The Focke Wulf FW-190, his aces,variants and victories.

World War II German Military
#1

Breaking with the normal german late 1930s way of thinking that a proficient fighter should be a inline engine aircraft, The Focke-Wulf 190 was known as one of the best fighters during the Second World War. Created and developed under supervision of Prof. Kurt Tank, an unquestioned genius among aircraft engineers, it set new standards that the contenders had to rise to from its introduction to the end of the war. Produced in a run of more than 20 000 copies of all versions, the Fw 190 was an important factor determining the power and efficiency of the Luftwaffe.

V1

#2

Development:

The prototype was completed in the late spring of 1939, got the registration number D-OPZE and after introductory ground tests, flew for the first time on June 1, 1939 with Hans Sander, chief test pilot in the Focke-Wulf Company at the controls. In the first test flights, good plane handling characteristics were demonstrated (e.g. precision controls response) but aileron response could have been improved. The engine cowling was not as good as expected and the engine still had a tendency to overheat. This problem was so severe that even during low powered flight cockpit temperature rose to 55*C. In addition, the cockpit was not properly sealed and exhaust gases had leaked into it. The exhaust gas level was dangerous for the pilot and only his oxygen mask saved Hans Sander from asphyxiation during the first flight.

After the first series of tests, the plane was transferred to the main Luftwaffe research and development facility at Rechlin. This station also advised the RLM. During tests conducted in Rechlin, advantages and disadvantages of the new plane were discovered. The Fw 190 had shown a surprisingly high maximum speed during horizontal flight without armament at the altitude of 4000 m - 595 km/hr. Next, the plane was returned to the manufacturer for necessary modifications, especially in the cooling system. In the case of radial engines there was only one possible solution: to increase airflow over the engine. This was done by using a ten blade fan on the propeller shaft, in front of the engine, near the cowling. The tunnel spinner was replaced by a traditional spinner, covering only the airscrew hub of the VDM metal propeller. It was decided to use this after tunnel trials which had shown that the big spinner had not given proper airflow for efficient engine cooling and its influence on the reduction of pressure drag was not significant. Engine cooling was improved after this modification, but not to the expected level, and the engine still operated in the high range of acceptable temperatures.

#3

is is that true that the first few verison has a serious problem include the cockpit would get extremely hot due to improper cooling system?

#4

Lots of good information there! It was a great aircraft, I would like to see more posts with information on the other versions?

#5

The engine cowling was not as good as expected and the engine still had a tendency to overheat. This problem was so severe that even during low powered flight cockpit temperature rose to 55*C. In addition, the cockpit was not properly sealed and exhaust gases had leaked into it

The tight layout of the 38 liter two row radial BMW 139 did not help either.
The problem continue until the FW technicians decided to move into the new BMW design , that is the BMW 801, even heavier an with 42,7 liter, that was a less problematic powerplant.

The last aircraft in use the BMW 139 was the V2, also the V2 introduced armament for the first time, 2 x13mm Mgs in the wing roots, and 2x 7,92 in the outer wing.

FW-190V2

#6

FW-190A-0

In October 1940, the first of 40 Fw 190A-0 on order came from the production line. They received designations characteristic of prototypes: Fw 190V6 W.Nr.0006 and Fw 190V7. Both had the old wing because production started before introduction of the new wing and the first nine airframes were so advanced that the decision was made to introduce the modification from W.Nr.0015 plane.

Simultaneously with the new wing, a bigger horizontal tail was introduced. However, the enlarged vertical tail not applied until later, from the A-2 version. The Fw 190 V6 was used for characteristics and performances tests. Fw 190V7 was used for testing of a heavier armament consisting of two 20 mm Ikaria (Oerlikon licence) MG FF cannons (in addition to the four MG 17 machine guns), mounted in the wing center section just aft of the main gears attachment point. After firing tests at Tarnewitz, this armament was standardized for the Fw 190A-1 planes until the introduction of the 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 cannons in place of the wing mounted MG 17. This became possible after the introduction of the new synchronizer (for firing through the propeller arc) that had not been ready for the series production.

An overheated A-0, the solution to that was enlarging the rear ventilation inlets.

#7

FOCKE-WULF 190 A-1

The first Fw 190A-1 planes came off the production line at the Focke-Wulf Marienburg factory in June 1941. During August the output rose to 30 planes a month. During this month, deliveries of licence production from Arado Warneminde factory started and were joined in October by deliveries from AGO Oschersleben so that by the end of September, 82 planes were delivered to Luftwaffe units and by end of October all 102 planes ordered were built. On one of these, designated as Fw 190A-1/U-1, a new engine was mounted: the 1700 hp BMW 801D-2.

Fw-190A-1 from JG-26 Schlageter.

Some of the Fw 190A-1, like some of the A-0, got a FuG 25 IFF device in addition to the radio transceiver set FuG 7. In the Technical Office, reports concerning the Fw 190A-1 main problems still were concentrated on engine overheating and fires. In all series planes’ cockpit, oil tank and oil cooler armor became standard.

FOCKE-WULF 190 A-2

The Fw 190A-2 was the second series variant and was powered by the modified BMW 801C-2 engine. In this model, problems with the engine rear bank of cylinders overheating were finally solved by the simple introduction of a ventilation slot on the two sides of the engine cowling. The same slots were also introduced in the Fw 190A-1 in service. In place of wing mounted MG 17 machine guns, the Mauser MG 151/20 E 20 mm canons were used because of delivery of the new synchronizers. This replacement produced a small convex bulge of the upper armament covers in the wing roots. In place of the Revi C/120, a modern Revi C/12D gunsight was used. As a result of modifications, plane empty weight rose to 3850 kg. Important modification also included a new, more efficient, electrical gear retraction mechanism. The Fw 190Airframes, including version A-2, had under fuselage hard points for an ETC 501 bomb rack but there is no indication whether it was mounted in the A-2 version or not. One plane (W.Nr120315, CM+CN), was fitted experimentally with an automatic pilot device and was redesignated Fw 190A-2/U-1. In some sources there is information about a A-2/U-3 reconnaissance version. 420 Fw 190A-2 planes were produced.

#8

Very interesting information and beautiful work Panzerknacker.

I look forward to more updates.

#9

And you got it…¡

One of the first major aerial encounters in wich the FW-190A participate was the air battle wich followed the hurried “Channel Dash”, that is the air cover for a Kriegmarine Battlegroup the 12th february 1942.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-2
Stab, Jagdgeschwader 26
Coquelles, France
Early 1942

An excellent account of that days encounters can be read in here.

http://www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/jg26/12feb42.htm

The Fleet Air Arm launched 6 Fairey Sworfish in an atemp to duplicate the succeses against The Italian Fleet in Tarento and the sinking of the Bismark. Instead of that the Strinbag were completely blasted by the Fw-190s and Flak, only 3 of his 18 man crew survived.

Fairey Swordfish Mk.I V4373
No.815 Sqn FAA

JG 26 Claims 12 February 1942

#10

FOCKE-WULF 190 A-3

Beginning in the spring of 1942, series production of a more powerful engine version BMW 801D-2 that replaced previous versions in the Fw 190Fighter created a new plane version designated as Fw 190A-3. The increase in the BMW 801D-2 engine power (to 1730 kW) was due to a higher compression ratio and higher pressure two-speed compressor. A higher compression ratio and charging pressure made it necessary to use high-octane (96 octane) C3 fuel in place of B4 (87 octane) fuel. Armament of standard Fw 190A-3 planes was the same as in the previous version.

Gun layout in the A-3. Far more heavy arrangement than Bf-109

A series airframes were widely used in a big development program with the aim of finding the optimum armament and equipment mix that made it possible to broaden the operational capabilities of the plane beyond fighter operations. The largest part of these modifications were in the form of Umrustbausatz kits, but some did not have special designations and can be recognized only from photographs. The total number of such modified planes is unknown. The best known are the Fw 190A-3 with an under-fuselage mounted bomb rack ETC 501 for carriage of 500 kg of bombs (1x500 kg, 2x250 kg or 4x50 kg on the ER4 adapter) or an external drop tank of 300 liters capacity for long range fighters. Some planes used only for fighter operations (without bomb racks) had a reduced armament by removal of wing mounted MG FF cannons, which was not reflected in a designation. Moreover, 72 Fw 190Aa-3 (a=auslandisch-foreign) planes were produced. These were exported to Turkey during October 1942 - March 1943. Most of them had the same armament as the A-1 version e.g. 1x4 MG 17 machine guns and 2x1 MG FF cannon, and for obvious reason there was no FuG 25 IFF device in the radio equipment.

In addition to the previously described modification kits designed for the Fw 190A-3 and later versions other kits Umrustbausatz were prepared; but we must admit that most were unrealized projects or experimental planes that existed only in one or two copies: Fw 190A-3/U1 - only one built, experimental plane (W.Nr. 130270, PG+GY) with engine mount extended for 15 cm. It was used as a prototype of the A-5 version, Fw 190A-3/U2 - underwing mounted unguided missile RZ 65 73 mm racks tested on the plane W.Nr. 130386, Fw 190A-3/U3 - reconnaissance fighter with Rb 50/30 cameras mounted in the fuselage; armament reduced by removing MG FF cannons, one built, Fw 190A-3/U4 reconnaissance fighter with two Rb 12.5/7x9 cameras mounted in the fuselage and camera gun EK 16 or miniature camera Robot II in the leading edge of the left wing root; armament as in U3 version, additional under fuselage mounted ETC 501 bomb rack with stabilizer strips for 300 liter fuel tank.

Twelve planes built, Fw 190A-3/U7 - attempt to create a new high altitude fighter, with reduced weight, with armament consisting of only two MG 151/20 E cannons. Only three planes built (W.Nr. 130528, -530 and -531); they can be recognized by external charger air inlets on both engine cowling sides.

A-3/U-7

#11

Incidentally one A-3 was the first FW-190 to fall in the hands of the allies, a very valuable warprice because the air supremacy depicted by this fighter in the early-mid 1942.

#12

Interesting Comparative between the Fw-190A-4 and the early P-47D ( razorback)

Sadly no nitrous oxide GM-1 boost sistem in the FW.

#13

Focke-Wulf Fw190A-5, flown by Emil ‘Bully’ Lang, 5./JG54. Eastern Front, May 1943, this day lang claimed a total of 18 victories in 3 sorties.

#14

Fw-190 ground strafing in the Western Front.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7268755420049018869&q=FW-190

#15

And what do you think about TA-152H. Could it be compare with P-51 or something else?
And what’s about duel FW-190 and La-7 (Lavochkin) in Eastern front?

#16

Is this screenshot from the game (Microsoft combat fly sim or IL-2).
I watched same pictures in IL-2:Fogotten battles.
I prefer to fly on Me-109G6 or La-7. I dislike Fw-190.

#17

Theres no doubt that the FW scored heavily on the Ostfront, outperforming any Soviet design.

#18

The Ta-152H was superior is almost avery aspect to the P-51D, maybe the only advantages of the mustang was the longer range, aniway the FW-Ta-152 carried heavier armament and it was more fast and maneouvrable at any altitude.

The comparison Between the Fw-190A-7/8 with the La-7 is very very hard one because the similar caracteristics of both planes, I guess that the pilots and the tactical situation would decide who is the Bets.

Is this screenshot from the game (Microsoft combat fly sim or IL-2).
I watched same pictures in IL-2:Fogotten battles.
I prefer to fly on Me-109G6 or La-7. I dislike Fw-190

Actually is some 3d art from the british artist Jerry Boucher, I extracted from here.

http://www.the-vaw.com/html/gallery5.php

#19

Yes , i think TA-152H was masterpiece of piston fighters. Max speed (it’s seems 747 km/hour) and height ( 14 800 m) it was the best.
TA-152 could be good surprise for allied air armada.

But it didn’t play important role in war because it was made just 67 TA-152 of all modification.

The comparison Between the Fw-190A-7/8 with the La-7 is very very hard one because the similar caracteristics of both planes, I guess that the pilots and the tactical situation would decide who is the Bets.

Agree.


Vs

But i try to compare.
La-7 had more maneouvrable and more speed at altitude till 5 000 m , becouse more powerfull engine (1850 h.f) . But FW-190A-7/A-8 had nitrous oxide GM-1 boost sistem (upgrade power 1700 to 2100 h.f. for short time).
It let FW-190 to detach away from pursuit.
In Estern front pilot of FW-190 were seldom involved in maneouvrable battles against soviet La-5FN/7.
Fw-190A-7/8 had 220 mm guns and two 13 mm mashine-guns. La-7 had 320 mm guns.
Fw-190 had more range of altitude (11 400 m).

captured Fw-190A-8.

#20

True , if soviet pilots fly in lend lees shit like Harricane Mk.2/4