Manufacturer: Koster Aero Enterprises, 610 Euclid Ct., Highland Park, IL 60035.
Kit: No. 24
Scale: 1/48
Price: $77.95
Comments: Mixed media, 311 parts (97 vacuum-formed plastic, 56 resin, 39 cast metal, 119 photoetched), decals.
Pros: Well formed plastic parts, fine resin, and excellent photoetched details; multiple options; effective parts engineering.
Cons: Aligning landing gear can be a problem, fuselage code decals seem too large.
It was called the "Scourge of the Atlantic." Considering that it started life as a civilian transport, the Fw 200 Condor was a successful maritime patrol bomber. It was one of the few four-engined bombers mass-produced for the Luftwaffe, some were used as military transports and some were fitted out to carry the revolutionary air-to-ground Hs 293 rocket-glide bomb.
Koster's Fw 200 kit's a multi-media treasure trove of plastic, resin, white-metal, and photoetched parts. Optional parts are provided for different gun turrets, ventral observer/gun position, radar antennas, drop tanks, Hs 293 bombs and lower engine housings. Two different sub types can be modeled: Fw 200C-3 and C-8.
The multi-page instruction sheet is adequate and includes a number of detail drawings and photos.
With a multi-media kit such as the Condor, gluing becomes a challenge. I used no less than three types - liquid plastic cement, gap-filling super glue, and quick-setting epoxy.
I began by removing the fuselage halves from the sheet plastic and cutting out the windows. Optional parts are provided to open the fuselage access hatch. The kit features loads of interior detailing, starting at the cockpit through to the aft-gunner's compartment.
Much of this detail will be hard to see but I recommend installing all floor and bulkhead components anyway to add strength to the fuselage. Also, definitely follow the instructions' recommendation of adding alternating tabs to the fuselage to assist in the alignment of the halves.
The kit features a unique interlocking wing spar which really adds the strength that a kit of this size needs. Removing the wings from the sheet without compromising the fit of the engine nacelles was a challenge. I found I had taken a bit too much plastic from the leading edge of the wing root, so I corrected this with filler after the wings were attached to the fuselage.
I added alignment tabs to the inside of the engine nacelles. Note that landing gear bay parts (Nos. 36, 37, 38, 39) are reversed on the instructions. The wings are finished off with nicely molded resin engine cowlings.
The ventral gondola is molded in clear plastic, so be prepared to spend some time masking off the windows. When mounting the ventral MG151 20mm cannon in the gondola I purposely cut off the gun barrel, knowing that I would have broken it off in construction anyway. I added a new barrel from plastic rod at the end of the project.
I was impressed with the highly detailed landing gear, which accurately captures the "kneeling" design. Each unit consists of eight white-metal parts. Make sure each part is straight, as they bend easily and that would lead to an off-balanced model.
I painted my Condor with the Polly Scale RML 72 and RML 73 needed for this maritime scheme. Decals are provided for two aircraft of KG40 and they went on without problems over a gloss coat.
My primary reference was Warpaint Series No.13 Focke Wulf Fw 200 Condor. Also, I found Eric Brown's Wings of the Luftwaffe useful. The complete model measures right in span and length when compared to the references.
I was able to finish my Fw 200 Condor in 50 hours. This is an excellent vacuum-formed kit, but like most it requires a broad variety of modeling skills and more than a bit of patience. I highly recommend Koster's Fw 200 to Luftwaffe enthusiasts and those modelers up the a challenge of a large vac kit.
Jim Zeske