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Fw190
Manufacturer : Fokke-Wulf
The Focke-Wulf 190 development project began in 1937. Conceived as a hedge against total dependence on the Messerchmitt 109, the 190 was designed by Kurt Tank utilizing a radial engine. This was against generally accepted design criteria in Germany, and many historians believe that the decision to produce a radial engine fighter was largely due to the limited manufacturing capacity for in-line, water-cooled engines which were widely used on all other Luftwaffe aircraft. Despite these concerns, Tanks design was brilliant, and the 190 would become one of the top fighter aircraft of WWII. The first prototype flew in mid-1939. The aircraft had excellent flying characteristics, a wonderful rate of acceleration, and was heavily armed. By late 1940 the new fighter was ordered into production. Nicknamed the butcher bird, by Luftwaffe pilots, early 190s were quite successful in the bomber interceptor role, but at this stage of the war many Allied bombing raids lacked fighter escort. As the war dragged on, Allied bombers were increasingly accompanied by fighters, including the very effective P-51 Mustang. The Allies learned from experience that the 190s performance fell off sharply at altitudes above 20,000 feet. As a result, most Allied bombing missions were shifted to higher altitudes when fighter opposition was likely. Kurt Tank had recognized this shortcoming and began working on a high-altitude version of the 190 utilizing an in-line, water-cooled engine. Utilizing a Jumo 12-cylinder engine rated at 1770-HP, and capable of 2,240-HP for short bursts with its methanol injection system, the 190D, or Long Nose or Dora as it was called, had a top speed of 426-MPH at 22,000 feet. Armament was improved with two fuselage and two wing mounted 20mm cannon. To accommodate the changes in power plants the Dora had a longer, more streamlined fuselage, with 24 inches added to the nose, and an additional 19 inches added aft of the cockpit to compensate for the altered center of gravity. By mid 1944 the Dora began to reach fighter squadrons in quantity. Although the aircraft had all the right attributes to serve admirably in the high altitude interceptor role, it was not generally focused on such missions. Instead many 190Ds were assigned to protect airfields where Me-262 jet fighters were based. This was due to the latter aircrafts extreme vulnerability to Allied attack during takeoff and landing. The 190Ds also played a major role in Operation Bodenplatte, the New Years Day raid in 1945 which destroyed approximately 500 Allied aircraft on the ground. The High Command was impressed with the 190Ds record on this raid, and ordered most future production of the Doras to be equipped as fighter-bombers. In retrospect this was a strategic error, and this capable aircraft was not fully utilized in the role for which it was intended. |
Fw190
  Tribute to Oscar Boesch by Ivan Berryman. |   Tribute to Hugo Broch by Ivan Berryman. |   Tribute to Major Erich Rudorffer by Ivan Berryman. (PC) |   The Battle for the Skies Over Dieppe, 19th August 1942 by Graeme Lothian. (PC) |
Fw190 Artwork Collection |
  Cat Among the Pigeons (FW190) by Ivan Berryman. |   Fw190A-4, Winter 1944 by Ivan Berryman. |   Fw190F Fighters - Winter 1943 by Ivan Berryman. |
  Willi Reschke's Fw190A8 of III./JG301 during October 1944 by Ivan Berryman. |   Focke Wulf Fw190A-4/U8 by Ivan Berryman. |   Bill Reid VC by Graeme Lothian. (P) |
  Focke-Wulf Fw190A-5/U8 by Ivan Berryman. |   Fw190 by Jason Askew. (P) |   Focke Wulf Supremacy by Ivan Berryman. |
  Erich Rudorffer - Eastern Front Ace by Brian Bateman. (P) |   Erich Rudorffer by Brian Bateman. (P) |   Clipped Signature - Gunther Rall. |
  Clipped Signature - Hugo Broch. |   Clipped Signature - Werner Hohenburg. |   Clipped Signature - Heinz Radlauer. |
  Clipped Signature - Kurt Kesten. |   Clipped Signature - Karl-Heinz Wiesner. |   The Battle for the Skies Over Dieppe, 19th August 1942 by Graeme Lothian. |
  Winter Wolves by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Hannes Trautloft by Graeme Lothian. |   Looking for Business by Ivan Berryman. |
  Knight's Realm by Brian Bateman. |   Eismeer Patrol by Anthony Saunders. |  The Last Offensive by Nicolas Trudgian. |
  Checkertail Clan by Nicolas Trudgian |   Operation Bodenplatte by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Twilight Conquest by Nicolas Trudgian. |
  First Strike on Berlin by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Hostile Sky by Robert Taylor |   Ramrod by Robert Taylor |
  Greycap Leader by Robert Taylor. |   On the Prowl by Philip West (AP) |   Mountain Wolf by Nicolas Trudgian |
  Timber Wolf by Nicolas Trudgian. |  Winter Combat by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Ardennes Offensive by Nicolas Trudgian. |
  Ramraiders by Robert Tomlin. |   Savage Skies by Robert Taylor. |   Ramraiders by Richard Taylor. |
  Storm Chasers by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Day of the Fighters by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Green Heart Warriors by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) |
  The Blackest Friday by Ivan Berryman. |   Breaking Cover by Robert Taylor. |   Berlin Boar Fight by Anthony Saunders. |
  Tribute to Major Erich Rudorffer by Ivan Berryman. |   Dora-Nine by Ivan Berryman. (PC) |   Yellow 10 by Ivan Berryman. (PC) |
  Full Chat by Ivan Berryman. (PC) | Tribute to Hugo Broch by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to Oscar Boesch by Ivan Berryman. |
  Holding the Line, Dunaburg, Latvia, 21st July 1944 by David Pentland. |   Head on Pass by David Pentland. |   Unhappy New Year by David Pentland. |
  Hunting Sturmoviks by David Pentland. |   Lucky 13 by David Pentland. |   African Expedition by David Pentland. |
  Fw190s by Ivan Berryman. |   Tough Day by James Dietz. |   Predator by Keith Aspinall. |
 Focke-Wulf Fw190 by Malcolm V Lowe. |   Ice Warriors by Nicolas Trudgian. |  Focke Wulf Fw190 Aces of the Russian Front. |
 Focke-Wulf Fw190 Aces of the Western Front. |  Fighter Aircraft of World War Two - Focke-Wulf FW190. |   Gathering Storm by Robert Taylor. |
  Swansong by Robert Taylor. |   Eagles on the Channel Front by Robert Taylor. |   No Turning Back by Robert Taylor. |
  Long Nose Trouble by Stan Stokes. |   Ivan the Terrible by Stan Stokes. |
