Friday 15 May 2020

Werner's Wings - 7./SKG 10 Fw 190 Fw. Otto Bechtold, April 1943





I was recently in touch with master-modeler Floyd Werner after reading his SKG Fw 190 build report in SAMI for August 2018 ( yes, I'm a bit behind on my reading). Floyd kindly sent through some images of his marvellous representation of Fw. Otto Bechtold's Fw 190 A-4 WNr.7555 as seen at West Malling, Kent on April 17, 1943. Running low on fuel, after an abortive attempt to raid installations along the Thames at London's Isle of Dogs, Bechtold put down on the airfield. Bechtold's machine had an application of black distemper over the regulation 74/75/76 and after arriving in the UK various warnings were chalked up on the aircraft including a request to not enter the cockpit.. I asked Floyd if he was intending to produce his self-made 'Do not touch' decals in his Werner's Wings range at all.


 

Floyd replied....." I had planned to release these decals as a stand alone sheet but I haven’t because the left side of the fuselage is speculative.  I’m not aware of photos of that side.  If I had photos of that side so we could draw up the design I would send them off to the printers immediately.  With the release of the new Eduard ‘Jabo’ set it felt right [to complete this build]...perhaps someone in your readership might be able to provide confirmation of the inscription on the port side of this machine? "

Well that is a shame about the port side. I have some good quality images of this machine, and Floyd is right, not one comes close to showing anything of that part of the airframe.. can anyone out there help ?  In the meantime keep an eye on Werner's Wings. Click on the images to view in 'full-screen' mode..