From: jfb200@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (joseph.f.baugher)
Subject: Focke-Wulf Ta 152
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories -  Naperville, Illinois
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 05:46:08 GMT
Keywords: Kurt Tank's finest

As promised, here is the follow-on to the Fw 190D story--Kurt Tank's 
own Ta 152.  

Before the end of 1940, the Focke-Wulf design bureau headed by 
Dipl.-Ing. Kurt Tank had initiated work on variants of the Fw 190 
intended to improve its high-altitude performance.  Three alternative 
proposals were considered, designated Fw 190B, C, and D.  The Fw 190B 
was basically similar to the Fw 190A, but was to be powered by a BMW 
801 radial boosted by nitrous-oxide (GM 1) injection pending the 
availability of an exhaust-driven turbosupercharger.  A pressure cabin 
was to be fitted, and the wing area was to be increased.  The Fw 190C 
was basically similar to the B but was to be powered by the Daimler 
Benz DB 603 liquid-cooled engine using either a mechanically-driven 
supercharger operating in conjunction with nitrous oxide injection or 
a turbosupercharger.  The Fw 190D was powered by the Jumo 213.  The Fw 
190B and C both ran into an extensive series of teething problems, 
and, in the event, never entered production.  Priority was therefore 
given to the Fw 190D even though Tank felt that that the DB 603 was a 
better high-altitude engine than the Jumo 213 and had greater 
development potential.  The result was the superb "Dora" version of 
the Fw 190, which was described in a previous post.  

When Germany declared war on the USA, the Luftwaffe had initially 
assumed that the Americans would give the war in the Pacific their 
first priority, and had not worried too much about high-altitude 
bombing raids from B-17 bombers.  However, by the autumn of 1942, it 
became readily apparent that the USAAF was planning a full-scale 
massive bombing campaign against Germany from its bases in the UK, and 
that the Luftwaffe would soon require fighters with better 
high-altitude performances to face the threat from American bombers.  
By that time, the Luftwaffe was also aware of the existence of the 
B-29, and they were also aware that the existing Fw 190 would be 
incapable of effectively intercepting this American bomber at the 
altitudes at which it was supposedly capable of operating.  
Consequently, Dipl.-Ing Kurt Tank undertook the development of of a 
*Hochleistungsjager*, or High-performance Fighter, offering a much 
improved combat ceiling.  

The Luftwaffe envisaged a two-phase program for the production of its 
new high-altitude fighter.  The first phase would produce an aircraft 
based to the extent possible on an existing production airframe.  The 
second phase would design a fighter from the ground up specifically 
for the high-altitude role.  

To meet the requirements of the first phase, Focke-Wulf proposed the 
Fw 190 Ra-2 and Ra-3 designs, both based on the Fw 190D.  These two 
proposals were basically similar, differing from each other 
principally in wing span and armament, the Ra-2 having a standard Fw 
190D wing and the Ra-3 having extended wing outer panels giving a wing 
with a rather high aspect ratio.  The engine was to be a Jumo 213E 
with a a three-speed two-stage supercharger and induction cooler which 
offered superior high-altitude performance over the Jumo 213A.  Both 
designs had a pressure cabin and provision for both nitrous oxide (GM 
1) and methanol-water (MW50) injection.  The fuselage was common to 
both models, and was lengthened to provide increased internal 
capacity.  The cockpit was moved sixteen inches further aft in 
relation to the wing attachment points in order to balance the center 
of gravity.  Vertical tail surfaces were enlarged, and both aircraft 
had a 30-mm engine-mounted cannon and a pair of 20-mm MG 151 cannon in 
the wing roots, however the Ra-2 was to have an additional pair of MG 
151s in the upper deck of the forward fuselage.  

The requirements of the second phase were to be met by the Fw 190 
Ra-4D.  Although it was based broadly on the Fw 190, the Ra-4D 
embodied a complete structural redesign and numerous aerodynamic 
refinements.  It was from the start to use a turbosupercharged 
Daimler-Benz DB 603 engine, the engine which Kurt Tank had preferred 
all along.  

Dipl.-Ing Kurt Tank had by this time obtained almost legendary status 
as a result of his successful aircraft designs, and the RLM decided to 
honor him by using the prefix "Ta" instead of "Fw" for aircraft coming 
out of his design bureau.  Since the Ra-2 and Ra-3 were considered 
sufficiently different from their predecessors to deserve a new 
designation, they were the first to receive the new "Ta" prefix.  They 
were both redesignated Ta 152 by the end of 1942.  Logic would seem to 
dictate that the Ra-2 and Ra-3 be designated Ta 152H and K, since they 
followed on directly from the Fw 190F and G (I and J were not used as 
suffixes).  However, Tank had a different idea.  He proposed that the 
short-span Ra-2 be designated Ta 152B, where the B stood for 
*Begeleitjager* or Escort Fighter, and the long-span Ra-3 be 
designated Ta 152H, where the H stood for *Hohenjager* or 
High-Altitude Fighter.  Such was the prestige of Kurt Tank that he 
immediately got his way.  The Ra-4D was assigned the designation Ta 
153.  

Although Tank was pressing the Luftwaffe to allocate production 
priority to the Ta 152, the authorities were reluctant to disrupt 
existing assembly lines for the introduction of a new type.  
Consequently, the work on the Ta 152 proceeded only very slowly, and 
it was not until the spring of 1944 that serious preparations for 
production were begun.  By that time, the USAAF bomber offensive was 
in full gear, and the Luftwaffe was in dire straits.  The Luftwaffe 
desperately needed a counter to the P-51 Mustang which was cutting 
German fighters to pieces.  

The wing of the proposed Ra-4D/Ta 153 had a slightly greater span and 
area than that of the Fw 190D.  This wing was seen to have certain 
advantages over the wing originally envisaged for the Ta 152.  In 
addition to having better aerodynamic characteristics, the Ta 153 wing 
was deemed easier to manufacture and was capable of carrying more 
fuel.  The Luftwaffe consequently proposed that that the new wing be 
adopted for the Ta 152B, with the outboard panels and flaps being 
extended for the long-span Ta 152H.  

Kurt Tank was still pressing for permission to use the DB 603 engine 
in the Ta 152, owing to its superiority over the Jumo 213E at high 
altitudes.  Although the Luftwaffe still insisted that the Jumo 213E 
remain the primary Ta 152 powerplant, it permitted Tank to begin work 
on a DB 603-powered version under the designation Ta 152C.  There was 
no designation conflict with the Fw 190C, since all work on that 
version had been abandoned by this time owing to chronic 
turbosupercharger problems.  

The first Ta 152H prototypes were completed in the summer of 1944.  
Several Fw 190C airframes were used in the project.  The first Ta 
152H-0 service test aircraft rolled off the assembly lines in 
October-November 1944.  The Ta 152H-0s had no fuel tanks in their 
wings.  They were joined a month later by the first production Ta 
152H-1 aircraft, which had fuel tanks in the wings.  The Ta 152H-1 was 
armed with one engine-mounted 30-mm MK 108 cannon with 90 rounds and 
two 20-mm MG 151 cannon in the wings with 175 rpg.  330 pounds of 
armor were carried for the protection of the engine and the pilot.  
Most production machines were delivered to Ta 152H-1/R11 bad-weather 
fighter standards.  A MW 50 boost tank was fitted in the inboard port 
wing tank for use in enhancing low-altitude performance, with the GM 1 
high-altitude boost tank aft of the cockpit being standard.  

Approximately 150 Ta 1252H-1 fighters were manufactured between 
January 1, 1945 and the final abandoning of production with the 
arrival of Soviet forces at the Cottbus assembly plant.  No 
Jagdgruppen ever completely converted to the type, but several 
Jagdstaffeln operated the Ta 152H alongside the Fw 190D and other 
types.  Most of the Ta 152s operated in the close-support role.  
Others flew "top-cover" for bases from which Messerschmitt Me 262 jet 
fighters operated, trying to protect the jets from being "bounced" by 
Allied fighters during takeoff or landing.  It was said that no 
British or American fighters risked attacking an Me 262 during landing 
while Ta 152s were known to be circling the airfield.  The large wing 
area of the Ta 152 made it quite easy to fly.  Most of the Ta 152Hs, 
however, were destroyed on the ground by Allied air attacks while 
awaiting delivery.  A few Ta 152Hs were allocated to the *Mistel* 
program.  

Near the end of 1944, Kurt Tank himself had a narrow escape while 
flying one of his Ta 152Hs.  Hw was flying from Langenhagen near 
Hannover to attend a meeting at the Focke-Wulf plant in Cottbus.  His 
plane carried armament, but no ammunition.  Shortly after takeoff, he 
was jumped by four Mustangs.  Tank pressed the button which activated 
his MW 50 boost, opened the throttle wide, and quickly left the 
Mustangs far behind in a cloud of blue smoke.  

Specs of the Ta 152H-1: Engine: Junkers Jumo 213E-1 twelve-cylinder 
liquid-cooled engine rated at 1750 hp for takeoff (2050 hp with MW 50 
boost) and 1320 hp at 32,800 feet (1740 feet with GM 1 boost).  
Maximum speed: 332 mph at sea level (350 mph with MW 50 boost), 465 
mph at 29,530 feet with MW 50 boost, 472 mph at 41,010 feet with GM 1 
boost.  Service ceiling was 48,550 feet with GM 1 boost.  Initial 
climb rate was 3445 feet/minute with MW 50 boost.  Weights were 8642 
pounds empty, 10,472 pounds normal loaded, 11,502 pounds maximum.  
Wingspan 47 feet 41/2 inches, length 35 feet 1 2/3 inches, height 11 
feet 0 1/4 inches, wing area 250.8 square feet.  

The Ta 152B has originally been envisaged as having interchangeable 
Jumo 213 or DB 603 "power eggs", but with the acceptance of the Ta 
152C the Jumo 213 was standardized.  The original plan to install 
cabin pressurization was abandoned.  However, it was decided to give 
higher priority to the Ta 152C, and only three prototypes of the Ta 
152B-series were completed before the war came to an end.  

Series production orders for the Ta 152C had been placed in October 
1944, the delays being a result of the Luftwaffe STILL continuing to 
support the Jumo 213 over the DB 603 for the Ta 152 as late as the 
autumn of 1944.  The Ta 152C with the lighter DB 603 engine was 
otherwise identical to the Ta 152B.  It was considered primarily as a 
*Zerstorer*.  The MW 50 boost installation for the enhancement of 
low-altitude performance was standard.  An Fw 190D prototype had been 
rebuilt and flown with a DB 603 engine in support of the Ta 152C 
program, and this plane took to the air for the first time in October 
1944.  During December 1944 and January 1945, the first Ta 152C-O 
service test aircraft joined the test program.  The definitive 
production version was to be the Ta 152C-1, and it was hoped that the 
first examples could be rolling off the production lines in April of 
1945.  However, series production of the Ta 152C was only just 
beginning when Allied forces overran the assembly plants, so this 
fighter never entered service with the Luftwaffe.  

The Ta 152C-1 was powered by a Daimler-Benz DB 603LA twelve-cylinder 
liquid cooled engine rated at 2100 hp (2300 hp with MW 50) for takeoff 
and 1750 hp at 29,530 feet (1900 hp at 27,560 feet with MW 50).  Armed 
with one engine-mounted 30-mm MK 108 cannon with 90 rounds, two 
fuselage-mounted 20-mm MG 151 cannon with 250 rpg, and two 
wing-mounted 20-mm MG252 cannon with 175 rpg.  Maximum speed was 227 
mph at sea level (356 mph with MW 50), 436 mph at 37,730 feet (460 mph 
at 32,810 feet with MW 50).  Initial climb rate was 3050 feet per 
minute and service ceiling was 40,350 feet.  Weights were 8849 lbs 
empty, 10,658 lbs normal loaded, and 11,733 pounds maximum.  Wingspan 
was 36 feet 1 inch, length was 35 feet 6 1/2 inches, height was 11 
feet 1 inch, and wing area was 290.89 square feet.  

There is a long and complex list of experimental subtypes (both actual 
and proposed) of the Ta 152B, C, and H, much too long to list here.  
See one of the references listed below if you are really interested.  

Some Ta 152s are known to have been captured and returned to the USA 
for study.  I wonder if any of them still exist?  Perhaps a Ta 152 is 
squirreled away in a dark corner in one of the hangars of the Garber 
facility at Suitland, Maryland.  Anyone know? 

Sources: 

  Warplanes of the Third Reich, William Green, Doubleday, 1971.  

  Famous Fighters of the Second World War, William Green, Doubleday 
  1967.  

  The Focke-Wulf 190--A Famous German Fighter, Heinz Nowarra, Harleyford,
  1965.  

Joe Baugher			**************************************
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