Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 | 1/12 th Scale | Part 17 – Lithoplating the belly

Bottom panel glued in place. I used a dremel
to cut the oval recess in front of the hatch
into the balsa planking.

I detailed the large hatch and glued it into its place
with contact glue.

Micro screws added. Looks okay to me.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 | 1/12 th Scale | Part 16 – Lithoplating the belly

Dry fitting of the panel. Note the cut outs for
the tank and tank vents.

The tank hatch was cut and a paper template
was made for the rivet pattern.

Dry fitting the hatch. Fit is good!

The panel glued in place after riveting
and shaping.

The hatch will get more detail by adding
the slotted screws later on.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 | 1/12 th Scale | Part 15 – Lithoplating the belly

I built a stand/jig for the fuselage from ply wood and MDF.

The fuselage in the jig.

First panel on the bottom.

Panel #4 finally fits the gap.

More lithoplating in progress.

The fuel tank hatch drawn onto the panel.

Fuel tank hatch cut out. MDF backing for a better sawing
and filing of the thin sheet metal.

Nice cut out, a little fine tuning is still necessary.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 | 1/12 th Scale | Part 14 – Even More Lithoplating

Dry fitting of the large hatch.

Embossed and engraved rivets and fasterner detail.
The hinge is made of telescoping tubing from
Albion Alloys.

Styrene template for the large panel on the right side
of the fuselage. Frames and longerons marked
with a pencil.

Finished panel glued in place. Plating of the fuel
tank chamber started.

Dry fitting of the Floor plating and fuel tank plating.

Circular opening for the external energy socket.
Oval opening for the oxygen filler port.

Plating with rivet detail glued into place.

Left side plating of the fuel tank chamber.

Marking the frame positions on the paling.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 | 1/12 th Scale | Part 13 – More Lithoplating

I made a paper template to determine the rivet pattern.

Detail shot of the template.

After embossing the rivets and flatening the panel:
a first dry fit of the new panel!

I masked off the hatch to avoid glue stains in that area.

Panel glued in place :-)

The mid fuse section takes shape :-)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 | 1/12 th Scale | Part Twelve– More Lithoplating

Starboard panel glued in place with contact cement.

Pott panel glued in place, too.

I cut a template from sheet styrene for the front panel
with the prominent, large hatch.

The outline of the template were transfered to lithoplate.
The hatch was then cut with a saw and then file to
exact dimensions using echappement file.
While cutting I backed the sheet metal with a
MDF plate to stabilize it while handling.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 | 1/12 th Scale | Part Eleven – More Lithoplating

Side panels: First I make a template from .13 mm sheet styrene.

I transfered the template to lithoplate and cut it to shape.

I added a paper template for the rivet pattern around the jackup pipe.
Also added the frames and stringers with a pencil.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 | 1/12 th Scale | Part Ten – Lithoplating

Right side of center fuselage: I added the front panel (took 3 attemps :-( ).
I use tape for defining the shape and rivet lines for the rear panel.

I transferred the info from the tape onto lithoplate.
It was then cut to shape and the rivets were embossed.

The rear panel glued in place. Needs some clean up ...

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 | 1/12 th Scale | Part Nine – Lithoplating

Right shell of the extension glued in place.

Hatch in the extension. Some details are still missing.

Rear deck. I added a center slot for the sliding canopy.

I added the riveting, some details still missing.

Frame 8 was also plated, the floor is still unplated.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 | 1/12 th Scale | Part Eight – First lithoplating

The bending was done in 3 steps:
1. On a thin rubber matt.
2. On a folded cotton tissue
3. On a piece of soft foam.

I tried to make a close fit so glueing is less stressful.

I added the rivet pattern using the template and a
stone bedding tool, DIA 0.45 mm.

Glueing brought a problem. The grey primer was dissolved
by the solvents of the contact glue and that
made it difficult, more difficult than necessary!
Lessen learned: sand off grey primer prior to glueing!

I got a rivet template from Peter/Airscale for free!
THANK YOU PETER! :-)

I am happy with the outcome of the lithoplating so far.
The extension plug has no compund curves ;-)