First Look at the new Hasegawa Fw 190 A-5 1/32 kit
The basic sprues are the same that are supplied in the Fw 190 A-8 1/32nd kit. A couple of new sprues have been added for conversion to the A-5 sub type:
1. Sprue "Y" which houses the MG FF 20 mm underwing cannon bulges, the new skeletonized center section and inner gear door struts.
2. Sprue "Z" has the inner gear doors plus the simplified early-style landing gear doors without the lower fairing.
3. Sprue "V" contains the new upper cowling that incorporates the longer and closer together gun troughs for the MG 17 7.92 mm machine guns. Plus, this sprue has the appropriate flat style gun cowling. In addition, the muzzle end of the machine gun barrels plus a Revi C/12 D gun sight which is appropriate for the A-5.
On the instruction sheet, be aware that the control stick is illustrated backwards as pointed out by Ian Robertson on the Fw 190 A-8 kit. The instructions have you fill in the late radio access panel and a fuel access panel on the starboard and port side.
Unfortunately the early style wheels with the circular openings are not included, but should be, therefore we at Eagle Editions will have to make a resin replacement in our EagleParts line. The solid wheel was officially introduced during the A-7 sub type manufacturing in order to support the heavier weight of the A-7 and later aircraft; however, some solid wheels were retrofitted to earlier sub types.
In the instructions they also have you attaching the FuG 16zy antenna to the underwing which should not be done as it is not appropriate for most A-5 aircraft.
The kit decals are for two aircraft: the colorful A-5 flown by Hermann Graf, W. Nr. 2594 and an A-5 flown by Walter Oesau JG 2. The instructions are incorrect on the Graf machine as there are too many scallop decals included.
Below are some quick pics of the kit parts, box cover, instructions and decals:
