Focke-Wulf Fw 190

Un BMW 132 :

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Fw 190 V12 (an A-0, W.Nr. 00035) would be outfitted with many of the elements which eventually led to the B series.

As it was based on the same BMW 801 engine as the A models, airframe modifications were relatively minor.

These included a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], which doubled the panes of glass in the canopy so that hot air could be forced
between them to prevent icing, the addition of the GM 1 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] injection system.

Several problems were encountered during the machine's flight and ground trials, mostly caused by the pressurization system for the cockpit and was dropped in late 1942.

However trials continued in early 1943 when the first few Fw 190 A-1s (W.Nr. 0046 through 0049, and later 0055) were modified into testbeds.

The same aircraft used for testing the pressurized cockpits were also used to test larger wings
(20.3 m²/218.5 ft² versus the standard 18.3 m²/196.98 ft² wing),
which seriously affected the studies on pressurized cockpits.

Following these studies, one additional Fw 190 B was built, named the B-1, with W.Nr. 811.

This aircraft was similar to the B-0s but had slightly different armament.

In the B-1's initial layout, it was to be fitted with four 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s and two 20 mm MG-FFs.

However, W.Nr. 811 was fitted with two MG 17s, two 20 mm MG 151s and two 20 mm MG-FFs.

After the completion of W.Nr. 811, no further Fw 190 B models were ordered, leading to the assumption that the testing was unsatisfactory.

The C model's use of the longer DB 603 required more extensive changes to the airframe.

As the weight was distributed further forward, the tail of the aircraft had to be lengthened in order to move the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] back into a proper location relative to the wing.

To experiment with these changes, several examples of otherwise standard 190 As were re-engined with a supercharged DB 603 to experiment with this engine fit, V13 (W.Nr. 0036) with the 1,750 PS 603A, the similar V15 and V16, a 1,800 PS 603 E being fitted to the latter after a time.

With this engine the V16 was able to reach 725 km/h (450 mph) at 6,800 m (22,310 ft), a considerable improvement over the 650 km/h (400 mph) at 5,200 m (17,060 ft) of the basic A models.

V18 followed, the first to feature the full high-altitude suite of features including the pressurized cockpit, longer wings, a 603G engine driving a new four-blade propeller, and a Hirth 9-2281 turbocharger.

Unlike the experimental B models, V18 had a cleaner turbocharger installation, running the required piping along the wing root, partially buried in the fillet, and installing both the turbocharger air intake and intercooler in a substantially-sized teardrop-shaped fairing under the cockpit.

The "pouch" led to the "Känguruh" (Kangaroo) nickname for these models.

V18 was later modified to the V18/U1, with a "downgraded" 603A engine but a new DVL turbocharger that improved power to 1,600 PS at an altitude of 10,700 m (35,105 ft).

Four additional prototypes based on the V18/U1 followed: V29, V30, V32 and V33.

Like the C models, the early examples of the D models were built primarily to test fit the Jumo 213 engine to the existing airframe, as the D-0, with plans to move on to definitive high-altitude models later, the D-1 and D-2.

The first D-0 prototype was completed in October 1942, consisting of an A-5 airframe with the Jumo 213A engine.

Further examples followed, but like the C models the development was stretched out.

By late 1943, the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] was obviously gearing up for major operations to follow.

At the altitudes the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] operated at, generally around 25,000 ft (7,600 m), the 190 As were struggling while the 109 was simply too lightly armed to be very useful against these aircraft.

The B had been abandoned by this point, leaving the C and D as potential solutions, but problems with getting the turbocharger to work reliably continued.

Improvements using the mechanically supercharged versions of the engines was more than enough to field a competitive design at altitudes around 25,000 ft (7,600 m).

The RLM became interested these simpler designs into production as a stop-gap measure.

As the DB 603 was in high demand for various twin-engine designs like the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], they selected the Jumo 213 for future production, and the D model became the next Fw 190.

Although this interim design was enough to produce a design capable of dealing with the B-17, by 1943 the Luftwaffe had become aware-and seriously fearful-of the capabilities of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], whose altitude performance was far beyond the capabilities of any existing design.

A meeting was called at the Messerschmitt Augsburg factories, where it was decided to continue development of the high-altitude Fw 190s as the Ra-2 and Ra-3, as well as develop a new version of the 109 as the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], later known as the Blohm & Voss BV 155.

After renaming, The Ra-3 would become the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

Fw 190 D "Dora"


Fw 190 D-9


The Fw 190 D (nicknamed the Dora; or Long-Nose Dora, "Langnasen-Dora") was intended to improve on the high-altitude performance of the A-series enough to make it useful against the American heavy bombers of the era.

In reality, the D series was rarely used against the heavy bomber raids as the circumstances of the war in late-1944 meant that fighter versus fighter combat and ground attack missions took priority.

A total of 1,805 D-9s were produced.

Production started in August 1944 with the variant entering Luftwaffe service in September 1944 with III./JG 54.

The liquid-cooled 1,750 PS (1,726 hp, 1,287 kW) [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]A could produce 2,100 PS (2,071 hp, 1,545 kW) of emergency power with [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] injection, improving performance to 426 mph (686 km/h) at 21,650 ft (6,600 m).

Early D-9s reached service without the MW 50 installation, but in the meantime Junkers produced a kit to increase manifold pressure (Ladedrucksteigerungs-Rüstsatz) that increased engine output by 150 PS to 1,900 PS, and was effective up to 5,000 m (16,400 ft) altitude. It was fitted immediately to D-9s delivered to the units from September, or retrofitted in the field by TAM.

By the end of December, all operational Doras, 183 in total, were converted.

From November 1944, a simplified MW-50 system (Oldenburg) was fitted, that boosted output to 2,100 PS.

By the end of 1944, 60 were delivered with the simplified MW 50 system or were at the point of entering service.

The 115 l tank of the Oldenburg system would hold the MW 50 booster liquid was single purpose, while later systems were to be dual purpose, either holding MW 50 or additional fuel.

Un "Dora"

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Historian Donald Caldwell noted:


The new airplane lacked the high turn rate and incredible rate of roll of its close-coupled radial-engined predecessor.

It was a bit faster, however, with a maximum speed of 680 km/h (422 mph) at 6,600 meters (21,650 ft).

Its 2,240 horsepower with methanol-water injection (MW 50) gave it an excellent acceleration in combat situations.

It also climbed and dived more rapidly than the Fw 190A, and so proved well suited to the dive-and-zoom ambush tactics favored by the Schlageter pilots. Many of the early models were not equipped with tanks for methanol,
which was in very short supply in any event.

At low altitude, the top speed and acceleration of these examples were inferior to those of Allied fighters.

Hans Hartigs recalled that only one of the first batch of Dora-9s received by the First Gruppe had methanol-water injection, and the rest had a top speed of only 590 km/h (360 mph).

Un clip sur le FW 190

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Due to the multiple attempts to create an effective next generation 190, as well as the comments of some Luftwaffe pilots, expectations of the Dora project were low.

These impressions were not helped by the fact that Tank made it very clear that he intended the D-9 to be a stop-gap until the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] arrived.

These negative opinions existed for some time until positive pilot feedback began arriving at Focke-Wulf and the Luftwaffe command structure.

Sporting excellent handling and performance characteristics, it became very clear that the D-9 was nearly the
perfect response to the Luftwaffe's need for an effective medium altitude, high-speed interceptor, although its performance still fell away at altitudes above about 20,000 ft (6,100 m).

When flown by capable pilots, the Fw 190D proved to be a match for P-51s and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]. Lt. Karl-Heinz Ossenkopf, a fighter pilot of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] with five months of frontline service, commented on the aircraft:

The Fw 190 D-9 was quickly adopted by the pilots, after some initial reservations.

They felt that it was equal to or better than the equipment of the opposition.
Its servicability was not so good, owing to the circumstances. I felt that the aircraft built at Sorau had the best fit and finish.

They could be recognised by their dark green camouflage. I hit 600 km/h with my "own" green aircraft, "Black 8", with full power and MW 50 methanol injection, clean, 20-30 meters above the ground.

Compared with the Fw 190 A-8, the Dora-9: 1. With 40 hp (30 kW) to 50 hp (37 kW) more power, had a greater level speed, climb rate, and ceiling; 2. Had much better visibility to the rear, owing to its bubble canopy; 3. Was much quieter - the Jumo 213A vibrated much less than the BMW 801; 4. Handled better in steep climbs and turning, owing probably to its greater shaft horsepower at full throttle; 5. Had less torque effect on takeoff and landing; and 6. Had slightly greater endurance.

Compared with the Spitfire, the Dora-9:
1. Had greater level, climbing and diving speeds;
2. Was inferior in turns, especially in steep climbing turns typical of combat.
Compared with the Tempest, the Dora-9: 1. Was better in the climb and in turns;
2. Had the same or lower level speed, depending on its fit and finish;
and 3. Had a lower diving speed. Compared with the early [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]C, the Dora-9:
1. Had a greater level and climbing speed;
2. Had a better turning ability;
3. Was inferior in roll rate; and 4. Was inferior past all hope in diving speed.

In order to fit the new engine in the Fw 190 fuselage while maintaining proper balance and weight distribution, both the nose and the tail of the aircraft were lengthened, adding nearly 1.52 m (4.99 ft) to the fuselage, bringing the overall length to 10.192 m (33.438 ft) versus the 9.10 m (29.9 ft) of the late war A-9 series.

The lengthened tail required that an extra, straight sided bay, 30 cm (12 in) in length, was spliced in forward of the rear angled joint and tail assembly of the fuselage.

To further aid balance the pilot's oxygen bottles were moved aft and located in the new bay.

This gave the rear fuselage a much "skinnier" appearance.

Furthermore, the move to a V12 engine from a radial engine required more components to be factored into the design, most significantly the need for coolant radiators (radial engines are air-cooled).

To keep the design as simple and as aerodynamic as possible, Tank used an annular radiator (the AJA 180 L) installed at the front of the engine, similar to the configuration used in the Jumo powered versions of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

The annular radiator with its adjustable cooling gills resembled a radial engine installation, although the row of six short exhausts stacks on either side of the elongated engine cowling showed that Jumo 213 was an inverted vee-12 engine.

While the first few Doras were fitted with the flat-top canopy, these were later replaced with the newer rounded top "blown" canopy first used on the A-8 model.

With the canopy changes, the shoulder and head armour plating design was also changed.

Some late model Doras were also fitted with the Ta 152 vertical stabilizer and rudder, often called "Big Tails" by the Luftwaffe ground crews and pilots as seen on W.Nr. 500647 Brown 4 from 7./JG 26 and W.Nr. 500645 Black 6 from
JG 2).

The centre-line weapons rack was changed to an ETC 504 with a simplified and much smaller mounting and fairing.

As it was used in the anti-fighter role, armament in the "D" was generally lighter compared to that of the earlier aircraft – usually the outer wing cannon were dropped so that the armament consisted of two 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns and two 20 mm MG 151/20 E wing root cannon, with all four weapons synchronized to fire through the propeller arc.

While inferior to the A-series in roll rate, the "D" was superior in turn rate, climb, dive and horizontal speed.

The Dora still featured the same wing as the A-8, however, and was capable of carrying outer wing cannons as well, as demonstrated by the D-11 variant, with a three-stage supercharger and four wing cannon (two MG 151s and two MK 108s).

The first Fw 190 D-9s started entering service in September 1944 with III./JG 54. It was quickly followed by many, including I./JG 26, starting 16 November to convert to the new fighter from the A-8.

Some Fw 190 Ds served as fighter cover for [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] airfields as the jet fighters were very vulnerable on takeoff and landing.

These special units were known as Platzsicherungstaffel (airfield defence squadrons).

One unit, known as the Würger-Staffel (also nicknamed "Papageien Staffel"), was created in April 1944 by Leutnant Heinz Sachsenberg at the behest of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], and was part of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

The role of the Staffel was to guard the airfield and JV 44's [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] as they landed; as such the Fw 190s were prohibited from chasing Allied aircraft.

To help anti-aircraft artillery protecting the airfields quickly identify friendly aircraft the undersurfaces of the Würger-Staffel 190s were painted in narrow white and broad red stripes, which may have been based on the D-Day invasion
stripes used by the Allied air forces.

Fw 190 D-11


17 Fw 190 D-11s were known to have been manufactured.

This version was fitted with the uprated Jumo 213E series engine which was also used in the Ta-152 H series.

Changes over the D-9 were the enlarged supercharger air-intake on the starboard side cowling and the use of a wooden, broad-bladed VS 9 or 10 propeller unit utilizing three 9-27012 C-1 blades with a diameter of 3.6 m (11.8 ft).

The 13 mm (.51 in) fuselage guns were removed, and the cowling redesigned and by omitting the gun troughs was changed to a flat profile.

Two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons were installed in the outer wings to complement the 20 mm MG 151s in the inboard positions.

Of the 17 Dora-11s delivered, three can be accounted for.

One, the best-known, was Rote 4 (red 4) of JV 44's Platzschutz unit.

Another, white chevron, was found at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], and may have served with JV 44 after serving at the Verbandsführerschule General der Jagdflieger (Training School for Unit Leaders) at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]; it is not known if it was actually used operationally.

A third, "white <61," was also found after the war at the Verbandsfuehrerschule General der Jagdflieger.

While the D-11 was under manufacture, work started on the Fw 190 D-12 and D-13 models.

The D-12 and D-13s were based on the D-11 design, however the D-12 and D-13 were fitted with Motorkanone nose cannons firing through the propeller hub (the D-12 would be fitted with a 30 mm
(1.18 in) MK 108 cannon and the D-13 would be fitted with a 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon).

There were three test aircraft built for the D-12 line, V63, V64 and V65 but no production aircraft were built.

Fw 190 D-13


The Fw 190 D-13 started with the construction of two prototypes (W.Nr 732053 and W.Nr 7322054), and the 20 mm
MG 151/20 cannon was found to be quite suited for the aircraft and was already well known to be effective against allied bombers, as well as an effective ground support weapon.

Thus the Fw 190 D-13/R11 was selected to enter production.

The D-13/R11 was fitted with all weather flying equipment including the PKS12 and K-23 systems for steering and autopilot. The [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] radio system, known as Hermine was fitted to the aircraft, as well as a heated windscreen.

Pilots reported that due to the large amounts of torque produced by the engine, they usually used the steering system during the take-off run as it helped with the rudder movements.

The D-13 also introduced a hydraulic boost system for the ailerons, which was later used on the Ta 152.

In all, the RLM called for 820 D-11 airframes to be built by Focke-Wulf [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], stating in early 1945, [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] was tasked to build 1,420 D-12s starting in the same time frame and the manufacture of the D-13 was passed to Arbeitsgruppe Roland tasked with the construction of 1,060 airframes starting again in early 1945.

For some yet unknown reason, production of the D-12 was cancelled in favour of the D-13 model.

From evidence from the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe General Quartiermeister document Nr. 2766/45 of April 1945, it was known that 17 D-13s were more than likely built, but only two were known to be in service. A D-13 (Wk. Nr 836017) flown by the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] of JG 26, [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], an ace with 63 kills, was surrendered to the British at Flensburg, Northern Germany in May 1945.

This aircraft is still in existence, painted in its original colour scheme as Yellow 10, is thought to be airworthy and is currently located in the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], Washington.

This aircraft is one of the few existing Fw 190s with a history that can be traced back from its manufacture to the current date.