World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe prototype Fw 190 Würger ("Shrike") aircraft flew on 1 Jun 1939. The maneuverable and speedy aircraft very quickly made a good impression on the Luftwaffe officers, and by late 1940 they were seen on the front lines, though they did not serve in combat roles until Aug 1941. Engine reliability issues caused by overheating, however, plagued Fw 190 fighters until spring of 1942 when BMW engines arrived. With the engine reliability issue resolved, they were seriously considered for ground attack roles. The Germany Army considered them a good candidate for close ground support because there were no liquid cooling systems that were vulnerable to battle damage; the BMW radial engines were air cooled. The sturdy and wide undercarriage also made them ideal for landing and taking off from crude airfields on the front lines.

ww2dbaseWhen the British first encountered Fw 190 fighters, they had no idea they were facing a new type of aircraft; the British pilots thought they were facing captured French fighters, but the outstanding performance of the hostile German aircraft eventually generated some suspicions. It was not until the British captured one in Jun 1942 before they confirmed it was a completely new German design. It was not until that time the British realized the Germans had the potential to outclass the sluggish Spitfire fighters with the Fw 190 aircraft.

ww2dbaseJapan was given a Fw 190 fighter of the A-8 variant by Germany for technical evaluation. The results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter.

ww2dbaseAltogether, 20,051 were delivered during the war.

Fw 190 Würger Timeline

SPECIFICATIONS

A-8

Machinery	One BMW 801Dg 18-cyl two-row radial engine rated at 1,700hp (2,100hp with boost)
Armament	2x13mm MG 131, 4x20mm MG 151, optional 1x500kg bomb
Crew	1
Span	10.51 m
Length	9.00 m
Height	3.96 m
Wing Area	18.30 m²
Weight, Empty	3,200 kg
Weight, Loaded	4,900 kg
Speed, Maximum	653 km/h
Service Ceiling	11,410 m
Range, Normal	900 km

D-9

Machinery	One Junkers Jumo 213A-1 12-cyl inverted-V liquid cooled engine rated at 1,776hp (2,240hp with boost)
Armament	2x13mm MG 131, 4x20mm MG 151, optional 1x500kg bomb
Crew	1
Span	10.50 m
Length	10.20 m
Height	3.35 m
Wing Area	18.30 m²
Weight, Empty	3,500 kg
Weight, Loaded	4,840 kg
Speed, Maximum	704 km/h
Service Ceiling	10,000 m
Range, Normal	900 km

Photographs

Visitor Submitted Comments

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1.  Alan Chanter says:
16 Dec 2007 04:24:45 AM

Production of the High-Altitude Ta.152H-1 fighter began on November 21, 1944 but only ten had been completed by the time that the war came to an end.

7.  Alan Chanter says:
16 Jul 2017 12:22:48 AM

The Focke-Wulf Fw190D-9 was armed with only two 20mm MG 151 cannon (not four as stated here). On the D-9 the outboard cannons were deleted to allow for a MW 50 (methanol-water) power boost which raised the power of the Junkers Jumo 213A-1 engine from 1,776 h.p. to 2,240 h.p. for take-off. The methanol-water mixture was carried in a 25 Imperial gallon tank aft of the cockpit and was sufficient for 40 minutes’ use. The D-9 became operational with J.G.3 (Jagdgeschwader Udet) at Detmold in the winter of 1943-44, and proved an immediate success when employed against Allied bombers.