That's why Vector has released a set of control surfaces and tailplanes for Hasegawa kits Sergey.

Wow! Thanks Serguey: This is exactly what the Hasegawa 190 kit needs. All that is missing now is the prop... My knowing about your set is too late for my first build, but I will get it for my second FW-190A. I have Vector's engine and prop set for the P-61, and though the new P-61 kit is worse than anything I feared, I cannot praise the quality of that P-61 Vector set enough (It is intended for the Monogram P-61 kit). I will look this one up. Gaston

Hi Gaston A new propeller is precisely one of the items this News item is about. All the best Rowan

Dear All, It has been a while since the last update. During that time we have reviewed the nose and cowl issue and here's the result. The new nose, reshaped. Maciek, who crafts the masters have reshaped the upper cowl part with the gun throughts. The oil tank panzer ring was of proper shape but the oil cooler front ring was to flat. As you may see it was totally reshaped for a maximum accuracy. Now looks much better. The side bulges over the compressor air intakes are of better shape than those in Hasegawa and the whole cowl looks better now too. As you may easily compare to drawings and photos - Hasegawa upper cowl is bit to steep while the corrected one for Eduard has the good shape. Of course those issues may not become so obvious at the first look but after careful examination one may draw similiar conclusions. Please see some comparision shots: What is also important - this new cowl fits well and is easy to use. Less complicated, better shape. Easier to use. I do attach also some test castings. New prop, new tail with tailwheel unit. Those resin elements falls together with Eduard kit like LEGO bricks. Now the kit is almost ready. Soon will be released with a PE sheet and some fine extras too. Best regards, Kuba Plewka

Very nice: Now the only thing left is a corrected canopy to the Eduard... Maybe adapting a modified Hasegawa canopy is possible... I particularly appreciate, on this resin cowl, the longer gun throughs: I think this makes it a VERY worthwhile accessory even for those using the Hasegawa kit (in addition to the necessity of replacing the Hasegawa prop)... I would think an "openable" multi-piece version of this resin cowl would complement the "openable" options offered by the Eduard kit... A small thing to note is that the Eduard cooling fan blades are much better than Hasegawa's, being flatter and broader, not looking like "sticks"... Still hate that canopy though... Gaston

Hi Gaston, Thanks, I really apreciate your input. The canopy or better - the windscreen is in fact too wide in Eduard kit. I have found some blueprints with precise measurements and you are right - Hasegawa has captured the outline of the windscreen perfectly while Eduard missed this issue. I understand why Eduard might have done it this way. The windscreen part has its thickness for technical injection moulding reasons. If the windscreen has proper outline, the inner dimensions impacts on the size of the following elements: [1] The upper instrument panel [2] The sunshield panel [3] Revi placement [4] Windscreen base as seen from the firewall side Look at Hasegawa's instrument panel and sunshield. Does it look right or odd? So, when the canopy is closed, the Hasegawa outline is perfect but when you decide to show the cockpit details it is maybe better to have a bit (really a bit) too wide windscreen than distort and loose the interior details. I have compared also the old Trimaster windscreen and it is somewhere in between Hasegawa and Eduard. Maybe one may try to fit it to Eduard fuselage? Have to check it myself... Now the sliding canopy - it is not based on Eduard element. The canopy should look good, for it has the proper smooth lines on its front section and also the profile. If the clear resin allows it, should be also possible to form it and to give the proper look when the canopy is open on its non-paralel rails. We'll see once the kit is ready. Now the exhaust pipes and some test fit shots: We are happy to confirm, that no major surgery skills are required to fit all this stuff Best regards, Kuba

I see a little what you mean about the interior panel detail being "squeezed" by overscale glass thickness, but to me the exterior shape is always the priority... Hasegawa's canopy cannot be displayed open to show the interior better anyway (at least not for FW-190 purists), because it does not have the "narrowing" mechanical action Eduard took the trouble of replicating with extra canopies moulded "pinched"... I knew the Dragon windshield was "in between", and thus much better than Eduard's, and very close to Hasegawa for the windshield dimensions (to the point of being acceptable to me in appearance). The trouble is that the "blown" bubble version of the Dragon sliding canopy is really terrible (Eduard's is even worse) and not accurate at all in profile. Hasegawa's "blown" sliding canopy remains, by far, the only accurate representation of this "bubble" canopy ever offered in 1/48th scale (this statement is still true even extending to all Squadron/Falcon after-market replacement canopy versions)... This is no small matter when you consider the popularity of later FW-190F-8 schemes, and especially the popularity of the FW-190D-9, all of which can only use the "blown" canopy for almost all the schemes... I have to ask you, even if it is not the intended kit: Does your resin cowling fit the Hasegawa kit? Your longer gun throughs I consider a major improvement, but I suspect the fit is too complicated to use it on the Hasegawa kit... Superb work I have to say... Gaston

Can't wait for your upgrade for the Eduard kit. I have several and plan on using your upgrade when available! Rick R.

Gentlemen, I wish I could say, that this resin kit is released but for a time being we should be patient. It will be released soon but I am unable to give you a date. This is the production process, the thing that is out of my hands. Please contact Radek of Karaya for more details. LINK Hope Radek will be able to push the process as I am also the one who waits for this kit to be released. Many thanks for your input, Best regards, Kuba