Germany's Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter
Nickname: Wüger (butcher bird)

Photos

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 V1 fighter prototype:
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter: U.S. Army in World War II - Pictorial Record, 1951	Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter:	Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter:	Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter:
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter:	Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter:	Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter:
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter built after the war by the French:	Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter shooting down a B-17:

Design

Designed in 1937 to be a compliment to the Messerschmitt Bf 109.^1,4 The Focke Wulf Fw 190 was designed by Kurt Tank.⁴ Initially there were two designs, one with a Daimler Benz DB 601 in-line and the other a BMW 18 cylinder radial engine.⁴ Most wanted to go with the DB 601 engine, but Kurt Tank persuaded them to go with the radial engine.⁴

Undercarriage

The undercarriage was wide and more stable than the Messerschmitt Bf 109.¹

Flaps

A first for fighter aircraft the flaps were electrically operated.¹

Fuselage

The fuselage was low and allowed the pilot to see better out the rear of the cockpit.^1,4

Engine

The radial engine was cooled by a ten blade fan.⁴

Prototype

Three prototypes were built.⁴ The first flight by the FW 190 was on June 1, 1939.^1,2,3,4,5 Powered by BMW 139 radial engine (1,550 HP).³ A large spinner caused the first two prototypes to overheat and it was changed in the third prototype.⁴

Production

• Focke-Wulf Fw 190A: 4,677³
  • Manufacturers: Focke-Wulf³, Ago³, Arado³, Fiesler³, Focke Wulf Flugzeugbau GmbH⁴
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-0: 40³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-1: 102³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-2: 426³
  • Focke Wulf Fw 190A-3: 509³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4: 894³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5: 723³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-6: 529³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-7: 80³
    • Production: December 1943 - ?⁵
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-8: 1,334³
    • Production: December 1943 - ?⁵
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190D: 674³, ~700⁴
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190F: 6,634³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-1: 25³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-2: 271³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-3: 250³
    • Manufacturer: Arado³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8: 385³
    • Manufacturer: Arado, Dornier³
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190G: 6,634³
  • Manufacturer: Arado, Fieseler, Focke-Wulf³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190G-1: 50³
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190G-2: 486³
• Total: 20,001⁴, 20,051³
• After World War II:
  • NC 900 (Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-8): 64³
    • Manufacturer: SNCA du Centre³

Variants

• Focke-Wulf Fw 190A:
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190B: Prototype only.³ High altitude fighter.³ Extended wings.³ Pressurized cabin.³ BMW 801 engine with GM1 nitrous oxide boost.³
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190C: Powered by DB 603.³ Was developed along side Fw 190B but was cancelled when the Fw 190D arrived.³ Had annular radiator system that made it look like it used a radial engine.³
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190D:
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190F:
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190G:

Usage

The Fw 190A-1s joined the Luftwaffe in mid-1941.²

Until 1944, when the P-51 Mustang was able to escort the bombers, the Fw 190 decimated the B-17s and B-24s.¹

A Top Ace

Oberleutnant Otto Kittel scored most of his 267 victories in a Fw 190.¹

Specifications