8 PLANES and PILOTS OG i t WING UU W IS Dominique BREFFORT André JOUINEAU J HISTOIRE & COLLECTIONSPLANES and PILOTS THE FOCKE WULF FW 190 1939-1945 Dominique BREFFORT André JOUINEAU Translated from the French by Alan McKAY HISTOIRE & COLLECTIONS41 September 1941. British plots flying over the Dunkirk area got a nasty surprise when they came across a brand new German ar- ‘raft which turned out to be better than their Spitfire Mk V. The Allies had just run into the Luftwalfe's new fighter, the Focke-Wulf 199, ‘construction of which had started four years earlier. The plane was to become one of the best fighters of WWII with mare than 20 000 builtin a host of versions although it had such a dificult beginning that at one point there were doubts about ts continued development. Inthe autumn of 1997, the RLM (Reichsluftfahrtministerium, the Reich's Air Ministry) started looking for a successor to the Messer- ‘schmitt Bt 108, put into service some eighteen months earlier. Apert from needing to renew its materiel in the long term, the RLM war- ted to have two diferent fighter types at its disposal, like the othar ‘great powers (Great Britain, France, etc), in case there should bea ‘World conflict, an eventuality which was geting more and more likely as time went by. What the RLM's Technische Amt (the Technical Department) ware tod was a new plane that had to be light, robust and easy to mal 14, ‘ain; and it had to have good performances - the optimistic figure of 400 mph (640 kph) at 19 700 feet (6 000m) was even bandied about DIFFICULT BEGINNING [Abor: The V1 profeype (WN. 0001] under completion in he Fock: Wi Broan fry ning 78, Te encal dace proper in nslel i enue cock rhe rail engin wes very qed cond Mar iar ofa me convtional cca monica es tect ail tent he fede, he rodney, Be el was postioned hurr back and he wings enlarged, bute underco oe reted is wide rock, hersby ging en undspuied odvonoge over ie 108, ts ect al Originally no engine in particular was specified, but because t authorities insisted on two main points - namely Good protection for the cockpit with addtional armour and the use of reliable equipme ~ an inline engine was out of the question because it used a lig cooling system which itself was vulnerable and needed protection which in turn considerably increased the plane's mass. ‘The Focke-Wulf Flugzsugmodelloau had already lost the previous tender for which the Bf 109 had come out on top, Their Chief Ege reer in particular, Kurt Tank, saw this new project as a way to boos the company’s fortunes which as a result were at quite a low ee ‘where building single-engined aircraft was concemed, Starting in the summer of 1998, a team led by OberingerOpes The rt rfp 1) fhe Fw 19, reseed os D-OPZ and copealoged wih ho shoes of ats an lig Gas fA 70,7 ond] How fhe fist non | ne 199) pled by Hors Sond Th ded spinner ond he cock posifoned right behind the engine can be eon Seon Reais ng (A Rudolf Blaser had therefore started working on different projects all equipped with an inline engine, a type of power plant which was rather in fashion atthe time, owing mainly to a specialist in the genre, Daimler-Benz, the engine builder, Kurt Tank however was convinced that a radial engine could do the job and satisfy official requirements. After only a fow weeks he decided to give up the idea of using an inline engine and to concen trate on a totally new air-cooled radial engine, the BMW 139, This had eighteen cylinders (two rows ofthe nine cylinders already equip- ping the BMW 132) and was announced as being more powerlul than the DB 601 and Jumo 211; it also seemed particularly suited to what he had in mind, with ts narrow diameter -less than 4 6 in (1.40 m) - and its excelient power rating (1 550 bhp at take-off). The oniy cloud on the horizon was that it was just a prototype and up until then had only been bench tested. Kurt Tank and his faithful right-hand man, Rudolf Blaser, pushed ‘on with their research all the more energetically and at the end of 1938, the future machine was given its oficial appellation, the Focke- ‘Wilf 190, with an intial order from the RLM for two, then finally three, prototypes of the new fighter. They were to fly in the spring ofthe fol Towing year, Kurt Tank had served in the Cavalry during the Great War and had often had the opportunity of seeing how wartime conditions often made military materiel and equipment dificult to use. He defined his project thus:"/ was convinced that a new type of fighter would have its place in the coming conflict: it was a machine which could be flown from badly-prepared airstrips close to the frontline; could be Below: Prertokeroff preparation for Fw 1904-0 (W.Ns. 0020), factory registration qumber (Zommkennzzichen) “KBsPV". The comeuflage is made Up of thre shades of grey [RUM 74,75, and 76) applied in large Bolches ‘onthe wings ond speckles onthe fuselage sides used and maintained by men who had received only a minimum of training; basically a simple machine that could take a lot of punish ‘ment and stil get back to its base. That was the idea behind the Fooke-Wulf 190: it was not a thoroughbred (implied, lke the Bf 102), but something more ike a workhorse." Inthe spring of 1999, a fourth protoiype was ordered and instruc- tions were given to set up a production line for forty pre-production series machines. “The Fw190V-1 (V for Versuchsflugzeug - prototype), the first pro- totype (WerknummenW.Nr.— serial number ~ 0001), completed in the spring of 1939, started its taxing trials at the Focke-Wull factory airfield at Bremen in the following May. The plane was a low-wing monoplane with a small 31 ft2 in wingspan, whereas the Spitire’s was more than 36 ft it was completely covered in Duralumin except for the control surfaces which were fabric-covered: the cockpit was positioned as near the front as possible, shielded by a single-piece ‘transparent canopy without any upright frames thus giving the pilot excelient visibility. One of the features of the design was the very wide undercarriage track (11 ft 6 in) which gave the aircraft excep- tional ground stability, especially in strong side winds. The BMW engine was installed on a very short mounting, the fireproof bulkhead being situated aimost directly below the windshield. This engine drove ‘a wide-diameter (10 ft 10 in) three-blade VOM propeller which had neant using long undercarriage legs, resulting inthe aircraft havinga very nose-up attitude when on the ground. Finally although no ‘armament was installed on this camouflaged prototype which none- theless bore civilian registration markings, it was immediately rece- gnisable by its enormous propeller spinner which enclosed a duct Tuning through the centre designed to ensure the engine was coc- led since the planned "blower" (a ten-bladed cooling fan) had not been installed. “Thus equipped, V1 took off on 1 June flown by Flugkapitén Hane ‘Sander, Chief Test Pit for Focke-Wi atthe time. Although at least there seemed to have been no incidents during the twenty-minuts flight, the prototype’s maiden flight did reveal that the engine was not cooled enough and that the temperature even went up to 55° inside the cockpit which was positioned right behind the fire proof bulkhead... Moreover exhaust gas had leaked into the cookgit whic ‘was not airtight and Sander had not been able to open the canopy because of the slipstream. Finally during particularly tight bends the landing gear retraction mechanism did nat work properly and the undercarriage legs came out of their wells rather in rather a1 Untimely manner. As 2 result Kurt Tank decided to fit electric meche- nisms on future models. ‘The V1 trials were continued frst at Bremen then in July 1993 at the Erprobungstelle, the Luftwaffe’ prototype test centre at Rect lin, where Hermann Goring and Emst Udet in person turned up fer a demonstration of the prototype in fight, Whilst construction of the second prototype was under way, Focke-Wulf was warned that development of the BMW 139, whic ‘was just what was needed, had been called into doubt then quits simply thrown out in favour of another power plant, the BMW 801 ‘This was just as powerful and had the same diameter, but It was longer and heavier (about 320 Io) which meant that the design of the aircraft would have to be quite considerably modified. Fw’ 19) \V3 and V4, which were already being built, could not be modified. So it was decided they would not fly; the first was finally used fer spare parts and the second for structural resistance trials. Whilst the trials of the V1 - now registered as FOsLY - carried 6 onat Rechiin with the machine reaching 371 mph and turning out Opposite: A seeneofen tobe seen during the Fw 190 fst months in eric: Firemen have smothered his Anton’ engine wit foom here the lower engine coving has been opened. fAW) to be more agile than the Bf 109, the second prototype (FO+LZ) took to the air in October 1998. Overall it was generally identical to the fist aircraft and was equipped with radio, four machine guns {one pair in the wing roots and the other pair over the engine, all synchronised to fire through the propeller are) and an oll radiator housed in the front ofthe engine, just behind the fan. On the other hand, the large spinner had been retained. This set up was thought rather ineffective and was removed quickly rom the V1 (end of January 1940) and the plane was given a more conventional spin- ‘er and engine cowiing in order, Or so they thought, to solve the BMW engine's overheating probloms. A few days later the samo change was made to the V2 which had a serious accident the fol lowing August after it had only put infty or so tying hours. As the repairs were going to last untl the end of 1940, develop- ment work ona fith prototype (V5) was speeded up. This was fit- ted with the new BMW 801 and in comparison with its predeces- sors had been partly redesigned because the new powerplant was heavier which meant reinforcing the engine mounting structure and repositioning the cockpit further back to make up for the extrweight at the front, At the same time, the height ofthe canopy was also increased allowing weapons to be installed above the engine inside the cowiing; the structure was reinforced with stronger and larger Undercarriage with redesigned whee! wells as a rosult Finally tho wings were redesigned with both a shortened span and a reduced angle of attack on the leading edge. These indispensable modi cations had a cost, a 25% increase in the total mass (+ 1 397 Ib, ile.a total of7 480i) and less manoeuvrability because of increa sed wing loading (48.45 lisa t instead of 38 tb/sq ft), confirmed on the Vs's maiden fight in Apri 1940 By a happy combination of circumstances, because the proto- type had been slightly damaged during an accident on the ground, the Focke-Wult engineers took advantage of the fact to fit larger wings (34 16 in wingspan) with the leading edge futher forward to reduce the sweep and gain 32 sq ft more wing area: the tain was algo enlarged (12 ft) $0 that the proportion between the tail and the wings remained the same. Quickly christened Vg (tor “grosser Fig! — big wings ~ 198.962 89 ft) — compared with V5k (for “kleiner Flgel— litle wings — 160.368 9 ft), the plane immediately demonstrated how much more manoeuvrable it was, with a fastor climb rato all or a reduc- tion in overall performance by only about 6% (6 mph) off the top speed. It was therefore decided to allow all the machines being built to benefit rom these modifications. FOCKE-WULF A-O In April 1940 when the V5 trials had barely begun, the RLM off- cially ordered forty pre-series machines to be delivered as quickly as possible. As it turned out this was nat the good news it seemed to be because Focke-Wull's Bremen factory was not ready to deal with such a large order and BMW was not up to supplying more than six ofits new engines per month. Thanks to Tank’s and Bla- e's determined work, the first of them, the V6 (Werknummmer 0008), the first machine bearing the official designation A-0, nonetheless came off the production line in October 1940 fitted with the VSk's shorter wing, as were the following eight machines. ‘These first examples from the pre-production series were powe- red by a BMW 801 C-0 engine fitted with a twelve-bladed (insteadof the ten previously) ventilator fan housed infront of it designed to cool the cylinders and completed by an annular radiator fed from a tank holding 12.11 gallons of lubricant. ‘The monocoque, all-metal fuselage consisted of two main sec- tions and in the lower part, under the aluminium cockpit floor, there were two selt-sealing ful tanks accessible through ventral panels. The wings wore also all etal and assembly was made around the front spar. The plane's “modular” design enabled construction to be spit up and undertaken by different sub-contractors in diferent places. Al the control surfaces were operated by rods and not by Cable and were fited with acjustable tim, the incidence ofthe ele- vators being adjusted by means ofa tle electric motor installed in the leading edge of the tail. On-board armament consisted of {wo 7.92-mm MG 17 machine guns installed over the engine in front the windshield each with 900 rounds from containers loca ted underneath; access was by means of panels. Reloading th wing weapons - two MG 17 machine guns in the wing roots and {wo 20 mm MG FF cannon outboard of the undercarriage ~ was through panels under the wing he first seven A-0s lett the factory at the end of 1940 and the enlarged tall and wings of V5g were fited tothe following exam- ples, production ofthe new fighter being spit between Focke-Wull itself at its Marienburg site and various sub-contractors lke Arado, AGO oF Fieseler. Because of diffcuty in obtaining the BMW engines, ofthe original order for 40 machines were indeed bi November 1940 and December ofthe folowing year. Most of them were Kept fr factory conversion" trals ("Umrdst Bausatze?, des- ignated by the “U" sutix) of which eleven variants (various combi- nations of weapons, bombs, drop tanks, designated A-O/Ut to U1) boing thus tested In February 1941, Erprobungstelle Fw 190, the testing fight for the Fw 190 based at Rechin-Roggenthin and made up ota detach- ment from IIJG 28 commanded by Oberieutnant Otto Behrens, received six A-Os (WINES. 0013, 0014, 0018, 0018, 0022 and 0027} for testing the plane under operational conditions. These tests, brought out all the faults, mainly due to the engine overheating - Above: The VS k for “ine Fg’, shor wings ws the is Fw 190 powered by o BMW 801 engine which meant placing he cockpi further ‘cht 01 could be insted, the plan has been entirely painted RLM O2 ‘ey grsen. The exo whed wall dors are ypc af he fat versions Gl wera ranored oa of mechines epecily when a verted lon ws ed. AW) {ne plane's real “teething problem’ — but also to the “Kommando- gerat (see inset page 13) not working. Needless to say, solving the problems of this apparatus, which ‘was just as ingenious as it was complicated, caused considerable anxiety and atone moment the engineers even thought of geting fid of i {As the engine fres got more frequent, worrying rumours had it that the Fw 190 programme would be halted if these teething pro- blems were not dealt with once and for al... Even worse, at the end of the summer of 1941, the trials unit was went to France, to le Bourget airfield, o prevent the innabitants of Rechiin witnessing the unhappy spectacle of the Lufwatfe's new fighters coming back to their base on fire; indeed, not one fight had gone ahead without ending up with some sort of incident! 'AS Can be imagined, this move did not change things very much and a committee of inquiry was hurried to France and again threa- {ened to halt tne programme. The threat loomed so great that it was Otto Behrens, the unit’s commanding officer, who managed to change the committee's mind, using his power of persuasion and his speaker's skills to redress the situation. There was a price of ‘course: sore fitty or so modifications to be made to the plane (one of the most obvious was adding engine cooling ails to the fuse- lage sides, behind the exhaust plpes). The commission was finally satisfied and returned to Germany after three weeks. Moreover, it was decided thatthe power plant would be supplied complete, direct from BMW, in the form of a whole assembly ("Moto- ‘anlage') comprising the engine ise, the cowiings and the fitings. Even though the worst ofthe storm had passed, all the defects did not entirely disappear and bad engine lubrication and overheating of the lower back row cylinders continued to plague the Fw 190 throu- 6 was designed based on the A-8/U9 and Ut0. This was charac- terised by new reinforced wings enabling better armament to be Installed, increasing the aircrafts firepower, Although it kept the ‘same wingspan, its structure was now modified to house four iden- tical cannon, all using the same ammunition (which had not been the case before). The MG FFs placed outboard of the undercar- riage were often removed because they were heavy and not very effective; they were replaced by two MG 151/20s, identical to the ‘ones in the wing roots and belt fed '125 rounds). In order to increase fining precision, the cowling machine guns fired tracer bullets enabling the pilct to aim at his target better and then "deal with” it with the four wing cannon. Finally he access panels to these wea pons with a greater rate of fire had bosses. Under the fuselage there was a circular antenna linked to the PR 16 radio system: it was now possible to install the MW 50 power boost system, Bet- ter protected mainly thanks to the additional engine armour, the A 6 was also heavier than its predecessors, its total weight now stood at 108 Ib. Here again the exact figure for the number of examples built from ‘May-June to November 1943 varies considerably according to the sources, ranging from 569 (the most likely) to 3 208... Most of these 22. machines, although originally intended for the Eastern front, were Oppose During the bate of Normand, the Fw 190A:8/R2 ofthe IVStum/JG 3 wer used os ght bombers as can be seen on this pho, The font verator fon, piel ofthe "Anton is here dearly be, a's the spiral painted on the propeller spinner. (BA) ‘bore: A Fw 190A-5/811 nightfighter equipped with FuG217 rador ‘hos ctr can be sen bu gs ot eeloge, NO ay wr rosie rel the) Was Ere ey elacian eta ede MET eh imag assigned to units fighting inthe West, especially those defending the Reich, increasingly pounded day and night by Ald bombers. The Fw 1808-6 was very close to the Spitire IX but was better at high alttudes because ofthe two-stage supercharger. On the other hand when faced with the American P-47, in order to maintain is advantage, it had to remain at low altitudes, the Thunderbolt per- forming belter above 19.600 fost. 'As for the other versions, the A-6 could be modified in the field using Rustsatzo ~ the transformation kits - the one inmost wides- pread use being the 7 which increased plot protection by adding {an armoured piate on the cockpit sides and instline bullet-proof panes on the windshield sides. This was the variant which equip ped Sturmstafe literally “assault squadron’) in paficular, crea {ed atthe end of 1943 and placed under the control of Reichsmar- schall Hermann Goering in this unit, each pilot was a volunteer and committed himself to destroying an Alied bomber by whatever means, ramming iif needs, bel Naturally this extreme solution was never taken up, but the Sturmbock(iterlly ‘storm ram") as they were nicknamed by their pilots roally needed their extra armour when they gct as near as possible to the “big cars" (as the four-engined bombers were cal- SPECIFICATIONS (FW190A-5) PowerPlant (One cooled 4-cyindor double ow BMW 8010-2 racial engine rated at 1 700 bhp at take-of aeving metal ‘teee bladed 10 10 nVDM propel. Performance | Max Spood! #18 mph at20 396 t ‘Operational Casing: 32 800 t ange: 531 mls ‘armament | Dimensions Two 72mm Ahermesl Bog MO | Length: 288 10in ‘T machine gunsin tetussage; Wo | Height 12890 2mm MauserMG 151720 canncein ‘Wingspar-34t8in ‘ho wing roots are ive Den MG FE Wing Area: 196.962 69 ‘cannon nthe mes of he weg fg Weight (empty): 6 512 Max Take-off weight 8.038 ‘outside te propel acled by the German pilots) in box formation in order to deliver the fatal blow. This unit formed the kernel of IV.(Sturm)/JG 3, which Was set up in April 1944 and which obtained its frst successes on 7 July 1944. Indeed on that particular day, more than 900 USAAF B-17s and B-24s escorted by almost 850 fighters bombed the Leipzig region The intervention of the Focke-Wills cost them 82 bombers amiong Which 28 Liberators for a loss of nine German fighters. THE FW 190A-7 ‘This version which appeared in 1943 was produced in very small ‘numbers (50-80 examples depending on the sources); it was to hhave been a fast reconnaissance version. The main modifications Were a simpified electrical system and the replacement of the 7.92- mm MG 17 fuselage machine guns by two 13-mm MG 181s. This, change, already tried out on the A-S/U9 and intended once again to give the machine mors firepower, was Immediately reco- gnisable from the outside because the panels protecting the more voluminous guns were shaped differently with two extra bos- ses, iforeover tne old Rev 124 sights were replaced by the better 1 Most of the A-7s, whose BMW 801 D-2 engines were fitted with the MW 50 power boost system, were sent to the West, the last examples produced being equipped with a wooden 11 #6 inVDM propel- ler. Finally a least one example was equipped with Opposite: An Fw 190:8 no doubt from 7./ JG 26 abandoned in Bi in rar ner poston n epee bae | comovFage of ree sroses of gry, pia he arge aie ofthe 15088 cn be cys hoo (ae crepe he Sm tonnon inthe wing took SPECIFICATIONS (FW190A-8) | Performance: Max. Speed: 400 mph at 20 996 ft Cruising Speed: 965 mph row BNW 8010-2 radial engine fated at 1 700 bhp at take-off cri 20 936 ft ving a metalthree-Haded 107 10in Operational Celng: 34 768 ft VOM propeller ‘Armament Dimensions: “Two 7.92 mm Rhsinmetall Borsig Length 2810 In MG 17 machine guns in the fuse Height: 12119 in lage; four 20mm Mauser MG ‘Wingspan: 38h 6 in Wing Area: 198.062 9 ft Max Take-off weight 9 570 Ib 451/20 cannon, two in the wing reals and two inthe contre of the wing fing outsie the propeller arc. Opposite ‘This Fw 190A°8 belonging o JG 1 was photographed in Germany just here Amie eel fio dolaelon ve it extra tanks in fairings containing 60 gallons each and fitted onto the upper surface of the wing. Although this arrangement christe- ‘ned "Doppelreiter’ (Double rider) turned out to work well, the RLM decided not to go ahead with a series on the pretext that it would disrupt production. THE FW 190A-8 ‘The most important version of the Anton, the A-8, was produ- ced from the end of 1943, and in a way represented the ultimate version of ths fighter before the engine was changed. It was very closely derived from the A-7 which it replaced on the production lines though some slight modifications intended to improve perfor- mance were made. ‘The 25-gallon tank behind the cockpit was now replaced by two tanks holding the water and methanol, or even the nitrous oxide, for the MW 50 power boost system. This system, replacing the turbo-chargers used by the Allies on their fighters in particular, enabled the engine power to be increased to 1440 bhp for short Periods (ten minutes) at heights of 17 000 feet24, THE LUFTWAFFE’S FOCKE WULF UNITS | (31 MAY 1944) 0 Foie Wt ts wor pret sce coat ui ton 289g oe Searae Sura eed ore ‘Theorical Operational Lunt lh DFS crs 8 * Mguem gs eae beg 2 f Se eee g 3 mage $ 3 Day ee RENEE com ou 2 Santa ae 2 2 Lutte eso Fon) Davia FRESE cnnne) 5 2 Sah gee) & gs Sonat feat o 2 tate 3g 8 Heeraesnce Sores, " ‘ atte? etre : 504 (68 .1.cupos 1 a ‘Luftfiotte 1 (Eastern Front) bay Fetie SEE ones) 0 Lunt Eaten Font oun atak Fee a 2 2 AST TE onsen 8 g Se eae ecl Ee aneen 8 8 chose deem Font roe tat Se 7 3 unset se Ft gounasins SER cera al cress) # s ‘On the &-8, the radio equipment and the fuel supply lines were different; the shape and position of certain panels on the fuselage ‘were modified. Finally and especially, the ventral pylon when ins {alled (which was almost alvays the case) was postioned slightly, {rer forward (6 inches) in order Yo Improve the centre of gravity Which was alsplacea when the new fuselage tank Was Installed Naturally this modification meant atthe extra undercarriage wheel well doors had to be removed once and for al as they had been ‘when this pyion wae ited before, "The Avs vas fited with @ FUG 182-Y radio and the FUG 25a FOF identfication system, a Morane anisnna being positioned under one Wing and a circular one for the huf-dutf under the rear ofthe fuse- lage. Finally the ptt tube, clearly visble from the exterior, had been located unl hen in the middle of te ight wing leading edge just near the canon; it was now moved tothe outside near the wing tip. (On the other hand, the armament installed on the A-7 was retai- ned forthe A-8: two fuselage-mounted MG 131 machine guns with 4400 rounds, two MG 181/20E cannon with 250 rounds inthe wing roots, and two others but with only 125 rounds outboard of the Undercarriage. Thore was a rectangular boss on the wing surface Just above where these guns were located. ’AcT production was stopped when the MW 50 system was put Serv machines yer sed or teing ferent ypes of erpdons Hpi lech uaa ehaned toa rs into widespread use and in February 1944 the A-8 replaced it on the production Ines. This version was bul in very large numbers (between 1 334 and 6 655 examples, depending onthe various Sources.) thanks especially fo the Jagemotprogramm (Fighter need programme) Which was organised to respond to the ever- Ihoteasing demand from the fighting units and two neWsub-conrac- {ors became involved in the production: Dornier at Wismar and Mimetal ‘There were no particular factory modifications (Umrlst Bausatz) to the Ac8 but tis as the version on which the cowersion kits (Pustsatze) were used most especialy by the Reich Defence units (Re, RS, AY and Ré) when attacking the Allied heavy bombers. ‘Thus the most widely used Rammlager was the A-S/RE with its inoreasod protection around the cockpit, the coving mounted guns {armoured plates) and the windshield (80-mm thick bulet-proot lass) and with ts NIK 108 20-mm cannon (also protected by spe- Sal armour), replacing the 20-mm ones inthe centre ofthe wing. ‘These canon could sre 600 rounds per minute and were paricu- larly effective because a direct nit from only three ot these 1-b incendiary or high explosive shells was normally enough to down One of ha -Viermots our-engined planes) 'k Sturmbook weighed about 40010 more than a standard A-B and was thus less manoeuvrable and slower, and so much more Vulnerable whon facing te “ite friends", the escortng P-47s and P-Sts. That was why i was decided to protect these assault ai- Craft with esoor fighters, Messerschmitt 109s, which were lighter fand whose engines had been geared up for the job. Thus @ Golechteverband~ a combat formation - normally comprised @ Sturmprugoe of S-Bs and two Grupoen o escorting B: 1096s, Ane. ther assault unt, Il. (Sturm)/ JG 4, was quickly formed and equip- ped with A-B/R7s and RBS After D-Day, these assault units were reorganised. |l,(Sturm)/ JG 300 was set up in July 1944 and IV.(Sturm)/ JG 3 wes first under ‘IG 300's command then was incorporated in October 1944 into the wing as IV(Sturm)lUG 300. The Americans were not long in working out how to deal with these attacks and sent fghters out n front ofthe boxes inorder to “clean up the skies", breaking up the German formations and making it almost impossible for them to reform, Thus ftom the auturm of 1844 onwards these Gefechts- Verband lost mich of ther effectiveness. THE FW 190A-9 ‘This was the last version of the Anton to be produced in num- bers - about 200. The A-9 performed better than its predecessor,‘Some Fw 1905 were obtained by adding a second cockpit Talos crtora the A-8. Itwas to have been powered by a BMW 801F-1 equipped with a supercharger and rated at 2.000 bhp on take-off. Only two test aircraft were infact fitted with this power plant since the pro- duction series machines were powered by a BMW 801TS/TH which could reach 2 270 bhp with the supercharging system. The engine cowling of the A-9 was slighty longer (12 in) because the engine's annular oll radiator was both bigger, more efficient and beiter protected (more armour). Finally the “blower" (fan) placed Up front now had fourteen blades instead of the previous twelve. A ‘new 11 ft6 in diameter propeller should have been installed but or some unknown reason, most of the A-ds were fitted with the pre- Ceding version's metal VDM model. ‘So that it could be used as an assault alrraft or even as a ram (Rammjager), the leading edges of the wings were to have been armoured but in the end this idea was abandoned to save weight; the machine could now reach a top speed of 437.5 mph, to the {great satisfaction of the pilots who thought they would be able to Confront the Mustangs on equal terms. Apart from Its very efficient engine, the great novelty of this, *Hohenjagdflugzeug” (high altitude fighter) was the appearance of new rounded canopy fitted with a faired headrest support which ‘was algo retro-ftted to certain A-8s and installed in all the later ver- sions of the Fw 190F, ‘The examples produced were converted using identical Rust- sstze to the ones used before on the A-8: R2 with two 30-mm MK 408 cannon, R11 and R12 "Schiechtwetteriager” (bad weather figh- ter) with heated windshield and PKS automatic pilot. THE FW 190 A-10 Originally intended to start coming off the production lines in March 1945, in the end this last version was never produced: it was recognisable by its bigger wingspan designed to make it more manoeuvrable at high alttudes, its MK 103 cannon and its BMW ‘801F engine. The A-10 never got beyond the prototype stage, prio- rity at the time being given to the variants fitted with in-line engi- nes, the Fw 190Ds and Ta 182s, ete, THE TWO-SEATERS Originally, converting fighter pilots to the new aircraft that was, the Fw 190 was carried out without major problems, the transition from the Bf 109 to the Anton being relatively easy; but matters were Quite different when the Stuka units were reorganised into wings of single-engined fighter-bombers: former bomber pilots had to be converted to the various versions of the Fw 190. This gave rise to the plane's two-seat versions which were not purpose-bult or des- igned for the task but simply unarmed older machines fitted with an extra cockpit forthe instructor, protected by a Bf 109G-12-style canopy. In the spring of 1944, an A-8 airframe was built to this standard and was given the suffix U1, the second cockpit being located just behind the original one, where the MW 50 power boost system tanks were usually housed. Three machines were then converted tobe used as "blueprints" for making this conversion. Itis very dif- fiault to find out how many Fw 190 two-seat conversions were actually carried out because many were built up from damaged alr- ‘craft taken from the frontine and modified directly in the field. After being christened A-5/U1 and A-8/U1 for a short time, all of them ‘were finaly designated $-5 and $-8, "S" being for “Schuleflugzeug” (schoo! plane). Ufiier Wilt Maximov rm 1.{Srm/JG 3 Ud nding o Drax ail of he beping of une 94a. His Fw 1905/00 yah a ELSE stare coving ard wih ro IO canon edn be cure oe ore eae alge spe bars won gh i fete moring Gruppe. Te fc ube raporioned on eight wg fi ype of his wen of he Anions fee engl ected ini coe ol he wig. Bal 2526 Focke Wulf Fw 190A-5 Fw 19085 from 5G 1. Woensdrecht, Holland, May'1943. The pilot ofthis machine, Hauptmann Fritz Dietrich Wickop, Grupoenkommandeur of ILLJG 1 was shot down aboard this plane (on 16 May 1943 by a P-47. His tally was two B-17s. The spectacular insignia, on the let hand side only, showing a spread-winged seagull was painted on by his predecessor = — as "Staka’ (Siaffelkapitin), Oterleutnant Max Bucholz. Fw 190A-5 from the Stab of JG 2. Beaumonte-Roger (France), beginning of 1948. Pilot: Major Walther “Gulls” Oesau, CO of JG 2. The Geschwaderkommodore painted ‘on the fuselage might have been ancther colour, notte black which we have used here. n honour ofthis “Expert (ace), ne wing was named after him: he was kiled in combat (on 14 May 1944 aboard a Bf 1096, Fw 19045 from IMG 28.\iry-en- ‘Ao (France), February 1943.This plane belongs fo the GO ofthis Gruppe, Hauptmann Wilhelm Ferdinand "Wate" Galland. "Wut, the youngest bother of the farnous Ado, ae was shot down board this machine over Holand on 17, August 1943 by P-47s. Fw 19085 from 2NG 84, Poltava (Ukraine), ‘Auturnn 1943. In 193, insi- conia and’ mar- kings were forbidden on. the planes of the “Grinherz” and the drective was on the whole ‘well obeyed, as can te seen here. The red propeller boss with a white spiral was one ‘ofthe features ofthis plane.Focke Wulf Fw 190A-5 Fw 1908-5 from 5.NG 54. Orel Soviet Union, May 1943, Piot: Leuinant Emil “Bull Lang. JG 54 was well-known for the originality of its camou- flage schemes, made up of shades which adapted to the airratt’s ‘environment and which came from Soviet stocks. Lang had scored 173 kills (144 in the East and 29 in the West) when he disappeared “4 (0n 8 September 1944, over Belgium. Fw 1904-5 from Stab of JG 54. Dorpat, Estonia, June 1943, Major Hubertus von Bonin, the pilot ofthis machine and Kommoddre of the “Grinherz’, as shown by the fuselage markings, was responsible forthe Fighters on the Leningrad front He ‘was killed in aerial combat over Vitebsk on 15 December 1943, _ Fw 1908-5 from IL/Sch.G 1, Debiinlrena Poland, begin- ning of 1943. In these ground attack units the individual let- tern the colour of the Staffel (here red for 6), replaced the usual number forthe fighter wing, whilst a black triangle Indicates their missions. This was removed afer Apri 1943. Tunisia, May 1948, This plane was discovered, abandoned during the retreat to Tunis when the Aftka Korps left North Africa. {As can be seen, many Fw 190s used in North Africa old not have “desert” camnou- flaging, only the white stripe inciting the new theatre of operations. Originally, the planes were identified by coloured Thumbers, but the system was replaced in the middle of 1948 by coloured letters, 2728 Focke Wulf Fw 190A-5 Fw 190 A-SIUS from 718ch.G 2. Panella, aly, June 1948, This machine which has keptits Wy “European cemoutiage (PLM grey 74, 75 and 76) was shot down on 13 June 1843 by USAAF fighters ISch.G 2 arrived in Tunisia at the beginning of Merch 1943 from Poland via Bina tal. With is machines specialy adapted for ground attack, it took . pattin the fighting alongside SKG 10 then retroated to Sicily at the beginning o he folowirg May. Fw 1908-5 du IvSG 2. Crimaa, 1944. The States colour is used {for the fusblage code as well as forthe tip of the propeller spinner. Fw 1904-5 from Erprobung und Lehr Kommando 25 (Erpru.Lehr Kdo 25). ef, Holland, June 1943. Plot: ‘Hauptmann Horst Geyer, CO (Kommandotanrer ofthis training Unit. This machine was ftied with WGr 21 rocket launchers under the wings; this, ‘was designed to break up the bores of enemy bombers but in the end it was not Particularly effective because it was not accurate enough. This machine wes lost ‘over Oventop on 30 November 1943, piloted by Uttz. W. Topp. NC 900 of the Armée de Air. (France, 1946. Al Focke-Wulf 1808, (00 matter which version originally) rebuilt in France by ‘SNCAC in their Cravant, near Auxerre factory, were designa-__ ted NC 900. Atthe end of the hostilities, they equipped the "Normandie-Niemen’ Regiment for a short period, from January 1946 to the end of summer 1947; these machines were often rebuilt with sabotaged paris ‘and were considered “not very reliable” by thelr plots! The NC 800s were camouflaged in.dark green Which deteriorated quicky, as well as nationality roundels and a tl fin flag.Focke Wulf Fw 190A-6 Fw 1908-6. This machine stil bears the factory code (Stammkennzeichen) which vas replaced by the tactical markings once it was assigned to a Unit. Note that the codes were Used in rather a haphazard manner ‘and that the letter J sequences did not follow — logically on purpose so as to avoid the aircratt being traced by - Fw 1908.6. from 1G 1. Deelen, Holland, ‘August 1943. Plot Oberleutnant Georg “Murt” Schott, Stafelkapitén. On 27 September 1943, Schott was shot down over the North Sea and help did not arive in ime. His tally atthe time was 20 kills ‘After having completely white engine conlings fora while, UG 1 repainted them with a checkerboard moti in June 1949. The yel- low lower engine cowling panel — the recognition marking for fighters operating on the Western Front-was none- theless retained, : Fw 190-6 from 1.G 1. Deien, Holland, October 1943. Plot: Uffizier Fudott Hib In October 1943, Hb had a total of ‘our confirmed kills to his credit a B-47 on 18 March, another Flying Fortress on 418 June, an RAF P-51 on 7 July and a third a B17 on 19 August if Fw 1908-6 from ‘Sturmstatfel 1. Dortmund, ‘Germany, 30 January 1944, Plt: Major Erwin Bacsila. ‘Sturmstatiel 1, the assault unit specialising in attacking Allied bombers which became operational in January 1944, was attached to UG 1. It sed specially modified Fw 190s with extra armour and weapons, The Sturmstatel 1 (changed to 11 (Sturm) {UG 3 in May 1944) used the black and white fuselage stripe for rapid identfication but also to diferentiate it rom LLUG 1 which continued using a red stripe on its pla- nes, 29Focke Wulf Fw 190A-6 Fw 1904-6 from 3/UG 1. Deslen, Holland, summer 4943. Plot Ufzier Bemhard low spot instead, this is perhaps because itwas sed before on the Eastem Front before being transferred to defend the Reich. Note the special shape of IV. Gruppe's marking and the new shades of camouflaging introduced on the fighters in 1944: FLM 75 and 76 grey, RLM 81 brown and FILM 83 green. Fw 1908-9 from 6.G 54. bau, Germany, February 1945. Pilot Hauptmann Heimut Wottstein, the Units Staffelkapitan who obtained 34 contir- ‘med kils during the conflict. Fw 1908-8 from SG 2 « Immeiman ». Kitzingen, Gormany, Major Kart Kennel, Gruppenkommandeur of Il. Gruppe. This plane, whose camouflage extends within the fuselage cross, has been painted in the classic three shades of grey (RLM 75, 75 and 76) it has been given extra spots of Breurvolet (LM 81) which eended pernaps ver the fuselage and othe undercariage 0%. 45Focke Wulf Fw 190A-3, service markings PILOT RANK MARKINGS NATIONALITY MARKINGS Te ahr ers afr te lane ie ie TOY vl oseFw 190A Camouflage Focke Wulf Fw 190A-3 Anew camodoge scheme called “ype 5° wos oduced for the Liwclos cays ghesinApriMay 194) amped ee Seton AU 74 Dole 75 ie Jetjou Medion Gry) ond Rit 76 Leto Gre) ‘loner was used fre undies ond meso he fens ‘ube al which coud be genome ea mare rls den- SSyepoced sulin cl RATS ore 73 cron AMO? Goon Etopor ROA 70 Dark Green. Ti scheme was sed on mo! For Tooke aerate he 19 che nore vated clr schemes “fe edge che poche nth wing: nde elnciors wavesihly soured conten wih coer seh dened sopes tribe summer 944, RIM 89 Burn wos grea into. gang ppa tot 7ineriohietepnasbemrv Th Seplmber 1944 the fw iroduee new colours in SPREE ests forces Ve od Ati 82 Redgn ght Green| ond wo mon yon of cambinaons trae hon bene ther Rd 65,75 ond 70.0 MN 8, 82 nd %e Farallthe Fr 190s fom he tons he Doves, tha isis of the cockpit wes panied RLM 66 Schworzgrou [Desk Grey) the propel bledes Doh iy Seema hee pate heel wel fselage intr ond tho vaious Engin covings fap housings ond weapons ays) ‘were RLM 02 Greansh Grey. ‘Gn the top view, the ded ln indicates the zone whare graund personnel were alowed to ffeod Tha dated ine was usualy grey 8M 77 (Grey and sorcines Block 4748 Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9 Service Markings vor 28628\ Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9 Age schemes ste carer Fr 180-Ae he des of Grey [RIM 72,75 ond 7). The bos speciale nie abjed hove been able datly fee mn elour Combinclon which were ved ond which depended on {fe dots of he planes wee produced the planes fom he beginning ofthe production seis were painted RIM 75 Maciom Grey ond RLM B3 Green on he upper {iroces wh the fans nd Undersdes RIM 76 ight Grey od M8) brown, which was cle be used forthe pokes on he se loge sees from the middle of he production series, the Doras were given camouflage made up of two shades of Green [RLM B2 and 83) forth upper urfoces ond RLM 78 for underoath, fly, icter machines produced ured eonbiration of RIM 81 and 82 onthe upper suraces ond RUM 76 undemeat, Arwth the Anions th upper wing voce poiches had eer cound bhired edges, Vorout interpretations of fe schemes were tobe encountered cisociled many wi the dats ot which he ‘Sool were produced ond in pariulr which a he numerous oe Eonar produced hem Likewise, sverol variants forthe underside colours hove been identified, the lower wing ng rated antral RLM 76 Grey Bo. Te bare met! bu with easing ogee cond the allerons pied RLM 76. eel but who more ees broad bond long he leading edge pained RIM 75 Medium Cray pated enirly SLM 76 but wit the rot peat the ving up tothe wheal wal pointed Eim7s “The cockp, the internal pans and the p= paler bade ined the sore clos os Hose ted onto Fw 190A 49Dasigned as a pure interceptor, the Fw 190 very quickly suffered the same fate as its eternal rival, the Me 109, Indeed just as the lat- ter had been converted into a fighter-bomber (Jagabomber, or Jabo {or short) as early as 1940, 50 the Focke-Wll was in turn fitted out for the same role. At first the existing versions were converted in the factory (Umristbausatz) or inthe field (Rustsatz) by installing extra pylons under the fuselage or the wings on which various offensive loads could be attached. “The modifications themselves very quickly turned into real ver- sions, grouping together on the one hand the aircraft specialising in ground attack -the Fw 190Fs - intended to the replace the vene- rable but now all ico vulnerable Ju 87s, and on the other hand the long-range fighters (Jabo Rel) - the Fw 190Gs. In order to improve their protection during these often dangerous missions carried out at very low altitudes, the Friedrichs and the Gustavs, as these ver: sions were nicknamed, were given extra armour in the more vul- rnerable places: 5 mm on the sides of the cockpit and undercarriage wells and 30 mm on the windshield and the sides of the canopy. This protection meant a 792-Ib weight increase so the undercar- riage was reinforced to take the extra wing loads. THE FW 190F OR “FRIEDRICH’ © Fw 190F-4 The first version of this fighter-bomber specialised in ground- attack (Schlachtlugzeug) was the Ew 190F-1 which was nothing other than a rechristened A-4/US. On this plane, the central ing cannon were removed and a ventral ETC pylon could carry a tank, 550-1 bomb or four 1101p bombs using an ER4 adaptor. The Sources differ as to exactly how many examples ofthis version Were produced, somewhere between twenty to fory @ Fw 190F-2 Like its predecessor, the Fw 190F-2, which appeared at the bbeginning of 1942, was nothing but the new name for the Fw 1S0A- 5/U3, Here again, the MG FF cannon were removed and a ven- ttal ETC pylon added as well as two others underwing for loads Up 10 850: (one SG 550-1b or two 275-10 bombs). Some were fit- {ed with “Topica? fiters and removable rounded canopy, and they served in the Mediterranean and on the Eastern Front. (© Fw 190F-3 ke the F-2, production of this version, infact an Fw 1908-5/U17, 30 started during the summer of 1943. twas mainly bull as an F-3/F1 FRIEDRICH & GUSTAV ‘Above: An Foy 1906-3 being got ea for « mission over Normandy ‘The moshine is eying on ex fork under e0ch wing ond a bomber the This version was dsinguhoble by is lack of cena wing cannon BA) with a rack under each wing taking four 110-Ib bombs, and as an R2 armed with 30-mm cannon in underwing gondolas specialising in tank busting. 271 were produced and later replaced by the Fw 190¢ @ Fw 190F-8 For some unknown reason, the suffixes F4, F5, Fé and F-7 were never used. So It was the F-8 which followed on from the F-3. This was in fact a ground-attack version of the A-8 interceptor produc- tion of which was undertaken at the same time as that of the figh- ter. The Pitot tube was placed on the outside ofthe right-hand wing; the cowling-mounted MG 17 machine guns were replaced by MG 11s. The wing armament was naturally simpified and only the MG 11/20s in the wing roots were retained: the rectangular upper wing surface bosses were often absent The ventral ETC 501 pylon was installed on all examples and a 25-gallon tank could be fitted inside the fuselage. Radio equipment ‘especially on the Eastern Front - the aircraft's main theatre of ope- rations - was often removed and the pilot had a special device, the ‘grosse Bombenelektrik, which enabled him o choose how he drop- ‘Bed his bombs, individually or in salvoes, Like its fighter counterpart, it was produced in large numbers all the more so as the Reich needed an increasingly large number of ‘ground-attack aircraft; the F-8 was also fited with several types of Fustsaitze enabling it to be adapted for a variety of special roles. ‘The R1 was the most widespread and consisted of wing pylons carrying either four 110-Ib bombs under each wing, oF a 25-gallon tank With the R-3, which seems to have been mourited on only two planes, armament was reinforced by MK 103 cannon in underwing trays and four ETC 50 racks. The F-8 also became a night-time ground-attack plane (Nachischlactilugzeug) with the R13 and its all-weather equipment (aifferent radio and PKS automatic pilot) Finally, the Friedrich was even envisaged as a torpedo-bomber or an unpowered missile launcher with the R14 and R15 variants. Various arms systems, all ust as strange as each other, were also tested on the F8, more or less successfully, but none of them were ever followed up: the SG 113 Forstersonde firing 76-mm anti-tank shells from the wings, the undenwing 88-mm Panzerschrack rocket-Fw 1905-9, the ground otck version identical 6 fhe 9 wth armouted wing leading edges and woeden propeller wih wider blades REORGANISATION OF LUFTWAFFE GROUND ATTACK UNITS (18 OCTOBER 1943) USchG 1 became IWSGT7_—W/SKG10 became I1/8G_10 MSnG1 became ISG 2 \SG2_ decane 1/SG2 (iwthelements ofS and6/S2rG2)—N/SIG2 ‘Became I/SG.2 Uscne2— became SG 10 LSI 77 became ‘ISG 10 WSehG2 became 1.504 ‘Sub SKG 10 tecame ‘Sab Sa 10 WSKG 10 — became WSG4—— NBLSIG Zand G77 were notateo- MASKG10 became ILSG4 —_tedby hs reorganisation launchers, the wire-guided X-4 Rahrstahl missile. Several factory modifications (Umrust Bauséize, abbr. "U’) had also been planned but nothing ever came of them, usually because there was not enough time to carry out more convincing tests, except for the F- 8/U1, a long-range ground-attack aircraft (Schlachtflugzoug-Rel) with two ETC 503 racks underwing carrying 66-gallon tanks, “The majority of the F-8s served in SG 1, 2 and 4; Hungary recei- ved 70 examples of this version at the end of 1944 and beginning of 1945, Rumania received an undisclosed number before its 1944 ‘coup d'état and its going over to the Alied side. (@ Fw 190F-9 “The last version of the Friedrich (although there were others, they were only trial aircraft) was in fact an A-9 fitted with an electrical Weapog selector, with the same load capacity as the F-8. It was almost certainly brought out in small numbers (the exact figure is ‘not known) and was used in combination withthe F-8. Several exam- ples were, It seems, converted to carry torpedoes at the beginning Of spring 1945 in 13,/ KG 200. When the ground-attack units were reorganised, five SIG were disbanded as were SchG 1 and 2 ope- rating in the Meciterranean theatre, and SKG 10 based in Italy. But converting pilots onto the new assault Focke-Wlifs was rather slow: the land, SG. 1 were converted in Poland after being withdrawn {rom the front fora six week period. Towards the end of the conflict, this training was considerably reduced, and in February 1944, lll/SG in February 1944 had to make do with two or three flights only on their future mounts! The way these units attacked was to send one or two Schwarme up on reconnaissance to watch enemy move- ments, Once the objectives had been assigned to the pilots, they took aff generally loaded with 550-Ib or 1 100-b bombs or clusters of smaller-calibre missiles in SD-2/-4 or -10 containers under the fuselage or the wings. “The Focke-Wults headed for their targets, flying at 280 mph at 6 (000 # in order to avold light lak and small arms fire; they then plun- {ged to loss than 50 feet fo attack the tanks and other armoured vehi- les with their bombs which they dropped one second before pul- ling up to avoid the explosions. Once the target was destroyed with a direct hit or with a ricochet, the planes could carry on with their Above: lineup off 1906s fom 5. (SH; he is! ground ook ni ‘his version of the Focke-WUle. Some ofthe circaf bear equipped wi ‘he grup insignia onthe engine cong mission, strafing the less well-defended vehicles ike trucks and motorbikes with thelr cannon. THE FW 190G OR GUSTAV ‘Once the Anton's teething troubles had been dealt with it turned, out to be a very versatile machine, far beyond the role of just a sim- ple interceptor, particularly when it was equipped with Rustsatze enabling It to carry out a variety of specific jobs. The modifications carried out on the basic Antons were once again used to advan- tage to produce a particular long-range fighter-bomber version, or Jabo Rei (for Jagdbomber Reichweite). In fact, the Gustav was rhothing but an Fw 190F on which the cowiing guns had been remo- ‘ved - stl to save weight and increase range - and on which an auto- ‘matic pilot had been installed, These new versions coincided with the reorganisation of the ground attack units operating principally fon the Eastern Front, the Ju 87 Sturzkampigruppen (StG) being (gradually replaced by the Schiachtgruppen (SG) equipped with more fective and less vulnerable aircraft @ Fw 1906-1 This was none other than a Jabo Rei version of the A-4/U8, ie. ‘a standard machine equipped with an automatic plot on which the defensive armament was reduced to only the 20-mm cannon ins~ talled in the wing roots, but ited with fired underwing pylons made by Junkers to which were attached extra drop tanks, and a third pylon (ETC 501) installed under the belly. 49 examples wore made before production transfered to making the “lengthened” versions of the Fw 190 - the A-5 and the following variants. @ Fw 1906-2 With the A-S/U2, U8 and U1 being modified into fighter-bom- bers, this version in fact “officialised” the concept, with wing tanks installed as standard on Messerschmitt pylons - better than the G- 51‘An Fr 190F8 fom L/SG 4 ding ho summer of 194A. Apert em the nigh painted on eer sd che engine coving, nel hl he upper wing Soca cosas hee ben reve nace fe pon camovage BA 1's which caused too much drag and even reduced the aircraft's speed, According to the sources, between 468 and 601 examples were made, among which there was a limited series of G-2/N (or Nacht Jabo Rei) intended for night-time missions and equipped with, ‘among other things, flame dampers on the exhaust pipes. © Fw 1906-3 ‘Whereas the first two versions of the Gustav were in fact only new designations for existing, mocified machines, the G-3 was howe- vor designed specially from the outset. Produced from the summer of 1943 onwards, it was based on an A-5 of A-6 airframe and was identical to the G-2 except for the wing pylons which were, this time, designed by Focke-Wulf itself: they were longer and had adjustable fixation points. Different loads - bombs (most ofthe time 550-Ib SC 250s), or drop tanks - could be atlached to these and to a ventral pylon (which was stil used) giving rise to various configurations, dapending on the mission: two underwing tanks and one bomb under the belly for aistant targets, two bombs and one tank, or again thrae bombs for close support attacks, ‘The G-3s were used a great deal by the rapid attack groups (Schnelikampifiugzeuggruppen or SKG), some of them being fited with special equipment: PKS 11 or 12 automatic pilot, "tropical f+ tots, supercharger or even flame dampers, and an extra light in the leading edge of the left wing (G-3/N - used mainly by KG 51 and NSG 20). Finally during the conflict some machines were fitted with ETC 50 racks for small calibre projectiles under the wings, these planes being designated G-3/F1. The exact number produced of this version of the Gustav is not known, mainly because it was pro- duced at the same time as the other Anton versions, some older machines being "re-cycled’ and converted, (@ Fw 1906-4 to G-7 ‘The main features of the G-4 were the three ETC $03 racks under the wings and the fuselage, As the G-5 and G-6 were not bu, the G-7 served as a test bed for attaching an extra 200-gallon tank which meant that a lengthened tail-wheet had to be fitted to give enough ‘ground clearance. @ Fw 1906-8 Produced at the same time as the A-8 and F-8, this last version of the Jabo Rei (the planned G-9 and G-10 ~ A-9s and A-10s in their Jabo Rei versions — were never mass-produced) was in fact only an F-8 on which the cowling guns were removed to save weight, Like the others, the Pitot tube on the starboard wing was moved to the wing tip and an extra tank wes fitted behind the pilot; this space was used for the GM 1 power boost system when it was installed 52 (Fad), The G-8 could also be fitted with a bubble canopy which impro- Spectications (Fw 190K-5) Power Plant Performance (One BMW BOID-? 14 epider cou- Max. Spaed 400 phat 20 200 1 ‘is ow sircooled aa engina ated Cruising Speed 289 mph al 20 300 iT 700bhpattake-ffdivinga 10 ft ft 10in- dameter thee blade VOM Operational Cag: 34 750 f Armament Dimensions ‘Two 13:mm Rhelnmetall Borg MG Length: 28 81010 181 machine guns inthe fuselage: Helo 12fr9in ‘ur 20mm Mauser MG 151/20 car Wingspan: fin ‘non, two inthe wing roots and to Wing Area: 126.962 69 outboard ofthe undercariage frog. Max, Take-off weight 9570 ‘outside the propeller arc. | ‘ved pilot visibility and which was to be found on the last versions of the Anton and on most Doras. lis war-load could be carried under the fuselage on an ETC 501 rack installed under the belly (and ike the A-B, positioned slighty further for- ward because of the new tank inside the fuselage) and two faitod ETC. 503s under the wings. Towards the end ofthe war, with the fronts get- ting nearer and nearer to the aircrafts bases, and with ground attack becoming more and more vital, ETC 71 pylons for four 110-b bombs were also used, In this configuration, the machine was designated G- 8/R5 (about 150 examples were thus modified), weighed 11 440 Ib and had a range of more than 690 miles. ‘The first unit to use the Fw 180G was Il/SchG 2 which operated in Tunisia from the end of 1942, followed by SchG 1 in February of the following year. In March 1943, the |. Gruppe of this wing had three Staffein of Focke-Wulf and one of Henschel 129s whereas II, Gruppe had two Staffeln of Fooke-Wulfs only “The Gustavs were particularly active during the Battle of Kursk at the beginning of July 1943, particulary those in and Il/SchG 1; Ger- ‘man aircraft had alot of trouble trying to contain the Soviet armoured columns’ advance, having to carry out several sorties per day. In October 1943, the ground attack unit designations (ct Tae) were changed. In January 1944, | and IL/SG 4 were fighting in italy with their different Focke-Wulf Fw 190 versions, whilst 4/LSG 5 was in Finland, and I and Il/SG 10 were in the south of Russia. As for II/SG 2, was being converted to the Fw 190G, When Il// SG 77 received its Gustavs, the only group remaining sill equipped with Stukas spe- clalising in ground attaok was Il’StG 2, commanded by the famous Hans Ulich Rudel. Among the last missions carried out by Fw 190Gs Were attacks on several bridges intended primary at slowing down the enemy's progress during the spring of 1845; they used 3 9601p ‘bombs under conditions which wore practically suicidalFocke Wulf Fw 190F=2 Fw 190F-2 from 5/Sch.G 1. Debiin-rina, Poland, Spring 1943. Sch.G 1, the frst Sohlachtgeschwader re-equipped with Fw 1908 in January 1943, Was particulary active during the Battle of Kursk. The individual letter is pain- ted the colour of the Staffel — whichis also used onthe tip ofthe propeller boss. In theory the black triangle, the symbol used by the first ground attack units (Sch. G 1 and 2) \was painted behind the cross in|. Gruppe and in front for Il. Gruppe. Standard camouflage for Fw 190s was Grey RLM 74 and 75 on the ep Upper surfaces and RLM 76 undermeath. Recognition ‘markings for the Eastern Front were LM 04 yellow. Fw 190F-2 trop rom Ws cclmmelman ». Eastern Front, 1943. The 5, And 8.'Seh.G 2 wore sent to fight in February 1943 ‘equipped with Fw 190A-5/U3s spe- ally moditiod inthe factory for ground altack, fist in the Ukraine then in the north of the Caucasus, These units started receiving thelr F-2s and F-3s atthe beginning of June 1943. Fw 190F-2 trop from IL/SG 4. Riga-Spive, Lithuania, August 1944, The ground attack units used recogniion codes {taken from those used by fighter units, the figures being merely replaced by coloured letters ‘wth @ symbol placed behind the fuselage 708s indicating the plane's Gruppe, 10 (Jabo). NG 26.Caen- Carpiquet, France, autumn 1942. The 10. Stefel of the "Schlageter" was used particulary for harassment missions ‘over Great Britain and fo this received specially mod fied A-2s and &-3/U3s from February 1943 onwards, “The planes inthis Staffel bore markings showing ther special mission, a chevron followed by a hyphen or a bomb, positioned behind the fuselage cross. 5354 Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 oo Fw 190F-8 from L/S 2. Graz, Austra, March 1945, This plane Is a veritable kaleidoscope of disparate elements all manulactured differently and therefore painted cit- ferent (trico- four’ upper wing surfa- oes: RLM 77, 75 and 83; Upper fuselage LM 75 and 83; and tail assembly covered in RLM 76 ‘or some light grey primer because it was most probably “cannibalised”) and has _- ‘a yellow identification stripe round the engine cowlng introduced and pain- ted on fighters in the last weeks of the conflict (March 1945). Fw 190F-8 from 2/SG 2. Csar, Hungary, January 1945. This plane's camou- flage consists of white wavy lines painted cover the tradi- tional livery (RLM 74 and 75, with the underneath stil RLM 76). The "Immelmann’ was withdrawn from Hungary in February 1945 and assigned to the Reich Detence at the Grossenhain base, L/SG 2 Cffen continuing to fly missions over Czechoslovakia. Fw 190F-8 from 5/SG 2. Authausen, Germany, 8 May 1945. In order to ‘escape from Soviet ‘troops, the pilot of this plane, Feldwebe! Eugen Loreher made a forced landing at Authausen with his fiancée smuggled into the rear | Of the fuselage. The plane's camoutiage is quite | unusual because most of the fuselage and the underside is unpainted, whe- reas the wings and the top _ are grey (RLM 74 and 75) and the rudder is covered with reddish ——T primer, — Fw 190F-8 from 9/SG 4. Koin-Wahn, Germany, vanuary 1945, Feidwebe! Rudo Fye, the plot of this ‘machine, was shot down near St. Tiond during Operation Bodenplati, on t January 1945.Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 Fw 190F-8 probably from SG 10 and seen at Budejovice, Czechoslovakia in May 1945. As one. ‘can see, the spiral aaa painted on the pro- peler spinner was not reser- ‘ved only for ply one of the first recognition markings adopted in 1943, Fw 190-8 from SG 77. Ghrucim, Czechosiovakia May 1848, After the ground attack units ‘wore reorgani- sedin ‘August 1943, te inde Vidal fuselage leters were ora- dually replaced by numbers, as in the fighter Units, which made identiicaton even more of a headache, Fw 190s and Fs being exer- aly very simiar. Fw 190F-8 from Il, Gruppe of an Unidentified unit. Note the rather clumsy tou- ‘ching up on the fuselage mas- king an earlier individual rum- ber Fw 190F-8 from 1. Gruppe of ‘an unidenti- fied unit. Spring 1945. ‘Anew fuse. lage coco has been hastily applied over the previous one whist, rather unusually a large part ofthe engine owing has boen repainted yelow. 55Focke Wulf Fw 190F-2 & F-8 Fwy 190F-8 from 102/1 Zuhano Bombao-Szaad (Fighter-bomber squadron) of the Magyar Kiralyi Honved s Legier® (Hungarian ‘Air Force), Borgond, Hungary, January 1945. Pilot: Sergeant Timler. Because it was fighting on the side of tne Axis, | Hungary received 72 Fwy 190-8 in \ October 1944. Some ofthese machines were only partly repainted inthe colours of theirnew owners and even kept some of he original German markings (upper wing crosses). Here, the national flag has been painted inthe top comer o of ne rudder Fw 190F-8 from 402/1 Zuhrano BombaoSzazad (Fighter-bomber squadron) of the ‘Magyar Kiraly! Honved Legiers (Hungarian Air Foros), Borgona, Hungary, January 1845. Note that lke ts German counterparts, this Friedrich has a yel lw chevron under the let underside of the wing (10.in 45° branches). In | September 1944, al Avs planes had to wear this marking and any plane not wee- ring it could be shot down i flying less than 20 miles trom the front Fw 190F-2 from Stab du Sch.G 1. Vorostilovgrad, Russia, Spring 1943. This is Oberstleutnant Alfred Druschefs personal mount. He was Geschwaderkommodore of this assault wing, and disappea- red on 41945 during Operation Bodenplatte after ‘carrying out 800 com- ‘bat missions. Note the fuse- lage stripe both narrow and at an angle. - Fw 190F-8 from Stab Il./SG 2. Miron Hradacny, Czechoslovakia, 8 May 1945. Some ‘sources indicate tha this was in fact an A-8,Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 Fw 190F-8 from 1/SG 5. Impola, Finland, dune 1948, Piot: Major Fitz Seber, Grupeenkommandeur of 1/8G 5, The ind vidual eter "A" was repeated fon the under- cartiage well ors Note that the unt used a coding system lke those used by the KGs and the Sts, made up of four characters, the fist two (Q9) boing those officially attributed to SG 6. Fw 190F-8 from SG 4. Viterbo, Italy, beginning of 1944, This, SG was crea ted in Italy with planes returning from the Eastern Front and repainted with a “desert” camouflage ‘scheme (RLM 79 and 80 fon the upper surfaces but withthe Underside RLM 76); these shades partly covered the former markings as can be seen. The machines kept this ype of camouflage scheme for a ong time; they were launched against American troops during the landings at Anzio (22 January 1944) and were often used as intercepior. Fw 190F-8 from 14/8G 151. Berin-Staaken, Germany, begin- ning of 1945. This plane was shot down on 4 February 1945, This, Staffel was re- formed in Novernber 1944 from the Erg. Staffel (Nacht) 2 reserve and training unit specialising in night-time missions in KG 51. as Fw 190F-8 from Stab du IL/SG 10, Totvazsony, Hungary, February 1945. Tris plane whose engine cowling Clearly came from another plane, bears a nor regulation mark of the Stabschwarm (short hyphen in front ofthe cross). a758 Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 Fw 190F-8 from 1/8G 5. ori (Finland), ‘Summer 1944, Pilot: Leutnant Franz Joseph Schoppe, Fw 190F-8 from WWSG 10. Fniairchen, Germany, January 1948. ‘Although the code "S3" was ‘attributed aff- ally to SG 40, twas never painted on its Fw 190s which used at fist letter, then shorlly afterwards coloured num bers, the same system as the pure fighter wings. Fw 190F-8 from 11/KG 200, Beriin-Staaken, 2 ‘Germany, January 1945. In February 1945 this Staffel, created the pre- vious month from ISG. 6, was briefly sent to Stavanger (quay in Noway before retur- ring to Germany. ‘The plane is fitted with exhaust flame dampers ‘and bears the code "AS", attributed to KG 200, in Fw 190F-8 from {ont of the fuselage cross. a Gruppenadjutant 7 of the | Gruppenstab of ‘an unknown unit, photogra- phed in Germany in the ‘Spring of 1945. The rudder was used as @ method of recogni tion for German planes just ie the engine coving stripe which was compulsory from September 1944 onwards,Focke Wulf Fw 1906-3 Fw 190G-3 from II/SKG 10 captured at Gerbini, Sicily, by the 85th FS of the ‘Toth FG of the USAAF in 1943, This plane was subse- quently sent to the USA partly repainted and eva- Wate at Wight = Paterson. IISKG ‘was created in Norn Afica a from IIiZG 2 and fought until July 1943, when it ‘was withdrawn to Silly after Tunisia was abandoned by the Germans. This plane, on ‘which the characteristic North Altican theatre of operations white stripe has bbeen painted, stl has is factory code (Stammkennzeichen) on the fuselage. 7 Germany, winter 1944° 45. This plane has been camou- flaged in the Usual way with three sha- des of grey (RLM 74, 78 and 76 underneath) and has been temporarily painted with whitewash over al the Upper surtaces, leaving only its markings and the yellow fuselage stipe. In spte of the late date, the leter-based (and nat figures) cade has stil been used. Fw 1906-3 from 5/SG 10. Gutersioh, Germany, end of 1944, Ths plane, camouflaged in the same way as the previous, ‘one, was lost on 12 December 1944 on ope- a rations. 5/86. 4.was formed in October 1943 from 11/SKG 10, With its extra tanks under the wings and armed with a 1 100-o : bomb under the fuselage, the G-3 could fly at about ——- 280 mph over a distance of 940 miles Fw 1906-3 from Stab of ISG 2. Okecie, Poland, | duly 1944. The —\ pilot ofthis, plane, Major Heinz Frank only remai- ned Gruppenkommandeur for one month, July 1944. With a score of 8 kils in aerial combat, he was shot down by “friendly fire on 7 Gotober 1944, 59The Fw 190A was an excellent, versatile and effective machine, but ts rather special power plant vias the cause of is one big defect: a significant loss of power at high altitudes. Indeed, from 14.780 ft upwards and even more so above 22 960 ft, its BMW radial engine "ran out of breath” and the Anton was no longer so high and ‘mighty in front of is lifelong rival, the Bf 109, whose latest versions. (the Gustav and Kar, see Pilots and Planes N°2) were retained for the high altitude protection role within the wings, which very often used both machines alongside each other. Moreover, at the begin- ning of 1941, the RLM with its “Sofortprogramm’ (immediate pro- gramme) started searching for a new fighter capable of contron ting on equal terms the four-engined bombers which the Allies were getting ready to put into service, and reaching 405 mph at a mini- Mum altitude fixed at 89 000 ft. The machine had to be available 2 quickly as possible and because of that it had to be based on a machine which was already in service. In order to eliminate this defect and at the same time to respond to the official programme, the Focke-Wulf engineers in Bremen simultaneously launched three experimental high altitude fighter — Hohenjager- projects: the Fw 190B with a pressurised cockpit and a BM 801 radial engine with supercharging system, the Fw 190 with @ OB 603A liquid-cooled in-ine engine and finally the Fw 190D, also with an in-ine engine, but this time a Jumo 213A. In order to Below ‘A Dora from JG 6 abandoned afer « belly landing. the merkngs of ‘Geschwader Major beim Sob ond the wing’ Wicelour spe (res-wit-r) are clearly visible on the fuselage. (MAE] Above. This “White 15, on Fw 1900-9 (rom 9,/1G 54 or | /JG2] cop tured infect by the Americans in May 1245 has hod part of its markings (fsslage and rudder stripes, te) covered wih exro camouflaging (AW) carry out these trials successfully, Kurt Tank was glven eighteen ppfe-produetion series machines by the RLM in 1942 to be used in efining the three programmes. THE FW 190B In the spring of 1942, a frst prototype, V12 (A-O W.Nr. 00035) \was tried out; i was powered by a BMW 801 D-2 with a GM1 power boost system tested earlier on the Fw 190A-0/U12. This system injected Nitrogen dioxide (N20) directly into the cylinders, increa- sing the power of the engine and making it more effective above 23 000 ft. In fact, this was only a temporary measure as no super- charger had been really developed for the BMW 801 engine at the time. The machine was pressurised and the panes of the canopy and the windshield were doubled up so that hot air could be fed between them, ‘As a number of defects had appeared during the trials caused ‘mainly by the cockpit pressurisation system, the machine was scrap- ped in November 1942, Trials continued at the beginning of 1943 when the frst three A- 41s (W. Nr.0046 to 0048) were taken from the production lines and became the first examples ofthe future pre-production series ver- sion, christened B-0, and used to solve the problems related to the GMi system which at the time was still causing the BMW engi- neers a lot of headaches. The first of these, the Fw 1908-01, had a bigger wingspan (wing area 218.488 sq ft), a pressurised cock pit and a BMW 801 D-2 engine fitted with GiMt power boost sys- tem. This model was completed at the very beginning of 1943 and ‘was sent to Rachlin on 9 January for trials. The next iwo"Berthas" (Fw 1908-02 and -03, W.Nrs. 0047 and 0048) delivered respecti- vely in May and August 1943, were absolutely identical, kept the Anton wings but were armed with two MG 17 machine guns on the cowling and two MG 151/20 cannon in the wing roots. ‘A fourth machine (A-1 W.Nr. O055/Fw 190B-04) was converted and tried out at length at Langenhagen ‘Afinal Anton (W.Nr. 811) was converted into a standard Fw 190B- 4, the same as the B-0 but armed with an extra pair of MG FF can- rion located outboard of the undercarriage.Opposite. A colour shot of Ble 12%, a Dora om IL/1G 6 whose pilot surrendered to th Alles on 8 May 1948 and whose camouflage is ypicel he prodicton series Fw 190 win parca, part he under surfaces lf are metal. (AV) ‘The trials were very disappointing because a lot of problems ‘appeared, caused mainly by the cockpit pressurisation system. The plane did however perform better at high altitude but was heavier and therefore less manoeuvrable, It was a vicious circle and in May 1944 Kurt Tank decided to cut his losses and try another solu tion, THE FW 190€ This took shape in July 1942 in the form of the Fw 1900 whose first prototype, the V13, was in fact an A-O (W.Nr. 0036) onto which had been grafted a DB 603A inline engine (rated at 1 750 bhp and fitted with an annular radiator in the front) and in order to correct the centre of gravity, the wings were moved forward. In choosing this partioular engine, Kurt Tank found himself up against the autho- ries because Daimler-Benz had developed this engine on its own initiative when the RLM actually preferred Its direct rival, the Jumo 215 which was by far the favourite. Ths first prototype was at first followed by two others (V15 and V16) without pressurisation for testing the new power plant to its limits, then by V19, V20 and V2", Used for defining the C-1 series and by V25 to V-27 foreshadowing the Fw 1900-2, At the end of November, V16 fitted with a supercharger was tried ‘out in fight and performed very well but the Technische Amt did not think that the results were Good enough: they wanted the air- craft to fly higher than it did (an operational ceiling of 45 000 ft and not 39 500 ft was wanted). In order to comply with this demand, ‘otolype V18/U1 (W.Nr. 0040) was designed and designated {ehenjager Il; it differed considerably from its predecessors because of its pressurised cockpit, its DB 603G engine fitted with a Hirth 9-2281 exhaust-powered supercharger, its four-biaded VDM propeller and its ventral air intake housing the turbine, which inci dentally gave Itits nickname "Kanguruh’ (Kangaroo). But after its maiden fight on 25 January 1943 with the evergreen Hans Sander at the controls, the machine was actually very disap- pointing - neither very manoeuvrable nor very stable, and the engine broke down often. During the following months. a further six Kan- guruh prototypes (V23 to V33IW.Nr. 0054 to 0058) followed which externally were identical to V18/U1, the differences lying mainly in the different pressurisation systems. V31 and V32 had a bigger wingspan and tall fin and the last prototype (V33), which was ready in May 1943, was the only one to be fitted with two cowling moun- ted MG 131 machine guns and two MG 121/20 cannon in the wing roots. ‘Although V18/U1 had reached a speed of 425 mph at 36 000 ft. the Fw 1906 was in turn abandoned mainly because of the low performance of the supercharger which gave the engine barely more power than a normal supercharged radial engine. THE FW 190D ‘Stl with the intention of responding to the Sofortprogramm set up by the RLM, Kurt Tank began the study for his third series of fighters in March 1942, this time designed around the Junkers Jumo 213. As mentioned above, the authorities preferred this power plant to the DB 603; it was however very similar to the DB 603 with ts Above. Two shots of the Fw 190 V18 “Keingur proto The four blade propeller and te large vetol cir infoke (giving iis nickname) ore clearly visible ere. ‘On ether sie ofthe fuselage con be seen ‘he condi toking he exhaust gases othe Hirh supercharge. (aw) Inverted 12-cylinder inverted Vee, its nominal power rating of 1 700 ‘bhp and its liquid cooling system. The Jumo 213 which was avai- lable frst was nevertheless considered by many pilots io be a “bom- ‘ber’ engine, which indeed it was. It needed some experience to handle it because unlike the BMW 801 radial what counted was the engine rpm and not at all the inlet pressure, Because the Fw 1908 and C programmes were abandoned one after the other, the Focke-Wulf engineers had a number of airfra- ‘mes to play with and use for thelr tials. Thus it was that AsOs WiNrs. (0039, 0044 and 0046 afterall being fitted with a Jumo 213, became prototypes V17, V22 and V23. 61: Soe SS Soviet personnel from 2. GvAP, 3221, AD [2nd Fighter Regiment of he ‘Guard, 322nd Division} recovering « few Doras intact neor Marienkurg in East Prussia. These machines were given red stars in place ofthe riginal «roses andl ome of em were td ol by be NWS: the Rosson ger Institute of Science. (AW) They were followed by V20, V21, V25 and V28 whose cockpits Were not pressurised, then by V26 and V27 which were taken directly from the Fw 190C programme which was stil under way. ‘The first prototype, the V17, was converted during the winter of 1941-42 and flew for the first time the folloning September. In order to house the new in-line engine, the front had to be lengthened by two feet; to make up for this extra length and to re-establish the Centre of gravity a 19:in portion was inserted into the rear of the fuselage justin front of the tall assembly. This time the plane had ‘no overheating problems thanks to the liquid cooling system and the thermostat-controlled engine flaps; the trials were very encou- Faging even if they did last two years. ‘The second and third prototypes, VS3 and V54, which flew res- Ppectively forthe first ima in June and July 1944 from Rech, were farmed with four MG 151 cannon and two cowling-mounted MG 481 machine guns and were used to perfect the machine's centre of gravity. Finally the fourth machine (V21/W.Nr, 0043) had a grea- terwing atea (210.954 sq ft). ‘Two very small series were launched (D-0~a dozen of A-7s fit ted with an in-line engine — and D-, at the end of 1943, ited with a bigger talfin stil to compensate for the longer fuselage, and with the outer wing-mounted cannon removed) and it was decided to start production at the end of spring 1944. The Allied landings in Normandy made this all the more imperative. Indeed production started at the Bremen, Johannisthal (Berlin) and Sorau (Silesia) ‘One of the rore Fw 1900-19 predced cred with a 20-nm exial conan inslead ofthe 30-mm ane normally mounted onthe D9. factories and a number of sub-contractors among which AG ‘Arado and Fieseler were also used. Production rapidly amounte to four machines a day, Kurt Tank considered this new machine to be a transition mode an interim measure before “his” fighter, to which he was partic larly partial, powered by a DB 603 - the future Ta 182 - could b brought out. The plane was therefore designed as a direct su ‘cessor to the A:8 and it was for that reason that the first produ tion series version was christened D-9 (the D-2 to D-8 designe tions were never used). It took up the wings, a part of the armamer and the equipment of the radial powered A-8, the first batche ‘made (up to W.Nr. 210001) having the flat-top canopy, later rep ced by a rounded one. ‘With its new engine fitted with the MW 50 power boost syster enabling it to reach 2 240 bhp in an emergency and for sho! periods and its powerful armament (two MG 151/20 cannon j the wing roots and two 13-mm MG 131 machine guns over th engine), the *Langnase" (long nose - as the Focke-Wulf D-9 wa very quickly nicknamed by its pllots and even its opponents) wa able to oppose the most recent Allied machines very effective) in particular the legendary P-1 Mustang (of Planes & Pilots N°5 ‘The first "Dora-9s" built were assigned to II\JG 54 based z Oldenburg in September 1944. This unit, commanded by Majo Robert “Bazi” Weiss, was quickiy sent to Hesepe then Achmer it the Netherlands and entrusted with protecting the new Messer Schmitt Me 262 jet aircraft bases. Using them in this way wa: totally contrary to the role they were designed for: they were hig altitude interceptors now used close to the ground to protect th [ Spedticatons(Fw190D-9) Power Plant Performance One Junkers tuo 2134-1 12yln- Max. Speed: 428mph at 21 648 derinverisd Vee gud cooled engine 459!meh at soa level fitted with MW 50 power Boosting Range: 525 mies ‘system and rstedat 1770 bhp (2242 Rate of ellmb: 32 600 feet in 7.1 ‘hp for brief moments) at take-ofl. minutes Dimensions Armament Length: 33 140 Two MG 151/20 cannon with 250 Height: 11 2 rounds each in th wing rots 90 Wingspan: 34 4 18mm MG 131 machine guns with Wing Area: 196,962 <9 475 rounds each over the engine ‘coming one 1 Tao SC500 bam onthe ETC 504 venta pylon Lig etc EanesFw 1900-9 from JV 44 whose insignia con be seen under the windshield os wel os he underside bearing white sipes onc ed background, Each plane hod deren inscption. (AM) Ip fighters when they wer at their most vulnerable, i.e. aking off The setnd Gruppe to receive the Fw 1900, in January 1945 was Major Karl Boris I.JG 26. He had introduced the Anton into {he unit in August 1941. Subsequently the Doras were also assi- ned to JG 2 and JG 301 in the frst weeks of 1945, Most of tho Fv 1900-9-equipped units took part inthe Luftwaffe's last mass offensive, Operation Bodenplatte, on New Years Day 1945. Out of, the thousands of planes brought up into the line that day, 250 figh- ters were lost, JG 2 suffering a 40% casualty rat. ‘When Il,.JG 58 changed into IVJG 26 withthe 13., 14. and 15. Stafein in February 1945, the whol ofthis Geschwader was equip- ed withthe Dora, except for the ll. Gruppe which hung on tots ‘Me 109Gs and Ks. Finaly one ofthe last wings to receive this model was JG 6 which in Apri 1845 was converted onto the new fighter thanks to the arrival of 150 new machines produced atthe Sorau factory just near its base. This unit however was only able to carry outa limited number of missions, hardly able to allow four mach- nes up at the same time due to the dramatic lack of fue. ‘Most probably because time was running out, only one Fdstsatz — R11 - was fited to the Doras for use in bad weather and consis- ling of a PKS 12 automatic ptt, a de-icing system forthe winds- higid and a FuG 125 "Hermine” radio. Although the exact number is unknown, in all about 750 Fw 190D-9s and D-9IR1 1s were pro duced which was indeed an exploit considering the late date at \which the aircraft was put into production (summer 1844) and even ‘mote 50 considering the increasingly catastrophic circumstances, ‘which this took place. TOO FEW, TOO LATE With the military situation getting worse every day and the factories bbeing unendingly submited to intense pounding by lied bombers, the Fw 190D was only brought out in a limited number of versions, some ‘of which only consisted of a few examples at a time. @ The Fw 190-10 This version, armed with an axlal MK 108 canon fitted over the engine and firing through the arc of a new VS 19 propeller, was powered by a Jumo 213C. Even if some sources indicate that two planes (in fact the first D-0s) were modified, it would appear that ‘only the V23 prototype (W.Nr. 0046) in fact flew, in July 1944, @ The Fw 1900-11 Apparently seven examples of this version specialising in ground attack (Schlachtflugzeug) were in fact made from Fw 1908-8 air- frames. The first prototype (V55) was powered by a Jumo 213F- 1 with three-stage supercharger and MW 50 injection system and. carried the standard Dora armament. The other machines (VSS and subsequent prototypes, except for V6O which was unarmed) hhad their cowling guns replaced by two MK 108/30 cannon ins talled in the wings, Some Sources indicate here again that a pro- duction line for this version was set up but that it was never ope rational because of the advent of the D-12. © The Fw 1900-12 On this ground attack version, the armament was reduced to an MK 108 "Motorkanone® fitted above the engine (a Jumo 213 with MW 50 system) and two MG 151/20s in the wing roots fring through the propeller arc, with armour reinforcements round the engine and four Sel-sealing tanks fited ito the wings. Once again, three A-8 airframes were Used as a basis for the V63 to VES pro- tolype and production was planned to startin January 1945 at the Fieseler factory and atthe Arado factory the following month. Itseems that an indeterminate, but nevertheless limited, number Cf examples ofthis version were indeed built, some of which were feven recovered intact at the end of the war and displayed in a number of museums. ‘© The Fw 1900-13 ‘On this version, which was almost identical to the previous one, the ‘aval MK 108 canon ofthe D-12 was replaced by a 20mm MG 1181/20, because of delays in supplying the Neavier calibre weapon. At least two prototypes were made, both once again based on A, the V62 with a Jumo 218E and the V7 with a 213 © Tho Fw 1900-14 This high-altitude interceptor version (Hhenjager) was radi- call different from the previous ones in that it no longer used the Jumo 213, but is dtect rival, the DB 603, which Kurt Tank pre- ferred, Once again two protoiypes were built, V76 and V77 (the new designations for Vi8/U2 and V21/U1, W.Nrs. 210040 and 210043), powered by DB 603As. The series, whose production ‘was due to start in March 1945, was to have received DB 603Es for LAS. Trials with these machines were promising since they rea- cched a speed of 437 mph at 38 000 ft @ The Fw 1900-15 ‘This other high-altitude interceptor version, production of which would have started in April 1948, was to have been fited with a DB603G and armed with two MG 151/20s and two MK 108s in the wings. The end of the war prevented any example from get- ting aitbome and it seems that some airframes were recovered by the Allies after the Armistice. 6364 Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9 Fw 190 V53 (W.Nr. 170003). Langenhagen, Germany, June 1944, Together with V54, this plane was the last Dora prototype made before the type's series production was officially Fw 1900-9 from 7,NG 2. Rommethausen- Stockheim, Germany, beginning of 1945, Three grouips of the “Richitofen’, one of the LLuftwaffe's most prestigious wings, were finally equipped with the Dora, Fw 190D-9 from the Stab of IILUG 2. Considerably weakened after the Bato of Normandy, JG 2 received its Doras (fist in the Stab ~ Headquarters - then the |. and Il Gruppen) from mid-December 1944 onwards. Fw 190D-9 (W.Nr. 211164) from the Stab of JG 300. Prague-Rusin (Czechosiovakia), May 1945, There is still some doubt about this plane which was, ordered, Bul from an Fw 190A-8 airame fitted with a Junkers Jumo 213A, this plane was considered as the frst real prototype ofthe Dora; it afterwards became V68 after being fited with a Jumo 213E-2 for use in Ta 1528 tals, With its 90 machines, the Richtofen took part in Operation Bodenplatt the Luftwaffe's last large-scale WWI opera tion, Together with SG 4, it was ordered to attack the ait- field at St Trond but this could hardly be called a success since losses were estimated at 40%, i ‘abandoned and found at Prague by the personnel ofthe ‘Normandia- Niemen”. Bearing non-regulation Geschwadersstab markings with an indi= ‘vidual number writen inside the fuselage chevron it has often been att- buted, and apparenity by mistake, to the Stab of JG 4 or even I./JG 511Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9 Fw 1900-9 (WANr. 210194) from 4/UG 2 crashed | American AA battery during Operation at Dorf bei Stolberg, Germany, on 1 January Bodenplatte. Hohenberg who had made a total of 1945, Bearing the markings of the Major bei Stab‘ 33 ils and who was Rottenfhrer ofthe but piloted by Feldwebe! Werner Hohenberg, this Fuhrungschwarm was captured and fin- plane (painted RLM 83, 75 and 76) was shot shed the war in a British POW ‘down by the Americans and crashed near an camp. - Fw 190D-9 (W.Nr. 211115) from ‘advanced conversion and training units. 1GJEKG (J), abandoned at Pilsen in Note the 18:n fuselage stripe of uncer Czechoslovakia. The tain colour = it could have been yellow - Erganzkamfgeschwader (Jagd) were and not white as we have show it _- Fw 1900-9 from the Stab of IG 3. “Reich Defence” stripe (normally white) was Prenziau, Germany, March 1945.JG 3 (only the | wom by these planes, The camouflage was Stab and the 16, Staffel of IV. Gruppe) was RLM 83 and 75 on the upper surfaces with partly re-equipped with Doras. Apparently no LM 76 on the flanks and undersides. - Fw 1900-9 from the Stab of IV/JG 3. “Ossi" Romm, patched together a Siabschwarm equipped with Prenzlau, Germany, March 1945. The Doras in order to escort the other planes in his unit. He was pilot ofthis plane, Oberleutnant Oscar ‘wounded in a crash on 24 April 1845 when his engine broke down. 65Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9 Fw 1900-9 from the Stab of IV/JG 3. Prenalau, Germany, March 1945, The planes in the Stab of IV. Gruppe were the only ones in UG 3 to be given bive individual numbers, — Fw 190D-9 from the Stab of IV/JG 3. | wounded in the last days ofthe conflict, Prenzlau, Germany, March 1945, Pilot | Romm finished the war witha tally of 92 _— Oberleutnant Oscar Romm. Seriously ils _ Fw 190D-9 from the Stab of JG4. Rhein am | able to equip its Gesschwaderstab, the Main, Germany, beginning of 1945, JG 4, the ther groups continuing to use Fw first unit operating on the Eastern Front to ‘190As or Me 109Gs and Ks, _ receive Doras, in December 1944, was only Fw 1900-9 from the Stab of JG 4. Michalski, Geschwaderkommadore of JG 4 since August 1944 who finished Juterborg-Damm, Germany, the war with 72 klls to his credit, the last of which ~ the only with a D-9— Fobruary 1945. This plane, the only one _°_being obtained on 8 March 1945. This plane is camouflaged with three or four clearly identified as belonging to JG 4, Ccolours on is fuselage (RLM 82, 83, 75 and 76) with RLM 02 patches on the belonged to Oberstleutnant Gerhard cowiing, and the smaller fuselage cross.Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9 - Fw 190D-9 from ILIUG 6. Wester Front, '550-b bob under its bel. Il. Gruppe, in the “Horst February 1845. This Dora in particular received Wesel Geschwader’, received its Doras before the alot of publicity as it appeared in a propaganda ‘Stab (parry) and |. Gruppe did. Camouflage: RLM 81; film shot atthe beginning of 1945 carrying a 82 and 76. - Fw 1900-9 (W.Nr. 500576) from II/UG 6. | good example ofthe rather complex colour schemes that were used on a lot of Furth, Germany, May 1945. This plane \ Doras, together with a partly bare metal and RLM 75 underside, RLM 76 ‘appears on a lot of period photographs grey ailerons and especially the fuselage sides painted in a faken when its plot surrendered to the Father enigmatic colour close to a green which - Allos on 8 May 1945. Its camouflage is a was sometimes called “RLM 84”. Fw 190D-9 (W.Nr. 211934) from the Stab of Europe. This acraft bears the markings of the JUG 6. Furth Germany, 8 May 1945. This was \ Technical Oficer of the Gruppe. Apparently no identii- ‘also often shown on period photographs when It cation stripe (Reichsverteiaigungsband) was ever ‘was captured on the day of the Armistice in used by the Doras in this wing, _ Fw 1900-9 from 1G 6.Hall, Germany, | January 1945 thal JG 6 received ary Fw 1900s. Commended by Mejor Gerhard Barkhom, the May 1945, Camouflage: ALM 76, 99, 82 and | Lufwafles seoand ace, hs wing was Sent st o Sorau then Goitz in Siesia where among other 81 with pale grey (RLM 76) and green (RLM things ithad to escort venerable antitank Ju 87Gs sil in service in the Immelman’, the unit 82) upper wing suraces. was only in commanded by the celebratod Hans Ulich Rude (soe Planes & Plots N°4) erFocke Wulf Fw 190D-9 Fw 190D-9 from 2.G 6. Sorau, Germany, beginning of 1945. | Gruppe from JG 6 was Created in July 1944 from 2G 26 "Horst Wesel’ wtsepstomitesibots66. | Balter wo comanded JG 6a short Berenretemmasn eto | Becta at commence ae Fema» Sousa annk wince _- Fw 190D-9 (W. Nr. 2111018) from the Stab Front. Under the cockpit, the plane does indeed bear the same of JG 26. Husted, Germany, January 1945, insignia as the one used by “Pips” Priler (Ace of Hearts) and This plane was captured intact by the some decoration around the exhaust pipes does recall that which ‘Americans at Fleinsburg-Weiche and was per- _was painted on Fw 190As. This plane was camouflaged in gree- haps the machine which Josef Priler used for _nish RLMI76 underneath and RLM 82 and 83 and was his last mission before being promoted to sent to the USA where itcrashed during a Inspector. General of Fighters on the Western ‘demonstration fight. . Fw 190D-9 from 7G 26. Nordhomclausheide, Germany, 14 January 1945, This plane might have been Oberfeutnant ‘Waldemar Radeners personal mount. The “Schlageter was the ‘only Luftwaffe wing fo be entirely equipped with Doras.Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9 and D-13 - Fw 190D-9 from the Stab of II/JG 26. November 1944 and carried out its first sortie. Germany, January 1945, Plot Hayprmann Peter wih the new machines onthe folowing Paul Sto. JG 20 was tho second ing "0 Ye December - receive the Fw 10D and began converting in fo 1200 vn 98017 [ste scape anc ate rea hatte ilo vas oce a mene from the Stab of JG 26. Flensburg, ‘that wing. The D-13 was distinguished by its different engine (Jumo 213F) and Germany, May 1945, Plot: MajorFranz especially by its MG 151/20 axial cannon replacing the MK 108 on the D9. Gétz, Geschwaderkommodere of the ‘Thirty or 80 machines of his lype were used by II{UG 26 and this plane, "Schlageter The Ace of Spades vihich as captured intact, is now Inthe USA Inthe Champlain (Pikas), the emblem of JG.26~ itindeed Fighter Museum. itwas actually painted on the machine Fw 190D-9 (W.Nr. 210239) from 6/JG 26. of planes from the beginning of the series, it has an unusual Flown by Uzi Fitz Harusch this plane was |\_Balkenkreuz onthe fuselage, consisting ofa black cross only ‘shot down to the south of Wesel (Germany) on with @ number, and the number and mark of the 9 February 1945 after a dogfight against twenty _—_Siaffel have no white edging, ~ (or s0 P-47s, Fted with the characteristic canopy Fw 1900-9 from 7.G 26, Delmenhorst, | with the classic three colour scheme (RLM 76, 82 and 83) and the black Germany, February 1945, Pilot: Ufizier"\ and white recognition stripe attributed to JG 26 painted at an angle as Walter Stumpf. This Dora is camouflaged was very much the custom in the “Schiageter’. 69