Focke - Wulf Fw 190 The Focke - Wulf Fw 190 " Würger " ( ) was a German single - seat , single - engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II . Powered by a radial engine , the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well - known counterpart , the Messerschmitt Bf 109 . The 190 was used by the Luftwaffe in a wide variety of roles , including day fighter , fighter - bomber , ground - attack aircraft and , to a lesser degree , night fighter . When the Fw 190 started flying operationally over France in August 1941 , it quickly proved itself to be superior in all but turn radius to the Royal Air Force ' s main front - line fighter , the Spitfire Mk . V , especially at low and medium altitudes . The 190 maintained superiority over Allied fighters until the introduction of the improved Spitfire Mk . IX in July 1942 restored qualitative parity . The Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front in November / December 1942 ; though Soviet pilots considered the Bf 109 the greater threat , the Fw 190 made a significant impact . The fighter and its pilots proved just as capable as the Bf 109 in aerial combat , and in the opinion of German pilots who flew both , provided increased firepower and manoeuvrability at low to medium altitude . The Fw 190 became the backbone of the " Jagdwaffe " ( Fighter Force ) , along with the Bf 109 . On the Eastern Front , the Fw 190 was versatile enough to use in " Schlachtgeschwader " ( Battle Wings or Strike Wings ) , specialised ground attack units which achieved much success against Soviet ground forces . As an interceptor , the Fw 190 underwent improvements to make it effective at high altitude , enabling it to maintain relative parity with its Allied opponents . The Fw 190A series ' performance decreased at high altitudes ( usually 6 , 000 m ( 20 , 000 ft ) and above ) , which reduced its effectiveness as a high - altitude interceptor , but this problem was mostly rectified in later models , particularly in the Junkers Jumo 213 inline - engine Focke - Wulf Fw 190D series , which was introduced in September 1944 . In spite of its successes , it never entirely replaced the Bf 109 . The Fw 190 was well liked by its pilots . Some of the Luftwaffe ' s most successful fighter aces claimed a great many of their kills while flying it , including Otto Kittel , Walter Nowotny and Erich Rudorffer . Early development . Genesis . In autumn 1937 , the German Ministry of Aviation asked various designers for a new fighter to fight alongside the Messerschmitt Bf 109 , Germany ' s front line fighter . Although the Bf 109 was an extremely competitive fighter , the Ministry of Aviation was worried that future foreign designs might outclass it , and wanted to have new aircraft under development to meet these possible challenges . Kurt Tank responded with a number of designs , most incorporating liquid - cooled inline engines . However , it was not until a design was presented using the air - cooled , 14 - cylinder BMW 139 radial engine that the Ministry of Aviation ' s interest was aroused . As this design used a radial engine , it would not compete with the inline - powered Bf 109 for engines , when there were already too few DB 601 ' s to go around . This was not the case for competing advanced designs like the Heinkel He 100 or Focke - Wulf Fw 187 , where production would compete with the 109 or Messerschmitt Bf 110 for engine supplies . After the war , Tank denied a rumour that he had to " fight a battle " with the Ministry to convince them of the radial engine ' s merits . Design concepts . At the time , the use of radial engines in land - based fighters was relatively rare in Europe , as it was believed that their large frontal area would cause too much drag on something as small as a fighter . Tank was not convinced of this , having witnessed the successful use of radial engines by the US Navy , and felt a properly streamlined installation would eliminate this problem . The hottest point on any air - cooled engine are the cylinder heads , located along the outside diameter of a radial engine . In order to provide sufficient air to cool the engine , airflow had to be maximized at this outer edge , which was normally accomplished by leaving the majority of the front face of the engine open to the air . During the late 1920s , NACA led development of a dramatic improvement by placing an airfoil - shaped ring around the outside of the cylinder heads ( the NACA cowling ) . The shaping accelerated the air as it entered the front of the cowl , increasing the total airflow , and allowing the opening in front of the engine to be made smaller . Tank introduced a further refinement to this basic concept . He suggested placing most of the airflow components on the propeller itself , in the form of a oversized propeller spinner whose outside diameter was the same as the engine itself . The cowl around the engine proper was greatly simplified , essentially a basic cylinder . Air entered through a small hole at the center of the propeller , and was directed through ductwork in the spinner so it was blowing rearward along the cylinder heads . To provide enough airflow , a cone was placed in the center of the hole , over the propeller hub , which was intended to compress the airflow and allow a smaller opening to be used . In theory , the tight - fitting cowling also provided some thrust due to the compression and heating of air as it flowed through the cowling . As to the rest of the design philosophy , Tank wanted something more than an aircraft built only for speed . Tank outlined the reasoning : One of the main features of the Fw 190 was its wide - tracked , inwards - retracting landing gear . Tank appreciated that operating from primitive airfields in wartime would require a stable undercarriage — a lesson learned from witnessing the difficulty of moving machinery in the First World War . The wide - track landing gear spacing gave it better ground handling characteristics , and it suffered fewer ground accidents than the Bf 109 with its narrow - track landing gear . The undercarriage was designed to withstand a sink rate of 15 feet per second ( 4 . 5 meters per second , 900 feet per minute ) , double the strength factor usually required . Hydraulic wheel brakes were used . Most aircraft of the era used cables and pulleys to operate their controls . The cables tended to stretch , resulting in the sensations of " give " and " play " that made the controls less crisp and responsive , and required constant maintenance to correct . For the new design , the team replaced the cables with rigid pushrods and bearings to eliminate this problem . Another innovation was making the controls as light as possible . The maximum resistance of the ailerons was limited to eight pounds , as the average man ' s wrist could not exert a greater force . The empennage ( tail assembly ) featured relatively small and well - balanced horizontal and vertical surfaces . The design team also attempted to minimize changes in the aircraft ' s trim at varying speeds , thus reducing the pilot ' s workload . They were so successful in this regard that they found in - flight - adjustable aileron and rudder trim tabs were not necessary . Small , fixed tabs were fitted to control surfaces and adjusted for proper balance during initial test flights . Only the elevator trim needed to be adjusted in flight ( a feature common to all aircraft ) . This was accomplished by tilting the entire horizontal tailplane with an electric motor , with an angle of incidence ranging from - 3° to + 5° . Another aspect of the new design was the extensive use of electrically powered equipment instead of the hydraulic systems used by most aircraft manufacturers of the time . On the first two prototypes , the main landing gear was hydraulic . Starting with the third prototype , the undercarriage was operated by push buttons controlling electric motors in the wings , and was kept in position by electric up and down - locks . The armament was also loaded and fired electrically . Tank believed that service use would prove that electrically powered systems were more reliable and more rugged than hydraulics , electric lines being much less prone to damage from enemy fire . As was the case for the 109 , the 190 featured a fairly small wing planform with relatively high wing loading . This presents a trade - off in performance ; an aircraft with a smaller wing suffers less drag in most flight and therefore flies faster and may have better range . However , it also means the wing cannot generate " extra " lift as easily , which is needed for maneuvering or flight at high altitudes . The wings spanned 9 . 5 m ( 31 ft 2 in ) and had an area of 15 m² ( 161 ft² ) . The wing was designed using the NACA 23015 . 3 airfoil at the root and the NACA 23009 airfoil at the tip . Earlier designs generally featured canopies consisting of small plates of perspex in a metal framework , and the fuselage running horizontally back from the top of the canopy frame . This design considerably limited visibility , especially to the rear . The introduction of vacuum forming led to the creation of the " bubble canopy " which was largely self - supporting , and could be mounted above the fuselage , offering greatly improved all - round views . Tank ' s new design included such a design that used only a single frame where the front and rear sections met , just in front of the pilot . First prototypes . The first prototype , the Fw 190 V1 ( civil registration D - OPZE ) , powered by a 1 , 550 PS ( 1 , 529 hp , 1 , 140 kW ) BMW 139 14 - cylinder two - row radial engine , first flew on 1 June 1939 . It soon showed exceptional qualities for such a comparatively small aircraft , with excellent handling , good visibility and speed ( initially around 610 km / h ( 380 mph ) ) . The roll rate was 162° per second at 410 km / h ( 255 mph ) , but the aircraft had a high stall speed of 205 km / h ( 127 mph ) . The cockpit , located directly behind the engine , quickly became uncomfortably hot . During the first flight , the temperature reached 55 °C ( 131 °F ) , after which Focke Wulf ' s chief test pilot , Hans Sander commented , " It was like sitting with both feet in the fireplace . " Flight tests soon showed that the expected benefits of Tank ' s cooling design did not materialize , so after the first few flights , this arrangement was replaced by a smaller , more conventional spinner that covered only the hub of the three - blade VDM propeller . In an attempt to increase airflow over the tightly cowled engine , a 10 - blade fan was fitted at the front opening of the redesigned cowling and was geared to be driven at 3 . 12 times faster than the propeller shaft ' s speed . This quickly became standard on the Fw 190 and nearly all other German aircraft powered by the BMW 801 . In this form the V1 first flew on 1 December 1939 , having been repainted with the Luftwaffe ' s " Balkenkreuz " and with the " Stammkennzeichen " ( factory code ) RM + CA . The Fw 190 V2 , designated with the " Stammkennzeichen " alphabetic ID code of " FL + OZ " ( later RM + CB ) first flew on 31 October 1939 and was equipped from the outset with the new spinner and cooling fan . It was armed with one " Rheinmetall - Borsig " 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17 machine gun and one 13 mm ( . 51 in ) synchronized MG 131 machine gun in each wing root . Later prototypes , BMW 801 . Even before the first flight of the Fw 190 V1 , BMW was bench testing a larger , more powerful 14 - cylinder two - row radial engine , the BMW 801 . This engine introduced a pioneering example of an engine management system called the " Kommandogerät " ( command - device ) : in effect , an electro - mechanical computer which set mixture , propeller pitch ( for the constant speed propeller ) , boost , and magneto timing . This reduced the pilot ' s work load to moving the throttle control only , with the rest of the associated inputs handled by the Kommandogerät . The drawback was slight and minor surges that made the Fw 190 harder to fly in close formations . Tank asserted the device did not work well . Another problem was the violent switching in of the high gear of the supercharger as the aircraft climbed . During a test flight , Tank carried out a loop at medium altitude . Just as he was nearing the top of the loop , at 2 , 650 m ( 8 , 700 ft ) , the supercharger ' s high gear kicked in with a jerk . The Fw 190 was on its back , with little airspeed . The sudden change in torque hurled the aircraft into a spin . Tank ' s artificial horizon toppled ( the cause is not explained ) . Although Tank did not know whether he was in an upright or inverted spin , he managed to recover after a loss of altitude . The rough transition was smoothed out and the supercharger ' s gear - change could engage without incident . The RLM convinced Focke - Wulf and BMW to abandon the 139 engine in favour of the new engine . The BMW 801 engine was similar in diameter to the 139 , although it was heavier and longer by a considerable margin . This required Tank to redesign the Fw 190 , and resulted in the abandonment of the V3 and V4 . The V5 became the first prototype with the new engine , being fitted with the 1 , 560 PS ( 1 , 539 hp , 1 , 147 kW ) BMW 801 C - 0 . Much of the airframe was strengthened and in order to balance the heavier engine , the cockpit was moved back in the fuselage and the engine mounted on longer struts . This had the side - effect of reducing the troubles with high temperatures and for the first time provided space for nose armament . It also reduced visibility in nose - high attitudes , notably when taxiing on the ground . A 12 - blade cooling fan replaced the earlier 10 - blade unit , and was likewise installed in front of the engine ' s reduction gear housing , still running with the original 3 . 12 : 1 reduction ratio , which was standardised for BMW - powered Fw 190s . The propeller shaft passed through the fan ' s central plate , which was made of cast magnesium . The fan provided cooling air not only for the engine cylinders ' fins , but also for the BMW - designed annular oil cooler , which was located in the forward part of the cowling . The oil cooler was protected by an armoured ring which made up the front face of the cowling . A small hole in the centre of the spinner also directed airflow to ancillary components . Even with the new engine and the cooling fan , the 801 suffered from high rear - row cylinder head temperatures , which in at least one case resulted in the detonation of the fuselage - mounted MG 17 ammunition . The vertical tail shape was also changed and the rudder tab was replaced by a metal trim strip adjustable only on the ground . New , stiffer undercarriage struts were introduced , along with larger diameter wheels . The retraction mechanism was changed from hydraulic to electrically powered , which became a hallmark of later Focke - Wulf aircraft system designs , and new fairings of a simplified design were fitted to the legs . Another minor change was that the rearmost sections of the sliding canopy were redesigned by replacing the plexiglas glazing with duralumin panels . As this section was behind the pilot ' s seat , there was little visibility lost . At first , the V5 used the same wings as the first two prototypes , but to allow for the larger tyres , the wheelwells were enlarged by moving forward part of the leading edge of the wing root ; the wing area became 15 . 0 m² ( 161 ft² ) . The V5 first flew in the early spring of 1940 . The weight increase with all of the modifications was substantial , about 635 kg ( 1 , 400 lb ) , leading to higher wing loading and a deterioration in handling . Plans were made to create a new wing with more area to address these issues . In its original form , this prototype was called the " V5k " for " kleine Fläche " ( small surface ) . In August 1940 a collision with a ground vehicle damaged the V5 and it was sent back to the factory for major repairs . This was an opportune time to rebuild it with a new wing which was less tapered in plan than the original design , extending the leading and trailing edges outward to increase the area . The new wing had an area of 18 . 30 m² ( 197 ft² ) , and now spanned 10 . 506 m ( 34 ft 5 in ) . After conversion , the aircraft was called the " V5g " for " große Fläche " ( large surface ) . Although it was 10 km / h ( 6 mph ) slower than when fitted with the small wing , " V5g " was much more manoeuvrable and had a faster climb rate . This new wing platform was to be used for all major production versions of the Fw 190 . Pre - production , Fw 190 A - 0 . Fw 190 A - 0 were the pre - production series ordered in November 1940 , with a total of 28 were built . Because they were built before the new wing design was fully tested and approved , the first nine A - 0s had small wings . All were armed with a total of six . 30 calibre - class machine guns — two synchronised 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17 machine gun s mounted in the forward fuselage , one similarly synchronized MG 17 in each wing root , and one MG 17 in each of the outboard wings . They were different from later A - series Fw 190s : they had shorter spinners , the armoured cowling ring was a different shape , with a scalloped hinge on the upper , forward edge of the upper engine cowling , and the bulges covering the interior air intakes on the engine cowlings were symmetrical " teardrops " . Also , the panels aft of the exhaust pipes had no cooling slots . Several of these aircraft were later modified for testing engines and special equipment . The first unit to be equipped with the A - 0 was " Erprobungsstaffel " 190 , formed in March 1941 to help iron out any technical problems and approve the new fighter before it would be accepted for full operational service in mainstream Luftwaffe " Jagdgeschwader " . At first , this unit , commanded by Oblt . Otto Behrens , was based at the Luftwaffe ' s central " Erprobungsstelle " facility at Rechlin , but it was soon moved to Le Bourget . Engine problems plagued the 190 for much of its early development , and the entire project was threatened several times with a complete shutdown . Had it not been for the input of Behrens and Karl Borris , both of whom had originally enlisted in the Luftwaffe as mechanics , the Fw 190 program might have died before reaching the front lines . Both men indicated that the Fw 190 ' s outstanding qualities outweighed its deficiencies during several Ministry of Aviation commissions that wished to terminate the program . Some 50 modifications were required before the Ministry of Aviation approved the Fw 190 for deployment to Luftwaffe units . Fw 190 A . A - 1 . The Fw 190 A - 1 rolled off the assembly lines in June 1941 . The first few models were shipped to the " Erprobungsstaffel " ( formerly from II . / JG 26 " Schlageter " ) for further testing . Following this testing , the Fw 190 A - 1 entered service with II . / JG 26 , stationed near Paris , France . The A - 1 was equipped with the BMW 801 C - 1 engine , rated at 1 , 560 PS ( 1 , 539 hp , 1 , 147 kW ) for take - off . Armament consisted of two fuselage - mounted 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17s , two wing root - mounted 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17s - with all four MG 17s synchronized to fire through the propeller arc - and two outboard wing - mounted 20 mm MG FF / Ms . The new longer propeller spinner and the cowling bulges , which became asymmetrical " teardrops " in shape , remained the same for the rest of the A - series . The panel immediately behind the exhaust outlets was unslotted , although some A - 1s were retrofitted with cooling slots . A new hood jettisoning system , operated by an MG FF cartridge , was introduced . The pilot ' s head armour changed in shape and was supported by two thin metal struts in a " V " shape attached to the canopy sides . The standard radio fitted was the FuG 7 , although some A - 1s were also equipped with FuG 25 " Erstling " IFF ( identification friend or foe ) equipment . The A - 1 models still suffered from the overheating that prototype Fw 190s had experienced during testing . After only 30 – 40 hours of use ( sometimes less ) , many of these early engines had to be replaced . Focke - Wulf completed 102 A - 1s at the Bremen and Marienburg factories between June and October 1941 . Also in October , a further order of 315 A - 1s , subcontracted to AGO Flugzeugwerke at its Oschersleben factory , began to be built as A - 2s . A - 2 . The introduction of the BMW 801 C - 2 resulted in the Fw 190 A - 2 model , first introduced in October 1941 . As part of this upgrade , a modification to the exhaust system devised by III . / JG 26 ' s Technical Officer ( " T . O . " ) Rolf Schrödeter was added . There were 13 exhausts for the 14 cylinders ; eight of these were grouped to exit , four on each side , along the forward fuselage , just above the leading edge of the wing ; under the forward centre section , between the undercarriage bays were five exhaust stacks , with cylinders 9 and 10 sharing a common pipe . To quickly implement the fix , it was found that the re - routing could be done easily in " Gruppe " workshops . The reduction in temperature affecting the bottom cylinder went a long way to solving the problem . The addition of new ventilation slots on the side of the fuselage further aided cooling , and with the widespread availability of the A - 2 in the spring of 1942 , the overheating problems were greatly reduced . The A - 2 wing weaponry was updated , with the two wing root - mounted 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17s being replaced by 20 mm MG 151 / 20E cannon . With the introduction of the new cannon , the Revi C12 / C gunsight was upgraded to the new C12 / D model . The introduction of the A - 2 marked a shift in air supremacy from the British , with their Spitfire Mk V , to the Germans . German production records make no real distinction between A - 2s and A - 3s , which were very similar aircraft : the total combined production was 910 airframes between October 1941 and August 1942 . In addition to Focke - Wulf and AGO , a new subcontractor , Arado , built A - 2s and A - 3s at Warnemünde . A - 3 . The Fw 190 A - 3 was equipped with the BMW 801 D - 2 engine , which increased power to 1 , 700 PS ( 1 , 677 hp , 1 , 250 kW ) at takeoff by improving the supercharger and raising the compression ratio . Because of these changes , the A - 3 model required a higher octane fuel — 100 ( C3 ) versus 87 ( B4 ) . The A - 3 retained the same weaponry as the A - 2 . The A - 3 also introduced the " Umrüst - Bausätze " factory conversion sets . The Fw 190 A - 3 / U1 and U2 were single experimental Fw 190s : U1 ( W . Nr 130270 ) was the first 190 to have the engine mount extended by 15 cm ( 6 in ) , which would be standardized on the later production A - 5 model . The U2 ( W . Nr 130386 ) had RZ 65 73 mm ( 2 . 87 in ) rocket launcher racks under the wings with three rockets per wing . There were also a small number of U7 aircraft tested as high - altitude fighters armed with only two 20 mm MG 151 cannon , but with reduced overall weight . The Fw 190 A - 3 / U3 was the first of the " Jabo " ( " Jagdbomber " ) , using an ETC - 501 centre - line bomb rack able to carry up to 500 kg ( 1 , 100 lb ) of bombs or , with horizontal stabilising bars , one 300 L ( 80 US gal ) drop tank . The U3 retained the fuselage - mounted 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17s and the wing - mounted 20 mm MG 151 cannon , with the outer MG FF being removed . The Fw 190 A - 3 / U4 was a reconnaissance version with two RB 12 . 5 cameras in the rear fuselage and a EK 16 gun camera or a Robot II miniature camera in the leading edge of the port wing root . Armament was similar to the U3 , however , and the ETC 501 was usually fitted with a 300 L ( 80 US gal ) drop tank . See A - 2 for production numbers . In autumn 1942 , a political decision diverted 72 new aircraft to Turkey in an effort to keep that country friendly to the Axis powers . These were designated Fw 190 A - 3a ( a = " ausländisch " ( foreign ) , designation for export models ) and delivered between October 1942 and March 1943 . The Turkish aircraft had the same armament as the A - 1 : four 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) synchronized MG 17 machine guns and two 20 mm MG FF cannon . There was no FuG 25 IFF device in the radio equipment . A - 4 . Introduced in July 1942 , the Fw 190 A - 4 was equipped with the same engine and basic armament as the A - 3 . Updated radio gear , the FuG 16Z , was installed replacing the earlier FuG VIIa . A new , short " stub " vertical aerial mount was fitted to the top of the tailfin , a configuration which was kept through the rest of the production Fw 190s . In some instances , pilot - controllable engine cooling vents were fitted to the fuselage sides in place of the plain slots . Some A - 4s were outfitted with a special " Rüstsatz " field conversion kit , comprising the fitting of a pair of under - wing " Werfer - Granate 21 " ( BR 21 ) rocket mortars , and were designated Fw 190 A - 4 / R6 . However , the A - 4 ' s main improvement was the number of " Umrüst - Bausätze " factory - refit package enhanced versions . The U1 was outfitted with an ETC 501 rack under the fuselage . All armament except for the MG 151 cannon was removed . The U3 was very similar to the U1 , and later served as the Fw 190 F - 1 assault fighter . Some U3s used for night operations had a landing light mounted in the leading edge of the left wing - root . The U4 was a reconnaissance fighter , with two Rb 12 . 4 cameras in the rear fuselage and an EK 16 or Robot II gun camera . The U4 was equipped with fuselage - mounted 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17s and 20 mm MG 151 cannon . The U7 was a high - altitude fighter , easily identified by the compressor air intakes on either side of the cowling . Adolf Galland flew a U7 in the spring of 1943 . The A - 4 / U8 was the " Jabo - Rei " ( " Jagdbomber Reichweite " , long - range fighter - bomber ) , adding a 300 L ( 80 US gal ) drop tank under each wing , on VTr - Ju 87 racks with duralumin fairings produced by Weserflug , and a centreline bomb rack . The outer wing - mounted 20 mm MG FF / M cannon and the cowling - mounted 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17 were removed to save weight . The A - 4 / U8 served as the model for the Fw 190 G - 1 . A new series of easier - to - install " Rüstsatz " field kits began to be produced in 1943 . The first of these , the A - 4 / R1 , was fitted with a FuG 16ZY radio set with a Morane " whip " aerial fitted under the port wing . These aircraft , called " Leitjäger " or Fighter Formation Leaders , could be tracked and directed from the ground via special R / T equipment called " Y - Verfahren " . More frequent use of this equipment was made from the A - 5 onwards . The Fw 190A - 4 could achieve 1 , 700 hp ( 2 , 100 with MW - 50 boost ) . Its maximum speed was 416 mph ( 670 km / h ) at 20 , 590 ft ( 6 , 250 m ) . Operational ceiling was 37 , 400 ft ( 11 , 400 m ) . Normal range was 497 miles ( 800 km ) . Normal takeoff weight was 8 , 378 lb ( 3 , 800 kg ) . A total of 976 A - 4s were built between June 1942 and March 1943 . A - 5 . The Fw 190 A - 5 was developed after it was determined that the Fw 190 could easily carry more ordnance . The D - 2 engine was moved forward another 15 cm ( 6 in ) as had been tried out earlier on the service test A - 3 / U1 aircraft , moving the center of gravity forward to allow more weight to be carried aft . Some A - 5s were tested with the MW 50 installation : this was a mix of 50 % methyl alcohol and 50 % water , which could be injected into the engine to produce a short - term power boost to 2 , 000 PS ( 1 , 973 hp , 1 , 471 kW ) , but this system was not adopted for serial production . New radio gear , including FuG 25a " Erstling " IFF , and an electric artificial horizon found their way into the A - 5 . The A - 5 retained the same basic armament as the A - 4 . The A - 5 too , saw several " Umrüst - Bausätze " kits . The U2 was designed as a night " Jabo - Rei " and featured anti - reflective fittings and exhaust flame dampeners . A centre - line ETC 501 rack typically held a 250 kg ( 550 lb ) bomb , and wing - mounted racks mounted 300 L drop tanks . A EK16 gun camera , as well as landing lights , were fitted to the wing leading edge . The U2 was armed with only two 20 mm MG 151 cannon . The U3 was a " Jabo " fighter fitted with ETC 501s for drop tanks and bombs ; it too featured only two MG 151s for armament . The U4 was a " recon " fighter with two RB 12 . 5 cameras and all armament of the basic A - 5 with the exception of the MG FF cannon . The A - 5 / U8 was another " Jabo - Rei " outfitted with SC - 250 centreline - mounted bombs , under - wing 300 - litre drop tanks and only two MG 151s ; it later became the Fw 190 G - 2 . A special U12 was created for bomber attack , outfitted with the standard 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17 and 20 mm MG 151 but replacing the outer wing 20 mm MG - FF cannon with two underwing gun pods containing two 20 mm MG 151 / 20 each , for a total of two machine guns and six cannon . The A - 5 / U12 was the prototype installation of what was known as the R1 package from the A - 6 onwards . The A - 5 / R11 was a night fighter conversion fitted with FuG 217 " Neptun " ( Neptune ) radar equipment with arrays of three dipole antenna elements vertically mounted fore and aft of the cockpit and above and below the wings . Flame - dampening boxes were fitted over the exhaust exits . 1 , 752 A - 5s were built from November 1942 to June 1943 . A - 6 . The Fw 190 A - 6 was developed to address shortcomings found in previous " A " models when attacking U . S . heavy bombers . Modifications of the type to date had caused the weight of the aircraft to creep up . To combat this and to allow better weapons to be installed in the wings , a structurally redesigned and lighter wing was introduced . The normal armament was increased to two MG 17 fuselage machine guns and four 20 mm MG 151 / 20E wing root and outer wing cannon with larger ammunition boxes . New electrical sockets and reinforced weapon mounts were fitted internally in the wings to allow the installation of either 20 mm or 30 mm ( 1 . 18 in ) ammunition boxes and for underwing armament . Because the outer wing MG 151s were mounted lower than the MG / FFs new larger hatches , incorporating bulges and cartridge discharge chutes , were incorporated into the wing lower surfaces . It is believed the MG 17s were kept because their tracer rounds served as a targeting aid for the pilots . A new FuG 16 ZE radio navigation system was fitted in conjunction with a FuG 10 ZY . A loop aerial for radio navigation , mounted on a small " teardrop " base was fitted under the rear fuselage , offset slightly to port , with an additional short " whip " aerial aft of this . These aerials were fitted on all later Fw 190 variants . The A - 6 was outfitted in numerous ways with various sets , " Rüstsätze " ( field modification kits ) ; more flexible than the factory upgrade kits for previous versions , these field upgrade kits allowed the A - 6 to be refitted in the field as missions demanded . At least 963 A - 6s were built from July 1943 ending in April 1944 , according to Ministry of Aviation acceptance reports and Focke - Wulf production books . In late 1943 , the " Erla " Antwerp factory designed a simpler rack / drop - tank fitting , which was more streamlined than the bulky ETC 501 and could be quickly fitted or removed . Several A - 6s , A - 7s and A - 8s of JG 26 were fitted with these racks ( one such aircraft was A - 8 W . Nr . 170346 " Black 13 " flown by Obstlt . Josef Priller during the Normandy invasion on 6 June 1944 . ) A - 7 . The Fw 190 A - 7 was based on the Fw 190 A - 5 / U9 prototype , and entered production in November 1943 . The A - 7 was equipped with the BMW 801 D - 2 engine , again producing 1 , 700 PS ( 1 , 677 hp , 1 , 250 kW ) . Designed to combat the USAAF ' s heavy bombers the basic armament was upgraded to include two fuselage - mounted 13 mm ( . 51 in ) MG 131s , replacing the MG 17s . Because the larger - breeched MG 131s had to be mounted further apart , the upper gun cowling , just in front of the cockpit , was modified with faired bulges and a new upper engine cowling was manufactured . This left insufficient room for the three cowling toggle latches , which were moved to the side panels . The rest of the armament fit stayed the same as earlier versions ; two wing root - mounted 20 mm MG 151s and two outer wing - mounted 20 mm MG 151s . The Revi gunsight was updated to the new 16B model . The additional weight of the new weapon systems required strengthening of the wheels , adding a reinforced rim to better deal with typical combat airfield conditions . The A - 7 was usually outfitted with the centreline - mounted ETC 501 rack . There were several major " Rüstsätze " for the A - 7 , many including " Werfer - Granate 21 " WGr 21 rockets . A total of 701 A - 7s were produced from November 1943 to April 1944 , according to Ministry of Aviation acceptance reports and Focke - Wulf production books . A - 8 . The Fw 190 A - 8 entered production in February 1944 , powered either by the standard BMW 801 D - 2 or the 801Q ( also known as 801TU ) . The 801Q / TU , with the " T " signifying a " Triebwerksanlage " unitized powerplant installation , was a standard 801D with improved , thicker armour on the front annular cowling , which also incorporated the oil tank , upgraded from 6 mm ( . 24 in ) on earlier models to 10 mm ( . 39 in ) . Changes introduced in the Fw 190 A - 8 also included the C3 - injection " Erhöhte Notleistung " emergency boost system to the fighter variant of the Fw 190 A ( a similar system with less power had been fitted to some earlier Jabo variants of the 190 A ) , raising power to 1 , 980 PS ( 1 , 953 hp , 1 , 456 kW ) for a short time . The " Erhöhte Notleistung " system operated by spraying additional fuel into the fuel / air mix , cooling it and allowing higher boost pressures to be run , but at the cost of much higher fuel consumption . From the A - 8 on , Fw 190s could be fitted with a new paddle - bladed wooden propeller , easily identified by its wide blades with curved tips . A new outwardly bulged main canopy glazing format , more in the manner of a Malcolm hood rather than a bubble canopy , with greatly improved vision sideways and forward , had been developed for the F - 2 ground attack model , but was often seen fitted at random on A - 8s , F - 8s and G - 8s . The new canopy included a larger piece of head armour which was supported by reinforced bracing and a large fairing . A new internal fuel tank with a capacity of 115 L ( 30 US gal ) was fitted behind the cockpit , which meant that the radio equipment had to be moved forward to just behind the pilot . Externally , a large round hatch was incorporated into the lower fuselage to enable the new tank to be installed , and the pilot ' s oxygen bottles were moved aft and positioned around this hatch . A fuel filler was added to the port side , below the rear canopy and a rectangular radio access hatch was added to starboard . Other changes included an ETC 501 underfuselage rack which was mounted on a lengthened carrier and moved 200 mm ( 8 in ) further forward to help restore the centre of gravity of the aircraft . This fuselage would form the basis for all later variants of the Fw 190 and the Ta 152 series . The Morane " whip " aerial for the " Y - Verfahren " was fitted as standard under the port wing , just aft of the wheelwell . Nearly a dozen " Rüstsätze " kits were made available for the A - 8 , including the famous A - 8 / R2 and A - 8 / R8 " Sturmbock " models . The A - 8 / R2 replaced the outer wing 20 mm cannon with a 30 mm ( 1 . 18 in ) MK 108 cannon . The A - 8 / R8 was similar , but fitted with heavy armour including 30 mm ( 1 . 18 in ) canopy and windscreen armour and 5 mm ( . 2 in ) cockpit armour . The A - 8 was the most numerous of the Fw 190 As , with over 6 , 655 A - 8 airframes produced from March 1944 to May 1945 . A - 8s were produced by at least eight factories during its lifetime . A - 9 . The Fw 190 A - 9 was the last A - model produced , and was first built in September 1944 . The A - 9 was fitted with the new BMW 801S , called the 801 TS or 801 TH when shipped as a more complete " Triebwerksanlage " version of the modular " Kraftei " or " power egg " concept , unitized engine installation ( an aircraft engine installation format embraced by the Luftwaffe for a number of engine types on operational aircraft , in part for easy field replacement ) rated at 2 , 000 PS ( 1 , 973 hp , 1 , 471 kW ) ; the more powerful 2 , 400 PS ( 2 , 367 hp , 1 , 765 kW ) BMW 801 F - 1 was still under development , and not yet available . The armour on the front annular cowling , which also incorporated the oil tank , was upgraded from the 6 mm ( . 24 in ) on earlier models to 10 mm ( . 39 in ) . The 12 - blade cooling fan was initially changed to a 14 - blade fan , but it consumed more power to operate and did not really improve cooling ; thus BMW reverted to the 12 - blade fan . The A - 9 cowling was slightly longer than that of the A - 8 due to a larger annular radiator within the forward cowl for the oil system . The bubble canopy design with the larger head armour was fitted as standard . Three types of propeller were authorised for use on the A - 9 : the VDM 9 - 112176A wooden propeller , 3 . 5 m ( 11 ft 6 in ) in diameter , was the preferred option , however , many A - 9s were fitted with the standard VDM 9 - 12067A metal propeller and some had a VDM 9 - 12153A metal propeller with external , bolt on balance weights . The A - 9 was also designed originally as an assault aircraft , so the wing leading edges were to have been armoured ; however , this did not make it past the design stage in order to save weight . The A - 9 was very similar to the A - 8 in regards to the armament and " Rüstsätze " kits . A total of 910 A - 9s were built between April 1944 and May 1945 , mostly in Focke Wulf ' s Cottbus factory . A late - war attempt was made with the Fw 190 A - 10 , which was to have begun arriving in pilots ' hands by March 1945 and was to be fitted with larger wings for better maneuverability at higher altitudes , which , due to internal space , could have allowed additional 30 mm ( 1 . 18 in ) calibre , long - barreled MK 103 cannon to be fitted . The A - 10 was to be powered by the 801 F engine . However , due to the priority given to the Dora variant of the Fw 190 and the new Ta 152 , the A - 10 never made it past the prototype stage . Total A - series Production . Across all variants , 13 , 291 Fw 190 A - model aircraft were produced . This total may , however , include rebuilt or modified airframes from earlier airframes . The Luftwaffe frequently changed between models on the production line , and it would not have been uncommon for an A5 variant to be converted into an A7 or A8 aircraft . This was especially true for older , battle - damaged aircraft that were upgraded to whatever current version the factory was manufacturing at the time of repair . The other complicating factor , sometimes making detailed compilation impossible is that many aircraft were assembled in field workshops where airframes and engines from aircraft withdrawn from service units were recycled . High - altitude developments . Limitations of A series . The BMW 139 ( and the 801 that followed ) had originally been designed as a high - power replacement for earlier engines like the BMW 132 that were used primarily on low - altitude cargo aircraft and bombers . As a result , the designers had not invested much effort in producing high performance superchargers for it . Even before the Fw 190 A was put into service , its high - altitude performance was seen to be deficient . In contrast , the Daimler - Benz DB 601 engines used on the Bf 109 featured an advanced fluid - coupled , single stage , variable speed supercharger that provided excellent boost across a wide range of altitudes . The 190 ' s short wings also presented a problem at higher altitudes , where they were highly loaded . As a result , the 190 could not compete with the 109 at altitudes above , which is one reason that the 109 remained in production until the end of the war . This was not a serious concern at the time of introduction , as most combat was taking place at medium altitudes , where the 190 had ample performance . However , as the air war reached higher altitudes with the widespread introduction of turbocharged US bombers , the need for improved performance became pressing . As a result , GM - 1 Nitrous oxide boost was introduced to provide more power at altitude , but this was complex and gave boosted performance for only a short period of time . High altitude improvements . Tank started looking at ways to address the altitude performance problem early in the program . In 1941 , he proposed a number of versions featuring new powerplants , and he suggested using turbochargers in place of superchargers . Three such installations were outlined ; the Fw 190 B with a turbocharged BMW 801 , the Fw 190 C with a turbocharged Daimler - Benz DB 603 , and the Fw 190 D with a supercharged Junkers Jumo 213 . The aircraft would also include a pressurized cockpit and other features making them more suitable for high - altitude work . Prototypes for all three models were ordered . Fw 190 V12 ( an A - 0 ) would be outfitted with many of the elements which eventually led to the B series . As it was based on the same BMW 801 engine as the A models , airframe modifications were relatively minor . These included a pressurized cockpit which doubled the panes of glass in the canopy so that hot air could be forced between them to prevent icing , and the addition of the GM - 1 nitrous oxide injection system . Several problems were encountered during the machine ' s flight and ground trials , mostly caused by the pressurisation system for the cockpit , and for this reason the first B - series testbed airframe was retired from active service in late 1942 . However , trials on other aircraft continued in early 1943 , when the first few Fw 190 A - 1s were modified into B - series testbeds . The same aircraft used for testing the pressurized cockpits were also used to test larger wings ( 20 . 3 m² / 219 ft² versus the standard 18 . 3 m² / 197 ft² wing ) . This work seriously interfered with the studies on pressurised cockpits . Following these studies , one additional Fw 190 B was built , named the B - 1 . This aircraft was similar to the B - 0 , but had slightly different armament . In its initial layout , the B - 1 was to be fitted with four 7 . 92 mm ( . 312 in ) MG 17s and two 20 mm MG - FFs . One was fitted with two MG 17s , two 20 mm MG 151s and two 20 mm MG - FFs . After the completion of W . Nr . 811 , no further Fw 190 B models were ordered . The C model ' s use of the longer DB 603 engine required more extensive changes to the airframe . As the weight was distributed further forward , the tail of the aircraft had to be lengthened in order to maintain the desired centre of gravity . To test these changes , several examples of otherwise standard 190 As were re - engined with a supercharged DB 603 to experiment with this engine fit , V13 ( W . Nr . 0036 ) with the 1 , 750 PS 603A , the similar V15 and V16 , a 1 , 800 DB 603 E being fitted to the latter after a time . With this engine , the V16 was able to reach 725 km / h ( 450 mph ) at 6 , 800 m ( 22 , 310 ft ) , a considerable improvement over the 650 km / h ( 400 mph ) at 5 , 200 m ( 17 , 060 ft ) of the basic A models . V18 followed , the first to feature the full high - altitude suite of features , including the pressurized cockpit , longer wings , a 603G engine driving a new four - blade propeller , and a Hirth 9 - 2281 turbocharger . Unlike the experimental B models , V18 had a cleaner turbocharger installation , running the required piping along the wing root , partially buried in the fillet , and installing both the turbocharger air intake and intercooler in a substantially sized teardrop shaped fairing under the cockpit . This " pouch " led to the " " Känguruh " " ( Kangaroo ) nickname for these models . V18 was later modified to the V18 / U1 , with a " downgraded " 603A engine , but a new DVL turbocharger that improved power to 1 , 600 PS at an altitude of 10 , 700 m ( 35 , 105 ft ) . Four additional prototypes based on the V18 / U1 followed : V29 , V30 , V32 and V33 . Like the C models , the early examples of the D models were built primarily to test fit the Jumo 213 engine to the existing airframe , as the D - 0 , with plans to move on to definitive high - altitude models later , the D - 1 and D - 2 . The first D - 0 prototype was completed in October 1942 , consisting of an A - 5 airframe with the Jumo 213A engine . Further examples followed , but like the C models the development was stretched out . Fw 190D . Fw 190D - 9 . The Fw 190 D ( nicknamed the " Dora " ; or Long - Nose Dora , " " Langnasen - Dora " " ) was intended to improve on the high - altitude performance of the A - series enough to make it useful against the American heavy bombers of the era . In the event , the D series was rarely used against the heavy - bomber raids , as the circumstances of the war in late 1944 meant that fighter - versus - fighter combat and ground attack missions took priority . A total of 1 , 805 D - 9s were produced . Production started in August 1944 . With the D version the power plant was changed from the radial engine of earlier models to a 12 - cylinder inverted - Vee liquid - cooled engine . The Jumo 213 A generated 1 , 750 PS ( 1 , 726 hp , 1 , 287 kW ) , and could produce 2 , 100 PS ( 2 , 071 hp , 1 , 545 kW ) of emergency power with MW 50 injection , improving performance to at . In order to fit the new engine in the Fw 190 fuselage while maintaining proper balance , both the nose and the tail of the aircraft were lengthened , adding nearly 1 . 52 m ( 4 . 99 ft ) to the fuselage , bringing the overall length to 10 . 192 m ( 33 . 438 ft ) versus the 9 . 10 m ( 29 . 9 ft ) of the late war A - 9 series . The lengthened tail required a straight - sided bay , 30 cm ( 12 in ) long , spliced in forward of the rear angled joint and tail assembly of the fuselage . To further aid balance , the pilot ' s oxygen bottles were moved aft and located in the new bay . This gave the rear fuselage a " stretched " appearance . Furthermore , the move to a V12 engine from a radial engine required more components to be factored into the design , most significantly the need for coolant radiators ( radial engines are air - cooled ) . To keep the design as simple and as aerodynamic as possible , Tank used an annular radiator ( the AJA 180 L ) installed at the front of the engine , similar to the configuration used in the Jumo powered versions of the Junkers Ju 88 . The annular radiator with its adjustable cooling gills resembled a radial engine installation , although the row of six short exhausts stacks on either side of the elongated engine cowling showed that Jumo 213 was an inverted vee - 12 engine . While the first few Doras were fitted with the flat - top canopy , these were later replaced with the newer rounded top " blown " canopy first used on the A - 8 model . With the canopy changes , the shoulder and head armour plating design was also changed . Some late model Doras were also fitted with the Ta 152 vertical stabilizer and rudder , often called " Big Tails " by the Luftwaffe ground crews and pilots , as seen on W . Nr . 500647 " Brown 4 " from 7 . / JG 26 and W . Nr . 500645 " Black 6 " from JG 2 . The centreline weapons rack was changed to an ETC 504 with a simplified and much smaller mounting and fairing . Early D - 9s reached service without the MW 50 installation , but in the meantime Junkers produced a kit to increase manifold pressure ( " Ladedrucksteigerungs - Rüstsatz " ) that increased engine output by 150 PS to 1 , 900 PS , and was effective up to 5 , 000 m ( 16 , 400 ft ) altitude . It was fitted immediately to D - 9s delivered to the units from September , or retrofitted in the field by TAM . By the end of December , all operational Doras , 183 in total , were converted . From November 1944 , a simplified methanol water ( MW 50 ) system ( " Oldenburg " ) was fitted , which boosted output to 2 , 100 PS . By the end of 1944 , 60 were delivered with the simplified MW 50 system or were at the point of entering service . The 115 L tank of the " Oldenburg " system would hold the MW 50 booster liquid , which was single purpose , while later systems were to be dual purpose , holding either MW 50 or additional fuel . The fighter lacked the higher rate of roll of its close coupled radial - engined predecessor . It was a bit faster , however , with a maximum speed of 680 km / h ( 422 mph ) at 6 , 600 meters ( 21 , 650 ft ) . Its 2 , 240 horsepower with methanol - water injection ( MW 50 ) gave it an excellent acceleration in combat situations . It also climbed and dived more rapidly than the Fw 190A , and so proved well suited to the dive - and - zoom ambush tactics favored by the " Schlageter " fighter wing ' s pilots from November 1944 onward , when the wing converted to the Fw 190D . Many of the early models were not equipped with tanks for methanol for the MW 50 boost system , which was in very short supply in any event . At low altitude , the top speed and acceleration of these examples were inferior to those of Allied fighters . Hans Hartigs recalled that only one of the first batch of Dora 9s received by the First " Gruppe " had methanol water injection , and the rest had a top speed of only 590 km / h ( 360 mph ) . Owing to the failure of multiple attempts to create an effective next - generation 190 , as well as the comments of some Luftwaffe pilots , expectations of the Dora project were low . These impressions were not helped by the fact that Tank made it very clear that he intended the D - 9 to be a stopgap until the Ta 152 arrived . These negative opinions existed for some time until positive pilot feedback began arriving at Focke - Wulf and the Luftwaffe command structure . Sporting good handling and performance characteristics , the D - 9 made an effective medium altitude , high speed interceptor , although its performance still fell away at altitudes above about . When flown by capable pilots , the Fw 190D proved the equal of Allied types . As it was used in the anti - fighter role , armament in the " D " was generally lighter compared to that of the earlier aircraft — usually the outer wing cannon were dropped so that the armament consisted of two 13 mm ( . 51 in ) MG 131 , with 400 rounds per gun , and two 20 mm MG 151 / 20E cannon with 250 rounds per gun ; all four weapons were synchronized to fire through the propeller arc . The wings of the D - 9 still had the electrical circuits and attachment points for the underwing WGr 21 rocket propelled mortar , although none appeared to have used these operationally . While inferior to the A - series in roll rate , the " D " was superior in turn rate , climb , dive and horizontal speed . The Dora still featured the same wing as the A - 8 , however , and was capable of carrying outer wing cannon as well , as demonstrated by the D - 11 variant , with a three - stage supercharger and four wing cannon ( two MG 151s and two MK 108s ) . The first Fw 190 D - 9s started entering service in September 1944 , with III . / JG 54 . It was quickly followed by other units including I . / JG 26 which flew its last operations on the A - 8s on 19 November 1944 . Some Fw 190 Ds served as fighter cover for Messerschmitt Me 262 airfields , as the jet fighters were very vulnerable on take - off and landing . These special units were known as " Platzsicherungstaffel " ( airfield defence squadrons ) . One unit , known as the " Würger - Staffel " , was created in April 1945 by Leutnant Heinz Sachsenberg at the behest of Adolf Galland , and was part of JV 44 . The role of the Staffel was to guard the airfield and JV 44 ' s Me 262s as they landed ; as such the Fw 190s were supposed to take off before the jets and circle the airfield in pairs ( a " Rotte " ) . However , to allow the 262s a clear run back to the airfield the 190s had to land before the jets , negating their protection . To help anti - aircraft artillery protecting the airfields to quickly identify friendly aircraft , the under - surfaces of the " Würger - Staffel " 190s were painted red with narrow white stripes . leading to the alternative nickname of " Papageien Staffel " ( parrot squadron ) from the bright red color . ( Britain ' s Hawker Typhoon s had a similar profile to the Fw 190 , and were also painted with " invasion stripes " until early 1944 , to aid identification in combat . ) Fw 190 D - 11 . 17 Fw 190 D - 11s were known to have been manufactured . This version was fitted with the uprated Jumo 213F series engine similar to the Jumo 213E used in the Ta - 152 H series but minus the intercooler . Visible changes over the D - 9 were the enlarged supercharger air intake on the starboard side cowling and the use of a wooden , broad - bladed VS 9 or 10 propeller unit utilizing three 9 - 27012 C - 1 blades with a diameter of 3 . 6 m ( 11 . 8 ft ) . The 13 mm ( . 51 in ) fuselage guns were removed , and the cowling redesigned by omitting the gun troughs and simplifying to a flat profile . Two 30 mm ( 1 . 18 in ) MK 108 cannons were installed in the outer wings to complement the 20 mm MG 151s in the inboard positions . Of the 17 Dora - 11s delivered , three can be accounted for . One , the best known , was " Rote 4 " ( red 4 ) of JV 44 ' s " Platzschutz " unit . Another , " white chevron " , was found at München - Riem , and may have served with JV 44 after serving at the " Verbandsführerschule General der Jagdflieger " ( Training School for Unit Leaders ) at Bad Wörishofen ; it is not known if it was actually used operationally . A third , " white < 61 , " was also found after the war at the " Verbandsfuehrerschule General der Jagdflieger " . Fw 190 D - 12 . While the D - 11 was under manufacture , work started on the Fw 190 D - 12 and D - 13 models . These were similar to the D - 11 , but featured " Motorkanone " nose cannons firing through the propeller hub . The D - 12 would mount the 30 mm ( 1 . 18 in ) MK 108 cannon and the D - 13 would be fitted with a 20 mm MG 151 / 20 cannon . There were three test aircraft built for the D - 12 line , V63 , V64 and V65 , but no production aircraft were built and the D - 13 was selected instead . Fw 190 D - 13 . The Fw 190 D - 13 started with the construction of two prototypes ( W . Nr 732053 and W . Nr 7322054 ) , and the 20 mm MG 151 / 20 cannon was found to be quite suited for the aircraft and was already well known to be effective against allied bombers , as well as an effective ground support weapon . Thus the Fw 190 D - 13 / " Rüstsatz " 11 ( / R11 ) version was selected to enter production . The D - 13 / R11 was fitted with all - weather flying equipment including the PKS12 and K - 23 systems for steering and autopilot . The FuG 125 radio system , known as " Hermine " was fitted to the aircraft , as well as a heated windscreen . Pilots reported that due to the large amounts of torque produced by the engine , they usually used the steering system during the takeoff run as it helped with the rudder movements . The D - 13 also introduced a hydraulic boost system for the ailerons , which was later used on the Ta 152 . One example of the D - 13 version still exists in the 21st century in the markings of " Yellow 10 " of 6 " Staffel " / JG 26 , and is being prepared to once again be airworthy in the United States . D - series production . In all , the Ministry of Aviation called for 820 D - 11 airframes to be built by Focke - Wulf Sorau , starting in early 1945 , Fieseler Kassel was tasked to build 1 , 420 D - 12s starting in the same time frame and the manufacture of the D - 13 was passed to " Arbeitsgruppe Roland " tasked with the construction of 1 , 060 airframes starting again in early 1945 . For some yet unknown reason , production of the D - 12 was cancelled in favour of the D - 13 model . From evidence from the " Oberkommando der Luftwaffe General Quartiermeister document Nr . 2766 / 45 " of April 1945 , it was known that 17 D - 13s were more than likely built , but only two were known to be in service . A D - 13 ( Wk . Nr 836017 ) flown by the " Geschwaderkommodore " of JG 26 , Franz Götz , an ace with 63 kills , was surrendered to the British at Flensburg , Northern Germany in May 1945 . As noted previously , this aircraft is still in existence , painted in its original colour scheme as Yellow 10 of 6 " Staffel " / JG 26 , is thought to be airworthy and is currently located in the Flying Heritage Collection at Paine Field in Everett , Washington . This aircraft is one of the few existing Fw 190s with a provenance that can be traced continuously from its manufacture to the present time . Ground attack variants . Fw 190 F . The Fw 190 F was originally manufactured as a Fw 190 A - 0 / U4 . Early testing started in May 1942 . The A - 0 testbed aircraft was outfitted with centreline and wing - mounted ETC 50 bomb racks . The early testing results were quite good , and Focke - Wulf began engineering the attack version of the Fw 190 . New armor was added to the bottom of the fuselage , protecting the fuel tanks and pilot , the engine cowling , and the landing gear mechanisms and outer wing mounted armament . Finally , the " Umrüst - Bausatz " kit 3 ( abbreviated as / U3 ) was fitted to the aircraft by means of a ETC 501 or ER4 centreline mounted bomb rack and up to a SC250 bomb under each wing . This aircraft was designated the Fw 190 F - 1 . The first 30 Fw 190 F - 1s were renamed Fw 190 A - 4 / U3s ; however , Focke - Wulf quickly began assembling the aircraft on the line as Fw 190 F - 1s as their own model , with 18 more F - 1s built before switching to the F - 2 . The Fw 190 F - 2s were renamed Fw 190 A - 5 / U3s , which again were soon assembled as Fw 190 F - 2s on the production line . There were 270 Fw 190 F - 2s built according to Focke - Wulf production logs and Ministry of Aviation acceptance reports . The Fw 190 F - 3 was based on the Fw 190 A - 5 / U17 , which was outfitted with a centreline mounted ETC 501 bomb rack , and in the Fw 190 F - 3 / R1 and Fw 190 F - 3 / R - 3 , two double ETC 50 bomb racks under each wing or two similarly located 30 mm MK 103 cannons . The F - 3 could carry a 66 - Imp gal ( 300 liter ) drop tank . A total of 432 Fw 190 F - 3s were built . Owing to difficulties in creating an effective strafing Fw 190 F able to take out the Soviet T - 34 tank , the F - 4 through F - 7 models were abandoned , and all attempts focused on conversion of the Fw 190 A - 8 . The Fw 190 F - 8 differed from the A - 8 model in having a slightly modified injector on the compressor which allowed for increased performance at lower altitudes for several minutes . The F - 8 was also fitted with the improved FuG 16 ZS radio unit , which provided much better communication with ground combat units . Armament of the Fw 190 F - 8 was two 20 mm MG 151 / 20 cannon in the wing roots and two 13 mm ( . 51 in ) MG 131 machine guns above the engine . According to Ministry of Aviation acceptance reports , at least 3 , 400 F - 8s were built , and probably several hundred more were built in December 1944 and from February to May 1945 . ( Data for these months is missing and probably lost . ) Dozens of F - 8s served as various testbeds for anti - tank armament , including the WGr . 28 280 mm air - to - ground missile , probably based on the projectiles from the Nbw 41 heavy ground - barrage rocket system , and the 88 mm ( 3 . 46 in ) " Panzerschreck " 2 rockets , " Panzerblitz " 1 and R4M rockets . There were also several " Umrüst - Bausätze " kits developed for the F - 8 , which included the Fw 190 F - 8 / U1 long range JaBo , fitted with underwing V . Mtt - Schloß shackles to hold two 300 L ( 80 US gal ) fuel tanks . ETC 503 bomb racks were also fitted , allowing the Fw 190 F - 8 / U1 to carry one SC 250 bomb under each wing and one SC 250 bomb on the centreline . The Fw 190 F - 8 / U2 torpedo bomber was fitted with an ETC 503 bomb rack under each wing and a centre - line mounted ETC 504 . The U2 was also equipped with the TSA 2 A weapons sighting system that improved the U2 ' s ability to attack seaborne targets with a 1 , 543 lb ( 700 kg ) BT 700 . The Fw 190 F - 8 / U3 heavy torpedo bomber was outfitted with an ETC 502 , which allowed it to carry one BT - 1400 heavy torpedo ( 3 , 086 lb / 1400 kg ) . Owing to the size of the torpedo , the U3 ' s tail gear needed to be lengthened . The U3 also was fitted with the 2 , 000 PS BMW 801S engine , and the tail from the Ta 152 . The Fw 190 F - 8 / U4 , created as a night fighter , was equipped with flame dampers on the exhaust and various electrical systems such as the FuG 101 radio altimeter , the PKS 12 automatic pilot , and the TSA 2 A sighting system . Weapons fitted ranged from torpedoes to bombs ; however , the U4 was fitted with only two MG 151 / 20 cannon as fixed armament . The Fw 190 F - 9 was based on the Fw 190 A - 9 , but with the new Ta 152 tail unit , a new bulged canopy as fitted to late - build A - 9s , and four ETC 50 or ETC 70 bomb racks under the wings . According to Ministry of Aviation acceptance reports , 147 F - 9s were built in January 1945 , and perhaps several hundred more from February to May 1945 . ( Data for these months is missing and probably lost . ) Fw 190 G . The Fw 190 G was built as a long - range attack aircraft ( " JaBo Rei " , or " Jagdbomber mit vergrösserter Reichweite " ) . Following the success of the Fw 190 F as a " Schlachtflugzeug " ( close support aircraft ) , both the Luftwaffe and Focke - Wulf began investigating ways of extending the range of the Fw 190 F . From these needs and tests , the Fw 190 G was born . There were four distinct versions of the Fw 190 G : The Fw 190 G - 1 : The first Fw 190 Gs were based on the Fw 190 A - 4 / U8 JaBo Rei ' s . Initial testing found that if all but two wing root mounted 20 mm MG 151 cannons ( with reduced ammunition load ) were removed , the Fw 190 G - 1 ( as it was now called ) could carry a 250 kg ( 550 lb ) or 500 kg ( 1 , 100 lb ) bomb on the centreline and , via an ETC 250 rack , up to a 250 kg ( 550 lb ) bomb under each wing . Typically the G - 1s flew with underwing fuel tanks , fitted via the VTr - Ju 87 rack . The FuG 25a IFF ( identification friend / foe ) was fitted on occasion as well as one of the various radio direction finders available at the time . With the removal of the fuselage mounted MG 17s , an additional oil tank was added to support the BMW 801 D - 2 engine ' s longer run times . The Fw 190 G - 2 : The G - 2 was based on the Fw 190 A - 5 / U8 aircraft . The G - 2s were similarly equipped to the G - 1s ; however , due to wartime conditions , the underwing drop tank racks were replaced with the much simpler " V . Mtt - Schloß " fittings , to allow for a number of underwing configurations . Some G - 2s were also fitted with the additional oil tank in place of the MG 17s ; however , not all were outfitted with the oil tank . Some G - 2s were fitted with exhaust dampers and landing lights in the left wing leading edge for night operations . The Fw 190 G - 3 : The G - 3 was based on Fw 190 A - 6 . Like the earlier G models , all but the two wing root mounted MG 151 cannons were removed . The new V . Fw . Trg bombracks , however , allowed the G - 3 to simultaneously carry fuel tanks and bomb loads . Because of the range added by two additional fuel tanks , the G - 3 ' s duration increased to two hours , 30 minutes . Due to this extra flight duration , a PKS 11 autopilot was fitted . Some G - 3s built in late 1943 were also fitted with the a modified 801 D - 2 engine which allowed for increased low - altitude performance for short periods of time . The G - 3 had two primary " Rüstsätze " kits . The R1 replaced the V . Fw . Trg racks with WB 151 / 20 cannon pods . This gave the G - 3 / R1 a total of six 20 mm cannons . When fitted with the R1 kit , the G model ' s addition armor was typically not used , and the PKS11 removed . The G - 3 / R1 was used in both ground strafing and anti - bomber roles . The R5 was similar to the R1 , but the V . Fw . Trg racks were removed , and two ETC 50 racks per wing were added . As with the R1 , the additional armor from the base G model were removed , as was the additional oil tank . In some instances , the fuselage mounted MG 17s were refitted . The Fw 190 G - 8 : The G - 8 was based on the Fw 190 A - 8 . The G - 8 used the same " bubble " canopy as the F - 8 , and was fitted with underwing ETC 503 racks that could carry either bombs or drop tanks . Two primary " Rüstsätze " kits were also seen on the F - 8 . The R4 kit was a planned refit for the GM 1 engine boost system , but never made it into production , and the R5 kit replaced the ETC 503 racks with two ETC 50 or 71 racks . Due to the similarities with the F - 8 , the G - 8 was only in production for a short amount of time . Some Gs were field modified to carry 1 , 000 kg ( 2 , 210 lb ) , 1 , 600 kg ( 3 , 530 lb ) and 1 , 800 kg ( 3 , 970 b ) bombs . When this was done , the landing gear was slightly improved by enhancing the oleo struts and using reinforced tires . Approximately 1 , 300 Fw 190 Gs of all variants were new built . Due to war conditions , the manufacturing environment , and the use of special workshops during the later years of the war , the actual number of G models built is almost impossible to determine . During the later years of the war , " composite " aircraft were often assembled . For example , the wings from a fuselage damaged aircraft and the fuselage from a wing damaged aircraft might be reassembled into a new aircraft and listed as a Fw 190G with a new serial number . The Fw 190 G - 1 currently displayed at the National Air and Space Museum is one of these " composite " aircraft , built from the fuselage of a Fw 190 A - 7 . Trainer versions . As the Luftwaffe phased out older aircraft such as the Ju 87 in favour of the Fw 190 , many pilots required flight training to make the transition as quick and smooth as possible . Thus was born the " Schulflugzeug " ( literally " school airplane " ) training version of the Fw 190 . Several old Fw 190 A - 5s , and later in 1944 A - 8s , were converted by replacing the MW 50 tank with a second cockpit . The canopy was modified , replaced with a new three - section unit that opened to the side , similar to the Bf 109 . The rear portion of the fuselage was closed off with sheet metal . Originally designated Fw 190 A - 8 / U1 ( as an " Umrüst - Bausatz " factory modification ) , they were later designated Fw 190 S - 5 and S - 8 . An estimated 58 Fw 190 S - 5 and S - 8 models were converted or built . Combat history . The Fw 190 participated on every major combat front where the Luftwaffe operated after 1941 , and did so with success in a variety of roles . Luftwaffe pilots who flew both the Fw 190 and the Bf 109 generally felt that , with the exception of high altitude capability , the Fw 190 was superior ; Soviet aviators who flew against it did not share this view . Production . A 0 . 40 km² ( 100 acre ) Focke - Wulf plant at Marienburg was bombed by the Eighth Air Force on 9 October 1944 . In addition , one of the most important sub - contractors for the radial - engined Fw 190s was AGO Flugzeugwerke , which from 1941 through to the end of the war produced enough Fw 190s to earn it major attention from the USAAF , with the AGO plant in Oschersleben being attacked at least five times during the war from 1943 onwards . Survivors and modern builds / reproductions . Some 28 original Fw 190s are in museums or in the hands of private collectors around the world . In 1997 , a German company , Flug Werk GmbH , began manufacturing new Fw 190 models as reproductions . By 2012 almost 20 had been produced , most flyable , a few as static display models , with airworthy examples usually powered by Chinese - manufactured Shvetsov ASh - 82 radial powerplants , which have a displacement of 41 . 2 litres , close to the BMW 801 ' s 41 . 8 litres . The nearly intact wreck of an Fw 190 A - 5 ( bearing " Werknummer " 1227 ) that had crashed in a marsh within the forest near Saint Petersburg , Russia in 1943 was located in 1989 . After restoration in Arizona , the Fw 190 flew again ( with the original BMW 801 powerplant ) on 1 December 2010 . Following the successful test flight , the aircraft was then trucked up to the Flying Heritage Collection , where it was reassembled in April 2011 and returned to airworthy condition . At least five surviving Fw 190 radial - engined aircraft are known to have been assigned to the Luftwaffe ' s JG 5 wing . More German fighter aircraft on display in museums in the 21st century have originated from this unit than from any other Axis Powers ’ military aviation unit of World War II . Fw 190 -