CoolPix - Homebuilt: Fab Focke-Wulf FW 190 Replica At Reno 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 08:20PM 
(click pic for hi-res)
When I was about 12, I built a 1:48 scale model of the short nose Focke-Wulf FW 190. I painted it in a really good camouflage scheme, and it was actually the only one of the many plastic models I built that I was really pleased with how it turned out. I've been pretty severely attracted to the FW 190 since those days as a kid, so I was very excited to see this one at Reno, shown here in a nice big CoolPix.
It looks like this one was recently flown for the first time by Steve Hinton and is owned by Frasca International, the flight simulator people out of Urbana, Illinois. If I have my info correct, it's one of the FlugWerk replicas from Germany, and has a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine in it. It was raced at Reno by John Malony, but not hard and not as a serious contender. But wow, it was very cool to see it in the air!
I was impressed with the paint job as the airplane appeared very authentic. Not a 'show plane' paint job, but one you could believe was representing the airplane just as it would have looked in the Luftwaffe. It also looked smaller than I expected by a little bit. The one or two I've seen before were in a museum, and seeing this one out in the open around other warbirds made me realize it's not as big as I had thought. Comparing dimensions to the P-51 Mustang shows that it is indeed a little smaller all the way around.
The one thing that stirs me big-time about the FW 190 is those long, wide-stance, aggressive gear legs. It's the same thing that makes the Hughes H-1 and the F-8 Bearcat look so stinkin' hot to me. The P-51 is a very beautiful airplane, but its gear legs just don't affect me the way these other aircraft do. I know, I'm a weirdo... but I'm a very happy, aggressive-gear-leg-lovin' weirdo : )
CoolPix, FW 190, German, Racing, Reno, WWII, homebuilt, taildragger Email Article
Reader Comments (6)
Great Pic. I would love to get up close to that bird. Ages ago I flew Air Warrior online (started when Kesmai was in charge). I was immediately drawn to the 190 (while virtually everyone else was in Spitfires). At least as modeled in Air Warrior, the 190 was the king of the E-fighters. Dropping down into a furball filled with Spits, popping the one that was after your "countryman" (for those that remember - A, B and C land. I flew for B with the original number of 5017, and was known as Gator) and zooming back up to set up the next pass was as sweet as it got.
Too bad AOL ended up with the franchise later - it just wasn't the same.
Anyway - I have built several 1:48 190s over time and fly an RC 190 now.
Post more 190 (and other WWII aircraft) when you have them!
RTF Skymaster- Thanx for the comment - Did you see my post on the prototype FW 190? Very interesting stuff... and actually quite a bit different than what it eventually became: focke-wulf-fw-190-prototype-crazy-big-spinner
Your idea seems inventive enough when i visit here,Chanel Fashionable Le Train CarrierIts useful for me.Thank you!
Martt,
We need to do lunch sometime. When I read your posts it's like hearing myself think.
I had the 1/48 Monogram FW 190A. I put the underwing cannon pods on mine. I also had the Revell 1/32 FW 190D and the Hasegawa 1/48 version of the same plane. Gotta love the Butcher Bird!
Mike
Mike- send me an email... I eat almost everyday : )
... is the "Frasca" name really needed on the landing gear ?
Seriously ?
Almost as guady as the caf's "wings" symbol on most of thier
restored aircraft.