Focke Wulf Fw 190 A, F and G

Together with the Bf 109, the Fw 190 formed the backbone of the Germany fighter squadrons during the Second World War. Kurt Tank was responsible for the design. The development of this aircraft was based on the aim of introducing another aircraft, alongside the Bf 109 powered by a liquid-cooled inline engine, with a “cheap” air-cooled radial engine. The hope was that it would be possible to produce a robust aircraft with a relatively insensitive engine that would be easy to maintain, cost-effective and fast to manufacture. Eliminating liquid cooling was intended to significantly enhance the relative reliability, robustness under fire and easy maintenance of the aircraft. The official development contract was granted in 1937.

The Fw 190 was a single-engine, cantilever low-wing aircraft. The fuselage, wings and tail units were designed in an all-metal monocoque construction. The wings proved to have a very strong structure thanks to a continuous spar. Single hinged flaps served as effective landing aids and the wide-gauge landing gear retracting inwards was designed from the start for a high speed of descent. The controls required more electrical systems. The pilot had the best possible conditions for vision thanks to a full-view cowling. There was also a powerful armament comprising at least four machine guns. The aircraft was powered by a 14 cylinder twin radial engine of type BMW 139 with 1103 kW (1500 hp) output.

The first flight of the Fw 190 V1 took place in Bremen on 1 June 1939 with test pilot Hans Sander in the cockpit. This aircraft, like the second experimental aircraft, had large twin propeller cowls to reduce air resistance, although these were later replaced by conventional cowling. The new 14-cylinder twin radial engine BMW 801 C was installed from the fifth pre-production aircraft, generating 1147 kw (1560 hp) combat power. Since this engine was bigger and heavier than the BMW 139 (meanwhile discontinued), the engine cowlings and the front fuselage were among the components that had to be redesigned and the wings had to be enlarged. Apart from extended engine problems and excessive temperatures in the cockpit, flight testing for the aircraft was largely satisfactory. The rolling manoeuvrability of the Fw 190 proved to be equally as impressive as its dive characteristics.

At the end of 1940, the aircraft and engine were regarded as having reached the stage of development where they could be supplied as a small batch with the designation Fw 190 A-0 for operational testing.

The first aircraft in the A-1 production version followed from June 1941. When they were introduced into service with military line units, the Fw 190 aircraft initially proved to be significantly more powerful than the Allied fighter aircraft. This was mainly applicable to flight at low and medium altitudes, and for dive speeds. Although the aircraft had been designed purely as a fighter and was also manufactured as such in the Series A, there were a number of equipment (R) and conversion (U) kits. They enabled the aircraft to be adapted to other special functions, or enhanced their armament or equipment.

Production of the A-2 version equipped as standard with six onboard weapons commenced as early as the beginning of 1942. The aircraft went over to the BMW 801 D engines during the course of production (1250 kW combat power).

Parallel production of the A-3 Series followed from late summer 1941; initially this aircraft was powered by a BMW 801 C, followed by a BMW 801 D engine. Although the Fw 190 A-3 served primarily as a fighter, a number of aircraft were also used for ground operations. Under the designation Fw 190 Aa-3, 60 aircraft were also manufactured between October 1942 and March 1943 for export to Turkey.

The new A-4 Series was launched in parallel from June 1942, with additional features such as improved radio equipment. This entailed the aircraft increasingly being deployed in the additional role of fighter bomber and ground-attack aircraft. A series of aircraft were converted to serve in these roles. The first conversions for the fighter-bomber series (“Jabo-Rei”) were also produced to create a fighter bomber with extended range. This resulted in the subsequent G Series.

Volume production of the further developed Fw 190 A-5 ran from the end of 1942 to June 1943. A number of modifications had been made which included moving the engine 13.5 cm forward on account of concerns about the centre of gravity. Again, there were numerous conversions and modifications such that no less than 17 different sub-versions existed. This also included prototype aircraft for the subsequent ground-attack aircraft in Series F.

The operational focus for the Fw 190 fighter was now increasingly shifting to engage Allied bombers. The robustness of this aircraft and relatively powerful armament proved to be a significant asset. However, their flying performance increasingly lagged behind the performance of advanced Allied fighter bombers, particularly at greater altitudes. Although this problem was slightly ameliorated by installation of methanol-water injection systems, they only generated short increases in engine performance. The only solution was to develop a new fighter aircraft in the form of the subsequent Fw 190 D or Ta 152.


Volume production of the Fw 190 A-6 with strengthened wings and newly improved radio equipment commenced in spring 1943. Although it was originally designed as a ground-attack aircraft, the plane went into production solely as a fighter due to the prevailing situation in the war. Individual aircraft were even modified for operation as night fighters.

The A-7 version, a fast reconnaissance aircraft, did not go into volume production.

From the end of 1943, it was replaced by production of the new Fw 190 A-8, equipped with more powerful armament and MW 50 fuel injection to increase power. A total of ten sub-versions was produced. In addition, all aircraft manufactured up until January 1944 were retrospectively designated as A-7, since these aircraft were equipped with one fuel tank fewer in the fuselage.

At the end of 1944, volume production of the subsequent type Fw 190 A-9 – originally designated as Fw 190 H-1 – was launched. The aim was to equip this with the more powerful BMW 801 F engine with a projected take-off power of 1471 kW during the course of production, but this was never realized.

The subsequently planned A-10 version also remained on the drawing board, which would simply have involved re-equipping A-9 aircraft with more powerful armament.

In parallel with ongoing development of the Fw 190 A purely as a fighter aircraft, substantial research resources were being deployed since the beginning of 1942 to develop the aircraft as a high-altitude fighter.

The first tests were carried out on the limited number of aircraft from the B-0 and B-1 Series delivered between November 1942 and January 1943. They were fitted with BMW 801 D engines which were also provided with the GM-1 injection system. This injected a mixture of methanol and water into the engine for a limited period of time to significantly increase the power of the engine and enable the engine’s rated power to be maintained up to an altitude of 8000 m.

Development of the C Series started in mid-1942. This aircraft was to be equipped with an inline engine for the first time. Several prototypes were built and fitted with different versions of Daimler-Benz DB engines partly optimized for high altitudes. However, volume production of the Fw 190 C failed to materialize and work on the pure high-altitude fighter was initially shelved.

As outlined above, the role of the Fw 190 A was not simply restricted to fighter and bomber combat. At the beginning of 1942, an initial prototype conversion to a ground-attack aircraft was carried out with the Fw 190 A-2/U3.

From September 1942, the first ground-attack aircraft were delivered with the Fw 190 A-4/U3. Most importantly the armour for pilot and engine was significantly strengthened, as was the structure of the landing gear and sections of the wing. The aircraft were also fitted with a central bomb mounting as standard.

This version was later designated the Fw 190 F-1 but only a small number of aircraft were delivered.

The first ground-attack aircraft produced in volume production was the Fw 190 A-5/U3, designated as F-2 from April 1943.

From September of this year, volume production started of the F-3 derived from the Fw 190 A-5/U17, which was able to accommodate a slightly increased bomb load.

However, the versions F-4 to F-7 planned subsequently could not be realized, since the planned BMW 801 F engines failed to materialize.

Ultimately, the airframe of the Fw 190 A-8 was used to produce the F-8 version with stronger armament and armour-plating, and improved electrical systems for bomb release. Volume production started from March 1944.

The F-9 version which followed in mid-1944 had the fuselage of the Fw 190 A-9 and a BMW 801 TS engine with the equipment of its predecessor.

The F-10 version remained a project and the last two planned F-15 and F-16 prototypes, equipped with BMW 801 TU or TS engines, could only be produced as individual experimental aircraft by the end of the war.

Apart from the ground-attack aircraft, a number of fighter-bomber versions were also developed from the Fw 190 A for long-distance operations (Jabo-Rei). At the end of 1942, the first of these prototypes was manufactured.

When trials had been completed, the first fighter-bomber aircraft (“Jabo-Rei”) followed with the Fw 190 A-4/U8 and these were soon redesignated the Fw 190 G-1. They were able to carry two supplementary tanks that could be jettisoned and were approximately equivalent to the F-1 version, but with less powerful armament and armour-plating.

The G-2 version was launched at the beginning of 1943 and this was subsequently redesignated Fw 190 A-5/U8.

This was quickly followed by the G-3 version designed as a fast ground-attack aircraft based on two prototype aircraft of the type Fw 190 A-5/U13 and was fitted with the strengthened wings of the A-6.

From December 1943, volume production was launched for the successor G-4 version, which was actually only a slightly modified Fw 190 G-1, including improved radio equipment.

The G-5, G-6 and G-7 versions remained at the project stage.

Most aircraft in the G Series were manufactured for the Fw 190 G-8 version which followed at the beginning of 1944. The initial basis for the aircraft was formed by the small number of F-8/U1 aircraft produced and the predecessor G-3 prototype. The aircraft had an MW-50 or GM-1 injection system for temporary power boost.

The final projected G-10 version was supposed to be based on the airframe of the Fw 190 A-10 and the G-6 which was never realized. The aircraft never reached production.

Overall, it may be assumed that slightly more than 20,000 aircraft of all versions and modified versions of the Fw 190 left the production plants by the time the war came to an end.

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