MAQUETTE À MONTER - Fw 190A-3 ProfiPack Edition Eduard | N° 82144 | 1:48

Characteristics

Description

The second half of the Second World War saw the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, in its various forms, emerge as what was available to the Luftwaffe. The dedicated fighter version of this aircraft was a high performance, highly maneuverable fighting machine. Its development had a precarious beginning, against a 1938 specification issued by the RLM, Abt, RLM. The first prototype to emerge on June 1st, 1939. After a series of improvements and at least six development models, the Fw 190 A-1 was initiated in April 1943 with an identical wing to the A-2, and also on the control surfaces. Six of these were retained by the test unit Erprobungsstaffel 190 and the remainder was assigned to producing wing units. These revealed a wide range of flaws to the basic aircraft and where the RLM had hoped for an aircraft optimized for high altitude fighting at the start of the war, they actually received a series of some fifty modifications, the RLM gave the go ahead for the Fw 190A-1a, armed with four MG 17s with 13 mm caliber. In June 1941 the Luftwaffe accepted their one hundred orders Fw 190A-1a, armed with four MG17s and entered service in the second half of 1941. Thus attaining an armament type operating on the Fw. November saw the production of the next version Fw190A-2, powered by a BMW 801C-2 The 725 PS BMW with an armament of four MG 17s of 20 mm caliber in the wings. Part of this series received an additional armament of two MG 151 cannons in the wing root position. The significant change that came in the spring 1942, when the BMW 801D-2 became available, who is installation became the standard for future production. During 1942 production had intensified, and a production facility was set up under conditions for a factory expansion. This facility would become standard on all subsequent Fw 190A versions up to the A-9, and also on the continuation type Fw 190D. Further changes to this wing developed the A-6 version. Further changes included the installation of the GM-1 nitrous-oxide injection system, for temporary power boost in combat. The heavy armament option with four cannon mounted MG 17s with 13 mm caliber together with the 20 mm cannon in the wing root position, armoured slabs added to the cockpit sides and a modified canopy. The final production version was that of the Fw 190A-9, equipped with the BMW 801TS of 2000 hp (1470 kW). There was a variant for low level operation, and the armament options varied to satisfy the ground attack role, including installation of the GM-1 nitrous-oxide injection system, for temporary power boost in combat. The heavy production was built with a 4-8/R8, armed with MK 108 cannon in the wing root position. The final production version was a modified Fw 190A-9, equipped with the BMW 801TS of 2000 hp (1470 kW). There was a parallel development of the thoroughbred fighter continued in the guise of the Fw 190D, which began to reach Luftwaffe units in the second half of 1944, and was to have achieved the widespread usage of the competing airframe of WWII.

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