Fw 190 A
Focke-Wulf fighter plane from the Luftwaffe

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-series
Type: German Luftwaffe fighter plane and fighter-bomber.
History: The Fw 190 V1 (D-OPZE), designed by Dipl-Ing. Kurt Tank and Oberingenieur R. Blaser to a 1938 RLM requirement, first flew on 1 June 1939, this aircraft and the V2 each being powered by a 1,550 hp BMW 139 two-row radial engine. Subsequent aircraft, with the larger and more powerful BMW 801C, included 40 pre-series Fw 190 A-0s ordered in 1940, most of them with a 3 ft 3.4in greater wing span which later became standard.

Full-scale production started with 100 four-gun Fw 190 A-1s, which entered service with II./JG26 in summer 1941, and continued with the better-armed A-2 and A-3, the latter having six guns (two MG 151/20 and four MG 17) and a BMW 801D-2 engine.

Though flown well before WW2 this trim little fighter was unknown to the Allies and caused a nasty surprise when first met over France in 1941. Indeed, it was so far superior to the bigger and more sluggish Spitfire V that the first time the RAF felt not only outnumbered but beaten technically. It was faster than any Allied fighter in service, had far heavier armament, was immensely strong, had excellent power of manoeuvre and good pilot view. It was also an extremely small target, much lighter than any Allied fighter and had a stable widetrack landing gear unlike the Bf109. Fortunately for the Allies, it never supplanted the Bf 109 G, but except for the fighter-bomber Fw 190 F most were used in the West or Mediterranean.

Early operational use was made of the Fw190 in the fighter-bomber role, in low-level hit-and-run raids over southern England during 1942. The A-4 series (2,100 hp boosted BMW 801D-2) included the A-4/U8 fighter-bomber (carrying a drop-tank and 1,102 lb of bombs, with armament reduced) and the A-4/R6 bomber interceptor with underwing rocket projectiles.

A row of Fw 190A-4 fighters with pilots at cockpit readiness, on a French airfield in 1943. This mottled camouflage was unusual on fighter Fw190s at this time, though it was occasionally seen on Jabo 190s bombing English coasts.

By the end of 1942 more than 2,000 Fw 190 had been delivered and were in widespread service in Europe, the Mediterranean and on the Eastern Front.

The A-5 was produced chiefly for close support; the A-6 and A-7 featured further improvements in firepower; the A-8s were mostly bomber interceptors or Zerstorer, although some were employed as all-weather fighters and others as two-seat trainers.

This Fw 190 A-5/U-13 has been modified to F-8 fighter-bomber standard by MG131 fuselage guns. It is carrying a 1,102 lb and two 551 lb bombs.

The Fw 190 B and C series were discarded, after a few prototypes with boosted BMW 801D or DB 603A engines, in favour of the long­nosed Fw 190 D or 'Dora'.

Users: Germany (Luftwaffe), Croatia, Slovakia, Turkey (during WW2).

Fw 190 A-4/R6 equipped with underwing launching tubes for two WGr21 rocket missiles, a weapon used with some success in the bomber interception role.

Top and down: Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 from aircraft museum Luftfahrtmuseum Hannover-Laatzen (Germany).

3d model of Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8

This 3d model is a current element of the WW2 game WW2 Total. The data for production, movement and combat of the Axis and Allies units are here !

3d model Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-3