Focke-Wulf FW 190 D-9 grey 3D model

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 (nicknamed Würger; [3] Indonesian: Shrike) was a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Together with its famous partner, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Fw 190 became the backbone of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force) of the Luftwaffe. The twin-row BMW 801 radial engine that supports most operational versions allows the Fw 190 to lift a greater load than the Bf 109, enabling its use as a day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground attack aircraft and to a lesser extent, night fighter.The Fw 190A began flying operationally over France in August 1941 and quickly proved superior in all but turning radius to the Spitfire Mk. V, the Royal Air Force (RAF) primary frontline fighter, primarily at low and medium altitude. [4] 190 maintained an edge over Allied fighters until the introduction of the Spitfire Mk. IX . [5] In November/December 1942, the Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front, finding much success in the combat wing and special ground attack unit (Schlachtgeschwader (Battle Wing or Assault Wing) from October 1943.

The Fw 190A's performance declines at high altitudes (typically 6,000 m (20,000 ft) and above), which reduces its effectiveness as a high-altitude interceptor. Since the Fw 190's inception, there have been ongoing efforts to address this with the turbosupercharged BMW 801 on the B model, the much longer C model with an attempt to also turbocharge the Daimler-Benz DB 603 inverted V12 power plant of its choice, and a similar D model. long nosed with Junkers Jumo 213 . Problems with the installation of turbochargers on the -B and -C subtypes meant that only the D model entered service in September 1944. This high-altitude development eventually led to the Focke-Wulf Ta 152, which was capable of extreme speeds at medium to high altitudes (755 km/h). hours (408 kn; 469 mph) at 13,500 m (44,300 ft)). [6] While these long nosed 190 variants and the Ta 152 derivative notably gave Germany parity with Allied opponents, they came too late to affect the outcome of the war. The Fw 190 was very well liked by its pilots. Some of the Luftwaffe's most successful combat masters claimed many of their kills while flying it, including Otto Kittel, Walter Nowotny and Erich Rudorffer. The Fw 190 has more firepower than the Bf 109 and, at low to medium altitudes, superior maneuverability, in the opinion of the German pilots who flew both fighters. It is considered one of the best fighter aircraft of World War II. [7]