The Focke-Wulf FW 190 A-3/U7 with Jagdgeschwader 2
By Andrew Arthy
Before moving on, mention must be made of a special FW 190 variant that served with Jagdgeschwader 2. The Geschwaderstab and 1943 incarnation of the 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 were two of very few Luftwaffe units that operated a special variant of the FW 190: the Focke-Wulf FW 190 A-3/U7 ‘Höhenjäger’ (high-altitude fighter). A special 11.(Höhe) Staffel had been formed in … 1942 for high-altitude operations, but it had been equipped with special versions of the Bf 109.
At the end of September 1942 three so-called “Höhenjägern”, designated FW 190 A-3/U7, were built. They were:
FW 190 A-3/U7 W.Nr 528 DJ + AB
FW 190 A-3/U7 W.Nr 531 DJ + AE
FW 190 A-3/U7 W.Nr 532 DJ + AF
These were from the Focke-Wulf factory at Marienburg, so the full Werk Nummern would have been 0130 528, 0130 531 and 0130 532.
These aircraft were lightened in a number of ways. some of the armour from the cabin area was removed, namely the pilot back and head armour. The variant did not have self-sealing fuel tanks. The fuselage MG 17s were removed, as was the FuG 25. New air intakes were used.
These weight reductions meant that the FW 190 A-3/U7 weighed 3,660 kg, compared to the 3,850 kg weight of a regular FW 190 A-3. The wing area was meant to be increased from 18.3 m² to 20.3 m², and the wing span was meant to be increased from 10.5 m to 12.5 m, although whether these changes in dimensions actually occurred is not known.
The changes had an effect on aircraft performance. There was a decrease in turn radius from 1,450 m at 10,000 m for the FW 190 A-3 to 1,250 m at the same altitude for the A-3/U7. The FW 190 A-3/U7 had an initial climb rate of 18 m/s, a ceiling of 11,900 m, and a top speed of 694 km/h at 7,400 m at ‘take-off power’. Sea level speed was 534 km/h at ‘take-off power’. Full throttle height increased from 6,400 m in the regular FW 190 A-3 to 7,400 m in the FW 190 A-3/U7.
Rodeike notes that by … 1942 the three FW 190 A-3/U7s “waren bereits in der Erprobung”.
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The Geschwaderstab took on two FW 190 A-3/U7s from another unit [identify it] in September 1942. In October 1942 it received a new FW 190 A-3/U7 from the factory. Strangely, at the end of November the FW 190 A-3/U7s were listed in the Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen as FW 190 A-4/U7s, and under this designation they remained with the unit until May 1943, when they were given to the 10. Staffel of J.G. 2. In June the Stab took back the three FW 190 A-3/U7s. However, in the next month these aircraft were sent to other units.
Höhere Jagdfliegerführer West took on two FW 190 A-3/U7s in July 1943 from another unit, and in October 1943 still had them when it became the Stab of II. Jagdkorps.
The Stab of II. Jagdkorps had the two FW 190 A-3/U7s on strength until April 1944, when one was sent to another unit. The remaining A-3/U7 was lost in May 1944, although there was no enemy involvement in the loss.
At 16:40 on 7 May 1944 FW 190 A-3/U7 W.Nr 528, marked ‘DJ + AB’, crashed on a ferry flight two kilometres north of Langres, probably due to faulty navigation and engine trouble. The pilot, Obgefr. Edward Luchner, was killed. The unit was II. Jagdkorps.
