Focke-Wulf FW-190D-9 Dora

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: 8

Maneuverability: 4

Firepower: 5

Climb Rate: 8

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	357	373	387	418	424@ 21654'	196 mph	0:53	2:36	5:10
mph WEP	377	395	406	428	430@ 17717'
kph	575	600	623	673	683@ 6600m	315 kph
kph WEP	606	635	653	688	692@ 5400m

Historical Statistics

Service Date: August 1944

Primary Guns: 2x MG131 13mm machine guns with 475 rpg in cowl

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

Ordnance: 1x 551 lb (250 kg) or 1x 1103 lb (500 kg) bomb or 1x 475 lb (215 kg) drop tank under fuselage, plus 2x 551 lb (250 kg) bombs or 2x 475 lb (215 kg) drop tanks under wings

Engine(s): 1x Junkers Jumo 213A-1 in-line rated for 1,776 hp at sea level (2,240 hp with WEP)

Int Fuel Capacity: 828 lbs (375 kg)

Ext Fuel Capacity: 475 lbs (215 kg) or 950 lbs (430 kg) or 1,425 lbs (645 kg)

Maximum Speeds: 357 mph (575 kph) at sea level, 426 mph (686 kph) at 22,640 ft (6,900 m)

Ceiling: 32,800 ft (10,000 m)

Loaded Weight: 9,480 lbs (4,300 kg)

Wing Area: 197 sq ft (18.3 sq m)

Wing Loading: 48.1 lbs/sq ft (235.0 kg/sq m)

Strengths

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.

Weaknesses

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

History

A-series production was in full swing in 1942 when it was decided to find a solution to the Würger’s poor high-altitude performance. The GM-1 nitrous system was able to boost performance up to about 26,000 feet, but there wasn't enough nitrous to use it for more than a short time and the weight of the system was equal to the entire armament package!

Kurt Tank had always viewed GM-1 as a temporary measure and decided to re-engine the 190. He initially wanted to use the new Daimler-Benz DB-603 in-line engine, but it had been developed without official sanction and the RLM made it clear that they would view such a project with extreme disfavor.

Despite this unpleasant fact, the regard for Tank was so high that they allowed him to experiment with the engine, with the understanding that it would be thought of as a back-up measure only. Two other engine proposals were also considered, one using a turbo-supercharged BMW-801 and the other using the new Jumo-213 in-line.

The B-series designation was used for the turbo-supercharged BMW-801 installation. In addition to the turbo-supercharger, the B-series was intended to use a pressurized cabin and a new wing with 11% greater area. Unfortunately, BMW was nowhere close to releasing a turbo-supercharger, so this model was re-fitted with the DB-603A with an annular radiator. Although it was able to reach 39,000 feet, the requirement had been increased to 46,000 feet.

The C-series designation was reserved for the DB-603Aa installation with a large ventral turbo-supercharger. Despite the additional drag of the supercharger intake the prototype clocked in at 447 mph at 29,530 feet and 404 mph at 39,370 feet! The Focke-Wulf team felt this engine offered the best high-altitude performance, but engine availability was the primary operating factor and the C-series was abandoned.

The D-series was originally intended as a medium-altitude variation of the basic A-series 190 and was to use the new Jumo-213 in-line engine. Many pilots considered this engine to be nothing more than a bomber engine forced on the manufacturer by the RLM and Tank considered the Dora to be an "emergency solution" until his new Ta-152 could be delivered. However, the D-9 outperformed the A-8 at all altitudes and pilot misgivings were swept away.

The D-9's armament consisted of a pair of 13mm MG-131s mounted in the cowl with 475 rpg and a pair of MG-151 20mm cannon with 250 rpg in the wing roots. The outboard cannon of the A-series was deleted to save weight and improve roll performance. With an ETC-504 rack under the fuselage and a pair of ETC-503s under the wing, the D-9 could carry a single bomb as large as 1,100 lbs. or up to three 550 lb. bombs.

The first Gruppe to convert to the Dora was III/JG 54 at Oldenburg. Shortly afterwards, on 12 Oct 44, 9. and 10. Staffeln were transferred to Achmer and Hesepe, primarily to provide the Me 262s of Kommando Nowotny with top cover during take-offs and landings when the jet fighters were extremely vulnerable. On 25 Dec 44 these two Staffeln had been gathered together at Varrelbusch with two other D-9 Staffeln from I/JG 26 for Operation Bodenplatte. On 25 Feb 45 all D-9s went into IV/KG 26.

Sources

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