Dietmar Hermann has published a good book called "Fw 190 - Der Weg zum Höhenjäger" ('Fw 190 - The Path to the High Altitude Fighter') that points out even earlier developments. Apparently, mass production of the lightened Fw 190B with BMW801D, an enlarged wing and exterior air intakes for greater ram effect was just about to start when it was cancelled in favour of more Antons. I speculate this might have been due to the requirements of the Eastern Front.
Heya! I don't have that book yet although it is very high on my list. I have "Focke-Wulf ta 152: The storry of Luftwaffes late war, high-altitude fighter" by the same author, absolutely love the book.
I had no idea of the Fw190 B actually, never heard of it which gives me yet another reason to buy the book.
maybe "stopgap" would be even more accurate.
Stopgap was the exact word I was looking for, just couldn't seem to find it in my brain when I needed it.
While the Dora may not have been up to par with P51's and P47's at high alt I definatly think it was bellow 25k or so, atleast the pilots who flew it loved it and it was quite superior to the Antons over 20k. Still, the Jumo 213 A had limited high altitude performance.
As for the H, yes... the shorter wing Ta152's would have produced less drag and greater roll. However, it would have given them worse turning ability aswell. One can argue over which is most important, depends on situation I guess but speed would probarly have been better. The much improved turn radius of the Ta152 H compared to Fw 190's was praised by the pilots who did fly the Ta 152 though as Willi Reschke describes in his combat report vs Tempests.
Oh, I didn't mean to suggest it was a poor fighter in any way! But a small-wing Ta 152 would have had less drag and a higher G limit, in addition to less weight due to the absence of the GM-1 equipment, and so it would have compared even more favourably to the Allied designs at most altitudes.
Don't think the G limit was a problem really. Infact, Ta 152 pilots said that unlike the Fw 190 they had flown prior they loved the Ta 152 because it turned so well, some said that they could grey out even at lower speed turns, something they hadn't experienced before.
I know you didn't sugest it was bad plane, that wouldn't make much sense...
The weight things is interesting though. The Ta152 C would have been the next production modell (some say a few were produced and some say a few saw combat but this is very uncertain and not very probarble part from possibly a few C0's pre-production).
The Ta 152 C1 (first planned prouduction version) was actually heavier than the Ta 152 H1. 5300kg compared to 5217kg (normal flight weight).
It had a shorter wings and thus less wing area (faster roll but worse turn radius). It was to use the DB 603 LA or L engine instead of the Jumo (looking at charts the DB engine gives better performance bellow 10,000 meters or so).
The C was to be a Destroyer though and most of the extra weight was armament. It was also capable of Attack sorties carrying ordnance.
Normal armament for the C1 was to be 2xMg151's in upper fuselage with 150 rpg. 2 more Mg151's in each wing root with 175rpg and a hub mounted Mk 108 30mm with 90 rounds.
(I want it!)
The B version and A version were also planned for heavy armament.
