Focke Wulf Fw-190T-1

What If Aircraft

by David Drake

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Focke Wulf Fw-190T-1 'Black 1' 1/ZG.1, 1943

The Fw-190T was a navalised development of the successful FW190A series of Luftwaffe fighters.  The Fw-190T-1 was powered by a supercharged DB601 in-line engine, incorporating many of the features trialled on the prototype FW190 V18, including a 4-bladed propeller.

The T-1 was, despite being built in only small numbers, considered an important type at the time of its introduction into service.  Designed as a sea-going point air defence aircraft for the German carrier 'Graf Zeppelin' and its battle group, the Fw-190T-1 provided the fledging Kreigsmarine with a higher performance fighter than the Bf-109T, and allowed German naval aviators to develop fighter tactics in advance of receiving the fully-navalised T-2 (the T-1 did not feature folding wings).

Always considered an interim type, the Fw-190T-1 saw service only with the Kreigsmarine's composite Zeegruppe 1.  Following the destruction of the Graf Zeppelin by RAF and FAA attacks in early 1944, the remaining examples joined the small production batch of Fw-190T-2s in contributing to the air defence of Hamburg.

(Donor kits: Smer FW190A-8, Airfix FW190A-8, Blohm & Voss BV141 and P-51D Mustang, Italeri FW190A-8,  KP Spitfire IXe, Superscale sheet 72-481)

David 

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Photos and text © by David Drake