Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-8 "Red 3+-" “Kornjark"

[Milos Gazdic]

Dear all,

I am finishing 1/48 Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-8 WNr.171641 "Rote 3+-" of 5./JG300 named 'Kornjark' and flown by Konrad Bauer in September 1944 (JG300.de puts the aircraft to Erfurt-Bindersleben)

QUESTION 1: First thing that stops me from finishing the model is "Anlaßkraftstoff 3 lt" inscription decal that is clearly visible under the canopy on the port side in the image where Bauer is sitting on the edge of the cockpit (Rodeike's book on page 289, image no. 522) but that is marginal thing at the moment, but does anyone knows the decal sheet that might have this included?

QUESTIONS 2,3 & 4: Rodeike's book on the same page in the image no. 523 shows the aircraft from the port side (showing wavy line on the leading edge of the wing clearly and also showing the a dot of paint application to a cowl armoured ring which could easily be some other colour than standard camouflaged colours). Eagle Cals seems to have based their work on #89 sheet on these two photos (including only port side in their decal sheet instruction, sans ""Anlaßkraftstoff 3 lt" seen under the canopy. DF Loop antenna is not present in this image. Probeller type is not clear in this image since it's rotating.
Further, Falkeeins posts the photo of his blog:http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2014_12_01_archive.html showing starboard side (in the image coming from Jean-Yves Lorant's archive) during the weapons harmonisation. Improperly rotated Swastika on the tail is here more obvious than on the port side image. Strange thing is that fuselage seems much darker & more stained on starboard side image than on the port side one from Rodeike's book, also DF Loop antenna is present in this image. Propeller visible in the shot with sanded tips.
Q2: By some logic, cleaner Port side image should be first in time line & Starboard side one with more stains taken later, but somehow you would expect that antenna is lost on later date? Could it happen that it was lost and placed back together later?
Q3: Also please note how the propeller tips are bright, like the paint peeled away to the bare metal?! Should we assume this is correct or they were painted with some colour?
Q4: Please note that the cowling colour demarcation line is completely straight & top colour seems very dark, making it look different than seen on the image of the port side where it's wavy & a bit brighter. Bottom camo - RLM76 also seems very clean & new, compared to rear part of the aircraft. Can we assume that the power egg was replaced at the later stage but retained the old prop?
Interesting to note in Rodeike's photo no.523 - landing gear seems very bright, almost like it was painted with RLM76 (slightly darker than interior of the covers). Wheel hub on the tail seems not to be black but RLM02, based on image posted on Falkeeins' page.

QUESTION 5: JG300.de page discusses this aircraft on page:http://www.jg300.de/fw-190a-rote-3.html posting two images of the aircraft (same one from Falkeeins' post) and another shot from 10o'clock showing ports side of A-8. This machine seems to carry broad prop while aircraft shown from starboard side seems to have standard metal prop (at least to my eye Mk1). Further it lacks the point on paint on the cowl armour ring & further spots the damaged duct on the side of the cowl compared to Rodeike's images? Also, it seems to lack the stencil applied to landing gear covers, obvious in Rodeike's book. Yes - it has similarly painted leading edge of the wing but... are we here talking about same machine? Spinner also seems different to Rodeike's image. Question goes: if this is NOT "Rote 3+-" on JG300 image - can it be assumed that aircraft flew with standard metal prop?
Back in November 2012, a co-member Max aka Massimiliano asked about the same machine wondering if it has smooth tires? For me it seems that Rodeike's photo has standard tires with "lines" and that JG300.de photo shows a machine with smooth tires...

Maybe Mr. Crandall will be willing to make few comments and also, maybe some of you who researched the given machine and JG300 unit- will have something to add, correct, confirm...

Best regards,
Milos