Focke-Wulf 190





This luftwaffe fighter has been a bad surprise for the allied army, when she was first encounter by allied planes.

The first flight of the FW190 was done before the beginning of war, but allied intelligence haven't any informations about this new german fighter.

During June 1942 a Focke Wulf 190 land in Great Britain after a navigation error of his pilot. Once the allied have tested the plane, HQ was very anxious, the new german plane is better than all allied planes on duty.

The FW190 is fastest than all allied planes and have a better firepower, is armament consist in 2 x 7,92mm cal MG17 on the cowling, 2 x 20mm cal Mauser MG151/20 in inner section of wing, and 2 x 20mm cal MG FF in the external section of wing.

Strong and agile ,the FW190 offer to his pilot a very good visibility, relatively the plane was little, and was really a very hard target, the wide under gear give to the FW190 the capability to operate from basic airfields.

All the caractéristics of the german plane contribute to give a real inferiority feeling to the allied engeneer.

The model 190-A is the most built version and the first to be put on duty, this model have been produced either as a fighter or a fighter-bomber.

Somes of them have an heavier armament in addition of the normal armament they carry 2 or 4 20mm cal MG151/20 or MG FF ,or 2 x 30mm cal MK108 or MK103 in underwings gondolas.

Most of the FW190 have an emergency power either the MW 50 water/methanol injection or the GM1 nitric oxyd injection.
Few two seat trainers have been built and very few models have an automatic pilot for all weather purpose or night mission.

The model 190-F was the attack and close support version, somes were fitted with PanzerBlitz rocket wich was accurate agaisnt tank but also against bombers.

 


The 190-G model have been built in great number and was the dive-bomber version and long range version.

But from 1943 the most built model was the 190-D nicknammed " Long-Nose " by the RAF. Again the FW190 was the fastest fighter in the sky.
Late in 1943 the 190D was renammed 152 C in honnour of Pr Kurt Tank.

The early 152 C was really exception planes, and really one of the most deadly fighter in the sky.
The 152H model designed for hih altitude and high speed have made sacrifice of a great firepower.

During a test flight with the 152-H the Pr Kurt Tank wich was not a real fighter pilot , have been attacked by allieds P51 Mustang. He can escape relatively easily to the P51's.
Only 10 TA 152-H have been porduced.

The whole production represent 20 051 FW190 of model A to D and 67 TA-152

But a strange thing appear, during the war all the great german aces prefered the ME109 older and not so modern ...
        
After end of war during 1945 the FW190 A-5 was produced in France for the french army by the SNASCO .They was named NC900 and was used by GC2/3 Normandie-Niemen .64 of them have been built.
The operationnal career of NC900 was very short , less than one year. The planes suffers of many accident for a major part due to many parts built during the german admnisitration , many of these parts have been saboted by french workers.

Around 12 NC900 was sold to Argentina.