The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger (Shrike) was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109. The 190 was used by the Luftwaffe in a wide variety of roles, including day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft also operating to a lesser degree as a night fighter.

When the Fw 190 started flying operationally over France in August 1941, it quickly proved itself to be superior in all but turn radius to the Royal Air Force's main front-line fighter, the Spitfire Mk. V. The 190 wrested air superiority away from the RAF until the introduction of the vastly improved Spitfire Mk. IX in July 1942 restored qualitative parity.

The Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front in November/December 1942. Soviet pilots regarded the Bf 109 as the greatest threat in combat on the Eastern Front; nevertheless, the Fw 190 made a significant impact. The fighter and its pilots proved just as capable as the Bf 109 in aerial combat, and in the opinion of German pilots who flew both German fighters, the Fw 190 represented increased firepower and maneuverability at low to medium altitude.

The Fw 190, along with the Bf 109, became the backbone of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force). As an interceptor, the Fw 190 underwent improvements to make it effective at high altitude, enabling it to maintain relative parity with its Allied opponents. The Fw 190A series' performance decreased at high altitudes (usually 6,000 m (20,000 ft) and above), which reduced its effectiveness as a high-altitude interceptor, but this problem was mostly rectified in later models, particularly in the Junkers Jumo 213 inline-engine Focke-Wulf Fw 190D series, which was introduced in September 1944. In spite of its successes, it never entirely replaced the Bf 109.

The Fw 190 was well liked by its pilots. Some of the Luftwaffe's most successful fighter aces flew the Fw 190, including Otto Kittel with 267 victories, Walter Nowotny with 258 victories and Erich Rudorffer with 222 claimed kills. A great many of their kills were claimed while flying the Fw 190.

Source: Wikipedia, "Focke-Wulf Fw 190", available under the CC-BY-SA License.

As Described In

Aces Over Europe: The Fw-190A was one of the best fighters Germany deployed during the war. A Fast aircraft, the Fw-190 proved to be a difficult plane to intercept. With its radial engine, it could absorb massive damage and keep flying. The Fw-190F was the ground attack version of the 190A. With extra armor plating, the F model served effectively as a close support aircraft. The Dora-9 was one of the best Luftwaffe piston engined fighters of the war. Its speed matched the Mustang's, and its agility surpassed even the latest Spitfires. It packed a powerful punch as well, making it a good bomber interceptor.