The Focke-Wulf Fw-190 is a German single-engine, all-metal fighter with an enclosed cockpit in a low-wing configuration from World War II. Pilots considered the Fw-190 to be a better aircraft than the Messerschmitt Bf-109. The Luftfahrtministerium ordered a free-standing low-wing with a functioning Fw-190 covering, which was assembled in the autumn of 1937. Kurt Tank submitted two propulsion proposals—the first with a Daimler-Benz DB 601 liquid-cooled engine, and the second with the new BMW 139 radial engine. The latter was chosen, and work that began in the spring of 1938 was led by Obering. R. Blaser. The first Fw-190V1 prototype was ready in May 1939, and on June 1, 1939, it was flown in Bremen by Captain Hans Sander. The second prototype, FW-190V2, armed with two MG131 and two MG17 machine guns—all 7.92 mm caliber—was flown in October 1939. To reduce aerodynamic drag, both were equipped with a tunnel air intake in the propeller cap, but problems with engine overheating led to a return to the proven NACA cowling design. Before the testing of these prototypes had fully begun, a decision had already been made to replace the BMW 139 engine with the more powerful but longer and heavier BMW 810. This required many changes, strengthening the structure and moving the cockpit back, which later became a source of problems with the center of gravity. The advantage was the elimination of problems with exhaust gas flow and cockpit overheating in the immediate vicinity of the BMW 139 engine. The third and fourth prototypes were abandoned, and the Fw-190V5 with the new engine was completed at the beginning of 1940. Later, it received wings with a wingspan increased by one meter (from the original 9.5 m), which made it 10 km/h slower, but increased the rate of climb and improved maneuverability. This was designated as the Fw-190V5g, and the variant with the shorter wing was the Fw-190V5k. The first seven Fw-190A-0 pre-production series machines had the short wing, the rest had the longer one. The first operational unit equipped with the Fw-190—6./JG 26, which was stationed at Le Bourget—declared its operational readiness in 1941.In August of that year, and from the first encounter of the new fighter with the British Supermarine Spitfire, its advantages over them became apparent. During the war, about a dozen versions of this excellent aircraft were created. The "A" version machines, along with a dozen upgrades, served as combat aircraft. The versions designated "B" and "C" were only high-altitude fighter prototypes intended for fighting strategic bombers, but they did not enter serial production. The "D" variant, as the only Fw-190 aircraft, was powered by the new 1,750 hp Jumo 213A engine and was Germany's answer to the P-51 Mustang. The new engine extended the fuselage by several dozen centimeters. This variant also mainly performed hunting and high-altitude fighter tasks. Many "F" version variants were used as fighter-bombers for direct battlefield support. The "G" version had the same role as the "F" version, but with a greater range. Throughout the war, more than 20,000 of this one of the best World War II fighters were produced. Technical data (version Fw-190A-8): length: 9m, wingspan: 10.51m, height: 3.95m, maximum speed: 656km/h, rate of climb: 15m/s, maximum range: 800km, maximum ceiling: 11,410m, armament: fixed—2 MG131 13mm machine guns and 4 MG151 20mm cannons (2 MG 151/20E cannons for the D-9 version).
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