FW-190 Experts, please help!

[Steve The Swede]

I'm in need of some expert help here regarding my 1:32 FW-190A8 Rammjaeger project.

 

First, I've heard that all A8's came from the factory with the ETC 501 rack, is this true? If so, was it common that the crews removed them in the field? I'm doing my fighter as JG-4's white 11 and all the ref photos I have of this bird shows the plane with a complete smooth belly, no attachments what so ever. It's also missing the loop and morena antenna.

 

Second, how many wires should be stringed up behind the armour plated head rest on the A-8? In most of the pics I have it looks like there's at least three wires. Two support wires for the head rest (one on each side) and finally the radio antenna wire. Did I get that right or am I seeing double here?

 

I look forward to any help you might be able to provide. Thanks!

 

Steve.

[Chris Hannover - Germany]

Hi Steve,

 

to the 1st question i would say, in fact of a Rammjäger i think they removed all parts they don´t need. Because they mostly didn´t came back. And if they came back, then without the plane. So i think they saved the parts for other planes. But i´m not sure, but make sense, right?

 

Regards,

Chris Hannover

[Steve The Swede]

Chris, that makes total sense and might very well be the case. Any other ideas? What about those canopy wires?

 

Steve.

[Judyc]

Hi Steve;

 

First of all, this aircraft was used in Operation Bodenplatte by JG 4 which was a ground attack mission. JG 4 at that time had a lot of Sturmbock aircraft. The photos of "White 11" were taken after it was captured by the Americans on 1 January 1945, and the a/c is pretty well stripped. Notice the armament has all been removed as well as the ETC 501 rack. Some of the photos also were taken after the 5 mm panzer platen was removed from the side of the fuselage. Keep in mind also that as part of the Sturmbock equipment, the wind screen quarter panels have armored glass plus the quarter round trim. The outboard armament consisted of MK 108 30 mm cannon. You are right about the canopy. This a/c had the standard flat A-8 canopy with antenna pulley system, so the antenna wire comes into the canopy around the pulley and back into the radio compartment. In addition to that wire there are two support wires for the armored head rest bracing so you will have a total of three wires in the canopy, as you point out.

Keep in mind the name "Rammjager" is a sensationalized name that is unpopular with the pilots of these Sturm units. The ramming part of this story is exagerrated and the veterans become somewhat angry about this reference. The correct term for these aircraft is "Sturmjäger" or an Fw 190 with Sturmbock equipment.

HTH

Jerry

[Steve The Swede]

Thanks Jerry, interesting info!

 

I'm aware that the pictures were taken after it was captured but are you sugesting that the rack, loop antenna and moran mast was striped by the Americans? If one is to build a representation of this a/c still in service should all the above still be present? How accurate would you say that Terry Dekker's profile of this a/c is? He's profile features all the above but not the armored glass. I've also read that the cowling guns were removed but I'm not sure if it was done by the Germans or Americans.

 

I'll make sure I use the term "sturmjäger" from now on.

 

Thanks again!

 

Steve.

[Steve The Swede]

Bumping this and hoping for the best. I'm totally stuck on my project until I figure out those details

I've searched high and low for anything that could prove that "white 11" flown by Walter Wagner had the rack, morena and loop antenna on it's last mission. So far I've only been more confused, every new profile or artwork (pics seems super rare) I find shows different setups. So far the only pics I've found shows it stripped after U.S. capture.

 

If you have any info what so ever regarding this particular a/c, PLEASE help me out, it would really save my day!

 

Thanks,

 

Steve.

[JimInOz]

G'day Steve, have you seen this article? It may help you out. I hope so.Just click the link mate. Cheers JimInOz http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/luftcambg_5.htm

[Steve The Swede]

Thanks guys for the help!

 

JimInOz, I've seen that link before but thanks anyway! Those pics shows "white 11" after it was captured by U.S. troops. I don't know how long after the battle the pics were taken, as you can see it's also missing the 20 mm wing guns. I can't imagine that it flew without those.

 

Wumm, what you're writting makes a lot of sense. I just wish there was any documents out there that states how long the a/c's been in captivity when the pics were taken. Later on the Americans stripped it of all it's guns, armor plates and gave it a new paintjob. The question still remains, did they also remove the the rack, morena, loop antenna and the cowling guns!?

 

Arrgh! All those decissions!

 

Anyway, thanks so much for your thoughts! if anybody else would like to add their thoughts PLEASE be my guests!

 

Steve.

[Judyc]

Hi Steve;

 

Here is the information you are requesting regarding the Fw 190 A-8/R2 W. Nr. 681497, built by Fieseler-Kassel in late summer 1944:

It was a legitimate R2 equipped with two MG 151 20 mm cannons inboard, two MK 108 30 mm cannons outboard with the appropriate upper wing fairings. The two 13 mm machine guns had been deleted. The fuselage was equipped with the 5 mm armor plate and the wind screen had the armored quarter panels. JG 4 normally did not use the blinkers on the canopy. It was equipped with an ETC 501 rack and carried a drop tank on its last mission, Bodenplatte. This is documented by photos. When it crash landed, the rack was partially destroyed, and the antennas were damaged. The FuG 25a vertical antenna on the rear fuselage was bent back, the DF loop was torn off and the FuG 16 zy antenna was broken off as well. However, the a/c was equipped, when captured, with the radio. The BMW 801 D2 engine was originally equipped with a 3.5 m three bladed VDM 12176A wooden paddle bladed propeller which was destroyed when the a/c crash landed. After the US captured it, the engine was replaced along with a new standard VDM metal 9-12076A 3.3 m propeller. The fuel octane triangle was stenciled C3 100 octane. This a/c was also equipped with MW 50 power boost. Note the port side of the engine cowling was all dark gray behind the JG 4 Knight's head emblem.

All this information is taken from Allied documents and other sources including unpublished photos.

HTH

Jerry

[Steve The Swede]

Wow!

 

Thanks Jerry, that pretty much sums it up, just in time too! I was just about to make the decision to build it without the mentioned goodies.

 

Thanks again, case closed!

 

Steve.