodeller]

Its been a while Kev since you gave us a treat and despite everything its turned out beautifully

You're now a better modeller but in need of therapy!

Paul

I've no idea what you mean sir

[digger303]

That would explain things. But it's not new for kit manufacturers to use others moulds or buy and improve them. There's also the rebox often done by the originator and sent out, for a few of course.

I'll not be buying anymore Border kits, I've got two in the stash Ju87 and another FW190.

I'm definitely more on guard with any new kits from this moment on.
I have in the stash
Focke-Wulf FW190A-6
Junkers Ju87 G1/G2 Stuka
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb

Seriously thinking of selling the lot.
I've also got some armour kits, but I'm hoping these will be better.

[Quax]

I built the Border JgPz IV Ausf F and that was a good kit

Paul

[Stokesy44]

I built the Border JgPz IV Ausf F and that was a good kit

Paul

I think I have that in the stash

What's the story of your address? Penguineland and long live the Emperor?

[Kevthemodeller]

Antarctica, Emperor penguins perhaps

[Quax]

I built the Border JgPz IV Ausf F and that was a good kit

Paul

I think I have that in the stash

What's the story of your address? Penguineland and long live the Emperor?

It was after Trump put tariffs on the Heard and McDonald Islands, a group of islands occupied only by penguins and unvisited by humans for 10 years!

Paul

[Stokesy44]

It was after Trump put tariffs on the Heard and McDonald Islands, a group of islands occupied only by penguins and unvisited by humans for 10 years!

Paul

Got it. Classic

I hope those penguins were able to convince their customers their product was still worth buying. The tariffs thing really makes my eyes bleed whenever I read the latest instalment in the saga.