Focke Wulf Fw 190A-4

Plane: Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-4

Weight (Empty/Loaded/Max): / 7,652lb /

Wing Area: 197sq ft

Wing Loading: / 38.8lb/sq ft /

Length: 29'

Span: 34' 6"

Wing Aspect Ratio: 6.0

Engine: 1,700hp BMW 801 D Radial

Flaps: 5 settings

Visibility:

• Front: Fair
• Sides: Good
• Rear: Excellent

Control Feel:

• Slow: Excellent
• Near Sustained: Excellent
• Fast: Excellent

Stall Speed 1k (No Flaps/Full Flaps) 105/95mph

Guns:

Interestingly enough, the Fw 190A-8 contains 25% more ammunition for the inboard 20mm MG 151/20 cannon, yet has the exact same firing time! Either the MG 151/20 was improved in firing rate, or one of the two planes have incorrect ammunition loadouts in the Warbirds Help file. This gun was synchronized with the propeller, and thus may explain the discrepancies (Focke Wulfe may have tinkered with the synchronization timing and/or increased the engine RPMs). The FW 190D9 also fires her 20mm cannon in the same time as her FW siblings, with the same ammunition loadout as the FW 190A8. Another interesting effect of the synchronization is the fact the FW 190 A-8's outer guns fire in the same time as other MG 151/20s loaded on other planes (Bf 109 series) where synchronization is not needed, and this rate is 15-20% faster than the inboard synchronized guns.

Ordnance:
0: none
1: 2xRockets
2: 1x500lb bomb
3: none

Fuel Time/Percent: 37 seconds/percent

Power/weight (Empty/Loaded/Max): / 4.5lb/hp /

Corner Velocity: 305mph

Durability: Good

WEP time: 10 Minutes

Maximum Angle-of-Attack (no flaps/full flaps): 18.5/18.5 degrees

Wing Incidence Angle (no flaps/full flaps): 2.5/3 degrees

Accleleration:

Climb:
1k-5k: 46s
5k-10k: 83s
10k-15k: 95s

Zoom Climb:
1k 400mph: +5400ft
1k 300mph: +3600ft

Dive:

Max Speed

Turn Performance

Corner Speed and Radii (1,000ft):

Speed: 305mph
Radius: 677ft
Sustained Turn Speed: 185mph
Sustained Turn Radius: 924ft
Full Flaps Speed: 135mph
Full Flaps Radius: 687ft

Roll Rate:
150mph: 5.0s
200mph: 3.4s
250mph: 2.8s
300mph: 3.2s
350mph: 4.0s
400mph: 4.9s

Minimum Full-Flaps Full-Power Split-S altitude:
150mph: 1400ft
200mph: 1400ft
250mph: 1400ft
300mph: 1800ft

Hoof's Tips and Opinions:

The Focke Wulf was for the early years of the war considered Germany's "other iron in the fire" as far as the Luftwaffe was concerned. At the time, the Bf 109 was the primary German fighter, and had proven itself quite capable, until the Battle of Britain. In Barbarossa, and along the east front for most of the war, the Bf 109 was quite a capable plane. But as time would tell, overall, the Fw 190 would prove itself a superior fighter and rightfully the successor to the Bf 109 throne.

The Fw 190 was the brainchild of Kurt Tank, a brilliant fighter designer working for Focke Wulf. As the inline liquid-cooled engines were scarce, being used in the Bf 109 fighter series and other planes, Kurt Tank designed the Fw 190 around a radial engine design, the BMW 801 radial. Teething problems, mostly involving inadequate cooling of the engine and sealing of engine fumes from the engine into the cockpit caused no end of trouble, but when a Fw 190A-3 went over to England on a very successful sortie, Germany knew she had a fine plane at her disposal (as did the British).

The Fw 190A-4 is an excellent plane for its time. As the 1942 arena showed, it is the Dora of that time period's planes. Virtually uncatchable with sufficient altitude, she can strike and leave almost at will, with the Spitfire Vs it fought left in the dust behind it. Unfortunately, German Radials lacked adequate Turbo Superchargers for their engines and thus the Focke Wulf performs worse and worse with altitude. She hits a rather sudden performance cliff at 7k, which peaks at around 11k, at which time her performance degradation rate returns to more normal levels as she gets higher. It is ironic that the Fw 190A-4 hates altitude, as she is one of the worst planes to be caught low-and-slow in. Her acceleration is excellent at low altitude, but becomes outright pathetic at 10k and above. Her climb is very good until about 7k. She zoom climbs well until this altitude is reached.

As the saying goes, don't turn a Focke Wulf. This is very true as almost every plane outturns her in a sustained turnfight, her instantaneous turn is horrible (hindering quick post-zoom reversals), and worst of all, her turning radius is huge. Without flaps, on the deck she turns around at 180mph, carving a 950ft radius circle (compare that to a Ki43's 300ft and a Hellcat's 450ft). And almost any backpressure on the stick seems to activate the stall horn. It is almost like the stick is *attached* to the stall horn, causing it to go off when you pull back at all! Needless to say her stall characteristics are most unpleasant.

If you do need to reverse on a pursuing enemy, and can afford to go vertical with that opponent (read: opponent isn't an exceptional vertical fighter or has lots of E over you), a good reversal technique is to point the nose straight up. When the speed hits 100mph, cut throttle to minimum. You will hammerhead (or flip), and do a 180 in about 2 seconds when your speed hits around 20mph, and then you will be coming right at your opponent! (and probably hearing claims of "Cheater!" on channel 100 <g>)

The basic technique with the Fw 190A-4 is the classic BnZ. Since her altitude performance is so shoddy, but her diving ability is excellent (and her E retention at speed), she is the perfect BnZ machine. Get high above the opponent. Dive on the opponent. Fire at the opponent. Zoom back up to original altitude (or higher). Repeat until target is dead, out of ammunition, or situation changes (such as another co-e or higher fighter). Then dive and hope the other guy thinks you're a Dora (thus won't chase you).

The data I collected on the Fw 190A-4 help explain why the Dora is such a mean machine. The Fw 190A-4 has problems above about 7,000ft with engine power. The Fw 190D-9 solves this problem, giving the Fw her stellar performance at altitudes up to 30,000ft or more. The Fw 190A-4 is low drag and keeps her E very well. The Fw 190D-9, with her more powerful engine and better altitude performance, capitalizes on this by phenomenal speed, diving ability, energy retention and acceleration.

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