Focke-Wulf FW-190A-8/R6 Wurger

From The Air Combat Wiki

Contents 1 Fighter Ace Screenshots 2 Fighter Ace Ratings 3 Fighter Ace Performance 4 Historical Statistics 5 Strengths 6 Weaknesses 7 History 8 Sources 9 See Also

Fighter Ace Screenshots

Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ
Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ

Fighter Ace Ratings

Durability: 5

Speed: 7

Maneuverability: 4

Firepower: 8

Climb Rate: 6

Ground Attack: 4

Fighter Ace Performance

Top Speeds						Climb Rates
	Sea Level	4921' 1500m	9843' 3000m	19685' 6000m	Best Speed	Best IAS	to 1000m	to 3000m	to 6000m
mph	339	358	357	397	400@ 20341'	186 mph	1:07	3:16	6:36
mph WEP	355	359	372	408	408@ 20013'
kph	546	576	574	639	644@ 6200m	300 kph
kph WEP	571	578	598	657	657@ 6100m

Historical Statistics

Service Date: February 1944

Primary Guns: 2x MG131 13 mm machine guns with 400 rpg in cowl

Secondary Guns: 2x MG151/20 20mm cannon with 250 rpg in wing roots and 2x MG151/20 20mm cannon with 125 rpg in wings

Ordnance: 4x 121 lb (55 kg) or 1x 551 lb (250 kg) or 1x 1103 lb (500 kg) bomb or 1x 475 lb (215 kg) drop tank under fuselage, plus 4x 121 lb (55 kg) or 2x 475 lb (215 kg) drop tanks or 2x 245 lb (111 kg) WGr.21 rockets under wings (note that wing ordnance cannot be used with 1103 lb bomb)

Engine(s): 1x BMW-801D-2 radial rated for 1,700 hp at sea level (1,850 hp with WEP)

Int Fuel Capacity: 1,010 lbs (458 kg)

Ext Fuel Capacity: 475 lbs (215 kg) or 950 lbs (430 kg, 2 drop tanks under wings) or 1,425 lbs (645 kg, 3 drop tanks)

Maximum Speeds: 355 mph (571 kph) at sea level, 408 mph (657 kph) at 20,670 ft (6,300 m)

Ceiling: 33,800 ft (10,302 m)

Loaded Weight: 9,660 lbs (4,382 kg)

Wing Area: 197 sq ft (18.3 sq m)

Wing Loading: 49.0 lbs/sq ft (239.4 kg/sq m)

Strengths

Firepower: The extra pair of MG-151/20s combined with the upgrade to 13mm cowl guns gives the FW-190A-8/R6 more raw firepower than all but the 30mm-armed bomber-killers.

Roll Rate: Although the Spitfire could out-turn the 190 on the level, the 190’s greater roll rate gave it the edge in maneuvering.

Durability: The A-8 was capable of absorbing more damage than contemporary planes like the Spitfire and Mustang.

Ordnance Versatility: Able to carry up to eight 110 lb. bombs, the /R6 has more individual bomb drops than any other fighter-bomber in the game.

Weaknesses

Turn Rate: With its high wing-loading the Würger can’t turn with planes like Spitfire or La-7.

Speed: The A-8’s speed lagged that of contemporary late-war fighters.

High Altitude Performance: Above 20,000 feet the A-8 is outclassed by contemporary planes like the Spitfire and Mustang.

History

The 190 was the dominant plane in the skies of Europe in 1942, but further refinements were in order. With each increase in weight, the center of gravity of the plane had shifted and now it became apparent that it was too far aft. To alleviate this problem, the engine mount was extended forward about six inches in the A-5 model. Several A-5s were shipped to Japan in 1943 for evaluations and although the Japanese didn't adopt it into service, the Allies spotted it and gave it the code-name "Fred".

By now the 190 was weighing in at over 9,000 lbs. and in an effort to reduce weight somewhat, Kurt Tank redesigned the wing. This new wing was mounted to an A-5 test bed, then was introduced into service with the A-6 in late 1943. While the new wing's appearance was virtually identical to the previous one, it was able to mount MG-151/20 cannon in the outboard positions previously occupied by the MG-FF. Fed by 125 round belts, these new guns greatly increased the firepower available to the pilot.

The A-7 was originally intended to be a high-speed photo reconnaissance version, but the needs of combat units changed those plans. Nothing more than an interim version, only 80 A-7s were produced, but it was the first version to replace the 7.92mm machine guns in the cowl with 13mm MG-131s with 400 rpg.

The A-8 was soon introduced with a host of minor refinements and changes, including the addition of removable fuel cells behind the pilot's seat as an alternative to the MW50 methanol injection system. By this time, the system of Umrüst Bausätze factory conversion kits had been completely replaced by the Rüstätz field conversion kits.

The /R6 kit allowed for the optional mounting of a pair of Wfr.Gr.21 rocket tubes under the wing. While not accurate enough for anti-tank work, the 21cm rocket projectile was fired into the middle of the tight American bomber formations. A direct hit would down a plane while a close hit would cause about the same damage as a close flak burst. But the biggest result was the break-up of the tight formation, degrading its defensive firepower and allowing the fighters to more easily get within gun range.

Sources

Filley, Brian; FW 190A, F, and G In Action; Squadron/Signal Publications, Carrollton, TX; 1999.

Green, William; Warplanes of the Third Reich; Doubleday and Company, Garden City, NY; 1970.

See Also

Fighter Ace Planes Inventory

Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau G.m.b.H.

Aircraft Manufacturers During World War II