Time Period: World War II
Country of Origin: Germany
Type: Ground Attack, Reconnaissance and Surveillance, Interceptor
Manufacturer: Focke-Wulf
Focke-Wulf Ta 152 Aircraft Overview
The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was a high-performance fighter aircraft developed by the German manufacturer Focke-Wulf during World War II. It was an evolution of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, one of Germany’s most successful fighter designs of the war. The Ta 152 was intended to address the shortcomings of the Fw 190 at high altitude and provide the Luftwaffe with a superior interceptor capable of engaging Allied bombers and fighters at extreme altitudes.
The Ta 152 was designed by the renowned engineer Kurt Tank and his team at Focke-Wulf. It featured a sleek and aerodynamic fuselage, low-mounted wings, and a powerful inline engine. The most distinctive feature of the Ta 152 was its long, slender wings, which were optimized for high-altitude performance and provided the aircraft with exceptional speed and maneuverability at altitude.
Powered by the Jumo 213E liquid-cooled inline engine, the Ta 152 had a top speed of over 700 km/h (435 mph) and a service ceiling of more than 15,000 meters (49,000 feet). This impressive performance made it one of the fastest and highest-flying piston-engine fighters of World War II.
The Ta 152 was heavily armed, typically equipped with one or two 20mm or 30mm cannons mounted in the fuselage and additional 20mm cannons or 30mm cannons in the wings. It also had provision for underwing-mounted rockets or bombs, allowing it to engage both air and ground targets with lethal effectiveness.
Despite its advanced design and exceptional performance, the Ta 152 saw limited service during World War II due to production delays and the deteriorating situation for the Luftwaffe in the later stages of the war. Only a small number of Ta 152 aircraft were produced, and they saw action primarily on the Eastern Front and in defense of the Reich against Allied bomber raids.
Focke-Wulf Ta 152 H-1 Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Length: 10.82 m (35 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 14.44 m (47 ft 5 in)
- Height: 3.36 m (11 ft 0 in)
- Wing area: 23.5 m2 (253 sq ft)
- Airfoil: root: NACA 23015.3; tip: NACA 23009
- Empty weight: 4,031 kg (8,887 lb)
- Gross weight: 4,727 kg (10,421 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 5,217 kg (11,502 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 992 L (262 US gal; 218 imp gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × Junkers Jumo 213E or Junkers Jumo 213E-1 V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,287 kW (1,726 hp) for take-off. 1,530 kW (2,050 hp) for take-off with MW-50 water/methanol injection. 940 kW (1,260 hp) at 10,700 m (35,100 ft) with GM-1 Nitrous Oxide injection
- Propellers: 3-bladed Junkers VS-9 constant-speed propeller
Focke-Wulf Ta 152 H-1 Performance
- Maximum speed: 580 km/h (360 mph, 310 kn) at sea level with MW-50 boost. 759 km/h (472 mph; 410 kn) at 12,500 m (41,000 ft) with GM-1 boost
- Range: 2,000 km (1,200 mi, 1,100 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 15,100 m (49,500 ft) with GM-1 boost
- Rate of climb: 20 m/s (3,900 ft/min) at maximum weight of 5,217 kg (11,502 lb). 25.4 m/s (83 ft/s) at 4,727 kg (10,421 lb)
- Time to altitude: 10,000 m (33,000 ft) in 10 minutes 6 seconds
- Wing loading: 196.8 kg/m2 (40.3 lb/sq ft)
- Power/mass: 0.276 kW/kg (0.168 hp/lb)
Focke-Wulf Ta 152 H-1 Armament
- 1 × 30 mm (1.181 in) MK 108 cannon 85 rds
- 2 × 20 mm (0.787 in) MG 151/20 cannon 350 rds
