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A German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-3 of 11./JG 2 after landing in the UK by mistake in June 1942. |
The
Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed Würger (Shrike) is a German single-seat,
single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in
the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its
well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Fw 190 became the
backbone of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force) of the Luftwaffe. The twin-row
BMW 801 radial engine that powered most operational versions enabled
the Fw 190 to lift larger loads than the Bf 109, allowing its use as a
day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft and to a lesser
degree, night fighter.
The Fw 190A started flying operationally
over France in August 1941 and quickly proved superior in all but turn
radius to the Spitfire Mk. V, the main front-line fighter of the Royal
Air Force (RAF), particularly at low and medium altitudes. The 190
maintained its superiority over Allied fighters until the introduction
of the improved Spitfire Mk. IX. In November/December 1942, the Fw 190
made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front, finding much success in
fighter wings and specialized ground attack units (Schlachtgeschwader –
Battle Wings or Strike Wings) from October 1943.
The Fw 190A
series' performance decreased at high altitudes (usually 6,000 m [20,000
ft] and above), which reduced its effectiveness as a high-altitude
interceptor. From the Fw 190's inception, there had been ongoing efforts
to address this with a turbosupercharged BMW 801 in the B model, the
much longer-nosed C model with efforts to also turbocharge its chosen
Daimler-Benz DB 603 inverted V12 powerplant, and the similarly
long-nosed D model with the Junkers Jumo 213. Problems with the
turbocharger installations on the -B and -C sub-types meant only the D
model entered service in September 1944. These high-altitude
developments eventually led to the Focke-Wulf Ta 152, which was capable
of extreme speeds at medium to high altitudes (755 km/h [408 kn; 469
mph] at 13,500 m [44,300 ft]). While these "long nose" 190 variants and
the Ta 152 derivative especially gave the Germans parity with Allied
opponents, they arrived too late to affect the outcome of the war.
The
Fw 190 was well-liked by its pilots. Some of the Luftwaffe's most
successful fighter aces claimed many of their kills while flying it,
including Otto Kittel, Walter Nowotny and Erich Rudorffer. The Fw 190
had greater firepower than the Bf 109 and, at low to medium altitude,
superior maneuverability, in the opinion of German pilots who flew both
fighters. It was regarded as one of the best fighter planes of World War
II.
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Focke-Wulf Fw 190 V1 in its original form. |
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Focke-Wulf Fw 190 V5k in its original form.
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Fw 190 A-0s or A-1s of an unknown unit in France. |
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In 1943, the Japanese
Army received one Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5, and this aircraft was
extensively tested during that year. It was most probably delivered by
submarine, and also carried standard Luftwaffe camouflage, and was flown
in Japanese markings. |
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