25.10.2016 Modeller's Guide to Focke­Wulf Fw 190 Variants ­ Radial Engine Versions ­ Part II >> Home >> Magazine >> This page >> 500+ other articles are available in our archive Modeller's Guide to Focke­Wulf Fw 190 Variants Radial Engine Versions Part II n by Joe Baugher This article is the continuation of Modeller's Guide to Focke­Wulf Fw 190 Variants ­ Radial Engine Versions ­ Part I . In the first part of this article, we have covered the development history, prototypes and the A series subtypes of this fighter. This part two covers ground­attack F series subtypes and G series fighter­ bomber subtypes. As these versions were generally based on fighter airframes, reference to Part I and is recommended for full understanding of this article (Ed.) Back to Modeller's Guide to Focke­Wulf Fw 190 Variants ­ Radial Engine Versions ­ Part I Ground­Attack Versions The very positive results of the introduction into service of the Fw 190A prompted the RLM to consider the possibility of using the plane for other roles than dedicated fighter. The greatest hope was placed in adaptation of the Fw 190As a fighter­bomber. It was seen as a replacement of the aged biplane Henschel 123 and, in part, of the Junkers 87 dive bomber that were still providing useful service in modified form, especially on the Eastern front . In early 1942, the RLM widened the specifications for the Fw 190 and ordered development of attack and close support (Schlachtflugzeug) versions of the plane. A special project study of the modified Fw 190 airframe, designated Ra­2 (Rechnerische Ankundigung 2), was prepared containing different variants of the Fw 190 for these roles. In May 1942, previously planned tests were conducted with the modified Fw 190A­0/U4 (W.Nr. 0008) plane. This airframe received underwing and fuselage store stations for ETC 50 bomb racks that provided for 50 kg bomb carriage. Results were so promising that development work continued. From the beginning, the most serious problem was the large increase in weight. This came about not only as a result of the additional bomb load, but due to the need to introduce additional armour to protect the plane from ground fire. This armour consisted of plates protecting the fuel tanks, engine and undercarriage installations from below. To keep the weight down, previously planned armour plates in the cockpit sidewalls were abandoned. For the same reason, new strengthened undercarriage struts were not introduced, instead the pressure in shock absorbers was increased. In connection with the mass production of the Fw 190A fighter aircraft, early development work on the attack version was restricted to A­3, A­4 and A­5 airframe modifications. These planes, already introduced in Luftwaffe service units, were fully suited to fighter­bomber tasks. However, the increased weight forced a reduction the armament suite (removal of the one pair of wing mounted MG FF cannons), that could result in only slightly poorer performance in spite of increased weight. Fw 190 F­1 and F­2 The best modification proved to be the Fw 190A­4/U3 variant with reduced armament (2x1 MG 17 machine guns in the fuselage and 2x1 MG 151/20 E cannons in the wings) and under­fuselage mounted ETC 501 bomb http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2004/12/stuff_eng_fw190_02.htm 1/11 25.10.2016 Modeller's Guide to Focke­Wulf Fw 190 Variants ­ Radial Engine Versions ­ Part II rack for 250 or 500 kg bomb carriage or with the ER 4 adapter ­ four 50 kg bombs. The RLM order was for 30 of these planes but only 18 were built, since, in the meantime, the A­4 version was replaced by the modernized Fw 190A­5 plane. This version was modified by creation of different variants adapted for fighter­bomber role. The most numerous version, the Fw 190A­5/U3 (equipped similarly to the A­4/U3), was produced in a production run of 63 planes. Part of these planes received desert equipment (designated as A­5/U3/tp). Positive opinions coming from Luftwaffe units and increasing demand for fighter­bomber planes caused the Focke­Wulf factory to start production of the attack version of the plane, designated Fw 190F, as a completely new series rather than as a fighter modification, as it was previously. The first production series Fw 190F­1 was intended to be based on the A5/U3 modification. The design office decided to include previously produced Fw 190A­4/U3 planes as the F version with the designation F­1. Planes originally built as Fw 190A­ 5/U3 modifications were designated as F­2. Generally, through May 1943 271 planes were built as both Fw 190F­2 standard and F­2/tp (desert) versions. Summary of features Fw 190F­1 could be distinguished by the following external features: A­4 airframe (see A­4 recognition features) Fuselage armament of MG 17 Wing armament of MG 151 in inboard positions, with protruding barrels and wing root blisters. No outer wing armament Centerline ETC 501 bomb rack, with or without ER 4 adapter for four 50 kg SC 50 bombs Landing light in port wing leading edge (some aircraft only) Fw 190F­2 could be distinguished by the following external features: A­5 airframe (see A­5 recognition features) Fuselage armament of MG 17 Wing armament of MG 151 in inboard positions, with protruding barrels and wing root blisters. No outer wing armament Centerline ETC 501 bomb rack, with or without ER 4 adapter for four 50 kg SC 50 bombs Fw 190F­3 The Fw 190F version development program also included other A­5 version modifications: Fw 190A­5/U10, A­5/U11, A­5/U12 and A­5/U17. The Fw 190A­5/U12 armed with 6 20 mm MG 151/20 E cannons proved to be a development dead­end. Since the cannon were found capable of destroying only lightly armoured targets, the further development of this version in the F series was abandoned. In contrast, the A­5/U17 became a prototype for the Fw 190F­3 that was introduced into series production in May 1943. Also, The A­5/U10 "universal" wing was adopted for the F series starting from this variant, as it was in the A­6 fighter production. The F­3 was powered, like fighter the version, by a 1272 kW (1730 hp) BMW D­ 2 engine. The main production model was the Fw 190F­3/R1 plane equipped with four (2x2) underwing mounted ETC 50 bomb racks and under­fuselage mounted ETC 501 adapted for bombs or an auxiliary 300 litres fuel tank.. Numerous planes of this version were fitted with desert equipment (F­ 3/R1/tp). http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2004/12/stuff_eng_fw190_02.htm 2/11 25.10.2016 Modeller's Guide to Focke­Wulf Fw 190 Variants ­ Radial Engine Versions ­ Part II The next plane would have been the Fw 190F­3/R3 with two 30 mm MK 103 cannons mounted under the wings. It was not produced because of negative test results from the similarly armed Fw 190A­5/U11 (W.Nr. 151303), which proved too heavy. In addition it was realized that the MK 103 cannon munitions could not penetrate Russian T­34 tank armour. Only three Fw 190F­3/R3 with two MK 103 cannons were built. The Fw 190F­3 planes were produced until April 1944 in the Arado factory in Warnemunde. 274 F­3 planes of all versions were produced. In October 1943, planned production of the F­4 version was to start. The main difference between the F­3 and F­4 was a modernized, electrical bomb release installation. The two variants of supplementary armament were provided as in the previous versions: R1 (2x ETC 50 and ETC 501) and R3 (2x MK 103). Other armament was to remain the same (2x1 MG 17 and 2x1 MG 151/20 E). Production did not start. Two other models, e.g. Fw 190F­5 and F­6 were not produced. Prototypes of these variants were planned as Fw 190 V36 (for F­5) and Fw 190 V37 and V40 (for F­6). The 1765 kW (2400 hp) BMW 801 F engine was to be used as the power plant but the factory didn't have time to start production of this engine and both modifications were cancelled. The same thing happened in the case of Fw 190F­7 plane which was based on the A­7 airframe. Since development work was concentrated on the Fw 190A­8 plane in the latter part of 1943, the F­7 series was abandoned. Summary of features Fw 190F­3 could be distinguished by the following external features: A­5 airframe (see A­5 recognition features) Fuselage armament of MG 17 Wing armament of MG 151 in inboard positions, with protruding barrels and wing root blisters. No outer wing armament Centerline ETC 501 bomb rack, with or without ER 4 adapter for four 50 kg SC 50 bombs A pair of ETC 50 bomb racks under each wing (on most but not all aircraft) Fw 190F­8 This model was produced in greatest numbers of the all of the F series planes. It was produced based on the A­8 airframe. Production started in March 1944 in the Arado factory in Warnemunde and in the April 1944 in the NDW­Wismar factory. The Fw 190F­8 was powered by a BMW 801 D­2 engine variant adapted for C3 (96 octane) fuel. An additional injector in the left supercharger inlet for emergency short term (10­15 min) engine power increase during flight under 1000 m altitude was standard equipment.