Dietmar Hermann – författare

From the time of its appearance in 1939 the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was one of the best fighter aircraft of the Second World War—a masterpiece produced by chief designer Kurt Tank. In 1943 Tank developed a new fighter aircraft based on this successful concept. The project soon deviated far from the original Fw 190 concept and as an honor to the designer it was designated the Ta 152. The great performance potential of this fighter was obvious from the very first prototypes of the Ta 152A and Ta 152C. Unfortunately, however, production was limited to a few examples. But at the same time Focke-Wulf was developing the Ta 152H high-altitude fighter which, powered by the Jumo 213E and equipped with a pressurized cockpit, was capable of reaching altitudes on the order of 35,000 feet and speeds in excess of 430 mph. A few Ta 152Hs saw action at the beginning of 1945 and they made an excellent impression on their pilots. Compared to the older fighters they exhibited significantly better flight characteristics and performance at high altitude. The Ta 152 could also stand up to the best Allied fighter aircraft, such as the American P-51 Mustang. On account of its unfamiliar shape the pilots of Bf 109s sometimes mistook it for an enemy aircraft and attacked. The heavy Allied bombing at the end of the war prevented production from beginning as planned, and as a result only a very few Ta 152Hs could be delivered. With the aid of a large number of photographs—including previously unpublished—and drawings, this book details the development history of the Ta 152, one of the most advanced fighter aircraft of its day. But it also illustrates the hopelessness of Germany’s efforts late in the war to deploy advanced aircraft in large numbers.

This book covers the complete development history of those variants of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 powered by inline engines. The first Fw 190 equipped with a Daimler Benz liquid-cooled engine took to the air in early 1942, followed six months later by another powered by a Jumo 213. Production of the Fw 190 C, Fw 190 D and Ta 153 was delayed by the German air ministry. Not until 1944, by which time Germany had lost control of the air, did the Fw 190 D-9, an interim fighter powered by the Jumo 213 A, enter production. The Fw 190 D-9 proved an immediate success, largely due to an excellent prototype test program under Dipl.Ing. Hans Sander. The type quickly entered service with the Luftwaffe and more than 1,700 examples were completed by the end of the war. The Fw 190 D-9 gave rise to a number of improved variants with the more powerful Jumo 213 F engine and a heavier armament, however only a handful of the D-11 and D-13 versions were completed. With a maximum speed of 750 km/h, the Fw 190 D-12 powered by the new Jumo 213 EB would have represented the apex of Fw 190 development. The proposed Fw 190 D-14 and D-15, both powered by improved versions of the dive-bombers 603, came too late to see service with the Luftwaffe.

This book deals with the development history and testing of this fighter aircraft and production of the early variants of the Fw 190 A. An interesting comparison between the Bf 109 and the Fw 190 shows the strengths and weaknesses of the two aircraft, and authentic reports by former test pilots of Focke-Wulf and the Rechlin Test Station document the aircraft’s performance. Also covered are the later torpedo-carrier and reconnaissance versions of the Fw 190. Together with the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 formed the standard equipment of the German fighter arm in the Second World War and today is considered one of the most capable fighters of that period. Initial flight trials in 1939 revealed a number of shortcomings, nevertheless the basic concept of the Fw 190 proved extremely successful. In contrast to the Bf 109, which was powered by a liquid-cooled, inverted-vee engine, in developing the Fw 190 Prof. Kurt Tank selected the BMW 801, an air-cooled radial engine that was less sensitive to battle damage. The broad-track undercarriage also gave the Focke-Wulf fighter much superior takeoff and landing characteristics. The Fw 190 entered quantity production by Focke-Wulf and license manufacturers Fieseler, AGO and Arado in 1941. It proved an immediate success in combat operations in 1942, proving itself superior to the Spitfire in some respects. Lavishly illustrated with photographs and drawings, many of which have not been published before, this book provides both aircraft enthusiasts and modelers with a wealth of information, and fills a gap in the history of aircraft design in Germany.