Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>FW-190>HA7412

General Background

In 1937 the Me-109 was an excellent aircraft but the Reich Air Ministry wanted a new advanced fighter that could out perform any future foreign designs. Kurt Tank’s Focke-Wulf Fw-190 Würger (Butcher Bird) won the design competition by using an air-cooled radial engine. When the Fw-190 entered combat in the summer of 1941 it already was Germany’s premiere piston-powered WWII fighter. Over 20,000 of all variants of the Fw-190 were built with 13,291 of these being of the 9 different “A” variants.

The Aircraft

After pilot training Hans Dortenmann was assigned to 2./JG 54 on the Eastern Front where he gained his first victory on February 6, 1944 by ramming an La-5 fighter and belly landed. On June 10, 1944 2./JG 54 was relocated to the Western Front. On June 20, 1944 Dortenmann was appointed Staffelkapitän of 2./JG 54 and on June 26, 1944 his "Red 1" was shot down over Paris and he bailed out. After 150 missions Dortenmann had 16 victories over the Eastern Front and 22 over the Western Front.

Specifications :

Dimensions:	Wingspan – 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)
	Wing Area – 18.3 m (197 sq ft)
	Length – 8.96 m (29 ft 5 in)
	Height – 3.96 m (13 ft)
Weight:	Empty – 3,470 kg (7,650 lb)
	Maximum – 4,900 kg (10,800 lb)
Performance:	Engine – BMW 801D 1,700 hp 14-cylinder radial engine
	Maximum Speed – 657 kph (408 mph) (335 kts)
	Service Ceiling – 10,300 m (33,800 ft)
	Range – 800 km (500 mi) (435 nmi)
Armament:	(2) 13 mm Machine Guns plus
	(4) 20 mm cannon or
	(2) 20 mm cannons plus
	(2) 30 mm cannons