RV Resins 1/48 Fw 190V-13 By Michael Benolkin

Background

Professor Kurt Tank was the chief designer behind the infamous Fw 190 series. In response to RLM requirements for greater performance, he oversaw the adaptation of the Jumo 213A liquid-cooled engine to an Fw 190A airframe and the Dora was born. Given his own design bureau, Professor Tank investigated ways of extracting greater performance out of the Dora airframe and one such result was marrying a set of longer wings with the high-altitude Jumo 213E and the Ta 152H came into being.

Running in parallel with these developments was an RLM requirement for an escort fighter. Professor Tank planned to merge a DB603LA engine with a similar wing used on the Fw 190D to create the high performance Ta 152C. While a few examples were completed by the end of the war, development of this version was curtailed due to supply shortages from the extensive round-the-clock bombing.

The Kit

The RV Resin Fw 190V13 kit represents the configuration of what was supposed to be the fifth developmental prototype of the Ta 152C. According to Monogram's Ta 152 Monograph, V13 which was W.Nr 110013, was listed as probably not completed though it was to have been used for structural tests along with V15.

I must say that this kit is beautifully cast in resin with only a few parts remaining on their molding stubs. The kit is ready for assembly right out of the box! Speaking of boxes, this kit has to be the best packaged model I have seen yet. Each part is sealed inside its own compartment in the bag, eliminating the possibility of parts being banged up or scratched during shipping. Outstanding job!

The first thing I was curious about was if this kit was somehow based upon the Trimaster/DML series of Fw 190/Ta 152 kits. I pulled out one of my prized Trimaster kits and saw that these two kits are unrelated and in fact, I was struck with how much more scribed detail was in the RV Resin kit over the Trimaster.

This kit is a true multimedia project with styrene plastic being about the only material NOT used. The majority of this kit is molded in tan resin which shows no sign of air bubbles and an amazing amount of detail. A fret of photo-etched parts are provided for cockpit and engine radiators details, and the whole model is held off the ground upon white metal landing gear struts.

Markings are provided for the one example (there was only one V13). Unless you are a builder of prototype aircraft, I'd lose the decals and build this as a Luft '46 Ta 152C-1, which is what this kit provides straight from the box.

Conclusions

This is a nice-looking model that will add a unique subject to your scale flightline. Painted with your favorite JG colors, this would make an interesting eye-catcher for your shelf and the contest table. I would recommend this kit to any modeler with experience with limited production/multimedia kits.

My sincere thanks to Dmcmodels for this review sample!

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