fighter
one
Junkers Jumo 213A
2,240 hp
7,696 lbs.
10,670 lbs.
2 x 20 mm
2 x 13 mm
1 x 1,102 lbs.
33' 6"
34' 6"
280 mph
425 mph
3,250 fpm
40,000 feet
520 miles
6/1/39
1941
The FW-190, produced by Focke Wulf, is regarded by many as Germany's best World War II fighter aircraft. It first took to the sky in June of 1939.
The FW-190 was a challenge to the most modern British warplanes. Although powered by an air cooled radial engine and matched against more streamlined, in-line engine fighter aircraft, it proved a formidable adversary.
Although some enemy aircraft could out turn the FW-190, many could not match its overall speed and rate of climb.
In September of 1941 the very first FW-190 mission over France resulted in the downing of three enemy fighter aircraft. The FW-190 did not meet its match until updated fighter aircraft appeared in sufficient numbers to be challenging. That was not until late 1942.
Upgraded FW-190 model A aircraft first saw combat in February of 1942. Their first missions were to provide air cover for German Navy warships. They met little opposition from enemy fighter aircraft during their missions, and managed to down some six torpedo bombers threatening the ships.
FW-190 aircraft were deployed in large numbers in all German war zones. On August 19, 1942, in action against Canadian and British forces landing at Dieppe, FW-190 aircraft claimed victories over some 97 enemy aircraft. During the first day of the battle, a single FW-190 piloted by
Josef Wurmheller claimed the downing of seven enemy fighter aircraft.
FW-190 with torpedo.
The FW-190 was produced in over thirty models to fulfill a variety of missions. Among those missions were standard fighter aircraft, torpedo carriers, dedicated nightfighters, fighter/bombers, and bomber interceptors.
FW-190 aircraft were constantly upgraded to include heavier cannon and machine guns. Many of the aircraft were fitted with water methanol or nitrous oxide injection to improve the emergency war power performance of their radial engines.
A dedicated night-fighter FW-190 squadron was deployed in June of 1943. Not equipped with radar, they used the glow of the bomber's exhausts, the moon, and ground-based searchlights to illuminate their targets. It is estimated that
the night-fighters accounted for the downing of some 200 British heavy bomber aircraft.
FW-190 with rocket launchers.
One tactic for FW-190 interceptors was to arm a few lead aircraft with rockets. These were used to disrupt the bomber formations enabling other interceptor aircraft to more easily engage them.
FW-190 aircraft went up against heavily escorted Allied bomber formations. On August 17, 1943 over 300 FW-190 aircraft were in the air to intercept a bombing raid over their homeland. They accounted for the downing of some 60 enemy bombers.
FW-190 model D.
In August of 1944 the FW-190 model D was introduced as a high altitude interceptor. The radial engine was replaced with a liquid cooled, inverted V engine. The forward fuselage of the model D was lengthened by about 48" in order to accommodate the engine.
Initial missions of the FW-190 model D included providing air cover for jet aircraft over their air fields. The jet aircraft were especially vulnerable to interception during take offs and landings.
A total of over 20,000 FW-190 aircraft of all types were manufactured.
FW-190
