Focke-Wulf Ta 183B

by Frank Forster

AMtech's 1/48 scale Ta 183 is available online from Squadron.com

My model is Tamiya's 1/48 scale Focke-Wulf Ta 183 Huckebein (molded with pride by AmTech) which represents Focke Wulfs Strahljäger Projekt VI. This project was well into the development stage by the time the war ended.

• Type: single seat fighter with turbo jet engine

• Wing: single spar wooden wing

• Engine: Heinkel S 011 Turbo jet engine; 1 x 1300kp thrust, center straight air intake.

• Maximum Speed: Approx. 1000 km/h at 7000 m

• Armament: 2 - 4 Mk 108 (Machinenkanone, 30mm)

Technical data is from Nowarra's "Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933 - 1945".

The model is an early design, but the Project was redesigned several times, so that the so called Endlösung looks a little different and more conventional than this futuristic first design.

I reworked the canopy, which can be displayed open or closed, and changed the air intake (the weak point of this kit).

Rebuilding the air intake was a challenge. I had to change the front wheel bay and insert a section from a large bomb out of an old revell F-117 kit as intake tunnel.

The rest is build out of box except Verlinden seat belts.

The Red 8 is from an old Trimaster sheet (Ta 152, so it remains in the family). The rest of the markings come from the Tamiya sheet. The sheet needs to be handled with care though - the crosses are very thin.

A few years ago the museum in Laatzen, Germany displayed a Fw 190 wich is rebuildt completely from original parts. A former WWII Pilot of the Luftwaffe said: "We didn´t have such colourful birds. Our machines were grey". So I gave my model an air superiority scheme of RLM 74, 75,76 (Lifecolour).

The display is an old Verlinden Luftwaffe revetment, very nice an out of sale.

Click on the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2003 by Frank Forster
Page Created 09 September, 2003
Last Updated 17 March, 2004

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