The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, commonly referred to as Würger (Shrike), is a German fighter aircraft featuring a single seat and a single engine.
It was designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf during the late 1930s and saw extensive use throughout World War II.
In conjunction with its famous counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Fw 190 served as a fundamental component of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force) within the Luftwaffe.
The aircraft was primarily powered by the twin-row BMW 801 radial engine, which equipped most operational variants, granting the Fw 190 the capability to carry heavier payloads compared to the Bf 109.
This versatility allowed it to function effectively as a day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft, and, to a lesser extent, as a night fighter.
The Fw 190A commenced operational flights over France in August 1941 and rapidly demonstrated its superiority in all aspects except for turn radius when compared to the Spitfire Mk. V, which was the primary front-line fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF), especially at low and medium altitudes.
The 190 retained its dominance over Allied fighters until the arrival of the enhanced Spitfire Mk. IX.
In November and December of 1942, the Fw 190 made its debut in air combat on the Eastern Front, achieving considerable success within fighter wings and specialized ground attack units (Schlachtgeschwader – Battle Wings or Strike Wings) starting from October 1943.
The performance of the Fw 190A series diminished at elevated altitudes, typically around 6,000 m (20,000 ft) and higher, which compromised its role as a high-altitude interceptor.
Since the inception of the Fw 190, there had been continuous attempts to rectify this issue, including the introduction of a turbo supercharged BMW 801 in the B model, the significantly elongated C model which also aimed to turbo-charge its selected Daimler-Benz DB 603 inverted V12 engine, and the similarly extended D model featuring the Junkers Jumo 213.
However, complications with the turbocharger installations on the -B and -C variants resulted in only the D model being operational by September 1944.
These advancements for high-altitude performance ultimately culminated in the development of the Focke-Wulf Ta 152, which achieved remarkable speeds at medium to high altitudes, reaching 755 km/h (408 kn; 469 mph) at 13,500 m (44,300 ft).
Although these ‘long nose’ variants of the 190 and the Ta 152 derivative provided the Germans with a competitive edge against their Allied counterparts, they were introduced too late to influence the war’s outcome.
The Fw 190 was favoured by its pilots.
Several of the Luftwaffe’s most accomplished fighter aces achieved numerous kills while piloting it, including Otto Kittel, Walter Nowotny, and Erich Rudorffer.
In the view of German pilots who operated both aircraft, the Fw 190 possessed greater fire-power than the Bf 109 and exhibited superior manoeuvrability at low to medium altitudes.
It was considered one of the finest fighter aircraft of World War II.
The Fw 190 was involved in every significant combat front where the Luftwaffe was active after 1941, achieving success across various roles.
It first engaged in combat on the Western Front in August 1941, demonstrating its superiority over the Mk V Spitfire.
The primary advantage of the Spitfire over both the Fw 190 and the Bf 109 was its superior turning radius.
However, the Fw 190 excelled beyond the Spitfire Mk. V in several key performance metrics, including roll rate, speed, acceleration, and dive capabilities.
The introduction of the Fw 190 to the Jagdwaffe enabled the Germans to repel RAF assaults and maintain local air superiority over German territory until the summer of 1942, when the enhanced Spitfire Mk. IX was launched.
In June 1942, Oberleutnant Armin Faber of JG 2 successfully landed his Fw 190 A-3 at a British airfield, which permitted the RAF to evaluate the Mk. IX against the 190 and develop strategies to counter it.
