World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
20 Feb 2009 10:04:21 AM

Fw 190G-3 probably belonging to 11/SG 10 flying over Rumania early 1943.

2.  Bill says:
9 Nov 2010 06:49:05 PM

What is that white square below the headrest
say. The place card was in red with white
letters.

Achtung!
Haubenabwurf durch Sprengladung
Abwurlhebel nicht beruhren. Jm Probefall
vorherige Elnstellung des Schlagbolzens.

English translation:
Attention! Release of the canopy by explosive
charge. Do not touch release lever.
In case of a test first secure the striker.

3.  Bill says:
19 Nov 2010 06:54:27 PM

Pilots flying the Fw 190 couldn't open the
canopy in flight, above speeds of 250mph it
was impossible to open due to airflow over
the fuselage.

To escape from the 190, the pilot had to use
explosive bolts to blow the canopy clear of the aircraft, and then bailout.

4.  Bill says:
22 Mar 2011 08:42:02 PM

Turkey played herself neutral during WWII
but the country was pressured by both the
Allies and Germany to join on their side.
At this time, the Turkish Air Force was equipped with Focke-Wulf Fw190s and Spitfire
Mk Vs between 1943 to 1945.

Germany sold brand new Fw190s and even offered a payment plan for Turkey to pay for the fighters.
Germany was also interested in raw materials
however, the British got the upper hand in making deals with Turkey, and even shipped any spare-parts needed, turkey was forced to manufacture its own spares, when the supply from Germany stopped.
Turkey also operated American Curtiss P-40s
and 20 early model Heinkel He-111 and British
Bristol Blenheim Bombers.

The Turkish Fw190A-3s were downgraded for export, and were armed with 4x7.92mm MG 17 machine guns with a option to install 2x20mm FF/M cannons in the outer wing positions. Turkey ordered 72 fighters between 1942 to 1943 and were flown by four squadrons, they were retired between 1948 and 1949 no Turkish Fw190 survives today.

5.  Bill says:
2 Mar 2013 05:41:02 AM

SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME:

Kurt Tank designed the Ta183 "Huckebin" single-engine jet aircraft. planned as a successor to the Messerschmitt Me262. Also known as project V
and given the abbreviation Ta183 after Kurt Tank. Aircraft name: Huckebin after a raven from German Folklore.

WUNDERWAFFEN:

Aircraft was of advanced design the wings were swept back 35 degrees, ejection seat powered by a turbo-jet engine. No prototype flew and none were produced, the Focke-Wulf factory was captured by the British in April 1945 a mockup was found along research and technical data.
This information was used for continued research & development of jet aircraft during the pos-war period.

PROPOSED ARMAMENT:

Aircraft was to be armed with 4x30mm cannons, 1x500lb bomb, 2 or 4 X-4 air-to-air missiles these were optically wire-guided weapons with a speed of 600mph!

REPLACEMENT KILLER:

Follow up design to the Ta183 was the Focke-Wulf Fw250 similar in design, but powered by 2xHeinkel-Hirth jet engines, wings swept back 40 degrees armed w/4x30mm cannons and missiles.
Like the Ta183, the Fw250 never flew many of the 1950s jet aircraft borrowed German forward thinking designs.

FOLLOW UP DESIGNS:

PULQUI: Was a further improved of the Ta183 fighter by Kurt Tank built in Argentina after WWII, it was similar to the wartime design.

MAILUT: HAL HF-24 Supersonic twin-engine fighter that was of Kurt Tank design built in India.

Kurt Tank: German aeronautical engineer & test pilot. Led the Focke-Wulf design team from 1931 to 1945.