Fw 200 C-3 Construction Record — Original 03

Nacelles, Cowlings, and Attachment to the Wing

Note

This page preserves Kazu Fukuda’s original forum-based construction record as closely as possible to its original source structure.

It covers the work on engine nacelles, cowlings, attachment to the wing, installation of the rear fuselage and tail surfaces, and completion of the mock-up.

The text of each entry is shown in a highlighted box in order to make clear that it is based on Fukuda’s original post text.

For a chronological reconstruction of the whole record, see:

Fw 200 C-3 Construction Record — Chronology

Source Information

Original format: forum post archive
Dates included on this page: April 30, June 10, June 17, June 21
Main contents: cowlings, engine nacelles, attachment to the wing, rear fuselage, tail surfaces, mock-up completion
Original post text: Kazu Fukuda
Page organization: Japanese Solid Model Archive

Original Record Navigation

Fw 200 C-3 Construction Record ｜ Chronology ｜ Original 01 ｜ Original 02 ｜ Original 03 ｜ Original 04 ｜ Original 05 ｜ Original 06 ｜ Original 07

Previous: Original 02 — Fuselage interior, cockpit, canopies, machine guns, and gondola ｜ Next: Original 04 — Spinners and propellers

Position of This Page

This page deals with the processes around the engine nacelles, which played a major role in determining the outer form of the aircraft after the work on the fuselage interior and gondola.

After checking parts such as the cowlings, oil coolers, exhaust pipes, and landing gear covers, the engine nacelles were attached to the wing. The rear fuselage, tailplane, and vertical tail were then fixed in place.

What is important here is that the making of individual parts was no longer simply a matter of separate component construction.

The work had moved into a stage in which each part contributed directly to establishing the overall form of the Fw 200 C-3.

With the completion of the mock-up on June 21, the collection of materials and shaped blocks could be seen, at least provisionally, as a single aircraft form.

[April 30]

Heat-Pressing the Cowlings

Heat-pressing the cowlings

Original post text by Kazu Fukuda / English translation

The cowlings were made by heat-pressing 1 mm thick plastic sheet.

On the actual aircraft, when viewed from the front, there are bulges for the supercharger intake duct covers at approximately the 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions. For that reason, I divided the cowling exactly at those positions and pressed it in two sections. No matter how many times I tried, it was impossible to press it as a single piece.

At the right is the wooden former. In the center are the two pressed cowling sections, one-quarter and three-quarters of the circumference, together with the duct cover. At the left is the finished cowling after joining the sections together.

Once the cover is attached over the joint, it looks as if the cowling had been pressed as a single piece.

Editorial Note

The cowling is an important part that determines the impression of the engine area.

Here, instead of forming it as a single piece, Fukuda divided it into two heat-pressed sections, taking into account the bulges of the intake duct covers on the actual aircraft.

This is important because the method of forming the part was adjusted in response to the aircraft’s actual shape.

The process is not only about making a shape; it is also about choosing a method that makes that shape possible.

[June 10]

Parts Around the Engine Nacelles

Parts around the engine nacelles

Original post text by Kazu Fukuda / English translation

The parts around the engine nacelles have been completed. Before attaching the nacelles to the wing, I will temporarily assemble the parts and check them.

At the front left is a cowling with cowl flaps made from 0.4 mm thick plastic sheet attached to it. To its right is the finger-shaped exhaust pipe, made by bending plastic model runner material and finishing it with a file. To its right is the oil cooler. To its right are the nacelle body and the main landing gear bay cover, made by heat-pressing plastic sheet.

The holes for attaching the exhaust pipes must also be drilled with a gimlet before the nacelles are attached to the wing. After attachment, the fuselage or the neighboring nacelle would get in the way, making the work impossible, so care is required.

Editorial Note

At this stage, not only the nacelle bodies, but also the cowlings, cowl flaps, exhaust pipes, oil coolers, and main landing gear bay covers have been prepared.

The particularly important point is Fukuda’s note that the holes for attaching the exhaust pipes must be made before the nacelles are attached to the wing.

This is not simply a matter of the order in which parts are made. It is a judgment that anticipates whether tools and hands will be able to reach the work area later.

[June 10]

Trial Assembly of the Engine Nacelle

Trial assembly of the engine nacelle

Original post text by Kazu Fukuda / English translation

I temporarily assembled the parts around the engine nacelle.

The photograph shows the condition of the No. 2 engine, the inner engine on the right wing.

I am checking the attachment of the cowling, oil cooler, exhaust pipes, and landing gear cover. The other three engine nacelles will also be temporarily assembled and checked in the same way.

Next, I will finally attach and glue the nacelles to the wing.

Editorial Note

Here, the attachment condition of the surrounding parts is checked before the nacelle is glued to the wing.

Trial assembly is not carried out merely to see the completed appearance early. It is a process for checking parts that will become difficult to correct after gluing.

After this check, the nacelles are fixed to the wing in the next stage.

[June 17]

Attachment of the Engine Nacelles to the Wing

Attachment of the engine nacelles to the wing

Original post text by Kazu Fukuda / English translation

I attached and glued the engine nacelles to the wing.

This is the view from the underside of the wing. Because semi-recessed 250 kg bombs will be fitted under the No. 1 and No. 4 engine nacelles, the undersides of those nacelles have been scooped out for that purpose.

From now on, I will attach the rear fuselage, tailplane, and vertical tail blocks, which will more or less complete the mock-up. After that, I plan to begin soldering the landing gear area, which will be the most difficult part of the work. It looks as though it will take time.

Editorial Note

In this entry, the engine nacelles are fixed to the wing.

The scooped-out undersides of the No. 1 and No. 4 nacelles, prepared for semi-recessed bombs, are an important feature related to the character of the Fw 200 C-3 as an aircraft.

The attachment of the nacelles transforms the wing from a simple wing shape into a structure that includes engines, landing gear, and bomb installation.

This is a key stage in establishing the aircraft’s overall form.

[June 21]

Attachment of the Rear Fuselage, Tailplane, and Vertical Tail

Attachment of the rear fuselage, tailplane, and vertical tail

Original post text by Kazu Fukuda / English translation

I attached and fixed the rear fuselage, tailplane, and vertical tail.

The gaps were corrected with polyester putty.

With this, the mock-up is more or less complete. Now I will finally begin the landing gear area, which is the most difficult part of the work.

Editorial Note

Here, the rear fuselage, tailplane, and vertical tail are attached, and the form of the rear half of the aircraft is established.

The fact that the gaps were corrected with polyester putty shows that this was not merely a matter of joining parts together. It was also work to adjust the continuity of the outer form.

At this stage, the main outer form of the aircraft can almost be confirmed as a whole.

[June 21]

Mock-Up Completed

Mock-up completed

Original post text by Kazu Fukuda / English translation

The mock-up has been completed.

I temporarily assembled the outer wings and cowlings in order to grasp the overall impression.

Since this is a patrol bomber based on an airliner, it has a gentle form that does not seem typical of a German aircraft.

Editorial Note

This record marks an important turning point in the Fw 200 C-3 construction record.

What has been completed here is not the final finished model. However, the main outer form has come together, and by temporarily assembling the outer wings and cowlings, the overall volume and impression of the aircraft can be checked.

Fukuda’s phrase “gentle form” is especially important.

It is not merely a description of shape. It is a reading of the character of the Fw 200 C-3 as a patrol bomber based on an airliner.

Summary of This Page

This page has covered the processes that largely determine the outer form of the Fw 200 C-3.

Main Focus of This Stage

Making the cowlings by heat-pressing
Preparing the parts around the nacelles
Temporarily assembling the parts before gluing the nacelles to the wing
Attaching the engine nacelles to the wing
Attaching the rear fuselage, tailplane, and vertical tail
Temporarily assembling the outer wings and cowlings to check the overall volume

At this stage, the Fw 200 C-3 moves significantly from a collection of materials and blocks toward the appearance of a single large aircraft.

In particular, the attachment of the nacelles to the wing and the fixing of the tail section and tail surfaces establish the basic outer form of the aircraft.

Fukuda’s comment on the “gentle form” at the completion of the mock-up is also significant for reading this record.

He was not simply making the shape according to drawings. He was reading the character of the aircraft through its form.

Toward the Next Stage

The next record moves to the construction of the spinners and propellers.

Through the drilling of shaft holes in the spinners, shaping of pitch in the propeller blades, trial assembly, painting, and final assembly, the rotating parts that support the completed impression of the engine area are made.

Next: Original 04 — Spinners and propellers

Archival Note

This page preserves the process from the engine nacelles to the completion of the mock-up as source material.

The attachment of the nacelles, cowlings, rear fuselage, and tail surfaces belongs to the stage in which the overall form of the aircraft is established.

For analytical organization, see:

Fw 200 C-3 Construction Record — Chronology

← Fw 200 C-3 Construction Record ｜ Chronology ｜ ← Original 02 ｜ Original 03 ｜ Original 04 →

Original Record Pages: 01 ｜ 02 ｜ 03 ｜ 04 ｜ 05 ｜ 06 ｜ 07