Time Period: World War II
Country of Origin: Germany
Type: Fighter Aircraft
Manufacturer: Focke-Wulf
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aircraft Overview
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was a German single-seat fighter aircraft that saw extensive service during World War II. It was designed and produced by the Focke-Wulf company and was one of the most successful fighter aircraft produced by the Germans during the war.
The Fw 190 was a single-engine, single-seat fighter, and was powered by a BMW air-cooled radial engine. It had a top speed of around 408 mph (657 km/h), and was armed with four 20 mm cannon and two 7.92 mm machine guns. It was also capable of carrying a variety of bombs and rockets for use in ground attack missions.
The Fw 190 was used in several key air campaigns of the war, including the Battle of Britain and the Eastern Front. It was particularly effective against the Allied bomber formations, thanks to its heavy armament and superior performance at high altitudes.
Over the course of its production, the Fw 190 underwent several upgrades and modifications, including changes to the engine and armament. The Fw 190D variant, for example, was powered by a more powerful engine and had improved aerodynamics, while the Fw 190F was designed specifically for use as a ground attack aircraft.
Today, a number of Fw 190s are preserved in museums and private collections around the world, and the aircraft remains a popular subject for aviation enthusiasts and model builders.
"Whistling Death" Over Dieppe – August 1942
The Fw 190 earned a fearsome reputation during the Allied raid on Dieppe, France, in August 1942. This operation called the Dieppe Raid (or Operation Jubilee), involved a large Allied assault on the German-occupied port. While the raid itself was a disaster for the Allies, with heavy losses, the Fw 190 made a significant impact.
On the morning of August 19, 1942, a swarm of Fw 190s, from Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2) and Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26), engaged Allied fighters over the beaches of Dieppe. In one of the most dramatic dogfights of the early war, the highly maneuverable and heavily armed Fw 190s were able to decisively outperform the Royal Air Force’s Spitfire Mk V.
One pilot, German ace Oberleutnant Josef “Pips” Priller 🔗 of JG 26, became famous for his lone strafing run over the beaches. Priller, accompanied only by his wingman, flew at low altitude and sprayed Allied troops and vehicles with machine gun fire. His audacity and the sheer speed of his Fw 190 became the stuff of legend. The Fw 190s downed several RAF fighters during the raid, cementing their status as formidable aircraft and earning the nickname “Whistling Death” from the Allies.
The Stolen Fw 190 – A French Resistance Pilot’s Escape
In June 1943, a French Resistance member named Pierre Clostermann, who later became one of the top-scoring Allied fighter pilots of the war, had an incredible encounter involving the Fw 190. A German Fw 190 pilot made a forced landing on a French airfield. Seizing the opportunity, a local resistance fighter who was an amateur pilot managed to sneak onto the airfield, get into the Fw 190, and take off with it!
The German mechanics on the ground were stunned, as they couldn’t understand how the aircraft was being stolen. The resistance fighter flew the Fw 190 across France and managed to land it in a territory controlled by the Allies. The Fw 190 was promptly examined by Allied engineers, who gained valuable intelligence on its capabilities. This audacious act not only showcased the ingenuity of the French Resistance but also provided the Allies with one of the few intact examples of an Fw 190, which they could study for technical weaknesses.
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
- Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)
- Height: 13 ft 4.5 in (4.077 m) tail wheel on ground, vertical propeller blade
- Wing area: 235 sq ft (21.8 m2)
- Aspect ratio: 5.83
- Airfoil: NAA/NACA 45–100
- Empty weight: 7,635 lb (3,463 kg)
- Gross weight: 9,200 lb (4,173 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 12,100 lb (5,488 kg) 5,490
- Fuel capacity: 269 US gal (224 imp gal; 1,020 l)
- Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0163
- Drag area: 3.80 sqft (0.35 m²)
- Powerplant: 1 × Packard (Rolls-Royce) V-1650-7 Merlin 12-cylinder liquid-cooled engine, 1,490 hp (1,110 kW) at 3,000 rpm; 1,720 hp (1,280 kW) at WEP
- Propellers: 4-bladed Hamilton Standard constant-speed, variable-pitch, 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) diameter.
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Performance
- Maximum speed: 440 mph (710 km/h, 383 kn)
- Cruise speed: 362 mph (583 km/h, 315 kn)
- Stall speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 kn)
- Range: 1,650 mi (2,660 km, 1,434 nmi) with external tanks
- Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,800 m)
- Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16 m/s)
- Lift-to-drag: 14.6
- Wing loading: 39 lb/sq ft (190 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.162 / 0.187 hp/lb (0.266 / 0.307 kW/kg) (without / with WEP)
- Recommended Mach limit 0.8
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Armament
- Guns: 6 × .50 caliber (12.7mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 1,840 total rounds (380 rounds for each on the inboard pair and 270 rounds for each of the outer two pair)
- Rockets: 6 or 10 × 5.0 in (127 mm) T64 HVAR rockets (P-51D-25, P-51K-10 on)
- Bombs: 1 × 100 lb (45 kg) or 250 lb (110 kg) bomb or 500 lb (230 kg) bomb on hardpoint under each wing.
