German Luftwaffe Warplanes, 1939-1945: Focke-Wulf

Deutsche Kampfflugzeuge der Luftwaffe 1939-1945: Focke-Wulf

German Warplanes flown by the Luftwaffe 1939-1945: Focke-Wulf

During and after the end of the Second War a number of German Warplanes were captured and evaluated by the Allied forces.  Most of these aircraft were later scrapped and therefore only a handful have survived.  This is a partial list of aircraft that were known to have been flown by the Luftwaffe.

Während und nach dem Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs wurden eine Reihe deutscher Kampfflugzeuge von den Alliierten erbeutet und ausgewertet.  Die meisten dieser Flugzeuge wurden später verschrottet und daher haben nur eine Handvoll überlebt. Dies ist eine unvollständige Liste von Flugzeugen, von denen bekannt war, dass sie von der Luftwaffe geflogen wurden.

(Author Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz, trainer biplane, on display in the Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona.

(Valder137 Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz, trainer biplane, on display in the Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim, Germany.

(Valder137 Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz, trainer biplane, on display in the Fantasy of Flight Museum, Polk City Florida.

(Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1997-002-31A Photo)

(Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-2007-0107 Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 56 Stösser, parasol monoplane trainer.

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 57, heavy fighter and bomber (prototype).

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 58 Weihe, transport/trainer.

(RAF Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 58C-2/U6 Weihe, (Wk. Nr. 2093) "Harrier" captured at Fassberg.  Designated RAF AM117, this aircraft was scrapped at Farnborough.

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Hanna Reitsch (29 March 1912 – 24 August 1979), Germany's most famous female aviator and test pilot, starting in the early 1930s.  During the Nazi era, she flight tested many of the regime's new aircraft.  She set more than 40 flight altitude records and women's endurance records in gliding before and after the Second World War.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 61 V1, twin rotor helicopter (prototype), shown being flown by Hanna Reitsch.

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 62 ship-borne reconnaissance biplane float-plane.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 159, fighter (prototype).

(airwar.ru Photo)

Focke-Wulf Ta 183, wind tunnel model.

Focke-Wulf Fw 186, reconnaissance autogyro (prototype).

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Falke heavy fighter (prototype) in Luftwaffe service.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

(Luftwaffe Photo)

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger (Shrike) is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s and widely used during the Second World War.  Along with its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Fw 190 became the backbone of the Luftwaffe's Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force).  The Fw 190 was powered by a twin-row BMW 801 radial engine in most of operational versions, which enabled it to lift larger loads than the Bf 109.  It was a multi-role aircraft, being flown as a day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground attack aircraft and in some cases as a night fighter.

The Fw 190A began flying missions over France in August 1941, and quickly proved superior in all but turn radius to the RAF's main front-line fighter, the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V, particularly at low and medium altitudes.  The Fw 190 maintained its superiority over Allied fighters until the introduction of the improved Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX.  In Nov 1942, the Fw 190 engaged in air combat debut on the Eastern Front, achieving considerable success flying in fighter wings and specialised ground attack units called Schlachtgeschwader (Strike Wings) from October 1943 onwards.

Performance of the early versions of the Fw 190 decreased at high altitudes (usually 6,000 m (20,000 ft) and above), thereby reducing its effectiveness as a high-altitude interceptor.  The Fw 190A was modified extensively over its employment, initially with a turbosupercharged BMW 801 engine mounted in the Fw 190B model, and with a continuiing advances with the much longer-nosed Fw 190C model.  The aircraft's design team chose to turbocharge its Daimler-Benz DB 603 inverted V12 powerplant, and then modified it again with the similarly long-nosed Fw 190D model equipped with the Junkers Jumo 213 engine.  Due to problems experienced with the turbocharger installations on the Fw 190B and Fw 190C versions, only the Fw 190D model entered service, in September 1944.  The "long nose" Focke-Wulfs versions put the Germans on an even footing with their Allied opponents, but were deployed too late to affect the outcome of the war.

The Fw 190 was well-liked by its pilots.  Some of the Luftwaffe's most successful fighter aces claimed many of their kills while flying it, including Otto Kittel, Walter Nowotny and Erich Rudorffer.  The Fw 190 provided greater firepower than the Bf 109 and, at low to medium altitude, it had superior manoeuvrability, in the opinion of German pilots who flew both fighters.  It id regarded as one of the best fighter planes of the Second World War.  (Wikipedia)

(Luftwaffe Photo)

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-1, (Wk. Nr. 067), coded T1+DQ.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 1190A-3, (Wk. Nr. 35348).

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4 being serviced.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-8 (Wk. Nr. 739136), White 15.

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 Würger fighter, White 40, May 1945.  Roughly 28 original Fw 190s survive in museums or in the hands of private collectors around the world.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4/U4 from 2.(F)/123, part of NAGr 13 aufklarer unit France Summer of 1944.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5 with underwing cannon pods.

(USAAF Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 hybrid A-6/A-8, 31+ ~ Red, near Linz, Austria.

(RAF Photos)  

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-3 Würger, (Wk. Nr. 313), single chevron, Stab III./JG2, flown by Oblt Arnim Faber.  This aircraft landed in error at RAF Pembrey in South Wales on 23 June 1942.  The Fw 190 was designated RAF MP499.  It was the first of its type to fall into Allied hands, and after its capture it was taken by road to Farnborough and flown extensively in comparative trials with Allied fighters.  It was struck off charge (SOC) in Sep 1943.

(RAF Photos)

Mistel S3A, Focke-Wulf Fw 190A, (Wk. Nr. 733682), designated RAF AM75 combined with Junkers Ju 88A-6, (Wk. Nr. 2492), designated AM77.  The Focke-Wulf Fw 190A is preserved in the Imperial War Museum, London, England, while the Junkers Ju 88A-6 was scrapped at Farnborough.

(Gustav Gullberg Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-8/R6, (Wk. Nr. 733682), RAF AM75 on display in the Imperial War Museum, London, England.  This aircraft was captured at Tirstrup, Denmark where it was found mounted on top of a Junkers Ju 88A-6 bomber, (Wk. Nr. 2492), RAF AM77, as part of a Mistel S3B combination.  This aircraft has faired-over gun ports and a belly-mounted ETC-501 bomb rack.  The Ju 88 was scrapped at Farnborough.

(RAF Photos)

Mistel S3A designated RAF AM75 combined Fw 190A-8, (Wk. Nr. unknown) with Ju 88H-1, (Wk. Nr. unknown). Both aircraft were scrapped at Schleswig.  One of three Mistel combinations captured at Tirstrup.

Mistel S3A designated RAF AM76 combined Fw 190A-8, (Wk. Nr. unknown) with Ju 88H-1, (Wk. Nr. unknown).  Both aircraft were scrapped at Schleswig.

(RAF Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190. 11./JG 1, 1+-, captured at Skrydstrup, Denmark, May 1945.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-F8/R15, (Wk. Nr. 871), coded TD+SI.   The aircraft had an enlarged fin and lengthened tailwheel leg.  Gun armament was restricted to wing-root mounted MG 151s.  It carried the LTF 5b torpedo on an adapted ETC 501 rack.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter, view from the deadly business end.

(USAAF Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw-190s at the end of the Second World War, April-May 1945.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8, Germany, ca 1945.  (Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190S8 two-seat training version of the Fw 190F-8/U1, (Wk. Nr. 680430), White 30, in Luftwaffe service.  The aircraft was used as a high-speed transport for senior officers or for conversion training.  (Luftwaffe Photo)

(Les Chatfield Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190S8 two-seat training and high speed transport version of the Fw 190F-8/U1 (Wk. Nr. 680430), RAF AM29, shown here as "Black 38" on display in the RAF Museum, Hendon, England.  This aircraft was built by Arado at the Warnemünde factory, and was an FW 190 F-8 converted to two-seat standard.  Captured in Grove, Denmark, North of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany by British forces in May 1945.  In Luftwaffe service, it operated with training units, and carried the letters HRZ.  It was exhibited at various locations, and now resides in the RAF Museum at Hendon, England.

(RuthAS Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190S8 two-seat training version of the Fw 190F-8/U1, (Wk. Nr. 584219), Black 38, designated RAF AM29, on display in the RAF Museum, Hendon, England.

(USAAF Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 appears to be a late production aircraft built by Fieseler at Kassel.  It has a late style canopy; the horizontal black stripe with white outline shows that this was a II. Gruppe aircraft.

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9 in Luftwaffe service.

(USAAF Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9, JG26, (Wk. Nr. 600651) captured at Straubing, Germany, May 1945.

(Goshimini Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-13/R11, (Wk. Nr. 836017) ,"Yellow 10," from 1./JG 26 as flown by Major Franz Götz.  Captured at Flensberg in May 1945, this aircraft was designated RAF USA 14, and shipped to the USA on HMS Reaper.   It was then numbered USA FE-118, later T2-118.  Previously with the Champlin Air Museum in Arizona, this aircraft has been restored and is on display in the Flying Heritage Collection, Paine Field, Everett, Washington.

(PanGalacticGargleBlasterr Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-13/R11, (Wk. Nr. 836017) ,"Yellow 10," from 1./JG 26 as flown by Major Franz Götz.  USA FE-118.  Previously with the Champlin Air Museum in Arizona, this aircraft is on display in the Flying Heritage Collection, Paine Field, Everett, Washington.

(RAF Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9, (Wk. Nr. 210079), 12+, "Black 12", flown by Leutnant Theo Nibel in the 10. / JG 54, and lost due to a bird strike on the morning of 1 Jan 1945 during Operation Bodenplatte.  Remains shown here at Farnborough, England, late 1945.

(NMUSAF Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9, (Wk. Nr. 601088), JG 26, captured by the RAF at Flensburg.  Designated RAF USA 12, this aircraft was shipped to the USA on HMS Reaper.  It was alloted USA FE-120, later T2-120.  It was restored by the NASM and is now on display at the National Museum of the USAF, Dayton, Ohio.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw-190D-12, CS+IA, 1945.

‍

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Ta 152H, high altitude fighter, CI+XM, in Luftwaffe service.  (Luftwaffe Photos)

(USAAF Photo)

Focke-Wulf Ta 152H-0/R-11 (Wk. Nr. 1500010), coded CW+CJ, "Green 4", JG301, USA 11, Reg. No. 32, T2/FE-112, with the NASM.  This Ta 152 is the only existing example of this fighter in the world today.  Definitive information about the NASM Ta 152 has always been lacking but research conducted late in 1998 may have revealed the airplane’s true identity as Werk-Nummer 150010, not 150003 or ‘020 as has been widely reported. This places the airframe toward the end of the range of pre-production H-0 models, a variant marking the transition from the Ta 152 prototypes to full production Ta 152H-1 airplanes.  It was probably built at Focke-Wulf’s production facility at Cottbus, Germany, in December 1944, and delivered to Erprobungskommando Ta 152 at Rechlin, Germany, for service testing.  As with most Ta 152s produced, ‘020’ was apparently transferred to Jagdgeswader (fighter squadron) JG 301 in early 1945.  A green ‘4’ was painted on the fuselage and this may have been the squadron identification and radio call sign “Green 4” but much remains unknown about this aircraft.  The initial information suggesting the aircraft was (Wk. Nr. 150020), was based on a type plate in the fuselage, which only designated a component.  The aircraft has a wooden tail and only (Wk. Nr. 150003) and (Wk. Nr. 150010) were fitted with this and on historical photos the overpainted remains of the code CW+CJ is visible which belongs to (Wk. Nr. 150010).  (Wk. Nr. 150020). was coded CW+CT.  Data courtesy of Peter W. Cohausz.  National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Washington Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, Virginia.

As the Soviets rolled over eastern Germany, many Luftwaffe pilots took off and steered their mounts west.  They preferred to be captured by the West.  The British recovered “Green 4” in Aalborg, Denmark, at the end of hostilities.  They turned the airplane over to “Watson’s Whizzer’s, the American unit charged with collecting Luftwaffe aircraft for further study. Lt Harold McIntosh flew ‘020 to Melun, France, where it was loaded aboard the British aircraft carrier HMS Reaper and shipped Newark Army Airfield, New Jersey. From Newark, McIntosh flew this Ta 152 to Freeman Field, Indiana. The airplane was later transferred to Wright Field, Ohio, to undergo extensive flight testing as Foreign Equipment number FE-112 (later changed to T2-112). After testing, the Army stored the aircraft and then turned it over to the National Air Museum in 1960.

In 1998 Museum restoration staff were treating deteriorated sections of the wooden aft fuselage, fin, rudder, and right elevator when they discovered several interesting items that offered tantalizing glimpses into the airplane’s shadowy past.  Extensive wood rot was found in where the horizontal stabilizer joins the vertical fin. The restoration staff speculated that during testing at Wright Field, pilots and engineers became concerned that the wooden tail may have been weakened by defective glues or sabotage.  They strengthened the entire area with steel plate.  However, this work may have compromised flight safety because it required moving the horizontal stabilizer forward several inches, exacerbating a tail-heavy condition already known to the Germans.  The restoration specialist removed the steel plate and rebuilt the tail to the original German configuration.

After comparing photographs with the aircraft, the staff determined the British painted over some of the original Luftwaffe markings. The US Army Air Force then stripped and repainted part of the airplane but NASM technicians carefully sanded through the layers of Allied paint to reveal previous markings and much of the original German paint.  They found the old Foreign Equipment number, RAF markings, the Reich Defence tail bands of JG 301 (fighter wing 301), and the original Nazi swastika.  The staff also found 20-mm MG 151 gun mounts and fittings in the upper cowling.  However, these were not normally found in H-0 models, suggesting this airframe may have been destined to become a C-1 variant.

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Ta 154, Moskito night-fighter in Luftwaffe service.

(USAAF Photos)

One slightly damaged Ta 154 is known to have been captured at Lage, Germany, by the 54th Air Disarmament Squadron and is reported to have been shipped to the USA on board the SS Richard Gatling.  No FE number was assigned, its fate is unknown.

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu tactical reconnaissance aircraft in Luftwaffe service.

(USAAF Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu tactical reconnaissance aircraft found by American troops near Salzburg, Austria.

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 191, Bomber B design competitor (prototype).

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 200-3 Condo at the Blohm & Voss plant in Wenzendorf, 1941.

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor, transport and maritime patrol bomber in Luftwaffe Service.

(Luftwaffe Photos)

Focke-Wulf Fw 200C Condor FuG 200 Hohentwiel radar.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Fw 200C-3 Condor, (Wk. Nr. 0034), F8+OW.  The globe-circle symbol is for KG 40l.  This aircraft landed at Chkalovskaya near Leningrad, Russia in April 1943.  The aircraft was test flown by Soviet Engineer-Major Gribakin and Colonel Kabanov in the USSR.  It was later put on display in Moscow.

Focke-Wulf Fw 200C-3 Condor, (Wk. Nr. 0063), F8+CL of 3/KG40, later transferred to 7/KG40 and coded F8+BR ditched near Trondheim, Norway on 22 Feb 1942.  Recovered in 1999, this aircraft is being restored in the Deutsches Technikmuseum, Berlin, Germany.

Focke-Wulf Fw 300, proposed version of Fw 200 (project).

Focke-Wulf Ta 400 (project), intended for long range bombardment of strategic objects in the  marine war in the Atlantic.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Focke-Wulf Triebflügeljäger, experimental project (model).

‍