Dora The Long-Nosed Killer

Historical Background

Focke Wulf's Fw 190A series fighter was seen to have deficient high-altitude performance. This is because the BMW 801 engine which powered the Fw 190A series was originally developed for low altitude-flying cargo and bomber aircraft, which do not need superchargers for high-altitude performance. Their short wings were also overloaded at high altitude, degrading maneuverability. This was in contrast with the Bf 109, with its liquid-cooled, supercharged DB 601 engine which allowed it to perform well at altitudes in excess of 20,000 feet. At first, the Fw 190's deficiency was of no great concern as combat usually took place at medium altitude where the Fw 190 still have ample performance. However with the arrival of American high-altitude bombers, there was a pressing need for high-altitude performance. At first this was achieved by using GM-1 nitrous oxide boost. However, the system can only give extra performance for short endurance only.

To address the altitude problem, which was recognised even before the Fw 190 entered service, Kurt Tank proposed three solutions. The first, Fw 190B, was to be powered by a turbocharged BMW 801; Fw 190C was to be powered by a turbocharged Daimler Benz DB 603 and Fw 190D with a supercharged Junkers Jumo 213. The aircraft would also be equipped with a pressurised cockpit. The B variant was a dead end with only just one airframe completed. The C model require extensive change to the airframe. The longer engine caused the tail to be lengthened to restore the centre of gravity. The turbocharger air intake and intercooler were grouped in a pouch-like fairing underneath fuselage (akin to the P-51 Mustang) causing the C models to be nicknamed Kanguru (Kangaroo). 

The D model, nicknamed Langnasen Dora (Long-nosed Dora) had the radial powerplant of the A series replaced with an inline engine, the Junkers Jumo 213. The new engine generated 1,726hp and could produce 2,071hp with MW50 injection and can reach 426mph at 21,650 feet. Like the C series, the D series was also lengthened to 10.192 meters long. Since the engine is now liquid-cooled, more components had to be taken into consideration. To simplify design and to keep it aerodynamic, Tank chose to use annular radiator, making the engine installation similar to Junkers-engined Ju-88. Early batches of the Dora were equipped with standard canopies but later versions were equipped with blown canopies, with the associated redesign of the pilot armour plate. Armament was reduced, as compared with the A series. The Doras were armed with two MG 131 13mm machine guns in the fuselage and two 20mm MG 151/20 in the wing roots. The Dora made an effective fighter, and when flown by the Experten, was the equal of the Allied fighters such as the Mustang and late-mark Spitfires. 

The Dora Nine entered service in September 1944 with III./JG 54 'Grunherz'. Despite the better performance, the new fighter initially received negative comments and was not helped by Tank himself who pronounced that the Doras were just a stop-gap measure, pending the introduction of the definitive Ta 152. Some Fw 190Ds were used to protect Me 262 airfields from marauding Allied fighters, they were organised into Platzicherungstaffel (air defence squadron). Jagdverband 44's Platzicherungstaffel had their bellies painted in red and white stripes to identify them as friendly to the airfield Flak crews. This in turn gained themselves a new nickname : Papagein staffel (parrot squadron)! Such practice however wasted the Doras' high altitude performance. Despite the higher performance figures, the sheer weight of Allied air power, together with the dwindling number of Expertens and the fuel situation, the Doras cannot influence the air war late in World War 2. A total of 1,805 D-9s were built, together with small numbers of D-11 and D-13. 

The Kit

Tamiya's kit of the Dora-Nine was their third Fw 190 after the F-8 and A-3. The kit was first released in 1995 and features all of Tamiya's hallmarks - good moulding, crisp detail and panel lines and ease of assembly. Despite all the good points, the kit suffer from a number of shortcomings. As the mould for the Dora Nine share many of the universal parts with the A- and F-variant moulds, they suffer from short landing legs and undersized tyres. The Dora Nine added further shortcomings such as fully-enclosed wheel well (the original has the front part open, exposing the rear part of the engine), misshapen fuselage gun covers, prop spinner and prop blades and single underfuselage ammo chute. The last was caused by the fact that Tamiya used the Dora-Nine at the US Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio as their starting point. The AFM example has the D-13 wing grafted onto the D-9 airframe (the D-13 was equipped with just a single hub-mounted MG 151/20, hence just one cartridge ejection chute).

Decals were provided for three aircraft : 4./JG 301 (RLM75/83/76), Stab./JG 4 (RLM75/83/76) and 10./JG 54 (82/76/81). The decals are typical Tamiya: well printed but rather thick.

Construction   

Construction, as usual, started with the cockpit. The cockpit parts are virtually the same with the previous Tamiya Wurgers, but since the Dora was one of the earlier releases, there were no decals for the instrument panel and the seat belt. The cockpit, and sidewall colour of RLM 66 Schwarzgrau was painted using Tamiya XF-63 German Grey with details painted X-18 Semi-Gloss Black, XF-16 Flat Aluminium and Khaki (I use Gunze acrylic) where appropriate. The instrument panel were then dry brushed white to pop-up the details. The inside of the fuselage halves were then painted RLM 02 before being mated together. The completed cockpit tub was then inserted into its place

Next up was the wing assembly. The wheel well parts were painted Tamiya XF-22 RLM Grey while still on the sprues. Upon inspection, I found out that Tamiya has tweaked out the wing bottom so that there are now two recesses for the fuselage ammo cartridge chute. The fully enclosed wheel well is still here however. The wing top and bottom were then mated together, after which I realised that I forgot to drill the holes for the ETC 504 rack! The wing was then mated to the fuselage, along with the horizontal stabilizers and the radiator and gun cowls.

Painting and Decaling

As stated before, Tamiya provided three marking options. I was thinking of the first option (4./JG 301 - Blue 15) as the 301's RVD band of red and yellow looked more attractive than JG 4's (<||) black/white/black band or 10./JG 54's (Black 12) blander colour of RLM82 Lichtgrun and RLM76 Lichtblau with no band whatsoever. However, while browsing the internet, I came across the story of 'Black 12'. Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9 Werknummer 120079 was the mount of Leutnant Theo Nibel for the ill-fated Operation Bodenplatte - the mass air attack by the Jagdwaffe against Allied airfields in Belgium, southern Holland and northern France on 1 January 1945. The remnants of III./JG 54, together with I/JG 26 were tasked with attacking the airfield at Grimbergen, Belgium. Arriving at the target, Leutnant Nibel who flew in the second schwarm (flight) realised that the airfield is inactive, which was marked by a large white cross at the end of the runway. The airfield was attacked anyway as there were a few aircraft on the field. The RAF Regiment unit stationed there put up a fight, managing to shoot down six of the attackers. While turning in for a third strafing run, Leutnant Nibel felt a hit that shook his aircraft. The engine temperature shot up and the propeller slowed down. Too low to bail out, he crash-landed Black 12 next to the runway. His canopy was jammed in the crash but the British soldiers simply smashed the glass and took him prisoner. Black 12 became the first intact Dora Nine to fall into Allied hands. Despite the AA fire put up by the defenders, Black 12 was not shot down but rather a victim of a birdstrike when it flew through a flock of partridges!

Before painting, I masked off the canopy and windscreen, re-using the masks from my previous build as Black 12 was one of the early batches of Fw 190D-9s, using the original 'standard' canopy. As for Black 12's colour, there were various interpretations, with the only constant colour being RLM 76 for the lower fuselage. Tamiya's instruction has it in RLM82/76 with RLM 82 mottling on the tail. A side profile I saw in a magazine has the upper colours in dark green (RLM83 Hellgrun?) with RLM 04 rudder and undernose panel. Yet some modelers paint the upper fuselage RLM 75/83. The upper wing colours in Tamiya's instructions were RLM81/82 whilst others show them as 75/83. I eventually elected to paint Black 12 with RLM 75/83 for the upper fuselage, RLM 81/82 for the upper wings and horizontal tails and RLM 04 for the rudder and undernose panel, including the lower part of the radiator cowling. The mottling was done to my 'three-feet trick' standard. Afterwards, it was time for the decals. Again, they are of typical Tamiya quality - rather thick and not really responsive to decal setting solutions.

Finishing  

The still loose parts can now be attached onto the model. As I mentioned in my Fw 190A-8/R-2 build, Tamiya's Dora also suffer from undersized main landing gears. I tried to 'cheat' by gluing the landing gears at a different angle, but it looked rather ridiculous, so I glued them as they were. The drop tank was then glued in place. Once the gear had fully set, I attached the most vulnerable parts such as the pitot tube, loop aerial, and the FuG 16ZY radio aerial. The prop spinner was painted Tamiya X-18 Semi-Gloss Black and the spiral decal applied. The prop blades were painted Tamiya XF-27 Black Green and the prop assembly was then pushed into place. All that remained was some weathering. I started with a sludge wash using watercolours. I also added exhaust stains on the fuselage sides using Tamiya Weathering Master 'Soot'. This time however, I did not add much weathering to the the drop tank, just the basic wash. Finally, a layer of Tamiya TS-79 Flat Clear was sprayed onto the model. The masks were then peeled off, completing the build.

Conclusion

The Fw 190D-9 is everything one can expect from Tamiya. It was well-engineered and easy to build. The issues with the landing gears, fuselage gun cowling and the prop/spinner are fairly major especially to those who are afflicted with Advanced Modelers' Syndrome but can be disregarded by the casual modelers like yours truly. Having said that, it still looks good for an OOB build.