Fw200C-4 “Condor” | 1/48 | Trumpeter

Post by **Parker** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:30 am

So I’ve set myself a challenge.

A rather large 685mm wingspan challenge.

This.

Wikipedia wrote: The Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor, also known as Kurier to the Allies (English: Courier),[1] was a German all-metal four-engined monoplane originally developed by Focke-Wulf as a long-range airliner. A Japanese request for a long-range maritime patrol aircraft led to military versions that saw service with the Luftwaffe as long-range reconnaissance and anti-shipping/maritime patrol bomber aircraft. The Luftwaffe also made extensive use of the Fw 200 as a transport aircraft.
It achieved success as a commerce raider until mid-1941, by which time it was being harried by long-range RAF Coastal Command aircraft and the Hurricane fighters being flown from CAM ships.

No actual updates yet as its still in the box but looking at making a start soon.
(I figure if I start a thread I'll need to update it!)

Updates to follow.

-P

Post by **Hawkmoon** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 7:44 am

Looks a nice kit and have fun with her

Post by **Stokesy44** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 8:14 am

I'm in!

STASH · Post by **Cymru** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 8:20 am

Another kit I have lurking in my stash. There is a well documented issue with the wing spar unable to take the strain. You might want to use thick plasti-card or better still some brass rod (4mm) to provide some support.

Post by **Parker** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 9:20 am

Cymru wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 8:20 am Another kit I have lurking in my stash. There is a well documented issue with the wing spar unable to take the strain. You might want to use thick plasti-card or better still some brass rod (4mm) to provide some support.

Thanks for the heads up, Cymru. I’ll do a bit of research as I get to that bit.
Cheers.

Post by **Hawkmoon** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:18 am

Here you go for the wing spar strengthening set, if its not available it will give a good idea of what to scratch build yourself

http://nautilusmodels.com/48-802.htm

Andy

Post by **Parker** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 11:00 am

Why do I suddenly get the feeling I may have bitten off more than I can chew!

Post by **RangerNeil** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 12:22 pm

Oooh - that is going to be a BIG beastie!! Looking forwards to the build thread - especially, it seems, the main spar issue.....

Post by **SMAddict66** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 12:35 pm

Best of luck with the build and have fun! Hope you've got somewhere BIG in mind to display her

STASH · Post by **Cymru** » Wed Jul 22, 2020 1:11 pm

Parker wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 11:00 am Why do I suddenly get the feeling I may have bitten off more than I can chew!

I saw one built-up at Telford in 2018, it looked fantastic. It also convinced me to get the MG-15 & MG-17 brass guns. They are quite noticeable on the finished kit. (Available from Hannants).

Post by **Stokesy44** » Wed Jul 22, 2020 5:22 pm

I look at this build and 1 thing comes to mind.

Post by **Parker** » Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:12 am

Thanks for all the comments fellas.

I’ve done a bit of googling. I have seriously underestimated how big this is.

Based on your (Cymru) feedback I’ve purchased some polystyrene rectangular tube so I can reinforce the wing spar when I get to it.

Just looking at the instructions, I’m currently debating how much effort I need to put into the inner elements. I’ll probably just paint it all light grey and spend my time on the cockpit where you can actually see whats going on.

Anyway, thanks for looking in.

Depending on how well I can put the little fella down this evening (3 year old), I may actually make a start on the Condor tonight.

Stay safe everyone.

-P

Post by **Stokesy44** » Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:18 am

Parker wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:12 am
Just looking at the instructions, I’m currently debating how much effort I need to put into the inner elements. I’ll probably just paint it all light grey and spend my time on the cockpit where you can actually see whats going on.

-P

Its a quandary faced by anyone who builds a large scale multi-engined WW2 aircraft. If it were me I would do exactly what you're planning. Put the effort in where it can be seen

Post by **Tomcat64** » Thu Jul 23, 2020 11:11 am

Well that's something you don't see every day! Really looking forward to seeing you build this one up

Post by **Parker** » Fri Jul 24, 2020 6:16 am

As Stokesy as indicated above, I find myself in a bit a quandary.

How much effort do I put into the inner fuselage? I’ve gone from one extreme to the other… no paint, bugger it who’s going to see it, to making a good effort.

On the one hand, the bugger it, ‘who’s going to see the inside’ path has merit, just crack on and get it done. Get to the final result. But that’s not why I started doing modelling again. Rushing, ‘skipping’ steps etc. I started this hobby so I could relax in the evenings. I found relaxation, zen, whatever, by focusing and concentrating on tiny bits of plastic and where they need to go. Despite the odd frustrating moment(s)… I enjoy the brushes, I enjoy painting, I enjoy the construction and ultimately the weathering.

So, I’ve decided* to make some sort of effort with the interior. I’m not going to go full crazy detail, but I will make an effort. Who knows, in years to come my son may decide to fly it, throw it across the room, break it.

Then I’ll see the inside again.

*absolutely subject to change if I lose my patience at any point in time.

Post by **Stokesy44** » Fri Jul 24, 2020 8:22 am

Just make sure you take loads of pics of the interior during the build phase. We can then all commiserate with you about how the detail will be hidden!

Post by **RangerNeil** » Fri Jul 24, 2020 10:16 am

Stokesy44 wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 8:22 am Just make sure you take loads of pics of the interior during the build phase. We can then all commiserate with you about how the detail will be hidden!

Somehow in these troubled times I find this suggestion highly comforting, restoring my faith in humans to previous levels!!

Post by **Parker** » Fri Jul 24, 2020 10:22 am

And so it begins.

Post by **Parker** » Fri Jul 24, 2020 12:58 pm

Right, that’ll do for this evening.

Post by **Parker** » Fri Jul 24, 2020 12:59 pm

Post by **BigWall** » Sat Jul 25, 2020 1:07 am

Parker wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 12:58 pm Right, that’ll do for this evening.

I'd say it's not time to call it an evening until that beer is a lot shorter in it's bottle.

You're off to a great start!

Post by **Hawkmoon** » Sat Jul 25, 2020 7:27 am

Nice start and looking good

Post by **Parker** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:00 am

Condor update.

Got a bit of time last night to continue work on the cockpit. Still needs some work on the finer details, but progress has been made. The inner elements of the fuselage are in three parts, below is stage one.

I'm not happy with the seats, they need fixing.

Stay safe everyone.
Wear a mask.

-P

Post by **Parker** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:02 am

and i need to add a bit of colour to the dials and tech equipment, but, still a work in progress.

-P

Post by **Hawkmoon** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:24 am

Just some tweeking needed but looking good from here.

Post by **Bdiddy** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:51 am

Parker wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 10:22 am And so it begins.

I hope that’s full strength Great Northern! Nothing like a cold froffie whilst smashing plastic

Post by **Parker** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 9:01 am

Bdiddy knows the score

Post by **Tomcat64** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 3:57 pm

Great start to the cockpit - the worn metal look on the radios etc looks great

Post by **digger303** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 12:26 am

Tomcat64 wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 3:57 pm Great start to the cockpit - the worn metal look on the radios etc looks great

Post by **Parker** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 5:52 am

Condor update.

Continued working on the Condor cockpit last night. Fudged up a few more details and glued the instrument panel on.

The kit comes with a film of the instrument display, (in my limited knowledge of modelling I’ve not encountered this before. Bit of an odd one for me. Images below), it’s supposed to be placed behind the transparent component. This seems fine in principle, but when assembling it, it is absolutely redundant as there is no possibly way it can be seen.

So, I threw it in the bin.

Stay safe everyone.
Wear a mask.

- P

Post by **Hawkmoon** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 8:21 am

Coming together very nicely and nice work. As for the instrument panel film- remove any cast parts on the background and paint white then using a glazing glue stick the film in place and over that the clear instrument panel. Once all is painted up the dials should be visible

Post by **Parker** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 7:08 am

well... i threw the film in the bin, so perhaps next time!

Thanks for the feedback though Hawkmoon, appreciated.

Post by **Parker** » Mon Aug 03, 2020 3:55 am

Condor weekend update.

Work continued on the internal fuselage. Weathering that no one will see. I’ve just made up what colours things should be, bit of black here, bit of red there, grey everywhere else.

Parts 1, 2 & 3 now as finished as they’re going to be. Next up is gluing them together then fixing into the fuselage.

Stay safe everyone.
Wear a mask.

- P

Post by **Hawkmoon** » Mon Aug 03, 2020 6:46 am

Coming along very nicely keep up the good work

Post by **Tomcat64** » Mon Aug 03, 2020 3:14 pm

Yup that's progressing really well

Post by **Parker** » Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:15 am

all closed up.

onward and upward.

Stay safe everyone.
Wear a mask.

- P

Post by **BigWall** » Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:32 am

Very nice work. It's got to be a little disappointing that there is so much detail that won't be seen.

Post by **Parker** » Mon Aug 10, 2020 1:34 am

Slow weekend Condor update.

Glued a few wing bits, assembled and glued a few fiddly bits, made a start on the engines then investigated the wing spar issue as previously mentioned by Cymru.

Cymru wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 8:20 am ...There is a well documented issue with the wing spar unable to take the strain. You might want to use thick plasti-card or better still some brass rod (4mm) to provide some support.

The wing spar definitely needs support. I had a look at the link put up by Hawk and also found a few vids on youtube.

Below is what I did. Nothing quite as elaborate as the purchasable wing spar set, in fact, nowhere near it!

I simply whacked a long 3.2 x 6.33mm bar across the whole thing. Seems to have worked ok. It has certainly strengthened the component and considerably reduced the flex. As an added bonus it actually fits neatly to the underside of the fuselage (something I didn’t check prior to gluing!)

Stay safe everyone.
Wear a mask.

- P

Post by **Stokesy44** » Mon Aug 10, 2020 8:25 am

Nice work on curing the brewer's droop

Post by **Tomcat64** » Mon Aug 10, 2020 11:16 am

Yup that's a simple but effective fix for the droopage - nice job

Post by **Parker** » Wed Aug 12, 2020 1:13 am

Condor update.

OK, so she’s getting big and becoming increasingly awkward to hold.

I’ve assembled the wings which went together pretty well. My concern now is when I dry fit the wings to the fuselage there’s a bit of a gap on each side where the wings meet the fuselage which I’ll need to resolve. Currently my plan is to use some sheet polystyrene fixed to the inner upper wing then perhaps a thinly cut strip to pack out the gap, then putty as required.

Thoughts? Any suggestions welcome.

- P

Post by **BigWall** » Wed Aug 12, 2020 2:29 am

Wow, that's getting huge! Your idea to fix the gap sounds good to me. Hopefully someone comes thru that knows more than I do though.

Post by **Parker** » Wed Aug 12, 2020 5:29 am

Yeah, she’s a monster, Joe.

The thing about the gap… if I put a little bit of upward pressure on both wing tips and slightly 'bend/flex' the wings the gap reduces perfectly. I’m hesitant to glue whilst bend/flexing as I’m sure it’ll just pull itself apart when I take the pressure off.

My other slight concern is the landing gear assembly, the angles look wrong to support the weight. She’s heavy, and I haven’t painted it yet.

Post by **Stokesy44** » Wed Aug 12, 2020 8:19 am

Parker wrote: Wed Aug 12, 2020 5:29 am Yeah, she’s a monster, Joe.

The thing about the gap… if I put a little bit of upward pressure on both wing tips and slightly 'bend/flex' the wings the gap reduces perfectly. I’m hesitant to glue whilst bend/flexing as I’m sure it’ll just pull itself apart when I take the pressure off.

As I read the thread I was going to suggest exactly what you have outlined above. You should be fine with CA glue and once done I doubt you will have any issues with the kit coming apart. I've done it myself on various aircraft kits and they've never come apart.

STASH · Post by **Cymru** » Wed Aug 12, 2020 1:10 pm

IMO I would not use CA on what is a high stress joint, it's too brittle. Pack the joint with plasti-card, flood it with TET, stress the wings as you've described and allow to fully cure before coming in with sprue-goo.

Post by **Parker** » Wed Aug 12, 2020 1:44 pm

Ahhhh, I did not see your post Cymru.
Thank you for your feed back.

I’ve done the below.

I’ll let it cure overnight.
Currently the gap is gone and looks like this...

When not sitting on two glasses and weighted down the wings relax and sit a lot flatter.
Crosses fingers.

- P

Post by **Parker** » Thu Aug 13, 2020 12:28 am

Cured overnight.
Seems to have worked.

onward and upward.

- P

Post by **BigWall** » Thu Aug 13, 2020 12:55 am

Looks like you got it. Good job.

Post by **Stokesy44** » Thu Aug 13, 2020 7:41 am

Great result

Post by **Parker** » Fri Aug 14, 2020 4:46 am

thanks gents.