Japanase Fw 190 A-5

[Milos Gazdic]

Guys,

Is there a photo of the Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-5 in Japanese markings showing its tail completely?

I am wondering if the aircraft arrived there with the whole tail including rudder in RLM 76 or rudder could have been possibly RLM 04 / Yellow if the aircraft sent was not new one (it obviously had yellow lower cowling) or would there be any other reason to assume that the rudder was yellow...

Additionally on one of the three photos I know of the aircraft showing it from 10 o'clock there seems to be a "yellow" leading edge on the wing from root till pass outer MG. Considering that Japanese applied some of the stencils in Japanese - I wonder if they have done this too?

If you have any additional info (W Nr. and similar) please share.

Best,
Milos

[ChrisMAg2]

Hi Milos,

to my very knowledge, there are no photos, like what you are asking for. I found the majority here.

A summery of published articles on that matter are here. Interessting might also be this. But so far -and to my limited knowledge- no details.

[edwest2]

Thank you for all that information. Here is a review of a Hasegawa kit that might help a little.


http://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/bf-1...e-army-service




Ed

[Milos Gazdic]

Hello Chris!

I can see your icon is still the same after all these years of my absence!
How you've been? These 7-8 years have brought quite a few changes into Luftwaffe circles when it comes to camouflage research... discoveries of quite a few new previously unseen photos and so on... and as I can see closure of LEMB, which saddens me a lot.
BTW - do you have an email of Peter D Evans?

Anyhow, back to topic:

I've been studying those photos available on the net out of which I have two printed in some of my books. It's such a pity that we don't have any photos showing aircraft's tail! There could easily be some Japanese markings there and we will not know until we see the photos published (if ever).
For time being I will leave my model's tail (1/48 scale) in RLM 76 with just few light mottles. Airframe was not heavily mottled (although it was quite stained) and as such I believe same thing should apply to the tail surfaces.

I strongly believe that leading edges of the wings were painted yellow on FW 190 just like they were on Bf 109... at least according to one of the photos available.

My model is almost done now... Will be adding the yellow on the wings and painting the Japanese markings (I've just cut the masks)

Best,
Milos

[edwest2]

Here is some additional information for researchers - hopefully authentic.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-German-J...item5b2801ab64





Usual disclaimer,
Ed

[ChrisMAg2]

Thank you, Ed, much appreciated.

Reg your last comment, do you have doubts on the authenticity of these papers?

I would also have some doubts, but I cannot actually specify my doubts. This is more like a gutt feeling. It just appears to be too good to be true.

[ChrisMAg2]

Hi Milos,
it's already that long ago, 7-8 years? My god, I didn't realise that.
Well, truely a lot has happened.

LEMB might have been closed -as in there is no more activity in it- since Sept. 2014, but it is still accessable (only for former registered members). The founding members of Luftwaffe Research Group (quite some were noticeable former members of LEMB) have taken LEMB into LRG's custody and thus preserved it as a valuable treasure trove of knowledge for posterity. LEMB can still be and is being used as a research tool.

You might have noticed, that Peter D. Evans has turned his back on this field of former interesst to him.
I don't have Peter's email address, but I can ask for it. I'll come back to you on that via PM.

[Hans Mcilveen]

This eBay document could be an elaborate fake or copy. But at least the information it contains passes some verification.
The blacked out W.Nr. of the Fw 190 should be 1087 as the seller lists the BMW 801 engine W.Nr. as 20239 in his description. See the attached document from the Fokkes & Koch files in the IWM.
I do wonder where the seller got it, he also lists a number of other Fw 190 documents on eBay.

[Milos Gazdic]

Hello Ed, Chris & Hans,

Thank you guys with all the pointers & discussions on this matter!

I have seen the "export" document and downloaded it myself few weeks ago when I first thought of working on this model in 1/48 scale.

Unfortunately, the WNr. is blocked out on all the documents on Ebay. So it's great to see the WNr. on the document you have posted Hans! I might even apply the WNr. on the model I make

I am unable to talk about document's authenticity. For me - based on low res images on ebay - it seems like real but could easily be very well done copy.

Off Topic:
Dear Chris,
Unfortunately, Yes! It's been since 2008-2009 that I have not been able to dedicate much time to my interest in aviation. I am now trying to concentrate on building a nice collection of 1/48 (with few 1/32) scale Fw 190s. Since I started, I am on 6th - 7th (9th in fact - when I have listed them now here)... most of which are still partially WIP:
- Yugoslav Air Force Fw 190 F-8 (95% done)
- Soviet Fw 190 A-4 (95% done)
- Japanese Fw 190 A-5 (75% done)
- Fw 190 A-8 Maj. Kurt Bühligen / JG 2
- Fw 190 A-8 "Red 3+-" “Kornjark" (85% done)
- Fw 190 A-3 "Black G-+-" Hptm. Wilhlm Gath / JG26 (50% - basic painting done)
- Fw 190 A-4 "Yellow 4 + I" Oblt. Siegfried Schnell / JG 2 (50% - basic painting done)
- Fw 190 D-9 "Red 18+~" (30-40% assembled only ready to paint)
- Fw 190 D-11 "White <61+" (30-40% assembled only - with few small corrections for not so perfect kit correcting some of the mistakes, ready to be painted)
Mostly kits are built out of box with just super minor corrections I can do fast... I enjoy it that way, so I can dedicate more time to camouflage (You know me)

Trying to catch up with the things I have missed... especially when it comes to Fw 190 research & Luftwffe Camouflage in general. Luckily enough, I have been buying most of the books that were published in the meantime. Now using time to cross reference those that I have on hand here in Shanghai, with more of them being brought back from Serbia with every trip there and every visit of the friends...

I will be bothering you guys more with many Fw 190 questions I have, so please stay tuned to give your opinion please!

Best,
Milos

[Hans Mcilveen]

The seller just responded to my question about provenance. FWIW.

They came form the estate of John Ide, who was a Lieutenant Commander
in charge of the Foreign Intelligence Branch of the Bureau of Aeronautics in
Washington. He was appointed as a Tactical Air Intelligence Officer in Europe
between 1943 and 1945.

How he specifically acquired them, I do not know, however. but as it was his
job to gather intel..I suspect these were collected from Focke-Wulf in 1945.